News today of JK Rowling's million pound donation to Labour may disappoint some of her more Conservative fans. Not me; I have long suspected she was a Labour supporter - there were plenty of clues in various interviews she has given. For a long time she tried to stay out of politics. I remember fondly her reply when asked by a child what Hogwarts houses Tony Blair and David Cameron would be placed in by the Sorting Hat. Well, Labour would be Gryffindor, because they're the red house, and the Conservatives would be Ravenclaw, because they're blue. Very diplomatic. I hope she did not have to bite her tongue wanting to throw us all into Slytherin! Politically, she is quite wrong in thinking David Cameron's support for marriage in any way condemns or victimises single Mums. The tax system works against marriage and parents staying together, and that is something any party that stands for social justice has to correct.
Rowling appears to be a personal friend of the Browns. Her donation may theoretically provide him a boost, but I think it is too late. Both the money and the PR could have been used by the party when the Westminster horse-race was more competitive. Now the Tories are on 52%, more than double the Labour share of the vote. Alan Johnson's intervention on behalf of Miliband, the timorous Piglet of political challengers, may be enough to finally encourage him to move when Brown loses the neighbouring seat of Glenrothes - almost inevitable as Labour's campaign manager downs tools, calling the battle a "no-hoper". Miliband is almost as much of a ditherer as Brown - writing his Guardian challenge article then sloping off on holiday for three weeks. A commenter on Political Betting came up with the glorious line "A Miliband is one thousandth of a bandwagon".
But if Rowling's donation cannot help her friend or Labour, it does, however, offer yet another piece of evidence as to her public spirited nature. Tony Blair gave every single donor to the Labour party of a million pounds or more either a knighthood or a peerage. Rowling's genius, her achievment in bringing back a generation of children to reading, her promotion of the UK, her charitable work, and now her wholly admirable donation to her party (for donating to a political party is a noble act of public service) demand recognition, and not with some paltry Damehood either. She should be made a life peer. She is a credit to her country and the party she supports.
