Connecting with previous struggles by working people, The Labour Party was formed as recently as 1900. They were first in power in a hung parliament headed by Ramsay MacDonald in 1923. Then in 1945 - straight after World War II - The Labour Party stormed to victory under Clement Attlee. The next opportunity to rule came under Harold Wilson in 1964 who passed the baton to James Callaghan. Next came Tony Blair in 1997 who gave way to Gordon Brown.
The current leader of Labour is Sir Keir Starmer who will surely become the seventh Labour prime minister with a stonking majority - bigger than any enjoyed by his predecessors.
I suppose that Labour's core values align most closely with those of The Democrats in The United States - whereas Conservative politics echo those of The Republicans. Confusingly, red is Labour's colour and blue belongs to The Conservatives.
Since I was eighteen, I have voted in every election I was entitled to participate in and every single time I have voted Labour. No tactical voting for me - it's always Labour. I vote from the heart.
Some people claim that politicians are all the same and they never do anything anyway but those braying donkey voices are wrong. If you look back through Labour's record when in power, you will see that they have achieved many great things on behalf of the working people of this country and in the name of justice. See some history.
Keir Starmer has a talented team of Labour politicians around him and together they will do their best to make amends for the past fourteen years when life in Britain for ordinary families has become much more difficult. It won't be easy - that's for sure and change will not come about easily. The Tories have ruined a lot of things - some of them almost irreparable. You may say that they are handing over a poisoned chalice.
Meaningful change will prove challenging and I am sure that The Labour Party are about to drive down a bumpy road with many twists and turns. We must be patient but as far as Thursday is concerned :-
From my perspective, whilst the Labour party has historically made significant achievements, they have, in recent years, abandoned their historical working class support bsse, in favour of the pen-pushing public sector. Also, I can never forgive Tony Blair for his constitutional vandalism - his half-baked Lords reforms, the Quango-ification of so much that should have remained directly under the control and direction of parliament.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the recent Conservative governments have been a disaster, largely as a result of Cameron and successors "heir to Blair" abandonment of any real Conservative/conservative values.
They all have flaws but Labour are the best we have got. Blair did a lot of good things - such as The Good Friday Agreement - but it was his support for the vengeful assault on Iraq that put me off him. I think that Mr Starmer is far less egotistical. He is a team captain. Who else is there? It has to be Labour Will. Please vote for them.
DeleteHopefully our two countries can elect the level-headed candidates for public office and actually see the pendulum swing back from xenophobia toward inclusion.
ReplyDeleteIn Europe as a whole, crazy right wingers are starting to hold sway so Britain's attraction to Labour seems to go against the grain Bob.
DeleteWhy do politicians insist on holding babies? If I don't know the politician personally there is no way I'm handing him my baby!
ReplyDeleteBabies are the future.
DeleteThat's not a reason to be holding them.
DeleteJesus held babies.
DeleteSimilarly, the current German chancellor who hails from SPD (our version of labour, I'd say - also with red as their party's colour) has inherited so many problems caused or at least increased by the former, conservative-lead government under Frau Merkel's rule (their colour is black). Politics often take many years to become effective, so that newly elected politicians usually inherit a great deal of sh*t from their predecessors. It's like moving into a house where the former tenants have left all their rubbish for you to clean up.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It all takes time but people can be very impatient.
DeleteThe Labour Party look certain to be our new government. The Conservatives have made many mistakes, but the economy has now been stabilised and we have the highest growth of all G7 countries. What does the Labour Party mean by 'Change'? It all seems rather vague and I cannot forget Keir Starmer's enthusiastic support for Jeremy Corbyn (who he has now thrown out of the Labour party) and the anti-democratic Peoples Vote.
ReplyDeleteLabour are the best that we have got - even with their flaws. They are on the side of the people. They will serve us.
DeleteI wish the new Labour government well. I hope they help working people and give them houses fit to live in and be able to buy or rent. Brexit was a disaster and it broke the Tory party. Thankfully this is their last day in number 10.
ReplyDeleteOne thing is for sure - the Tory media will be on Labour's back from Day One. Up The Reds!
DeleteWe've got a Yorkshire Party candidate.
ReplyDeleteGood! Maybe Yorkshire should have devolved status like Scotland and Wales. We might gain some extra funding too.
DeleteDid you know that Doncaster is still officially in Scotland? It never got signed over to England.
DeleteYorkshire does have the same population as Scotland..and NZ...and Norway...
DeleteI've always voted labour or green. I hope the result is as expected and I hope they get a good long run to fix things
ReplyDeleteThe people's flag is deepest red
DeleteIt shrouded oft our martyred dead.
Nicely written. Go Sir Keef. You live in a very rich country and some redistribution of wealth, and I am not really talking about the rich posh families, but from huge companies making mega profits, including tech companies based overseas.
ReplyDeleteIn 2010 food banks were not a thing in our country but fourteen years later there are food banks in every major town and city. The Tories creates the circumstances and have never apologised. So yes - there is indeed great wealth here but also great poverty too.
DeleteI've met our local Labour candidate when he visited our foodbank about two months ago. He seems a nice young man. I like Keir Starmer too -as a person- but not sure he has what it takes to be a Prime Minister. A bit too wishy washy for my liking and vague on policies. They're all pretty much of a muchness in my eyes and once they get in, they forget what they've promised. I'll never forgive Tony Blair for driving his weapons of no destruction policy. We are paying for it still with terrorist pay-backs. I think I'll put a pin in the donkey's tail when I vote!
ReplyDeleteElections are easier to win, than governing.
ReplyDelete- said Confucius.
DeleteIt would be nice to have some good news for a change.
ReplyDeleteEdmonton has the dubious distinction of having the first food bank in Canada, 1981. So much for the Alberta advantage. It's a lie that conservatives tell themselves.
In wealthy civilised countries there should be no food banks whatsoever. It's like a litmus test.
DeleteHope you get a clear outcome. In Sweden, as we have several small parties and none with a majority of their own in the parliament, the last few elections have ended in serious struggles to form efficient coalitions. (At present a minority government sadly relying on support from the extreme right.)
ReplyDeleteI think a clearcut outcome is best.
DeleteI love yesterday's picture of your grandchildren. They are adorable! You are very lucky to have them only a short trot away. Hopefully, when they grow up, they can remain geographically close to their parents and each other. I sure am hoping my boys won't move too far away when the time comes to put down stakes.
ReplyDeleteSeeing a grandchild on "Zoom!" just would not be the same. We looked after the two girls all day today Melinda.
DeleteJust wondering if the new government can overturn that Brexit decision?
ReplyDeleteMaybe not overturn it but nibble away at it, diluting the effect.
DeleteWell, good luck, Neil. I hope your party does well.
ReplyDeleteThe results won't start dribbling out until midnight on Thursday.
Delete