Go and have a peek at Liberal Conspiracy's response to Alice Mahon.
The commenter vulpus_rex (comment no. 22) hits the nail on the head perfectly. Alice Mahon disagrees with New Labour over an issue of principle; the response is to attack her rather than the reason with the argument she presents. Others see this for what is is and ask LC to withdraw the article, i.e to conceal the rot. Come back Damien, all is forgiven.
I'll repeat here my comment on the LC article;
For those that hold socialist views and have principles, the Labour Party is no longer a suitable home for you. It abandoned its principles in order to gain power; once it did that, there was nothing left to hold on to and its purpose became, purely and simply, to retain power. To the extent that it espoused socialist ideas, it did so merely in order to secure the votes of the faithful and hence to maintain power.
The recent discoveries of the truly abhorrent methods operating within No.10 are merely the natural result of an unprincipled desire for power. For those of us who have been looking, these methods have been apparent for many years.
It is up to you whether to defect en masse to the Lib Dems, who seem to be positioning themselves for this, or set up a new socialist party. But if your actions are guided by principles as to what is right and what is wrong, you should be following Alice Mahon's example.
Otherwise, you condone what has been happening.
People are entitled to hold socialist views, even if I disagree with them. But they should still retain the basic principles of civil society. Alice Mahon is right to leave New Labour; though I disagree with her politics, I admire her principles. Other New Labour supporters should consider their position carefully.
Nice rebuttal. Particularly the connection with New Labour and spin. It's a post which could have been written by Kevin Maguire.
ReplyDeleteOf course, by tomorrow it will probably become...
"Fr ths tht hld sclst vws nd hv prncpls, th Lbr Prty s n lngr stbl hm fr y. t bndnd ts prncpls n rdr t gn pwr; nc t dd tht, thr ws nthng lft t hld n t nd ts prps bcm, prly nd smply, t rtn pwr. T th xtnt tht t spsd sclst ds, t dd s mrly n rdr t scr th vts f th fthfl nd hnc t mntn pwr.
Th rcnt dscvrs f th trly bhrrnt mthds prtng wthn N.10 r mrly th ntrl rslt f n nprncpld dsr fr pwr. Fr ths f s wh hv bn lkng, ths mthds hv bn pprnt fr mny yrs.
t s p t y whthr t dfct n mss t th Lb Dms, wh sm t b pstnng thmslvs fr ths, r st p nw sclst prty. Bt f yr ctns r gdd by prncpls s t wht s rght nd wht s wrng, y shld b fllwng lc Mhn's xmpl.
thrws, y cndn wht hs bn hppnng."
;-)
Thank you....!
ReplyDeleteYou've noticed why I pasted it here, then? :-)
Odd that no-one on LC has disagreed with me .. it's almost as if I am right?
Slumming it on the LC forum Mr P?
ReplyDeleteBrash tribalism masquerading as deep concern for the well-being of poor.
The totalitarians always have to eternally keep pledging their faith to the righteous cause, the noblest crusade and cannot allow a scintilla of dissent for fear of splits and rifts and that the whole impossible structure may tumble down.
Oh Lord! please give Dave a thumping majority for just one term.It isn't deserved but just to see the splintered, fracturing of allegiances and the open civil war it will cause to the other side.
It will give the Lib Dems heart too. Keep them in the game.
Rest assured that I keep a metaphorical clothes-peg on my nose, Bill.
ReplyDeleteThe argument is still raging fiercely. Goes to prove that there really is no argument like an argument between the Left-wing People's Front and the Peoples' Front of the Left-wing...
Oh thanks. Thanks a bunch! You had to tell them to join the Lib Dems didn't you?
ReplyDeleteA brand new socialist party sounds like a marvellous idea if you ask me.
"it's almost as if I am right?"Yeah that's probably it - after all, that's what usually makes all the difference on Liberal Conspiracy...
ReplyDeleteAhem...
>> You had to tell them to join
ReplyDelete>> the Lib Dems didn't you?
Of course - Clegg is clearly angling for them.
And it will push nice people like you towards a sensible party where you belong ;-)
Although attacking critics personally rather than dealing with the substance of their criticisms is exactly what happens on LC - now they'll attack you for just agreeing with an unperson, too. Oh well, their loss.
ReplyDeleteAnother comment:
ReplyDeleteFor those who thought McBride acted alone, think again. This article, and parts of the reaction to it, show that the element he represented is endemic in your Party.
I repeat my recommendation; those of you with principles, leave the Labour Party. Follow Alice Mahon and establish a principled socialist party for this country. I and those with similar views to mine might still disagree with you, but we will respect you for that.
Stay in New Labour under Gordon and the Liars, and we will not just disagree with you.