Is it possible to reinvigorate politics?

Jun 30, 2010 00:09

I went to the Labour leadership hustings today. It wasn't a Party event in that it was open to non-members and it wasn't charging a £10 door fee. But all five candidates were there (Ed Balls, Diane Abbott, Andy Burnham and the brothers Miliband). For those of you who don't know, after a stint of being very active in the Party many years ago I ( Read more... )

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elfie_the_gerbi June 29 2010, 23:21:27 UTC
Join the party now, and you too can vote to make her leader *cough that's my recruitment of new members over with now *cough

I'm voting for her. I've always liked and respected Diane Abbot, although, our dear friend the organiser did tell me today he didn't like her because she's an elitist.

Completely unlike the Brothers Milliband then!!

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littleangel_103 June 29 2010, 23:39:31 UTC
That is the one thing I feel frustrated by - the lack of a non-elite-ly educated candidate. Here's the line up:

Balls - Dad is an academic zoologist, private boys secondary school, Oxford (PPE) and Harvard (Kennedy scholar).

Burnham - working class background but then Cambridge (English).

Miliband (E) - son of academic (Ralph Miliband), Oxford (PPE), LSE (MSc Economics).

Miliband (D) - son of academic (Ralph Miliband), Oxford PPE, M.I.T. (MSc Political Science).

Abbott - Cambridge (History).

In terms of her school choice for her son, she tackled this head on and with good reasoning. The national figure for white boys getting 5 A-E GCSEs was 42%, in Hackney the figure for black boys was 9%. I understand more why she did it and she also said that after 9 years of Labour investment in education if she were making that same choice now she'd make it differently.

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elfie_the_gerbi June 29 2010, 23:42:36 UTC
At this current moment, I think it would unlikely that a non elite educated member would make it to the top. Who else do you think would/should be a contender. Also, I'd like t wage tat there's a difference between 'working class done good, got into Cambrdige' and 'middle class privilege, private school, could afford to do both under drad and post grad at prestigous and expensive schools'

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littleangel_103 June 30 2010, 06:49:52 UTC
I agree on the difference between wc survived in an elitist system and mc world on a plate candiates. (Doesn't it say something that both wc rooted candidates here went to Cambridge and not Oxford?)

As for who else should be a contender - I am not sure, being out of touch with the Party but only Harman and McDonnell would count as having been educated at non-elite HE institutions.

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prophetsong June 30 2010, 09:46:42 UTC
Thanks for this. I've already booked a place for the Solihul one and I'm glad to hear it was useful. I'm entitled to vote as a member of the Labour party and I'm still floating between candidates at the monet so I'm hoping it'll give me a clearer idea of what they're each proposing.

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jinty June 30 2010, 12:47:43 UTC
Very interested & glad to see that Abbott impressed! I was really chuffed & excited to hear her announcing her candidature on the Today program but I haven't really caught up on the activities since then; must do so.

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incy June 30 2010, 19:39:46 UTC
I personally am hoping that David Milliband wins (not enough though to rejoin the Labour party ( ... )

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littleangel_103 July 1 2010, 07:44:33 UTC
I guess it depends what you think the most pressing priority is for the movement - government or sorting out what it really wants to do ( ... )

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