Palestinian statehood- now is the time

This week sees the Palestinians go to the UN and ask for full membership at the UN and also international recognition of their state based on 1967 borders – the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Today the position of the Labour Party was definitively expressed by Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, who in a statement on the Labour party website  http://www.labour.org.uk/united-nations-general-assembly,2011-09-20 stated:
 
“The case made by the Palestinians for recognition as a state is strong. This week, at the United Nations, the British Government should be willing to support the recognition of Palestinian statehood as part of continuing steps to achieve a comprehensive two state solution.
 
“But there also remains a heavy onus upon the British government and other members of the international community this week to work to ensure that any change in the level of Palestinian recognition is then followed by meaningful negotiations between the parties.”

David Miliband has also been supportive of the move – albeit more cautiously than Douglas Alexander. In a blog for the Huffington Post, Miliband said that:

“My view is that the use of the UN is a smart tactical move by the Palestinians. My reasoning is that nothing else has produced any give in the situation.”

So will we see a two state solution brought closer this week? With the US stating it will veto, I’m not so sure, but either way I am extremely proud of my party’s policy regarding this especially when at the time of writing, the Government’s position remains elusive. I do however remain hopeful that if recognition is given, a state for the Palestinians alonside their Israeli neighbours myay become a step closer.

Today

Is today the day when they see what has been there all along,

When they try to right wrongs?

Will this day be spoken of in legends, in songs,

A day when hope shone in the decades dark skies,

A day when 2 peoples can recognise and live side by side,

Will this be the day?

 

Refounding Labour-

What is the aim of Refounding Labour?  ”Our task is nothing less than the refoundation of the Labour Party: The People’s party.” – Ed Miliband.

Bold words, an impressive task to be sure, but  the question is can it live up to this. I think it can. Over the past few days, many of the people I know from twitter have submitted their views on labour ranging from membership fees, to greater involvement in the party, to toher such diverse topics. I decided this morning to submit something of my very own to the site:

Love: What I love about Labour…
I love what we stand for, fairness and equality, which has produced legislation for civil partnerships and our commitment for fairness personified by the creation of the NHS. Also I love the friendliness of quite a lot in our party and uniting to campaign in common cause.

Change: What I want to change about Labour…
I would first of all suggest that we need more opportunities for members to have a say in the party, possibly one every year just to make members feel as if they are involved. I would also tax the bankers bonuses more as it’s obscene that the rest of the country is suffering while they still get massive bonuses. With bills rising ever higher, I believe we should try to control this, or raise wages in order for everyone to have a decent standard of living. We need to be proud of our values and be ready to stand for them!

I don’t mean to seem dull when I say this, but I actually enjoyed doing that, as I really felt that I contributed to the debate. The fact that it was displayed on their website seemed to suggest to me that my views DID matter. There have been many sceptics, those who think no-one will take notice of these suggestions, to those who see it as navel-gazing and a cover for no policies. They miss the point. Many felt disallusioned by the party’s failure and unwillingness to listen and “refounding labour” seeks to reach out and hear people’s views. I think this is a welcome development which I suggest should be repeated each year as a follow up exercise. A movement is only as strong as its members and I felt energised by doing this. To all the sceptics, I challenge you to submit something. Try it, you may end up liking it!

Refounding Labour website- http://www.refoundinglabour.org/

Join me on The Revolution of the Mind!

With recent discussions about Blue Labour, Purple labour (which I must confess still confuse me) and with the Refounding Labour website up and running, it seems we are finally having a good discussion about how the party can progress and improve. My one hope is that certain ideas do not get unfair advantage over others in terms of consideration because of the source of those ideas, but the Refounding Labour initiative with its associated events seems to go a way in involving the members.

