shewhomust: (ayesha)
[personal profile] shewhomust
Do you suppose that any of the Labour Party's current hierarchy and administrators remember that the party used to have something called 'members'?

Or that those members left - at first a trickle, then a flood - when they realised that New Labour was not the party they had joined, or worked for, and that Tony Blair's policies were not an elaborate smokescreen, which were necessary to get him elected but would then be dropped, and the party would return, maybe not to its socialist roots but at least to some kind of leftism? (Yes, people really used to tell me that).

Perhaps they (the current party) think that all those members ceased to exist once they had left the party, vanished in a puff of smoke?

Because now the party has declared that it thinks there should be a left-wing candidate in the leadership election, and that the leader should be chosen by people who broadly support the Labour Party, even if they aren't currently members -

- and they seem to be surprised at who is paying £3 to accept that invitation.

This thought brought to you by the Department of Definitely Not Liveblogging the Labour Leadership Election, Because Once You Start, Honestly, Where Would You Stop?

Date: 2015-08-21 06:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lil-shepherd.livejournal.com
Indeed.

I swore at the end of the Blair/Brown era that I would never vote Labour again, because I trust New Labour as I do adders fanged. I could be tempted back by a party that had regained its soul.

Date: 2015-08-21 09:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shewhomust.livejournal.com
I don't think that's an unusual attitude - but it does seem to have taken the management by surprise.

Date: 2015-08-22 02:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cmcmck.livejournal.com
I was a member from the age of 16 and left over Iraq and the Kelly Affair.

I won't be signing back up............

Date: 2015-08-22 04:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shewhomust.livejournal.com
All the news reports suggest that you may not be permitted to sign up. And what I'm saying is, if the idea of this procedure was to broaden the membership base, then you are someone they should be encouraging to sign up...

Given that in order to win an election, the Labour Party needs to woo people who previously voted for other parties, I can't see what they're so worried about. Of course, it's easier to bar people who previously supported other parties than people who still do, and are only pretending to support you (easier if you don't worry about the Data Protection Act, that is, and Harriet really ought to know better) - but it's less useful.

Date: 2015-08-23 12:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cmcmck.livejournal.com
Yeah- they don't seem to be to keen on former members of the left wing persuasion..........

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