"Friends of Wes" have briefed the press that he's going to resign as health secretary on Thursday and trigger a leadership contest. Who pre-announces their resignation? With that fun and games to look forward to, I offer this piece of old news. On Saturday Alex Doherty interviewed me about last Thursday's election results for Politics Theory Other. Here's what i had to say.
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Someone who wants the freedom to deniably bottle it if the reaction isn't the one they were hoping for, is my guess!
The dogs in the street know that Streeting would be even more emphatic a death knell for labour than simply keeping Starmer limping along. But that doesn't mean "Friends of Wes" necessarily have a clue. And for the man himself, perhaps it's a case of "screw party and country, this is my one and only shot at the top job and the pension that comes with it".
Yep, the slimy , sweaty, untelegenic, well known by the mass public to be a creature of private healthcare interests, Streeting, would indeed be the last Labour Prime Minister , before the party did a "PASOK" and shrivelled into nothingness electorally .
I am not wholly convinced though that Starmer will go at all easily, or can be removed by a Parliamentary Party nowadays stuffed full of craven opportunist creatures selected, or at least approved, by Mandelson (and Blair) . And Starmer himself, wooden dummy that he is, is nevertheless the puppet of powerful forces, from the US State Department, the UK Deep State/MI6 , NATO, and the Trilateral Commission. They didn't manoeuvre him into the Labour Leadership , and eventual UK PM position, just to let him be removed because of the trivia of mass electoral unpopularity. He may see this crisis out yet - and the global economic tsunami heading our way very very soon , starting with imminent severe fuel shortages, (and cancelled Summer holidays via airline flights), could give his inept bureaucratic authoritarianism a hook to hang a "its time to all pull together " meme , to secure a continuation in office -- perhaps as PM of a very unpleasantly authoritarian national government ?
Very nice interview Phil. Interesting you mention the disappointing/bland leaflets of the local Greens. I listened to James Meadway on PTO recently and found him to be pretty disappointing too. He was downplaying the significance of trade unions in general and seemed to be suggesting that small business owners e.g. hairdressers etc are the natural base for the Greens. But these are the petit bourgeoisie, who might express values in line with the Greens, but at the end of the day will vote for whoever allows them to discipline their labour to maximise profits. Seems like a dead end for a left Green party.
No doubt the greens will be lumbered with an "old guard" who are keen on becoming a party of government, but highly resentful of the inevitable identity changes brought by the new coalition (and member influx) which makes that possible.
Who pre-announces their resignation...?
ReplyDeleteSomeone who wants the freedom to deniably bottle it if the reaction isn't the one they were hoping for, is my guess!
The dogs in the street know that Streeting would be even more emphatic a death knell for labour than simply keeping Starmer limping along. But that doesn't mean "Friends of Wes" necessarily have a clue. And for the man himself, perhaps it's a case of "screw party and country, this is my one and only shot at the top job and the pension that comes with it".
Yep, the slimy , sweaty, untelegenic, well known by the mass public to be a creature of private healthcare interests, Streeting, would indeed be the last Labour Prime Minister , before the party did a "PASOK" and shrivelled into nothingness electorally .
DeleteI am not wholly convinced though that Starmer will go at all easily, or can be removed by a Parliamentary Party nowadays stuffed full of craven opportunist creatures selected, or at least approved, by Mandelson (and Blair) . And Starmer himself, wooden dummy that he is, is nevertheless the puppet of powerful forces, from the US State Department, the UK Deep State/MI6 , NATO, and the Trilateral Commission. They didn't manoeuvre him into the Labour Leadership , and eventual UK PM position, just to let him be removed because of the trivia of mass electoral unpopularity. He may see this crisis out yet - and the global economic tsunami heading our way very very soon , starting with imminent severe fuel shortages, (and cancelled Summer holidays via airline flights), could give his inept bureaucratic authoritarianism a hook to hang a "its time to all pull together " meme , to secure a continuation in office -- perhaps as PM of a very unpleasantly authoritarian national government ?
Very nice interview Phil. Interesting you mention the disappointing/bland leaflets of the local Greens. I listened to James Meadway on PTO recently and found him to be pretty disappointing too. He was downplaying the significance of trade unions in general and seemed to be suggesting that small business owners e.g. hairdressers etc are the natural base for the Greens. But these are the petit bourgeoisie, who might express values in line with the Greens, but at the end of the day will vote for whoever allows them to discipline their labour to maximise profits. Seems like a dead end for a left Green party.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt the greens will be lumbered with an "old guard" who are keen on becoming a party of government, but highly resentful of the inevitable identity changes brought by the new coalition (and member influx) which makes that possible.
DeleteCaroline Lucas' recent comments implies that you are entirely correct
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