"Blair Must Go" or this Woman's not for Turning
Louise is a more or less contemporary of mine. Part of the MU student union paper Mancunion crew in the award-winning early 80s. And also I now remember the 'collector' for my part of Hulme when I first joined Labour in 1983.
That was in the days when the branches took in subs monthly and sent a small slice to London, instead of the opposite effect. The days before the allegedly witty writer John O'Farrell was sending out begging emails to the rank and file. The days when there were millions paying the tiny subventions within their union dues. A grounding for the original mass Workers' Party.
Lou is a solicitor, mainly defending petty criminals, and a single mum, originally from the East Midlands. There both her parents had been party activists. Dad canvassing for the Liberals of Grimond and Thorpe. Mum for Wilson and Castle.
This she remembers was confusing for the neighbours who saw her helping out. In different rosettes on alternate days.
Post Iraq II she will not vote Labour until Blair is gone. She may even be lost for a generation as in wilder moments she needs all the front bench to be gone.
Her MP in the leafy Heatons in Stockport is Ann Coffey. A representative who has not given either anti-war protestors or socialist leaners much comfort in her voting record this last parliament.
Stockport's Council has been hung (usually Lib-Lab) or close (currently Lib) these last 20 years. Not sure what the Audit Commission ruled last time but Lou is satisfied with their performance even though I know that on all the classic Focus issues - bins, street cleaning, pavements, potholes - they are actually trailing well in socialist Manchester's wake.
When it comes to non-statutory quality of life services like Libraries, Theatres and the Arts, Parks and Recreation their spend is probably not half Manchester's even though a good few of Manchester's national and regional arts organisations receive little or no money from the Town Hall.
But Lou is satisfied. She earns enough to run a car and travel across the border for entertainment, shopping and civilisation. There are people elsewhere in Stockport, for example Reddish, who are not so fortunate and like residents in Moss Side and Ardwick they rely far more on the return of a Labour government than any left-wing solicitor.
It matters not that the Lib Dems round here are mixed-up mavericks. Relying on what must be a pretty fragile coalition of the disaffected. Tories, socialists, muslims and of course a tiny kernel of old school libertarians.
We were at college when the Gang of Four carried out their treachery. Arguably Blair's advance guard. Bill Rodgers' daughter was another contemporary as were Labour loyalists like Phil Woolas and John Mann.
The mystery of what ther Lib Dems really believe in does not blunt Lou's purpose noir even the prospect of a Tory win locally or nationally.
This vote is lost until Blair gets lost.
That was in the days when the branches took in subs monthly and sent a small slice to London, instead of the opposite effect. The days before the allegedly witty writer John O'Farrell was sending out begging emails to the rank and file. The days when there were millions paying the tiny subventions within their union dues. A grounding for the original mass Workers' Party.
Lou is a solicitor, mainly defending petty criminals, and a single mum, originally from the East Midlands. There both her parents had been party activists. Dad canvassing for the Liberals of Grimond and Thorpe. Mum for Wilson and Castle.
This she remembers was confusing for the neighbours who saw her helping out. In different rosettes on alternate days.
Post Iraq II she will not vote Labour until Blair is gone. She may even be lost for a generation as in wilder moments she needs all the front bench to be gone.
Her MP in the leafy Heatons in Stockport is Ann Coffey. A representative who has not given either anti-war protestors or socialist leaners much comfort in her voting record this last parliament.
Stockport's Council has been hung (usually Lib-Lab) or close (currently Lib) these last 20 years. Not sure what the Audit Commission ruled last time but Lou is satisfied with their performance even though I know that on all the classic Focus issues - bins, street cleaning, pavements, potholes - they are actually trailing well in socialist Manchester's wake.
When it comes to non-statutory quality of life services like Libraries, Theatres and the Arts, Parks and Recreation their spend is probably not half Manchester's even though a good few of Manchester's national and regional arts organisations receive little or no money from the Town Hall.
But Lou is satisfied. She earns enough to run a car and travel across the border for entertainment, shopping and civilisation. There are people elsewhere in Stockport, for example Reddish, who are not so fortunate and like residents in Moss Side and Ardwick they rely far more on the return of a Labour government than any left-wing solicitor.
It matters not that the Lib Dems round here are mixed-up mavericks. Relying on what must be a pretty fragile coalition of the disaffected. Tories, socialists, muslims and of course a tiny kernel of old school libertarians.
We were at college when the Gang of Four carried out their treachery. Arguably Blair's advance guard. Bill Rodgers' daughter was another contemporary as were Labour loyalists like Phil Woolas and John Mann.
The mystery of what ther Lib Dems really believe in does not blunt Lou's purpose noir even the prospect of a Tory win locally or nationally.
This vote is lost until Blair gets lost.
posted by Chris Paul at 11:52 AM
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