Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Infamy, Infamy....., Southwark Labour Party Conference 2, Kath stands in Rotherhithe, "Cameron Lite" and Hibs win at home!

With the Labour Party Conference imminent we hear of more and more treachery from those who only one year ago were hailing Gordon Brown as the fresh start! In fact the Scottish Office Minister who resigned yesterday (cant remember his name!) was on Question time only a few months ago backing the prime Minister to the hilt!
We had out second excellent Southwark Labour Party Conference on Saturday (one week after the last Camberwell Branch Meeting which Harriet attended) and the overwhelming majority view was that it was suicidal to embark on a Leadership challenge at this time and we all needed to rally behind the Prime Minister and our Leader ! In fact this all comes at a time when our poll ratings are improving due to the announcements on Stamp Duty and Energy Poverty, not to mention the fact that the real source of the economic downturn is become starker with the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the bailing out today of AIG by the Federal Bank!
Even independent political experts agree that a leadership challenge is stupid and harmful and all the worse as these rebels cant agree on a candidate or a new policy between them!!
Harriet describes their policy as "throwing all the pieces up into the air and seeing how they land" and it is not a plan that I would have anything to do with!
I only hope that this is all put to the sword next week with a "put up or shut up" ultimatum!

The Second Southwark Labour Party Conference was held last Saturday and we looked back on a tremendous Mayoral/GLA Election Campaign in Southwark with Ken getting a very high vote and Val quadrupling her majority!
Harriet and Val spoke very well as usual as did Chuka Umanna, Streatham PCC.
To me the real star was James Purnell, Secretary of State for DWP who was a brilliant, witty and insightful speaker and who answered all of the tough questions without flinching!
A real Labour Party Leader of the future if ever I saw one! ... just not now!!

Labour has selected Kath Whittam to fight the Rotherhithe by-election. Kath is the manager of the Surrey Docks Farm and has been involved in numerous campaigns up on the Rotherhithe peninsula over the years. She is a great candidate and will make a superb councillor if elected.
She is a terrific local representative and campaigner and widely known and liked in Rotherhithe so we are all hoping that she can take the seat, especially with the Lib Dems ands Tories fighting each other for once!
Although no one really cares it is the Lib Dem Conference this week with Nick "Cameron Lite" Clegg deciding that the Lib Dems are to swing from left of Labour to right of the Tories in a single bound! Lower taxes, smaller government, cuts in public spending, private services top ups!!!! where will it all end?
The day of the "Orange Book" has now dawned and I cant believe that many of the "rank and file" Lib Dem members (and there must be some) are happy with this so interesting times ahead!
It will however be an easy transition for the Lib Dems in Southwark Town Hall who have been "in bed" with the Tories for over 6 years so they must be pleased that their national party is catching up!
Hibs won 2-1 at Easter Road against Dundee United who are not playing anything like as well as they did last season.
Stephen Fletcher, fresh from his Scotland double, scored twice again for us 1
Derek "Riordinho"Riordan came on and played well setting up the first goal and looked comfortable, a good sign!
Bamba played his first game looked strong and fit , was booked for a rash challenge and later in the game decided to make another equally rash challenge and was sent off!! A good player that needs to learn to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes!
The team looks better though and it will be interesting to see how they fare against Hearts, Celtic and Rangers , all coming soon!

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