Tag Archives: harriet harman

Mrs Doyle’s brew up change in Westminster at Tea Time for Change.

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Hundreds of people from across the UK are heading to Westminster to hit back at aid sceptics and urge their MPs not to abandon the world’s poorest people. The mass lobby of politicians, called TEA TIME FOR CHANGE will bring people face to face with their MPs to discuss international development over a cup of tea and ask the government to make the vital changes needed to end global poverty.

Secretary of State for International Development ANDREW MITCHELL, Shadow Secretary HARRIET HARMAN and over 130 other MPs have agreed to meet their constituents over a cup of tea and talk about tackling global poverty with people who care passionately about these issues. www.actionaid.org.uk/tea_time_for_change

ActionAid’s Head of Campaigns, Jenny Ricks, spokesperson for Tea Time for Change said: “Supporters of international development will be using Tea Time for Change to share a cup of tea with their MPs. They’ll be pushing for the changes needed to stop more than a billion people going to bed hungry each night, 1,400 women dying in pregnancy and child birth every day and 72 million children missing out on the chance to go to school.”

To join the event on Thursday June 9, go to www.teatimeforchange.org.uk

A Look from the Left at the muddle in the middle. By Richard Wright

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Week 1: Change – so simple yet I don’t understand it

I speak to you as an observer of the left wing of British Politics. I am the voice of the loony left of Britain as certain elements of this fine publication would call it. And I sit in anticipation of what will happen to The Labour Party. The grand design to sweep Labour back into office? Change. Labour. A new generation for change. This is indeed a very lucrative if dangerous road to go for The Labour Party.

Recent political shenanigans in American politics should warn the Labour Party of such danger. Barack Obama swept his underdog Presidential campaign all the way to the white house taking Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats with him on a platform of change. Now, in the 2010 mid terms elections to both house and senate; the Republicans are on a mighty surge with a manifesto of, you guessed it, change. Labour be warned: preaching change sometimes gives people such a taste for change that when it’s not instant they look for it again. Much like a coffee hit first thing in the morning. And sometimes once you’ve had that first hit of caffeine it’s simply not enough and you need another one. It’s not the greatest analogy in the world but I haven’t had enough tea today. And I don’t want to have to think of a new one. That’s a potential Slogan for Ed Miliband to think about “Labour – it’ll do”. Maybe not.

The cynic in me says “change? You’re barely out of office surely you’d be changing what the previous Labour government was responsible for?” Well to put a convoluted and fence sitting answer to that – yes and no. As with all political theory it’s not really that simple. Take for example this little issue called simply “no it was your fault”. Well that’s what I call it anyway. As any good Labour supporter knows, and if you watch Allan Johnson speak in parliament are still constantly reminded, any failing of the previous administration was really a result of the previous administration to that which is ultimately all the fault of Thatcher. Basically to put it in political caveman talk – Labour made good thing but bad thing was that lot before us. Not me. Nope. We did good thing. Bad thing not us. Bad thing them. Anyway getting away from the translated rhetoric of the finest political minds this country has to offer we are left with this question – what I just said, right, that’s correct surely? Well…yes and no. Again it’s really not as simple as that. I wish I had better answers to these questions but I’m a socialist – answers aren’t my job okay, questions are.

Now, saying that Labour might have needed rebranding after the disaster that was Gordon Brown is probably about as big an understatement as saying the movie Avatar made a nice few quid. They needed re-branding. Oh how they needed re-branding. They needed dynamic leadership, a new energy, a new approach and…..oh dear. What we got was a new leader who looks like the work experience boy from a Wallace and Gromit movie and a shadow Chancellor who looks like a cross between former cricket umpire Dickie Bird and that old uncle you hope doesn’t come at Christmas cause his flatulence and racist jokes are annoying. As for Harriet Harman, well, she’s fine. I’m not saying anything negative about a lady who looks like she could knock me into the middle of next week and then somehow still be there to tell me all about the news I missed out on.

My concern is this – Is the Labour Party devoid of genuinely inspiring Leadership? Well, as much as I hate fence sitting, yes and no. The simple fact is that the entire Labour Party is slap bang in the middle of change. There’s that word again. Change. Mr Miliband is a different type of politician. In as much as he is very much like David Cameron and Nick Clegg. But he’s very different for the Labour Party. In as much as he’s not all that far removed from Tony Blair c.1994. It’s all very confusing. Change. No one really likes change because well it’s different. It’s something we haven’t had before. It’s new, New Labour. But not New Labour. Just a new Labour Party. But not The New Labour Party. Just the Labour Party but a bit different. And more new…but not in that way.

I may have to get back to you on this one.