No contest
New Labour's anointment of a successor denies the dwindling membership a voice to articulate deep concerns held over both foreign and domestic policy. In the U.S. the response to public demand to bring the bloody mess in Iraq to an end seems to have made more progress than in the U.K. when a New Labour Prime Minister entered the conflict without even the consent of parliament. At home the privatisation of public services is an issue which is very unpopular yet further radical plans remain on the table. Brown has been among the advocates, if not architect of this disastrous policy.
In a bizarre twist the Tories are abandoning their support of grammar schools, but with academies on the agenda they have a successor. Certainly in Birmingham the Tory/Lib-dem alliance are steaming full speed ahead with them in spite of opposition from teachers' associations. The "Building Schools for the Future " programme will also put education in the hands of private concerns and further weaken local councils. Democratically elected bodies will be replaced by unaccountable private concerns free to impose all kinds of ideological thinking on young people.
Brown will continue with the hustings even though there will be no opposition. The venue of these are closely guarded secrets, so the new leader has to be smuggled in and out lest there be some opposition shown. Perish the thought.
Brown claims to champion Third World poverty, yet evidence shows that privatisation of public services exacerbates poverty. Similarly at home the issue is a major concern to the public. Is Brown listening? Need he listen?
Posted by John Tyrrell at May 17, 2007 9:32 AM
