My response to the BBC News twitterfeed was less than polite this afternoon- BORING! Can we hear something new please?
But my real issue is the way we have handled the issue as a Party. Collectivism, an ideal that supposedly forms the foundation of our politics is in severe question, with Labour loyalty nowhere to be seen. Our strength lies behind the vacuous Tory Party manifesto, which provides no basis or legitimacy to attack Labour policy. “Smeargate” has given the Conservatives a much sought after gift- grounds on which to lawfully critique our Party.
Well if “smeargate” was a gift then the Tories must think that Christmas has come early! Party members proudly jumping at the opportunity to say their piece, feeding the monster that is the media and playing into the hands of our opponents, ensuring that one foolish mistake is worthy of the front page day after day after day.
Well today is day 5- and I have had enough!
With the general election looming, and the European elections on our doorsteps now is not the time for naval gazing and petty infighting is not an option. We need to build a bridge and get over it, stand shoulder to shoulder once again and only by doing this will we secure a historic fourth term.
Hollie Jones is a BULS member
So ’smeargate’ was perfectly acceptable then was it? You say ‘BORING! Can we hear something new please? Is this because it is happening to Labour? IFf the Tories were caught doing something like this we’d never hear the end of it!
New Labour hypocracy never ceases to amaze me. For years they have ridiculed the Tories and branded us all as Thatcherites and used the ’spectre’ of Thatcher to scare voters yet at the same time theyve done more to extend the Thatcher project than some Tories, including Major, ever did!
All this talk of ‘building a bridge’ and standing ’shoulder to shoulder’ is tantamount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic…
Oh of course Hollie wasn’t saying its acceptable, just that its a broken record! The news hasn’t changed in five days, it concerns two or three individuals who are dragging the party down, and I agree with Hollie that the worst affect it’s had is not to damage public opinion of Labour (if you were going to vote against Labour you’d probably have decided by now) but to turn Labour members against the party. This is not a party thing, its a few-individuals-in-the-party thing. You’ve had your Guido Fawkes blogs and trolls like PragureTory for years, nasty blogging is not nice, I’ve been on the receiving end of some and I do not condone it, but its hardly new. The scandal is that someone working at no.10 was doing it, which he bloody well shouldn’t have been doing; its not a party problem, its a few members letting the rest of us down and turning the rest of us against each other.
Cba to do better critique right now… maybe on next revision break.
I’m sure there’s more important things to be hearing about on the news that have been pushed aside so that this story to run day after day and it isn’t right.
Though the Conservative’s were, no doubt, outraged by what almost happened and despite it being very difficult to resist using it as a political opportunity, I think they have used it as such. In fact, they’re the most likely people pushing forwards those headlines, demanding more from the Prime Minister, handwritten letters weren’t enough it had to be a public apology etc, etc.
I see you, Dan, too, trying, or indeed – jumping, to use this, as an opportunity. I don’t think it reflects well, also, you come across as quite bitter.
I agree also that finding something boring doesn’t mean you find it acceptable too, I would give an example but it probably wouldn’t be a clear enough parallel, or so you’d claim.
Finally, I dislike your Titanic reference, firstly because it’s a bit (putting it lightly) of an exaggeration and secondly, because you’re (almost) making a joke out a tragedy in which a great many people lost their lives – I’d be careful with that (if I were you that is).
“I see you, Dan, too, trying, or indeed – jumping, to use this, as an opportunity. I don’t think it reflects well, also, you come across as quite bitter.”
Say what now? If youd care to look on the BUCF blog you will see we have kept schtum on the issue. In fact our commentary today is in response to Hollies remarks not out of a desire to publicise the story! Im sorry but I am not having a post such as this making out as if it isnt a big deal when the already fragile reputation of our political process is being further eroded by your lot and the dirty tricks brigade.
We would have avoided the issue completely, which you could argue is pretty bloody reasonable of us, had this post not been written. So don’t pull the moral high card on us. I also love it how you all claim its a ‘one off’ and its ‘a few indivduals’… so i suppose the Crewe ‘Tory toff’ campaign was another ‘one off’. Truth is you’d rather attack us and smear us personally than challenge us politically. Ive got to say the Titanic bit is funniest comment Ive heard by far Oliver. By your logic I suppose the joke on here earlier this week about our lord being nailed to the cross is a direct insult to millions of christians is it? Don’t be so ridiculous.
‘Rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic’ is actually a phrase in common use in much the same way as “its raining cats and dogs’ ooooohh hang on ill have a look out of the window for falling felines and canines shall I?! Its not meant literally… although if we are going to bang on about tragic and pointless deaths shall we look at how many have occured under this goverments watch? Iraq? Afghanistan?
If I were in the Labour party id think vvveerrryyy carefully about attempting to occupy the moral high ground.
(If I were you that is)
I’ve always wondered who on Earth would want to sunbathe on a liner navigating its way through North Atlantic ice bergs in April, surely a bit chilly for deckchairs?
Well done for staying out of it ToryKids. It is an issue affecting a small number of your party, who very nearly got wronged by a small number of our party: and thank god none of that stuff made it further than Draper’s inbox, at least they had the sense to stop the madness they started before they made an even bigger mistake. The country has far bigger issues affecting it right now and I do hope the media will get back to concentrating on those soon… while this is a shameful thing to happen its hardly the biggest problem this country faces and really shouldn’t be treated as such, especially by such bleeding hypocrites as the tabloids who publish red-rag-esque bilge on a daily basis.
Oh and I was expecting a little controversey from our Easter joke I must admit! Am impressed by good naturedness of our readers
haha I agree Brigid. There are far more important things to be concentrating on atm like the economy in free fall. What we were frustrated with in regard to this situation however was the fact that we had deliberately avoided comment and yet were still being accused of ‘jumping to use it as an opportunity’ which Im sure you will concede is factually inaccurate and an unfair accuasation. As for the easter joke, being a good catholic boy I do expect a handwritten note and then a few days later (when things calm down) a full blown public apology
I think most christians are able to rise above little jokes like that. It’s good to see diversity in all forms is being encouraged rather than mocked in our party.