Friday the Sixteenth: In Ballycastle, North Antrim

Have been away from LoL HQ for a couple of days now. In Ballycastle where tomorrow we celebrate parents' and aunt and uncle's Golden Wedding Anniverseries. I may even get to sing a song or two.

There are masses of things to blog about here. There is an election raging for starters. Today's highlight being "the boys" sticking up a big poster of Gerry Adams on the telegraph pole outside parental HQ.

This carries the message "Others promise, Sinn Fein delivers". Mark Durkin leader of the SDLP was on telly last night claiming that Sinn Fein are mainly delivering on Peter Hain's and the DUP's promises just now.

There has been a Party Election Broadcast today for the "Make Politicians History Party" which last time polled more than 4,000 votes in Belfast - about 2%. They trade under a Rainbow and they seem about as clued in as Zippy the Bear. It's all to play for.

Dale is Again Wrong: Gift Aid Would Be Equivalent to Match Funding

Iain Dale is utterly against public funding for our politics. LoL tend to agree with him on that for the time being.

But Iain is seemingly calling for gift aid to be extended to political donations. This gives an extra 28% for standard rate tax payers and as much as 66.66% for those on top whack.

This is the same as match funding. This cash doesn't come from nowhere. It's from the Treasury. Our money.

I fear that Iain is carelessly blurring the boundaries between political parties and charities here. Tory bloggers - particularly Fawkes and Dale - have been ripping into The Smith Institute think tank as they say it is too political to be a charity. But Dale is a Trustee of Policy Exchange which is rather similar and reportedly 100% Tory.

He has set his cap against public funding for politics including match funding. But extending Gift Aid to Political Parties is NOTHING BUT public match funding.

Someone draw him a diagram! Once again some of the comment posts on this have disappeared into the ether.

Manchester Withington Selection: Thursday Work

In alphabetical order:
Burnage BLP - (a) Councillor Nargis Khan (b) Jenny Lennox;
Didsbury East BLP - (a) Dr Yogesh Virmani (b) Lucy Powell;
Didsbury West BLP - (a) Naheed Arshad-Mather MBE (b) Lucy Powell.

Running totals: Lucy (4), Naheed (3), Nargis (3), Jenny (2), Yogesh (2). Trade Union and affiliates section to follow. These also can make two nominations. However their first nomination is open, but if they make a second at least one must be a Black and Minority Ethnic candidate.

Manchester Withington Select: Elephant in the Room

Trotfest Collapses - Head to Head? - Chorlton Against War gauntlet

Manchester Withington Select: Round One & Prelims

Didsbury Social: Phoney War - Well Done/"MEN" Discussion - First Round: 3 February - Nine Hats In Ring 28 January

Rageh Omaar Inside Tehran: "The quickest way to reverse this progress is for the West to attack."

"Rageh Omaar presents a documentary revealing the lives, hopes and fears of the young generation of Tehran, perhaps the least understood city in the world today."

Times background reading, making of background, and Producer/Director's home page. The latter is my great friend Paul Sapin, hailing from New York New York via Didsbury, Manchester.

9pm 'til 10:30pm tonight, Thursday 15 February on BBC Four. Or you can watch it on Paul's homepage or at YouTube (linked there). [As it does of course clash with The Verdict's last thrilling instalment. How on earth did Jeffrey Archer ever get anywhere? Apart from gaol.]
Telling quote:

"The quickest way to reverse this progress (in Iran) is for the West to attack."

So, rush back from your nomination meetings in Didsbury 1, Didsbury 2 and Burnage and settle down to hear just why bombing Tehran is such an appalling idea. Which is such a surprise when it comes from the loveable George W Bush.

Manchester Withington Select: Round 3 Round Up

R3: Digital Campaigning - R3: Hustings Venue - R3: Final Short List

Manchester Withington Select : Round 2 Round Up

Ding Dong, Round Two Begins - R2: NUJ Jenny Off The Mark - R2: Dr Yogesh Also In Hunt - R2: Last Three Branches - R2: Affiliates

Doughty Street: Attack Advert, Willie Rennie MP, Cluster Bombs?

18 Doughty Street is seeking scripts for an attack video they are preparing about the arms trade.

Labour of Love have submitted this treatment:

Scene One: Willie is at McEwan Purvis PR Board Meeting as shareholder, director and account manager. Record profits. Lovely little earner working for Raytheon who are the Fifth Largest Arms Maker in the World. Charts show Patriot Missiles, Bunker Busters, Cluster Bombs sales rising. Cash is flowing into the McEwan Purvis bank account. And into Willie's own account.

Scene Two: Candidate Willie is drunk as he has just fought a lying, cheating, twisting Lib Dem by-election campaign. Bombshell (cartoon graphic?) he has won the bloody thing. Shame his mates have to hold him up and his speech is two slurred words. "Than' Youse." Thanks heavens no one bubbled him for the arms lobbying!