I decided to throw an idea, an initiative into the mix, something I have mentioned quite a few times before, THE REVOLUTION OF THE MIND . During the period since my initial ideas on the subject (the election getting in the way and all!) , I have pondering what to do with it. Then through a chance conversation with a friend, I had the answer, WHY NOT START A DISCUSSION? I want your opinions on this, whether you are an MP, a councillor or even a footsoldier like me, all ideas are welcome. Here, is my introduction in order to put forth my premise:

REVOLUTION, the very word incites passion, invokes change, massive change and also evokes fear. Fear of bloodshed, violence, sudden change. Yet how about a revolution that goes beyond merely replacing one hegemony with another, how about one without the violence but could possibly achieve a lot more, one that goes beyond replacing one form of oppression for another?

I call for a revolution of a differing kind, a revolution of the mind. Since the formation of the Coalition last May, we have been presented with the orthodoxy of a deficit caused by ‘the previous Labour government’ and that cutting the deficit is the priority is the main priority at all costs, no matter the consequences. No matter the pain! Day by day, this orthodoxy has spread like wildfire through the media, the Murdoch Press and as such, they seek to control the way we think.

The Frankfurt School, with ideas derived from Karl Marx such as the everyday conditions under which we live that determine the way we think, suggested that all media is loaded with its own ideology and that knowledge of this leads to emancipation. With the media trumpeting the government’s ideological cuts on the public services and the NHS as in the national interest, we can clearly see this.

My revolution is simple. A simple 3 steps: See, Think, Resist! First of all, we must see past what we read in a newspaper, see past the lies propagated by the government. Look at other sources of information, other versions of the story, which in the age of the internet is easier than ever before. The next step is to think differently, seek new solutions such as Chuka Ummuna’s proposal to remutualise Northern Rock as a way to make banking more accountable in the light of the Banking Crisis. Propose new answers, new ideas. Think differently and speak out against the ideology that is constantly put before us, presented as gospel truth. By doing this, we come to the final step, resistance. We speak out against the hegemony, we provide more voices and create a true debate. Using blogs, using twitter, facebook, we can all speak out!

My message is one of action. What I would also propose is a series of meetings with our MP’s and other MP’s debating key issues with them, communicating our ideas and our views without fear. We would also seek to train people on how to use the new social media in order to resist more effectively, in order to get an alternative message out there.

Lets get this clear, I am all in favour of people having differing opinions as humans we naturally do. However what cannot be excused is the forcing of those views on others, the framing of only one side of the debate, and most of all, the framing it as fact. As Marx once said “philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point however is to change it”. Yet we do not need a violent revolution in Marx’s terms. We only need to think differently and see past the ideology of the media. By seeing and thinking  and acting differently can we be truly free to put forth new ideas. Its time for a change, its time to defy hegemony, ideology and orthodoxy. Its time for a revolution of the mind!

 I want this to serve as th basis for a discussion on this free from competiting ideology. Whatever your ‘colour’ or whether you wish to avoid colours in the first place, tell me your ideas. Join me on THE REVOLUTION OF THE MIND!

We want more- more member engagement from the party!

Funny how the smallest things spark a debate isnt it. I recieved the post this morning from Labour, ASKING for yet more money. Obviously they neglect the fact that I pay a youth rate as I am a student at present and thus money is not a commodity I have in abundance. Needless to say, I aired my anger on twitter and what developed was quite an interesting discussion on party reform and policy thanks to @dsnow  @Neiley83 and @matofkilburnia . What we were angry about was the party seeming to view us with pound signs as just doorsteppers and nothing else. Even Tom Harris MP on a blog seemed to show utter contempt for us members http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2011/01/17/dear-ed-remember-that-party-members-are-not-normal/ , stating that “Let’s face it, as you and I know from personal experience, Labour party activists are a pretty strange bunch,” with the implication we are only good for “shoving leaflets through people’s doors on a Saturday morning” and nothing else.

How rude and inaccurate. For his information, we are normal, we have lives outside of labour, we go out we socialise and we also talk to non members and non supporters in order to guage a wide range of views. There in lies the problem, if we are viewed with such contempt by our MP’s what hope is there for change?

