David Miliband Joins International Rescue

[Huguenot]

I think the received wisdom is that the opposition should never disclose policies mid term, as it allows the government to unpick the poor strategies or co-opt the good ones.

[Atticus]

Then, how is one won over?

[Huguenot]

Tragically it all seems to come down to emotional response to the manifesto in the last two weeks before the election.

[StraferJack]

" but standing against your brother, the heir apparent is just wrong. "

eh? Says who? When? Why?

Has anyone got the text of his "getting on the pitch" comments?

[El Pibe]

"The heir apparent" ha ha, apparent[ly] not!

Why should it matter who he stood against, if he has political convictions not served by his brother's then why the hell shouldn't he? Specious argument.

Sporting metaphors are lazy metaphors and I'm afraid your interpretation reflcts none of the craft but stands merely as an inference.

For instance to me it's too close to to a music metaphor (ie being heard to strike the right note, clssic nu labour) and "if there's grass on the pitch...", for that reason alone probably best avoided.

[RosieH]

Did not David also "stand against" Ed?

[*Bob*]

El Pibe Wrote:

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> Sporting metaphors are lazy metaphors

I have to confess that I did enjoy Boris's line after Eddie Mair asked him if he'd like to be prime minister: "If that ball came loose from the back of the scrum.."

[RosieH]

Huguenot Wrote:

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> Is the quality of a metaphor defined by what was

> implied or what was inferred? Is it degraded as an

> artform if the audience is unfamiliar with

> context?

I would suggest that the quality of a metaphor lies in what it communicates. It should aid comprehension, evoking more than the mere literal would have. I would therefore suggest that this metaphor failed.

[RosieH]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> El Pibe Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Sporting metaphors are lazy metaphors

>

> I have to confess that I did enjoy Boris's line

> after Eddie Mair asked him if he'd like to be

> prime minister: "If that ball came loose from the

> back of the scrum.."

Boris is a cunt, but he's a wizard with words.

[Otta]

Brothers or not, if you have different ideas to the heir apparent and think you could take the party in a better direction, then you stand.

[????]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> " but standing against your brother, the heir

> apparent is just wrong. "

>

> eh? Says who? When? Why?

>

Hamlet

[????]

I read some political commentator, not the Prince of Denmark, who said actually Ed is the brighter. Given that David got into Oxford with crap A levels on a place for 'disadvantaged' inner city comprehensive pupils*

*inner city kids who have the public school educated Benns and Foots et al popping round to their parents million pound house in Primrose Hill to discuss inequality obviously

[Atticus]

SJ, are you after empirical evidence, 'says who?'

As if I was offering anything other than a personal opinion.

[DJKillaQueen]

Ed may be brighter but the problems remain the same with or without brother David in the background. Ed is no effective opposition.

I do think we've lost sight of who make good political leaders. We've been fed fresh faced media friendly (and not always particularly bright) inexperienced and privilieged wannabees by all the parties. Where are the people with great experience of politics, driven by clear plans for social and/ or economic change based on years of useful experience in anything relevant? Ed for me has the same problem as Cameron and Clegg. He is too young and knows too little.

[Atticus]

For once I agree with the hardy mellifluous Huguenot...

I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

[Atticus]

Ps, Has Reggie ever enjoyed such a response?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

" but standing against your brother, the heir apparent is just wrong. "

eh? Says who? When? Why?

I always thought that Jacob was a shifty bugger.

[uncleglen]

Since Labour lost to Mrs T, after the shenanigans surrounding mebership of Militant, I have been very suspicious of them -since anyone with aspirations to Government would, of necessity, cloak their extreme Left wing views (ok so you can accuse me of believing that they are Commies in disguise if you like- because I do anyway).

Also, worryingly, someone I know who was a trade union rep. was offered a position on a regional association because they 'talked the talk'. The person in question had never had to prove themselves as being an effective rep. in 2 years as no opportunities had arisen in that time.

I agree with EP- a leader needs to be a ruthless b...- it's what they do- not what they say. So far they are all a bunch of toothless wonders imho.

[StraferJack]

Plenty of rhetoric in today's speech ( hardly unusual at conference for any party )

But each year I understand less people who dismiss him because if his looks/mannerisms

[Louisa]

Labour and I departed on bad terms some time ago and since Blair I have struggled to entertain anything they say, the lack of substance and abandonment of the past reinforce insincerity for me. We are in a political vacuum of sorts. Both main parties have had significant terms in office post 1979 and have between them have successfully managed to run our post industrial economy into the ground. Post 2010 the liberal party has joined them and also managed to put their tuppence worth in to further deconstruct and damage our economy. Where do we go next? There is nowhere that's the truth Hence why the polls are in a dead heat near enough and coalitions of any colours are as good as it gets for us on the trust scale. Sad but true. Anyway who is this Ed you all talk of?

Louisa.