Scene Three: MP Willie is visiting the Raytheon Scotland Limited factory which is only two or three constituencies away from his own stolen one of Dunfermline. He poses happily with the boss, looks at the killing machines. Gives glowing sound-biteage. Helped by old firm McEwan Purvis.

Scene Four a, b, c, d: MP Will-lie is in the Chamber, in his office, in Westminster Hall, putting in EDMs etc. The key wording is shown on the screen. (e.g. "dumb cluster bombs") And then voice-overed thusly:

"Willie Rennie profited from arms sales spinning for one of the nastiest cluster bomb makers in the world, he went out of his way to visit their factory, he praised the firm's glowing reputation ... but now he's taking your money and taking them to task."

"All Cluster Bombs are Dumb Cluster Bombs"

"All Lib Dem MPs are probably liars and hypocrites like Willie Rennie"

Scene of A150 gunship firing at wedding, children, mosque. Wildtrack sound of the engagement.

As a subsidiary idea we suggested :

Let's Drop The Big One Now!

Make a video for a verse or two of Randy Newman's song with the above punch line.

It's called 'Political Science' and perfectly captures the Bushy one mesmerised in the twin headlights of Al Queda and Dad.

MANCHESTER WITHINGTON CONNECTION: Cllr John Leech MP asked a verbatim Willie question on cluster bombs alongside the man Willie Rennie himself. Arms dealer turned game player. Leech should be careful of the company he keeps. Avoiding Lib Dems reduces reputational risk. Though it's a trade off as Rennie risks being tarred as a Hospital Hoaxer.

FOOTNOTE: Their current attack advert is after Ken Livingstone. This follows Tax and Party Funding. More on Ken anon.

Manchester Withington Selection: More News

We are told that Withington Branch met and nominated (a) Dr Yogesh Virmani and (b) Naheed Arshad-Mather MBE. In other words they chose to use their open vote for a second BME candidate. The first happens to be a truly, consistently local candidate. But in more reducing the local meme to absurdity I'm not sure that would make her a better MP or candidate.

Five have now got a start. Sorry for slow service on this news.

UPDATE: See corrected order of polls. See first comment for background.

Withington Selection: Supporters' Gossip

This post is now an outpost for gossip and nonsense that doesn't belong anywhere else.

Please keep it positive, legal, decent and honest. As always.

Dale: Missed Das BNP Boot By 20 Weeks (Count 'em)

Iain Dale completely missed the boat on this one. BNP Bomber Story fed by this blogger (and many others) to mass media outlets as it happened.

Picked up by the Guardian Diary.

Also blogged a couple of weeks ago on this blog as the Birmingham Brouhaha was at its height.

Iain has had a link and lots of coverage here for a couple of months. Time to put a link in his daily reads?

Manchester Withington Selection: Here Is The News

Chorlton Park BLP have nominated (a) Nargis Khan and (b) Jenny Lennox. Running totals: Councillor Nargis Khan (2), Lucy Powell (2), Naheed Arshad-Mather MBE (1), Jenny Lennox (1). After three BLPs.

No results from affiliated Unions or Societies are yet in. My own Union Amicus-GPMU has never invited me to a Branch meeting or consulted myself or other members on this selection. I understand three USDAW branches are affiliated to the constituency. Unison will be affiliated. CWU almost certainly. T&GWU I suppose.

The Co-op Party have a very active Branch and meet next Monday evening. The Socialist Societies may be affiliated. For example the Socialist Education Association, the Socialist Health Association, SERA, The Fabians and so on. Any information on the affiliates and when and how they are nominating can be added in the comments.

The NUJ, the FBU and the RMT are among the Unions which are not currently affiliated to the Party nationally. In the former case that is likely to remain the case. I understand Scottish Labour are considering welcoming back the RMT.

More anon. Child needs Messenger access. And now! Priorities!

UPDATE: The B ballot (Open) at Chorlton Park was nail-bitingly close. Jenny got the transferred second preferences to carry the day by a couple of votes. Well done Jenny. Picking up the 'phone is now a requirement, NOT a discourtesy.

Manchester Withington Selection: Ding Dong, Seconds Out, Round Two

Labour of Love must come off the fence just a little. As Chorlton BLP and Old Moat BLP near tonight's nomination meetings. A very comprehensive leaflet from one of the candidates arrives this morning. Good logistics to hit the mat on the morning of the local branch poll. Respect is due!

But one of the candidates even plugged this blog! And now the gloves are off I actually like the punchy ones from another candidate much better. But of its type this was pretty stylish and very worthy. Classic Greatledge/Labour central layout! Mostly well written! Range of photos with different costume in each one! Haven't noticed any typos!

