A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.
My Progress column this week is a response to David Cameron's speech on security, multiculturalism and preventing terrorism:
posted by Luke Akehurst at 12:27 pm
Labour Party activist since 1988 - firmly on the moderate wing of the party. Member of Labour’s NEC 2010-2012 and since 2020. National Secretary of Labour Students 1995-6. Parliamentary candidate for Aldershot (2001) and Castle Point (2005). Hackney Councillor (Chatham Ward) 2002-2014, Labour Group Chief Whip 2002-09, Chair of Health Scrutiny 2010-2014. Supporter of Europe, NATO/nuclear deterrence, Israel, electoral reform. Guardian reader. Dad. Oxford resident. Unite union member. Employment history as a Labour Party Organiser, Local Government Political Assistant, Director at a Public Affairs company. All views expressed in a personal capacity. The rest will become evident from reading the blog.
3 Comments:
But the problem is that Cameron would know that some of his speech would hit the headlines but not the rest of it. This is an aspect of 'dog whistle' politics.
Also, we have always been multi-cultural in this country. If you are from a working class background in the north east of England, then you might attend the annual Durham miners' gala.
By contrast, some well-heeled people in the south of England might attend the Henley Regatta or Royal Ascot. But that is one aspect of multi-culturalism that Cameron and his ilk will not be attacking.
2:47 pm, February 09, 2011
Oh dear, the cloth cap is alive and kicking.
The difference between multi-social grouping and multi-cultural is that there is the opportunity to move between levels of the first but, seemingly, little desire to do so from the second.
Multi-culturalism is a concern to people across political divides and it is a shame, from a Labour point of view, that David Cameron got to say it first. Too much Labour comment at the moment seems to be reactive rather than proactive.
4:12 pm, February 09, 2011
That is the thing about being in opposition, though - you have to react to things a lot more.....
Presumably Luke mentioned that Blair made a strikingly similar speech years ago??
12:40 am, February 10, 2011
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