On my friends blog- http://drummerboyblog.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/ourcampaig/ , he states that as a party “we have to engage our members and remember that we cannot arrogantly rely on their support just because they’re already members,” stating that talent within the membership should be taken beyond simply leafletting. He also posits an intersting idea that rather than simply just having communities being represented solely by constituency, we could have people of similar interests banding together.

Don’t get me wrong I will leaflet and have done till my legs hurt, yet I believe there should be other ways we are also engaged, maybe asked for our opinions on policy more than we are at present, more events OUTSIDE of the M25 that don’t cost £50 a head and respect for the membership rather than the insults of one of our MP’s. Lets hope the NEW GENERATION delivers on its great promise! A rose is only as strong as its many petals!

We wish to serve,

We who fight street by street for you,

We who spread the message for you,

We who march till our feet are sore, for you.

We wish to serve,

Yet we want respect,

We want our say in our shared destiny,

We want to serve beyond the leaflet run, the Voter ID,

Let us be more than the roots of the bush,

Let us be more than this, the petals for all to see!

Rainbow labour- why each shade should have a say!

Over the past few weeks, i have bore witness to much discussion over the twittersphere about colours. Yes comrades, colours, such as Blue Labour, Purple Book and Pink Labour (yes i must admit this was a comical addition from a friend ). I must admit, I have been slightly lost as to what these mean as I had the slight distraction of labour doorstep *slaps himself on the wrist*. This brings me to my first reservation, why now, when much of the country is up to its ears in fighting the good fight in the local elections, are we trying to redefine what we are fighting for? One conrcern about this was that if we are on the doorstep, will voters wonder why to vote labour when labour isnt sure about what it stands for?

However, this concern aside, I welcome all of this discussion and debate within our party. With Refounding Labour in commission, it shows that the leadership are eager to gain new ideas on our direction. What has concerned me and to a certain respect over the past week or so is the hostility from some quarters about these ideas especially Purple Book which is yet to be finished. I say before passing judgement, wait till it is complete and out there, read it for yourself and then voice your views on it.

Maybe Blue Labour Glasman is onto something when he notes that in the early 20th century, in community politics, growing out of co-operatives and mutuals. Maybe he isn’t, however, as long as this doesnt sidetrack the attention needed for the final few weeks of the elections, I welcome this debate. I welcome every member of the party voicing their views whether Purple, red, blue or ordinary Labour like me. In my RAINBOW LABOUR, we can debate differing views and build a new future together, respecting that others have different views but we all have something in common, we all care about each other about helping those in society who need help. WE ARE ALL LABOUR and can coexist like a rainbow!

We need debate,

New ideas to sustain us, this flower to germinate,

To debate with a open mind,

No fear, no hatred to poison the mind,

To listen to each other,

Respect each other,

Like a rainbow with many colours, co-exist with each other,

For we are still brothers, no matter the colour, no matter how we diverge,

For in our faith in justice and fairness, we are indeed brothers!

The reconquest of the rose! #labourdoorstep

 

WE MARCH- me and the tameside young labour on the campaign trail!

Today, like many up and down the country, I did some labour doorstep this morning. In an area with a Tory councillor, me and the Tameside Young Labour group launched a charm offensive and to our surpise we actually made quite a lot of labour contacts for the labour candidate of the area, raja Miah. It just shows us that by pointing out the damage the coalition are doing to the country and by actually taking to people we can begin to fight back. I dedicate this poem which I wrote in both Spanish and English to all those who have been and will be on the doorstep before the elction, those fighting for a fairer future!

La reconquista de la rosa

Marchamos,
en el sol que se desprende de su gracia sobre nosotros,
N el invierno más duro, el desierto de la desesperación,
Marchamos
Hasta la más empinada colina, muchas calles que atravesamos,
Quema con el fuego de la equidad de desafío,
Marchamos
Para que nunca cesará, puerta por puerta, casa por casa,
Vamos a avanzar con la fe de otra manera,
Nuestra fe, escudo nuestro, nuestras palabras nuestras espadas,
La reconquista de la rosa se ​​inicia hoy,
Marchamos,
Arriba y abajo de esta nación, que marcha!

