Questions Of The Day (Politics)

[Mick Harper]

Dom Strikes Back

Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have one thing in common (among many) and it is that they just don't care. The are unembarrassable. And it gives them enormous strength. The reason I know is because I have the trait too which is usually called 'narcissism' but that is because (you) lesser people don't have it and call it names and think it a bad thing. Maybe it is... for you!

For us it means we can stroll through life not having to do what other people have to do e.g. resign. Remember the senior Tory minister who had to resign because he was rude to the Downing Street gateman? That's what others do. It's not what Priti Patel would have done. That's three wrong 'uns. Maybe it's not such a good thing after all.

[Mick Harper]

The Iranians dobbing an extra year on Zaghari-Radcliffe is quite a cute move. Before, giving her a five year sentence for spying was justifiable because she was a spy (they say). Both sides had a fig leaf. But since the extra year is for something she did before she went to Iran i.e. demonstrating outside the Iranian Embassy, and which they should have charged her with on arrival, the fig leaf has been removed. The Iranians are saying to the British Government quite straight, "Look, we don't care about the injustice rumpus, we care about getting our tank money back. You care about the injustice rumpus so if you want to do anything about it, give us our money back. Otherwise, she'll get another year when this one is up."

It amazes me that people insist on constantly projecting their values on to other people even when it is overwhelmingly obvious they shouldn't. Remember, Iran needs our support over the nuclear issue -- the most important one on their agenda - but they know they'll get it whatever they do about Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Pay them their money for Allah's sake. For her sake. But above all for our sake.

[Wile E. Coyote]

The new policies, of kicking out anti-semites and standing in front of a flag, doesn't appear to resonate with the "monkey hangers." Looks like they will vote tribally on class lines..... for the Tories.

Labour has spent the last 40 odd years doing a Ratner. No way back, comrades.

[Mick Harper]

Could you not have chosen a non-Jewish shyster for your exemplar? It's the optics I'm thinking about. Talking of Jewish shysters wasn't Peter Mandelson the MP for Hartlepool? Wrong! Only half-Jewish. And not the Jewish half either. His grandfather, Herbert Morrison, was all-shyster. My dad was a big fan. Talking of shysters, my dad...

[Wile E. Coyote]

Whatever you say about Labour they did make a half hearted attempt at winning in Hartlepool, by sending out a Happy St Georges day card to voters. The Tories by way of contrast have abandoned London to Mayor Khan. Maybe it's coz Londoners voted remain, and they pine for the old days of being in the EU? Has Boris let Londoners down?

Wiley says don't worry London, your place as Europe's richest capital is safe. It is built on parasitic financial services and foreign oligarchs, not on EU free movement of labour. Never fear, you will still have poor folks to keep you served with low cost Costa and Baguettes. Failing that you can always move to Hartlepool, it's not as grim as you think. Only one problem, and you might be surprised to hear this..... the Tories are in charge.

[Mick Harper]

Word on oligarch street is 'nyet'. You see, what oligarchs need above all things is free movement of cash in and out of hidey-holes and while London used to provide that better than anywhere in the world, it won't do much longer because, being out of the EU, means Frankfurt, Paris, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Nicosia can start putting leetle governance requirements in the way. They have to be little to get the oligarch shilling but they will make sure they are just enough to make it not worth oligarchs' while having London in the chain.

And we Londoners will be able to reclaim our pied à terres in Eaton Terrace when their price crashes back through the five million barrier after the oligarchs have jetted off. I will tell you more when I've had a word with Roman in Istanbul. Come on, you (dark) blues!

[Mick Harper]

I will not be voting today. It is so terribly common.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Sir Keir has now watched on, and fiddled, whilst:

Britain has exited Europe

The working class have exited Labour.

Sir Keir is very annoyed. He looks good in a suit, is honest, and wouldn't shag your daughter. What the hell is wrong with people?

[Mick Harper]

Yes, it has been fascinating. His portrait back at Keir Hardie House is still quite unchanged. Everyone on the Labour side interviewed by Kirstie or Huw (Dear BBC, when are the English going to break through your glass ceiling?) was adamant that lessons must be learned and nothing is off the table and they were equally adamant about exactly what was needed. It was what each of them believed the day before the election. But to be fair to them, also what they believed the year before that and the year before that and every year since their adolescence.

So let me remind them what is needed. Listen to your Uncle Mick: the poor are not important. There aren't enough of them, they don't vote in large enough numbers, and the people who do vote in large numbers aren't much interested in them. Yes, just like you, they are anxious to help the poor, but if you frame your whole message in terms of helping the poor, you are going to lose every election. Once you have learned that lesson, won a few elections, come back to me and I'll tell you how to help the poor.

[Wile E. Coyote]

You have to feel for Keir.

The trouble with Labour Mayors is that, they are really preparing for their next leadership bid (Khan, Burnham) or, like Tracy Brabin, leaving you another by-election in the red wall.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Finally Keir had taken some decisive action, Angela Rayner had been sacked following the Hartlepool campaign. This is of course unfair as she had to win the By-election (as all oppositions do if they ever want to govern), in such difficult circumstances. Still this is how it works, you sack your General after a loss, or at best you give them a second chance in battle, and then sack them when and if they lose again.

What does then Keir do? He does the worst thing possible he can, he promotes Angela, he is content to surround himself with losers. Will this make the Labour Party change, learn the harsh lessons of failure? Of course not. Keir has a defeatist mentality.

Wiley offers to lead the team in Batley, to show you how it is done. I just need to be appointed off a short list of one. By the way, if I unexpectedly fail, I expect to be made Shadow Chancellor.

[Mick Harper]

Dear Mr Coyote
We already have a shadow shadow Chancellor in Mr John McDonnel and funds do not extend to further shadows. So kindly return to them.
Yours fraternally
X Trapnel

[Grant]

Across Europe centre-left parties have seen their support collapse. It’s really not Sir Keir’s fault, even though he’s not as forensic as he likes to pretend.
My guess is that the backlash against immigration is behind this. The working classes have realised that left-wing parties do not help the working classes.
Labour is doomed.

[Mick Harper]

Quite close to my analysis, which is irritating. More interesting is why it has taken them so long to twig. The Labour Party was born out of an alliance between socialist intellectuals and trade unionists though there was, and is, no special reason why the one should benefit the other.

What has really caused the rift is that today's left intelligentsia are obsessed about various marginal sectors of society, whereas 'the working class' (in the union sense) are quite well off and can afford to motor along quietly as the bourgeoisie have been doing since time immemorial.

The Labour Party's tragedy is that it is, from top to bottom, now the creature of the left intelligentsia (all wings). I love watching Len McCluskey hopping around in bewilderment.

[Wile E. Coyote]