Labour screwed?

[drain.you]

Hmm...opinion polls showing loads of us hate blair and there was the recent loans and funding business but today there are more bad news for labour:

NHS conference - can our health secretary keep fighting for ever? - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4943596.stm

Prescott Affair - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4945170.stm

Charles Clarke to resign? - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4945428.stm

not glad they are going down caus we gonna end up with the tories next term if they dont stay afloat....

[LSD]

So long as you just end up with a tory minority it shouldn't be so bad.

We've got a Conservative government here in Canada, but because it's counterbalanced by three left-of-center parties, it can't actually do anything, you know, conservative

It's only a tory landslide that you've got to be worried about, because fuck all what they'd do with that kind of power. :o

[chebol]

Been to Oz recently???

[Cult of Reason]

LSD, what voting system is in use in Canada? How often do majorities happen?

I am not sure, but I think that Thatcher had a majority, and even John Major, and Blair definitely has one. When the was the last minority government in the UK?

[Dreckt]

Seems like there are shifts of sorts throughout the world (that or I'm just paranoid :D ).

Here in Sweden, the polls have been pretty equal, but I'd say that the Moderates (right-of-center/"Swedish Republican Party") have the lead over the Socialdemocratic government.

Oh well, not that it makes any difference...

[ComradeOm]

Meh. How bad would the Tories be compared to Blair?

[Hit The North]

Patricia Hewitt, Secretary for Health has just been given a severe barracking by nurses at their conference today: LINK (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4943596.stm).

This is probably New Labour's worst ever week - particularly its lack of credibility within the NHS, which was always its strong point when in opposition.

The way the Tories are moving under the new leadership, I doubt there would be much difference if they took power. As comrades are probably aware, under Blair, the Labour Government is unashamedly and nakedly pro big business and free market and has been stripped of its last (largely illusory) vestiges of socialism.

Blairism (as much as it actually exists) is a continuation of the economic and hegemonic project launched by Thatcher. Take a look at Labour's current Education Bill. It contains proposals to allow individual Capitalists to put up the first 10% of funding for the creation of a 'school academy', the further 90% being met by the tax payer. In return the cappie gets to determine the curriculum. A cheap price to put on the souls of our children!

At least when the Tories are in government it's easier to demonstrate to workers who the enemy are. Under the guise of New Labour, Blair and Brown have managed to implement policies in welfare, health, education and immigration which the Tories would have been staunchly challenged over under Major and Thatcher.

New Labour is a classic 'wolf in sheep's clothing'.

[Nachie]

Don't worry everybody, Alan Woods is gonna reclaim the Labour Party aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaany day now!

[RedGeorge]

In reply to Haraldur: the last minority government was when Labour was in power in the late 1970s- and all signs point to whoever winiing the next election doing so without an overall majority.

[McLeft]

Oh no!! I really don't want to live in a country ruled by that david cameron tory scum. I hate the Conservative Party they destroyed britain in the 80s and early 90s. I think i'm going to live in Vietnam if the tories ever get elected to power. :P

[Cheung Mo]

The Moderates are like the GOP?

I wouldn't even put them right of a Bob Rae, a Tony Blair, or a Gary Doer.

[Cult of Reason]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2006, 06:00 PM
In reply to Haraldur: the last minority government was when Labour was in power in the late 1970s- and all signs point to whoever winiing the next election doing so without an overall majority.
Thankyou. But of course, it will not make much difference as they all agree on the important stuff anyway...