immaterial

Sian - Attended a strike at the National Gallery two weeks ago and was told by a NEC member that Serwotka's in hospital with heart problems.....

RED ALERT - RED ALERT - John Mcdonnell to speak on Any Questions, Radio 4, 20.00!

Not keen on Abbott's confused politics, but at least a woman candidate has come forward. My principal concern is that the Labour Party - the affiliated unions, CLPs, along with party activists - has an opportunity to hear a full, open and honest debate about the way forward, and the socialist policies, not the personalities, that it needs to equip itself with in order to fight this coalition of the cutters.

Loz, Could you explain why left-wing Labour MPs actually increased their percentage of the vote at this election? How does this prove the unelectability of socialist candidates or the unpopularity of egalitarian, left-wing ideologies? I've heard Mcdonnell speak at Unionlearn, PCS and TUC conferences and he has been warmly received by all the assembled delegates, of all political persuasions, for his rational, honest and principled stance on a range of issues.He would make a fine candidate for the leadership, but more importantly this would open up the party to a crucial dialogue and debate about socialist responses to the current crisis of capital. After recent public sector strikes and with a High Court victory under our belts, along with widespread public support, my own union, the PCS, is looking to forge a Broad front coalition of public sector unions, and community groups, to fight the looming ?6 billion worth of cuts. I'm not sure if you're aware, but the 'public', of which you speak, form the various elements of the workforce who are facing increased job losses and also use those services that are about to be torn to ribbons. Unsurprisingly, I also disagree with you vis-a-vis those turncoat Lib-Dem.s. Their betrayal of the electorate's wishes and throwing their lot in with the Tories - "vote for us to keep out the Conservatives" - has already destroyed their nascent credibility; theirs will be the party to self-destruct, not the workers' party...

deflates

I've just rejoined Labour after 28 years in the political 'wilderness'! Although active in the unions for all that time, I just couldn't stomach the witch hunts of Kinnock et al, followed by 13 years of Blairite shenanigans - pushing the boundaries of privatization further than even Thatcher would've dared, not repealing anti-democratic, anti-union laws, light-touch regulation of the financial sector, widening the gulf between the rich and the subaltern classes. The time for an open, frank discussion within the party of Labour seems to have arrived. From conversations with active trade unionists and socialists of all persuasions, the general mood seems to be one of optimism and hope; a desire to debate within the party structures, unblock the democratic channels sealed by Blair and his cronies and to support a 'dinosaur', like John Mcdonnell, in an attempt to revive the broad church of socialist viewpoints that the party once was.

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red

burst

bubble

crowbar

Cardigan

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magrana

Fantasy