The reconquest of the rose

We march,
in the sun which sheds its grace on us,
No more harsh winter, the wilderness of despair,
We march
Up the steepest hill, many streets we traverse,
Burning with the fire of fairness of defiance,
We march
For we will never cease, door by door, house by house,
We shall advance with faith in another way,
Our faith our shield, our words our swords,
The reconquest of the rose begins today,
Marchamos,
Up and down this nation, we march!

Challenging the myth- this scapegoat speaks out!

A year passes,

It seems an eternity since love in the garden,

Since the selling of souls, the bitter kiss,

A year passes,

Still the spout their lies,

A toxin, like a cobra they inject,

Relentlessly with the megaphone, the printing press their message they infect.

A sickness, this myth takes hold like a fever,

Infecting the mind, all but the ardent believer.

Sick of being the scapegoat are we,

Put down the knife, the ills of the world cannot be laid at thee.

Expose your lies, speak out with passion shall we! 

This poem a reaction to the article on labourlist http://www.labourlist.org/strangling-the-lie , by Emily Thornberry MP, in which she states that “we need to challenge their lie so that we can confidently assert that there is an alternative to slashing public spending. And that the alternative is us.” Wise fiery words and ones I agree with and as part of my REVOLUTION OF THE MIND, I welcome any challenges to the hegomonic narrative that all too often is fed to us. The cuts of this incompetent government as we all know are ideologically driven and thus the blame can no longer be placed soley at our door. With great power comes great responsiblity Cameron! This scapegoat will take the blame no longer!

Harnessing the new generation- my spot on Labourlist and added thoughts.

 

On Tuesday, I posted a blog on Labourlist, calling for a ‘harnessing of the new generation’ , if you haven’t yet seen it, the link is here- http://www.labourlist.org/harnessing-the-new-generation . In the article I basically stated that “despite this influx of young members into the party and despite the importance attached by our leader to the new generation, one question still occupies my thoughts, when will our ideas be asked for?”

Since I wrote on Tuesday, my university, the University of Manchester announced it would raise its tuition fees to £9000, thus a further blow to youth aspiration and underscoring the need for the youth to feel a sense of self worth and to have a voice in party policy. On Progress, http://www.progressonline.org.uk/articles/article.asp?a=7854 , Blair McDougall states how Movement for Change and the community action lead by activists around the country “shows the appetite that exists for a more direct role in delivering change.”

I do agree with this sentiment and thus would welcome any attempt for greater involvement for all especially the youth, but I also think that we could also give more opportunity for opinions and actions within the party itself by something as simple as more interactive group events like I proposed in the Labourlist article. It may be small at first, but as someone once said, ”a  journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

David Miliband – the left’s road of redemption!

David speaking at the LSE

I’m sorry for my absense from the blog, but with going down to London, yesterday I followed David Miliband’s instructions to ‘study hard’, for which I’m honoured that not only does his warm relations remain with me and Liza, but also he takes an active interest in our lives! But now I feel I must put forward my views on what was actually said at the LSE speech, as the waters have been muddied somewhat by some seeking to use the speech for their own purposes. Ok,  you ready for this?

The speech was empassioned, an intelligent analysis on why the reasons the European Left are losing elctions across the heartland of European social democracy.  He states that after the ‘nice decade’, “the right is seeking to emulate the electoral strategies of the left in the 1990s; and the left in the last decade has not been able to decide whether to disown them or embrace them, when the key is in fact to build on them.  So it is losing elections again on a grand scale.” This makes perfect sense when we saw at the election the Tories brand of ‘compassionate conservatism’ , comparing this to George W Bush winning the US election in 2000, championing education and even progressive immigration reform. 