But if we're being critical supporters this was oh so light on the distinctive content front.

Substituting Keith Bradley or any of the other eight candidates into the nine pictures - dancing cheek to cheek with Kinnock Keith, how's that? - would have had the same sort of effect.

To my eyes this was Candidate 101 from Labour Central Office. Substituting John Leech would have been Focus 101 - which is not necessarily a criticism but it is the case.

Issue by issue:

Better services and support for the elderly:
Hurrah! Who wouldn't support that? OK, but what is the candidate's view on the timing of the restoration of the earnings link which conference voted for in 2000 (with speeches from Manchester Labour, Rodney Bickerstaffe and Barbara Castle) and in 2005. Is 2010 or whatever good enough?

More opportunities for young people:
Genius! What is the candidate's view on Higher Education funding and Top Up Fees? Personally I can stand a good socialist/social democrat DEFENCE of Top Up Fees (cf David Chaytor), but I cannot stand no information or no opinion on the subject.

Creating and Supporting Jobs:
A triumph! Manchester Labour is very good at this. The Lib Dems slag off everything in this area. They are anti investment and change in Manchester. So this is a good area for us. Whichever candidate it is. But I continue to get a wrenching feeling in my gut at some of the "local" claims here and elsewhere.

Excellent Education for All:
Splendid! Who would vote against that? What ARE the policies needed in this city? Manchester Labour have successfully SUBVERTED the Academies programme and could have drafted it more usefully than that young never elected and unaccountable Tory Lord Adonis in the first place. What policies? What does the candidate think about selection? Faith schools? Single-sex? The Clown Prince Adonis? Jeff Smith for Education Minister!

First Class Health Services:
Splendid! Generic! But dentists? GPs? Maternity beds? Hazel Blears? Hard decisions? Even perhaps moving Christie one day for the benefit of regional patients drawn from 90 constituencies? What do the candidates think about any of this?

Environment and Transport:
Hurrah! Generic! Why has there been such a delay in Metro? What is this congestion link all about? What are the candidates' views on congestion charging? Parking fees? Passenger transport? And as for "Investment in .. increasing traffic" what is THAT all about?

Elephants in the Living Room:
Foreign Policy: what are now the candidates' views on Iraq? What was the view in February 2003? In 2002? On 12 September 2001? Any practical actions to be taken into consideration?
Immigration Policy?
War on Terror?
Local Government Finance?
Super Casino?
Housing Options?
European Integration and the Euro?

As for the five reasons to vote for this particular candidate. Four are different ways of saying the same thing and are frankly a bit shaky. It is the blasted Lib Dems who fetishise where people live on the day of a poll as opposed to five weeks earlier (cf the nasty Careerist Carpetbagger Chas). The fifth reason is frankly pretty shaky too.

Come on candidates! Let's have the hearts and souls, the views and the personal ideas? NOT Labour Central 101. That's been tried here.

NEWSFLASH 21:35: Chorton BLP Nominate (a) Nargis Khan and (b) Lucy Powell; Old Moat BLP nominate (a) Naheed Arshad-Mather MBE and (b) Lucy Powell. Latter is Lucy's home ward. We're seeing eyebrows raised on some strange contributions in discussion on vote (a). If we can prise any more info out we'll let you know. Tips and comments appreciated. Jenny Lennox was a very respectable second in Chorton (b)-vote. Hopefully she will get her nominations elsewhere.

APOLOGY: LoL said that Lord Andrew Adonis was "never elected". Obviously he wasn't elected to the Lords. And he hasn't been elected anywhere else as a Labour candidate. But he was an elected SDP/LD councillor in Oxford once upon a time. Profuse apologies for the mistake.

CAPTIONS: Jenny Lennox who negotiated the first Union-recognition deal IN THE WORLD for Warner AOL journalists just missed out but may be nominated by five other wards, trade union branches or affiliates. Lord Adonis got into the government without getting elected.

Tories Stoned Again: Fuddled and Erratic Thinking Behind the Bike Sheds of Eton, Harrow etc

Under a headline containing the clause "Stoned Again" Labour of Love scooped The Independent on Sunday and their funders at Associated with the following view:

"You only have to look at that rapscallion Cameron and that jackanape Johnson for evidence of the fuddled and erratic thinking induced behind the bike sheds of Eton, Harrow etc."

Not Saturday, not Friday, but Thursday. The questions for Cameron now are: "What else is there?" and "Is there an 'age of maturity' for future politicians after which they must take responsibility for their behaviour?"

Perhaps the naughty political charity Policy Exchange could produce a study? And let's watch out for UKIP taking a view on this opportunity and going after the 20 to 30% of the population that do care about dope psychosis.

