Monday, December 03, 2007

It has hit a big fan !

BBC Newsnight reports on Gordon's meeting with the PLP (Parliamentary Party - MPs) but in an environment where I know "it" has clearly hit the fan BIG time !
Someone told me "I'm bored wuth all this", which is perhaps our best hope of some respite barring Becks and Spice seperating, or Pete Doherty running off to Gretna Green with some member of the Royal Family. Yet politics is about mood music and I admit we are currently out of tune.
It is such a massive irony that as the Party which introduced stricter rules for the funding of political parties/activity that we have fallen flat on our faces and need to get up and dust ourselves down quickly - but I know in politics that is the last thing that our opponents, including the right wing press, want. I just hope that as rules are reformed the activities of Tory front groups are exposed/regulated.
But what we did, in introducing the existing regulations, is a little irrelevant now as the clouds have gathered and we need, in Gordon's words, some sunshine to brighten 2008. Before then my only guess can be that there will be some changes. But I am not convinced it will be easy to quickly transform our historic relationship with the unions - I'm not sure what the unions did wrong !!
So whereas Glyn Davies posts a comment that I have been quiet on this issue, I can see a number of my reactions on the blog - but like other Party members I have been a bit stunned by what I read each day.
Onwards and upwards - soon. It is our only option.

3 comments:

K Mahoney said...

I see...there seems to be almost an indignant air of..'It's not fair that we were caught cheating because we set the rules'... about the Labour party at the moment!

Coupled with...'The taxpayer must fund our bloated party staffing levels and apparatus because otherwise we are incapable of staying within the limits of the rules and law as it stands'


As you're about reforming the laws to suit your party's latest needs Martin may I be allowed to suggest that provision be made that no political party be allowed to go more than £1m in debt?


Thanks very much!

Martin Eaglestone said...

I think the tone of the posting is how stupid to get caught by rules we created. I don't see the argument for the taxpayer either, but if the union link etc is reduced then I think public funding is inevitable : all round.

I suppose all parties have to balance income against expenditure in the long term, I'm unclear why the £1million cap is necessary ?

adolf moans said...

Want to buy some computer discs ? Going cheap !