I have posted the following comment on the Jon of the Rogers blog in response to a piece he did about the result of the General Secretary election. I am reproducing it here just in case the Rogers doesn't publish my comment.
'It is of course a fact that many of us have different views on how to approach election campaigns and what tactics to use. Unfortunately we all think that our own way of doing things is right.
I publicly supported one of the 3 left wing candidates, namely Dave Prentis, as he has the only record of achivement. I would have looked at the options in a different way had we produced a woman candidate that came from the left.
There is no doubt in my mind that the left of the left put out a negative message to 'potential supporters' by showing a clear inability to select one candidate and show very publicly that the disagreement on finding such a person was far more important than the aspired 'policies'
The left of the left have, in a way, forced those on the left to rally around an existing leader (D Prentis) mainly because of the display of what is seen as profound disunity and arrogance.
At the end of the day Paul Holmes is seen as a nice guy who makes reasonable speeches but has image issues and a very low profile outside his own branch. Roger is more well known. The UL shows a certain degree of arrogance (something that always pissed me off!) by stating publicly that the door is always opened for Roger to come back to the UL? This is somewhat odd and an independent spirit like myself would think that since Roger got many more votes it would be him making the gestures?
I have been an avid supporter of yourself Jon but you got this one wrong. You should thank Marsha for all the work she has done under difficult (if not impossible) circumstances but she should not be asked to deliver the undeliverable. Your failure comes from not being able to find a candidate from the left of the left. It was also arrogant to suggest that the current Secretary is not on the left?? Cameron thinks he is?? '
Maybe they will learn this time?
Excellent points well made, Nick. However, I think its also worth pointing out that even with a 'left of the left' single unity candidate, the UL would not have got near Dave's vote. Our members really are not interested in so-called revolutionaries playing at democracy and hiding behind reformism. Bannister clearly has the track record of being the only game in town as the 'left of the left' candidate but I think we'd all have at least some respect for him if he simply published a summary of his political party's beliefs as an election address rather than the figleaf of reformist demands he did choose to publish. At least that would be honest.
ReplyDeleteI haven't published anon comments for 2 months now but I liked yours so I am lifting the ban. Roger got more votes he is therefore the winner of the left of the left whereas Dave Prentis is the winner on the left (sorry to friends who read my blog who wouldn't have a clue what I am on about..)
ReplyDeleteThe left of the left has some major problems to resolve and this is perhaps the time to take the bull by the balls? First of all they should remove the opportunist element within their ranks (like the Permanent Revulsion jokers who hold their AGM's in a phone box then ask for a refund for unused space!) they should then look at what policies will attract the mass revolution they aspire to on the battelfields of the Goose and banana after the 6th pint of babysham!!!!
Perhaps you should tell us why you were a member of the United Left then? Did it have something to do with getting their vote at regional elections? Difficult one to answer that
ReplyDeleteOh come off it. The whole method of politics is building alliances and sometimes you have to work with some pretty distasteful berks. I'm glad Nick has been able to come out (!) from the UL closet. It must have taken some real strength to go through that charade with those jokers. No doubt we'll see a few more coming over to the light in the months ahead.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 13.27
ReplyDeleteThe truth is there are some really nice people in the UL who mean well. Marsha is a good friend of mine and so is Jon of the Rogers. Marsha is often put in situations where she has to deliver undeliverable objectives and I don't feel that some in the UL treat her right. Then you have Phobe Watkins who really is adorable and I separate her politics from who she is so the reality is there are no monsters within the UL (sorry to disappoint) I even found that my mate the Ego has landed often makes sensible comments and he is nice. But then you have the idiots (very few in numbers) from PR (Permanent revulsion) who get on my nerves with their micro nosnsense and their disruptive behaviour. So as Princes Banana once said you have to step on a lot of shit to avoid the mines...