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!

Movement for Change! The resurrection!

Last night came the news in the guardian, futher confimed by David Miliband tweeting the link, that “David and Ed Miliband are combining to create a 10,000-strong “army” of community organisers in the first formal rapprochement for the pair since Ed beat David to the Labour party leadership. Movement for Change, set up by David during his leadership campaign, is to be relaunched in March and expanded, initially under the wing of the Labour party.” – http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jan/25/ed-david-miliband-activists

As someone who was a part of the Movement for Change, I know first hand how empowering it was for activists as it showed us that we could make a difference in our communities and that in an age of distrust of politics, we can have our voices heard. The Rainbow Representation project I have been working on with Aaron Kumar borrows heavily from this idea as a way of promoting equality by widening participation at the grassroots level.  I for one obviously welcome this wholeheartedly and will be keenly be following what happens next!

Long live the movement (my poem celebrating the rebirth of M4C under BOTH Milibands)

Long live the Movement,

Resurrected, after languishing in the tomb,

After languishing in purgatory’s doom,

It is back.

Reunited, the power to heal the wounds,

The brothers combine to lead,

To form a family of the willing,

The caring, those who will not walk on by the other side of the road,

Those who want to make a difference.

For now we are all brothers,

Brothers in the Movement!

Brothers in arms- both resurrect Movement for Change

Movement for Change- keep the torch burning!

On Labourlist today http://www.labourlist.org/labour-must-mainstream-the-movement-for-change , a blog has called for Labour to mainstream Movement for Change.

The blog’s author Michael Payne states that Labour must “remember its roots and build an active movement; a movement that builds on the infrastructure already put in place by David Miliband and doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel,” and that Ed Miliband must “ensure that the ‘new generation’ of Labour leadership is supportive of the ‘Movement for Change’ and doesn’t believe that change is simply brought about by changing policies or changing rhetoric.”

I agree, and I do hope Movement for Change does get the support from the party that Ed Miliband promised at the Movement for Change rally. As someone associated with Movement for Change, I praise the initiative as a way of reaching out and empowering people like me in order to make a difference in their communities. I praise David Miliband, without his vision and investment, it may never have happened. Lets hope the “new generation” keeps the torch burning!

BACK TO OUR ROOTS

Back to our roots,

Back to our legacy,

Our legacy for wanting more,

More than the life given to us,

More for those oppressed.

We gain a voice,

To speak loud and proud,

Speak for what is right,

Speak without fear for we are many,

Many not in a rapacious horde,

Many united as one machine,

One heart, One energy, ONE!

M4C part of the new generation! :)

At the Movement for change rally last night, we waited with baited breath as we anticipated what the future held for the movement. We were greeted by stories of how it gave a voice to so many, enabling them to stand up to the injustices in the community and allowed them to make a difference. When asked whether he would keep the flame of the movement alive, Ed answered yes, staing that the party would build on what we achieved and that his aim was to make every labour party in the counrty more community based. Here is a video of what he said:

http://www.twitvid.com/NSKHM

I’m really pleased he gave the movement his support as it has empowered so many people like myself and others and we must thank David for his vision in starting this movement and giving us a voice. THIS IS DAVID’S LEGACY! This movement refers to something that Ed said in his speech earlier today about Labour’s values about not crossing over the road when someone was in need and I’m glad he wants to bring the Movement for Change into his “new generation”. As he said yesterday “We are the optimists and we together we will change Britain,” and as the movement for change, we also share in this goal!

Back to our roots

Back to our roots,

Back to our legacy,

Our legacy for wanting more,

More than the life given to us,

More for those oppressed.

We gain a voice,

To speak loud and proud,

Speak for what is right,

Speak without fear for we are many,

Many not in a rapacious horde,

Many united as one machine,

One heart, One energy, ONE!

 

We are the ones who don’t walk on by,

Leave our brothers dying on the road to Jericho.

We are the ones standing up for fairness,

We are the ones fighting for a new tommorow!

He who inspires the change

Sadly, I couldn’t attend the David Miliband Movement for change event today, but my fellow tweeters and friends all said the event was “truly inspirational”. I saw a clip of the speech he gave on BBC news and I was in full agreement.

The full speech is on David’s website – http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/08/30/this-is-the-real-coalition-in-britain-today-join-our-movement-for-change/ , however, the part of the speech that really grabbed me was:

“This movement has changed me. I am a different politician and a different person now. Citizens UK trained me up, just as they have trained you up -a 1000 leaders in communities across the land. Made me see that the way for us to renew, and rejuvenate was to seek out the energy in this country, the sources of light and hope, the places where people are making the most impact.

Meeting people in different places in different ways. Not meetings where politicians come along, talk at an audience and leave again, a gap in understanding and respect trailing in its wake. But meetings where we all have one to one conversations with someone we have never met, where we build a relationship, understand a bit about their lives, try to find out where we can most make a difference. That is the movement we are building.”

This comes right to the heart of the Movement for Change campaign, a union of people determined to make a change. This is something that the David bashers fail to mention, the fact that he has inspired and empowered ordinary people to get involved, like me with the phonebanking.  Thanks to David, I feel that i can make a difference.

To David and the other movement for change friends, this is my tribute in poetry to you! We are all united indeed!

Who is this man?

Who is this magician who summons such passion,
Summons a multitude before him,
A multitude fighting to make a difference,
A coalition marching for change.

Who is this man humbled by it all,
A man transformed by it,
Liberated from the cacoon,
This energy that has set him free.

This man is an inspiration,
His speech the lightning bolt,
Discharging energy with its strike,
His vision inspires us to action.

We unite in brotherhood,
Many petals in this Rose,
Bound together by our passion by our captain,
A new Sirius rising in the darkness, our guiding star!