To those who saw an attack on Gordon Brwon, like the Mirror did, David was only stating facts that in the public perception, the leader was less popular than the party, not a personal attack, but surely reflecting facts is it not? Also he actually praised some of Ed’s approach, stating that he has “effectively highlighted” the position of the squeezed middle on Ed Miliband has effectively highlighted. Rather than his point about a ‘decifit of ideas’ being a criticism of the Ed regime, I saw it as a challenge to us all to think differently and in a way, I saw a parallel with my REVOLUTION OF THE MIND , a call for people to think differently and see past the media, which in part is inspired by Movement for Change. A movement he continues to champion as a way to allow us to take part in our community and societry rather than being just being spectators.

In this speech, I didnt for one second see David challenging Ed for the leadership, I saw David engaging in more fundemental questions on how we on the left can bounce back. As my friend Liza Harding stated, whilst Atlee was the PM, Bevan still created the NHS and as such they worked together in this endeavor. So why can’t David speak his mind and by analysing this, help his brother rather than seek to supplant him. As he said “together we achieve more than we can alone”. Lets work together and take on board what David states and thus create a blueprint for us to bounce back.

For those who wish to read the entire transcript of the speech, it is here on David Miliband’s facebook page- http://www.facebook.com/notes/david-miliband/why-is-the-european-left-losing-elections/195000080533460#!/?sk=lf .

Teacher (in honour of my good friend David Miliband)

Welcome back my teacher, teach,

The error of our ways, where we have gone wrong,

Teach, we yearn for you to show us the facts,

Up on that stage to dominate the lectern,

We yearn for you to speak.

Good friend, I beseech you to teach,

How our enemies mimic us,

Use subterfuge, disguise and defeat us,

Guru, share your secret knowledge with me,

We shall study hard, the truth shall set us free.

Your lessons shall give us hope in the dark yet,

For in your own way still you are David Hamelech!

Congrats to Dan Jarvis and the collapse of the lib dems!

 

First of all I would like to convey my congratulations to Dan Jarvis who last night became the new Labour MP for Barnsley Central. To all those who helped campaign this is your victory and I am proud to be a member of the party given a boost from last night. What is astonishing though was the complete collapse of the Lib Dem vote, with their party finishing 6th, behind both UKIP and the BNP. In his article on Labourlist http://www.labourlist.org/is-this-the-end-of-the-lib-dems-as-a-national-party , Mark Ferguson states that such a devastating result  shows an “annihilation for the Lib Dems… one that could spell the end of Nick Clegg’s party as a national force’” adding that as Sheffield Hallam – Nick Clegg’s seat – is only fifteen miles from Barnsley Central, this result is “a salutary warning – if Clegg needed one – of what could lie ahead, if he continues down this road.”

So what does this mean then in the bigger picture? As Mr Jarvis said, the result sent “the strongest possible message” to David Cameron and Nick Clegg, however on Labour Uncut http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2011/03/04/the-evidence-that-labour%e2%80%99s-poll-lead-is-soft/ , Atul Hatwal states that whilst many are departing from the coalition, a 12% lead in polls still see people prefer David Cameron as PM to Ed Miliband.  Whether this is true or not, I still say we need to keep up the pressure on the coalition, challenge the orthodox narrative that this deficit that needs to be cut at all costs is Labour’s mess. We need to keep putting forward a credible alternative to the condems and restore hope to people. We have a new soldier in the fight in Dan Jarvis- now let’s continue to fight and fight hard!

The battlefield lies empty,

We triumphed,

While the traitors the decievers on the ground do lie,

We stand tall, the red flag above the battlements hoisted high!

Yet the war is not over, not by a stretch,

For they hold the nation at their mercy,

Their savage barrages show a lack of mercy.

The warrior of the red rose arises victorious this morn,

Let him join our battle, our fight for a hopeful new dawn!