UPDATE: There's always a bit of light relief to be had at the UKIP Comedy Site. I'm not quite whether my prediction just above on UKIP exploitation of Cameron's dopey history was correct or incorrect. HERE they come over all of a scold about his refusal to come clean while HERE they question his libertarian credentials and legalisation agenda. All the while UKIP trade under a logo which seems like nothing other than a Big E. Strange for a small state, no E party!

Hayden Report: Leaked to the Sunday Times

Iain Dale also has this. My thoughts are that what Sir Hayden Phillips is due to propose is a deal that is not destined to ever be a done deal. Deliberately unacceptable. The idea that there is any need to stop Trade Unionists who choose to pay the levy chipping in a painless five pence per week is quite frankly ridiculous. Probably the most accountable and sensible contribution in the whole alternative economy, alongside full member contributions, jumble sales and, er, fundraising dinners.

A deal not meant to be done.

Peter Oborne: Cameron is Looking for Chumps to Cross the Floor, even Mandy

THIS is a good spot by Lord Dale in The Daily Mail- which LoL rarely browses. Oborne outlines his impressions of the putative poaching and plotting of dopey Cameron's collective of cocky toffs and self-serving self-made men.

Oborne explains that Peter Mandelson will be more confident of the endorsement of DC than of GB and may therefore cosy up to DC and hope for an early election, before his 2009 renewal. He will also be hoping, argues Oborne, that Labour loses and that his third major political invention - 1. New Labour; 2. Tony Blair; 3. Dave/id Cameron - keeps him in the ladles of euro-gravy to which he is accustomed.

This is all very sad. That Oborne can even troll along the lines that all these parties - or their heads at least - are in the very same place is sad enough. Hearts and pavement founding feet remain almost as far apart as ever. That he is looking like a betting man with positions in 2009 election, Mandy to continue, various defections this year etc etc is even sadder.

Political betting has grown up into quite a beastie. Can we expect some City Slicker/Piers Morgan/Viglen style fall outs as punter pundits use their Op-Ed opportunities to improve their own bets?

ParburyPolitica: Who's A Pretty Boy Then?

Hats off to the arms-across-the-atlantic Will Parbury for finding this one.

How can Mr Edwards be sure that Hillary's people are not taking swabs from his face to test for substances of abuse? Italian journos did just that, with the co-operation of TV make up artistes, to some of their MPs and caught quite a few. And as Barack has coughed (along with Dave/id) does that mean that the substances of abuse meme is dead in modern politics?

That nasty man Oliver and his Standard chums got it quite wrong. He dusted the cistern tops in some of the loos in the shared area at the 05 conference in Brighton for cocaine. Presumably as a non-user himself he didn't know that "shared area" means the parts of the venue where cokey journalists are allowed to go to powder their noses between binge drinking sessions. He may have been cleaning up after his own editor.

Standard's weedy story RIGHT HERE. Press Gazette tease as "Associated gets sniffy" HERE. The story in a nutshell being that they had invested in 20 cocaine testing kits for a society wedding which they were unable to get into. So they tackled the journalists loos at London Fashion Week and at the Brighton Conference instead. Ab Fab!

The Evening Standard missed much of the unfolding Walter-Gate saga as they snorted at politicians. They were scooped by The Morning Star in fact. The swab route is clearly the right route. And do I recognize that Monica Lewinsky co-starring in John's video? Perhaps she feels she still owes Hillary a few favours? Or perhaps she just likes the cut of John's jib?

Manchester Withington Selection: The Phoney War

Clearly your Manchester Withington blogger LoL has been to the Didsbury Social tonight. And spoken with Dr Jane, Casra, Naheed, Jenny, Nargis, and Yogesh. Lucy was certainly there too, but did not speak to me. I did not see Sandra or the other Jane.

I did however get a hell of a rocket from someone pretending to be neutral who was clearly very partisan indeed. They accused me of putting up unfair photos on my blog. It turned out they were referring to a Flickr set of eight candidates posted by Lorenzo23 which I had linked to.

They would not reveal which candidates they believed were prejudiced by this link. The photo of their favoured one there was actually most excellent, was posted first, and arguably way better than the rest. I was pretty upset that this very belligerent and exceedingly patronising person didn't comprehend the difference between putting something on the web and linking with something that is on the web.

I have now checked the Flickr site. Way after I made the link two extra pictures have appeared. These are perhaps less flattering to the two candidates involved. These being the two leading candidates I'd probably call that quits. Though perhaps Lorenzo23 would kindly revert to the original eight pictures?

The social was a bit strange I thought. A DJ was performing throughout, when what we wanted was a quiet chat with the candidates and there was certainly no-one dancing. And just before we left, along with a couple of candidates, it felt just like there was going to be a "lock in" and a bit of a rally for the favoured candidate who, along with the locals, remained. All a bit of an odd situation.