This is the Blog of Paul Smith of Bristol, England. I was the Labour Party Candidate for the central Bristol seat of Bristol West and now I am waiting for a new title. I write this myself, no-one is checking it or telling me what to say, therefore it reflects my opinions.
You can find me on twitter @bristolpaul and @housingpaul
If you have any concerns about any content on this blog please email me at thepaduan@aol.com
This is the Blog of Paul Smith of Bristol, England.
You can find me on twitter as bristolwestpaul
For a full biography visit: http://www.bristolwestlabourparty.org.uk/biography
Good first post. It reminds me of the Unison polar bear advert in a way.
I think one of the troubles of joining a political party is having to tow the party line. If a party is to be a broad church then members, and particularly MPs will always have difficulty with the whip system. Politics should be a lot more about consensus and a lot less about imposing solutions on people.
This isn’t the state versus individual argument that the Tories are so keen in espousing, but more people objecting about being told what to do when they have no input into the discussion. So yes, it is a good idea to join up and make a change. Maybe it’s time to have some socialism back in politics !
One of the dangers of parties is that people feel they have to follow the ‘line’ with unswerving loyality. that way lies dictatorship
Paul N, you are talking my language. I agree: more socialism and more consensus!
It appears that towing the line applies to all parties, even the ones with very few holding political office.
Indeed sometimes the smaller the party the greater the force to tow the line.
Hi Paul,
I’ve just spent the last few minutes reading your various biogs and profiles and I’m really heartened to see we have such a sound candidate.
The BBC website describes our constituency as the most diverse in Bristol (so by default probably the U.K)
(It also says we have the highest number of PhDs in the U.K)
I’d be interested to hear how you will find a consensus with such diversity of people and opinion.
Regards and good luck.
Chris
Chris
Thank you for your post. I see part of my role is to bring people from different communities in Bristol together around common interests. I have been working among a wide range of communities over the last three years (and before) and have learned a lot. While some issues are specific there are common concerns across all – education, housing, public transport and business. Some international issues have already brought people together, most notably Israel’s attacks upon Gaza, climate change etc. I think this brokering of discussions across community boundaries are among the most exciting parts of representing this constituency.
Just wanted to say good luck
Robin
This letter from McConnell in the Guardian sounds more like it to me!
What do the rest of you think?
New Labour elite still don’t get it
The Guardian, Wednesday 6 April 2011
Seizing on Alastair Bonnett’s arguments about the power of nostalgia to launch an appeal for “conservative socialism” or “Blue Labour” demonstrates yet again that the New Labour elite still haven’t got it (New Labour insisted that the past be left behind. What a mistake that was, 4 April). The revulsion many of our supporters felt towards New Labour was that it took the party down paths no Labour government should morally ever tread. Unfortunately the party’s leading figures are still proving that they have no understanding of that gut Labour morality.
When Ken Clarke announced the privatisation of our prisons, Labour shadow ministers capitulated with the value-free statement of support: “What works is what’s best.” It is shaming that they didn’t even question the morality of private companies seeking to profit from the imprisonment of our fellow citizens.
When the coalition brought forward its proposals to use force to clear peace campaigner Brian Haw from Parliament Square, and Tory MPs bayed for the blood of UK Uncut supporters, Labour’s frontbench acquiesced. Our morality dictates that we always stand up for rights to free speech and peaceful protest.
Now that Libya is slipping into a protracted bloody civil war, our morality demands that we lead the call for peace – not timidly fall into line behind this latest military adventure for fear of being attacked for a lack of patriotism.
In the backlash against the Tories we may rise in the polls and even win a few elections, but until the Labour leadership gains a grasp of the underlying moral basis of our party, it will be just another party vying for power rather than a movement seeking to build a new society.
John McDonnell MP
Next By Election should be Liam Fox’s in North Somerset not far from me and I worked in Devonport MOD Navy which I signed the Official Secrets act after I had already signed for a job in Motor Tax and then passed for PSA before I got promotion to move into HMDockyard and Naval Base During jobs in Bristol in NHS I signed Confidentiality regarding patients info etc and in other circumstances CRB checks one enhanced for dealing with vulnerable adults. Will we ever know what damage Dr Liam Fox and pal have done through ignorance . Is it really Medicine he qualified in and why the job change did he make sorries there too
Hi Paul,
Like the photo of Chang and Eng for the piece “Come Together”.
I wrote a song about them once.
Keep up the good work on the blog.
Ivor