Progress column
My Progress column this week looks at the Autumn Statement and the November 30 strike:
posted by Luke Akehurst at 7:16 pm
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
About Me
- Name: Luke Akehurst
- Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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:
Former leader of Northampton Borough Council, Cllr David Palethorpe, who resigned his position a month or so ago has now crossed the floor and joined Labour from the Conservatives.
In doing so he said: “you should protect the vulnerable first and make cuts elsewhere”.
In a statement on his personal website, he said: “Leaving the party I have supported for over 45 years has been a big decision for me, however its abdication of social responsibility in favour of personal self-interest and local political patronage is why I have decided to resign from the Conservative party and join the Labour party who continue to demonstrate their commitment to opposing cuts to front line services, taking a sensible approach to balancing the books and supporting what is in the best interest of Northampton.
“This is never more clearly demonstrated than the Conservative’s support of a councillor who lives 250 miles away whilst at the same time making swingeing cuts in front line services to the elderly, young and most vulnerable people of Northampton – cuts by the Conservative county council which are keenly supported by the Conservative borough council – it is policy without social conscience.”
The last paragraph is directed towards county councillor Rosemary Bromwich, who remains a councillor for Towcester with the party’s full support despite having moved to Cornwall.
10:21 pm, November 30, 2011
I have a suspicion that this is Luke's best article ever. There was also the one 'the limits of triangulation' from a while ago.
Now, if I could just mention Trident and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq....
10:09 am, December 01, 2011
Indeed.....
The "Blairite Undead" who make up much of the Progress clientele won't like it, I suspect.
Good ;)
12:39 am, December 02, 2011
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