MUST TRY HARDER...
I admit to knowing very little about politics and I have never joined any political party; neither am I likely to with the possible exception of the Football Party or, at a push, Mebyon Kernow. But it`s hard not to get interested in the contest for the leadership of what`s left of the Labour Party. I suspect that what troubles me most about it - and which we keep hearing - is that whoever wins will lead Her Majesty`s Loyal Opposition in Parliament and, as such and in theory at least, become a potential Prime Minister.
So, what are the choices? Well, taking them in the order of the photo above, first there`s Liz Kendall. She seems very well educated (Queens College, Cambridge and all that) and has five years experience as an MP. Seems a nice lady but I`m left, unfairly I`m sure, with the impression that she should be back at home doing the ironing rather than pursuing the self delusion that one day she might be Prime Minister. Maybe it`s significant that until the recent General Election she was `in a relationship` with a Welsh stand up comedian.
Yvette Cooper worries me. She is really Mrs. Balls but chooses not to use her married name, presumably in a desperate attempt to distance herself, at least professionally, from Ed Balls, recent shadow Chancellor and who can blame her?. Yvette is desperately intense and, despite her Cambridge and Harvard education, gives the impression of a startled chicken caught in the headlights of her own self importance.
There`s a lot of angst about the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn actually winning the leadership contest. There`s almost panic in the air that a democratic process might produce the wrong result but I get the feeling that at least he is perfectly genuine and consistent in his beliefs and maybe that`s what scares the pants off his opponents who may find such qualities to be quite alien.
Andy Burnham seems to be the ultimate chancer - involved in so many things, so many causes, so many populist campaigns that it`s difficult to detect whether he really stands for anything in particular or simply blows with the wind - "happy to have Jeremy in my team," he says.. Anyway, he`s an Everton fan and I don`t like Everton, who stuffed the Saints 3-0 on Saturday.
So it`s all a bit depressing really, especially when we need a good, strong, credible Opposition to provide a serious counterpoint to the rampant Tory Government. I`m not sure we`ll get that with any of the candidates on offer. Must try harder.
So, what are the choices? Well, taking them in the order of the photo above, first there`s Liz Kendall. She seems very well educated (Queens College, Cambridge and all that) and has five years experience as an MP. Seems a nice lady but I`m left, unfairly I`m sure, with the impression that she should be back at home doing the ironing rather than pursuing the self delusion that one day she might be Prime Minister. Maybe it`s significant that until the recent General Election she was `in a relationship` with a Welsh stand up comedian.
Yvette Cooper worries me. She is really Mrs. Balls but chooses not to use her married name, presumably in a desperate attempt to distance herself, at least professionally, from Ed Balls, recent shadow Chancellor and who can blame her?. Yvette is desperately intense and, despite her Cambridge and Harvard education, gives the impression of a startled chicken caught in the headlights of her own self importance.
There`s a lot of angst about the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn actually winning the leadership contest. There`s almost panic in the air that a democratic process might produce the wrong result but I get the feeling that at least he is perfectly genuine and consistent in his beliefs and maybe that`s what scares the pants off his opponents who may find such qualities to be quite alien.
Andy Burnham seems to be the ultimate chancer - involved in so many things, so many causes, so many populist campaigns that it`s difficult to detect whether he really stands for anything in particular or simply blows with the wind - "happy to have Jeremy in my team," he says.. Anyway, he`s an Everton fan and I don`t like Everton, who stuffed the Saints 3-0 on Saturday.
So it`s all a bit depressing really, especially when we need a good, strong, credible Opposition to provide a serious counterpoint to the rampant Tory Government. I`m not sure we`ll get that with any of the candidates on offer. Must try harder.
1 comment:
We`re not far apart then Ray - as usual - but I thought Liz Kendall had some Blair baggage which wouldn`t help her cause. Anyway, what do I know?
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