Wishy-washy comment and no substantial criticism of Bristol South MP Dawn Primarolo's policies is what we got from Lib-Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bristol South Dr Mark Wright today ('I can do a better job than Dawn, I believe', Bristol Evening Post letters, March 3).
He says, as I have earlier in this blog, that her transformation from radical left-winger to New Labour loyalist is remarkable but does not back this with any observations or analysis at all. The truth is that he cant really offer a distinctive, radical alternative because there is no substantial difference between his policies and hers these days !!
The narrowness of the debate between Labour, Lib-Dems and Conservatives is striking. There is a very large measure of agreement between them about the shape of our consumer-capitalist society.
At several past general elections the debate has centred around tax and spending differences between Labour, Lib-Dems and Conservatives of less than 1% of national wealth! All three make claims to be radical and get to the root of problems, but none of them actually are radical.
Dawn Primarolo's ten years in the Blair government has set back progress in all the areas she once claimed to have a radical position on! Nuclear weapons, nuclear power, income inequality, privatisation, childhood wellbeing, opposing violence and more! Its a pity that the Lib-Dems have not taken her to task on these sort of issues.
As a Green I care deeply about the lack of achievement and the backward steps on these fronts.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Labour, Conservative, Lib-Dem - pretty much the same these days!
Labels:
being green,
Labour,
Lib Dems,
MPs,
Tories
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It is absolutely astounding that she is being given such an easy ride , especially given that she has betrayed everything that she once claimed so passionately and unambiguously to believe in without apology or explanation. I find the immunity and indulgence afforded her inexplicable and unseemly. If someone like Dawn isn't held to account then there is no hope.
ReplyDeleteHi Glenn,
ReplyDeleteActually the lack of "observations or analysis" as you put it is more to do with getting the Evening Post to publish the letter at all. The Post will generally not publish letters much over 200 words unless they are on a key current news item - so if I had filled the letter with the large amount of possible history of Dawn's mistakes it would have reduced the probability of getting it printed. Sadly, we live in the age of the Sound-bye...
There is in fact a huge difference between the Lib Dems and Lab/Con on policy. If you have a look at our recent "Green Tax Switch" policy you will see this. It would be a good idea for you to learn it now in fact, as your Green Party will shortly be stealing much of the underlying ideas of tax reform for your own manifesto... ;-)
Cheers,
Mark
Lib Dem PPC For Bristol South
I've seen many Evening Post
ReplyDeleteletters, both longer and shorter than 200 words, with plenty of
observation and analysis in them! Its what you choose to say or not say that is important and you chose to say nothing substantial at all!
>I'm afraid the its the public themselves that see few major differences
between the three bigger parties! They have been saying this for some time.
I'm very happy to let voters themselves decide who is trying to steal
whose green policies. Remember that its the Green Party who started the
ball rolling on all green issues so it cant jump on any green bandwagons by definition.
Of course has its own very distinctive position taxes already.