Crossrail 2: Have your say…
Public consultation on Crossrail 2 starts today… There are two options being proposed, a metro line similar to the DLR or Line 14 on the Paris Metro which would run from Wimbledon to Alexandra Palace or a Regional option along the lines of Thameslink or Crossrail 1, which would link Cheshunt and the North and Alexandra Palace to Twickenham, Kingston, Surbiton and Epsom in the South.
Please have your say here» http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/27405.aspx
Time for Left to unite behind Green Party
Although the Green Party did not contest the Eastleigh by-election the results have significant implications for the Greens. The failure of the left of centre parties to present a viable united alternative to the Lab-Lib-Con centrist politics has been overshadowed by the rising of the new right as seen by the result for UKIP in yesterday’s election.
The revolutionary left have proven, yet again, that their electoral projects have completely and utterly failed. Only the name Galloway has any kudos and even then the Respect MP is a marmite candidate with those who love or loathe him in equal measure. The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition is dead and buried after the result last night in Eastleigh, 62 votes or 0.15% is even worse than the prediction I gave earlier in the week.
The only option for the left as a whole is to rally around the only alternative, the Green Party. Greens don’t and won’t always get things right, but we do have clear principles on social and economic justice, privatisation and austerity and of course the environmental crisis. With councillors’ right across the country and representation in Europe, London and with Caroline Lucas in Brighton, the Greens are a force in left politics and it is time for those of us on the left, and most importantly those in the trade union movement, to unite around the Green Party and fight for a left vision for Britain.
Why is Labour not doing better?
As the Eastleigh by-election nears on Thursday, speculation is rife over whether the Tories will take back the seat from the Lib Dems or whether they, the Lib Dems, will hold the seat which they took back in 1994. But it is Labour who have the most to prove in Thursday’s vote.
Labour really does need to start to translate the lead in the opinion polls to actual results, especially in the south and especially in seats such as Eastleigh. Previous by-elections have either taken place in London or the Midlands and so the result will show for the first time any gains possible if the current trend of support is maintained. But worryingly for those who support the idea of a Labour government after 2015 it would appear as if Labour have failed in its task to mobilise the numbers needed to make any real impact.
Talk by Labour Organisers on following the ‘Obama Model’ of grassroots election campaigns seems to have failed to grab the attention of the media let alone the Eastleigh electorate. John O’Farrell is a great candidate and a different choice to the grey politicians (I’m not just saying that because we went to the same school!) But you can not win an election on the merits of the candidate alone as talk coming from within the campaign is suggesting that they will come fourth behind UKIP.
One thing is clear, whatever the result, it will the closest indication of what will be repeated across the south in the general election of 2015. I for one fear that Labour will not take enough seats to mitigate the collapse of the Lib Dems, which it is predicted, will benefit the Tories more than Labour as failure to win seats in the south would ensure Labour fails to reach that magic number of 326 needed to oust the coalition from power.
My prediction for Thursday…
- Lib Dems A Lib Dem victory will cool talks of leadership changes / withdrawal from the coalition before 2015
- Tories A disappointing result for Cameron as he should be looking to easily take such Lib Dem seats in the South and indeed needs to in order to go it alone as a Tory majority government.
- UKIP Third will establish them as the party to beat in the Euro Elections next year.
- Labour Questions will be raised over the leadership of Ed Miliband if Labour fails to pick up significant support.
- National Health Action In what would be there first election it would be an important benchmark for future results.
- English Democrats
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition will fail, yet again, to make any impact whatsoever. I would doubt they would pass the 0.5% mark and should be a sign for ‘comrades’ on that part of the political spectrum that their attempts to build a new workers’ party are dead and buried before they have even started.
Remembering the sacrifice in the defence of Stalingrad
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army over the forces of Nazi Germany who had, up until then, swept through most of Europe extending their horror onto millions of peoples.
Over a million people died in the five months of the battle. The stalemate in the streets sapped the Nazi advance of both men and morale. The battle resulted in the capture of the entire sixth army of the Wehrmacht and marked the beginning of the advance of the Red Army which would led to the defeat of Nazi Germany at the hands of the Allies.
While it should not be forgotten that in amongst the continuing battles of the Second World War there was great human suffering visited upon millions of civilians whether they be Soviet Citizens whose food and clothing were confiscated by the desperate German armies or the undesirables for whom the Nazis sought to dispatch in the misguided belief of their racial superiority.
And although Russia at the time was ruled by the ruthless Stalin, the significance of the victory in the narrative of the Second World War should not be underestimated or ignored. Stalingrad was the straw that broke the camels back of the German offensive into the vast landmass of the Soviet Union. It was the beginning of the end for Hitler and a huge anti-fascist victory, one which we should all remember.
The West has ignored al Qaeda’s invasion of Africa for too long – A reply
In reply to Robert Fox ( The West has ignored al Qaeda’s invasion of Africa for too long, Evening Standard 21/01/2013 ) Read the rest of this entry »
Roke Primary School – An ideological assault on education
► Roke Primary School facing prospect of becoming an Academy.
► £2 million donation from Lord Harris to Conservative Party and friendship with David Cameron raises questions over vested interests. Read the rest of this entry »
The Trans lobby aren’t the problem… the bigots are
Words can not describe how angry I am with the article published on Comment is free today.
Original article can be found here
Its such an incendiary article, written by Julie Burchill, in which a poison which is usually alien to the Guardian is passed off as a legitimate opinion piece. But I’m afraid it is nothing short of a tirade of hate and should be removed and the author promptly dropped by the paper.
The article begins by arguing the conduct of some twitter users who attacked a fellow author, Suzanne Moore, who in a book of essays contributed a piece about women’s anger by saying that women were angry about “not having the ideal body shape – that of a Brazilian transsexual”. It is one thing to have something conducive to say about the treatment of those who consciously or otherwise provoke any section of society with derogatory comments about that group but what follows is simply unforgivable whatever the circumstances which have led Julie Burchill to write this ‘journalistic piece’.
Julie Burchill goes on to write such comments as, “I nevertheless felt indignant that a woman of such style and substance should be driven from her chosen mode of time-wasting [using twitter] by a bunch of dicks in chicks’ clothing”. She also uses the word ‘trannies’ for which there is no excuse and then finishes the article with a final disgusting warning “Shims, shemales, whatever you’re calling yourselves these days – don’t threaten or bully us lowly natural-born women, I warn you”
Whatever were the Guardian thinking when publishing this hate speech? There are no bones about that question – this article is pure hate and the Guardian should take affirmative action not only to apologies but to ensure this never happens again.
Please do complain to the Press Complaints Commission
