Louise Bagshawe: Vote Labour

After her column on why we should vote Tory, Louise Bagshawe embraces Gordon's Big Tent and offers some reasons why you should vote Labour in a snap election.

Because you are a Europhile, and long for ever-closer union

Those xenophobic Tories insist that we should keep our manifesto promise and hold a referendum on the European Constitution. We all know this is a simple excuse for the people to say "no" to a treaty they are too stupid to understand. Labour will send the treaty through on a nod, give up our veto in 60 areas, surrender our seat at the UN, sign up to an EU president and foreign minister and make Giscard d'Estaing a happy man. Nation states are an outmoded concept anyway.

You believe the State knows best

Vote Labour - we always hit the targets. We've got targets for hospitals, targets for police, targets for the public sector. And that's more important than dinosaur concepts like "bobbies on the beat".

You prefer an open-door policy to managed immigration

Social cohesion? Community housing? An affordable NHS? Who cares, we welcome whatever amount of migration there is and hang the consequences.

You're comfortable with tax rises, soaring inflation and high unemployment - so long as we mask the statistics

5 million without work, true inflation over 4%, a record balance of payments deficit for August, and a nice old fashioned run on a bank. Course, we don't give a stuff for the Equitable Life pensioners - none of those old moaners gets a Darling guarantee. But don't fret, Gordon's at the helm!

You want to see your local hospital A&E vanish, so long as you can travel to a glossy regional supercentre

"The age of the district general hospital is over." - Lord Darzi, Labour's health minister.

Who needs clinical benefits when you've got the European Working Time Directive? Jack Straw signed it - he could have opted out but didn't. So let's kiss goodbye to our local hospitals, and don't focus on Hazel Blears marching against the government in her own constituency.

You believe "tough on crime" equals "a Blackberry for every Bobby"

Gimmick Gordon strikes again with a classic! It's not paperwork that's the problem, you see, it's paper. So we're solving that with "palm pilots for all". Much more funky than Cameron's outmoded ideas: more prisons, an end to early release schemes, drug rehab increased, and the elimination of police targets. As for making the police accountable to their local communities, what a load of Tory tosh! Satisfaction with our policing policies is at an all time high and Sir Iain Blair is a national hero.

You're happy with the way our children are educated

Well, reading and writing are about as modern as a Sherbet Dip, aren't they? I think we can all agree that what matters is kids feeling good about themselves. So we can't afford luxuries like history, engineering, languages or the sciences. But rest assured your child will have great grades. We don't discriminate by ability.

So you see, there are plenty of reasons to vote Labour. Go back to your constituencies and prepare for more of the same. New Labour, New Britain - you can say that again!

* Louise Bagshawe will be a guest on today's "Daily Politics" show.

Comments

[Mountjoy]

Phew, I was a bit worried there - thought it was another high profile defector - but glad you are still on board, Louise!

[Veritas]

Then again. How does it feel to know that regardless of what's written here, Dave has so badly let you down that the Labour majority in Corby will increase when the election is called? Let's have a proper leader and Shadow Chancellor for the GE after that please.

[Ellesmere Dragge]

O, come, come, Ms Bagshawe: why be so mealy-mouthed about it?

And, irony apart, if "nation states are an outmoded concept" where do you stand on Scottish independence?

[Tony Makara]

Interesting take on Labour's attitude Louise. Actually some experts reckon the true rate of inflation to be around 7%. Currently inflation is being hidden by the strength of sterling. This weeks Labour conference has shown how arrogant Labour are in power.

After ten years of having the whip hand Labour feel they are untouchable. The personal attacks on David Cameron, Boris Johnson and John Redwood have been disgraceful.

This is an 'Animal Farm' type government, a government that makes an issue of privilege, yet thinks nothing of having ministers spending 600 pounds a roll on wallpaper for their lavish offices.

[James Burdett]

Tony - You are forgetting Alan Johnson who attacked the Conservatives for opposing the creation of the NHS 60 years ago. Clearly the modern Conservative party many of whom weren't even born until years later are entirely responsible for not supporting the NHS at the start.

[Tony Sharp]

Well said Louise. I am sure 'Veritas' that the people of Corby are sensible enough to vote on local issues, for the woman they know will represent their interests and fight for their town, rather than the man who supports all of the failed policies of this Labour government and the effect they have had on Corby.

[englandism]

Why the jubilation at Bournemouth given that the Labour party has sold its soul, embraced the devil and danced on Clement Attlee's titfer?

Cradle to the grave? Well, Labour has closed all of our local maternity units and started wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to keep the body bag industry happy. What a result! Oh, what deep joy?

British nationalism? Gordon Brown has divided the union irreparably and will be judged by history as the man that achieved what the Armada, Old Boney and the Little Corporal failed to achieve: The end of the United Kingdom.

As Labour's new guru would say:

'Rejoice!'

[Moral minority]

For a moment, I thought that Ms Bagshawe was returning to the Party that she joined in 1996/7. She bought Phony Tony's nonsense!

[Richard]

£300, Tony. You should get a copy of Guido & Dale's 'Big Book of New Labour Sleaze'. In fact, the party should pay for G & D to put it all up online....

[Tony Makara]

Richard, I stand corrected. Yes, it will be great to have a chronological history of Labour sleaze online. Watching the Labour conference this week I have genuinely been shocked by the nasty behaviour of leading Labourites. Especially Blears and Balls. Neil Kinnock has still not apologised for his disgraceful remarks. Who are the nasty party?

[Iain]

" it will be great to have a chronological history of Labour sleaze online."

Tony Makara, there is...

http://www.labour-watch.com/sleaze.htm

And very horrifying it is too!

[Iain]

"Louise Bagshawe will be a guest on today's "Daily Politics" show."

I will be making a point of watching that, for its a pleasure reading Louise’s attacks on Labour on this board, I wish we could see more of it from our elected Conservative MP's, for in the last week we have seen Brown plagiarise Democratic politicians for his speech, and much of the Conservative 2005 manifesto for his policies, so he's no some much a conviction politician but a plagiarist.

Unfortunately there has been an absence of Conservative MP's to put in the Conservative party's rebuttal or attack. Eg today Jack Straw's and Labour's cynicism knows no bounds, when he seeks to support people defending their families and homes from criminals, yet it was Labour who trashed and rubbished three Conservative MP's bills seeking to redress this balance, now they are seeking to purloin the policy and adopt it for themselves. CONSERVSATIVE MP'S SHOULD NOT ALLOW IT, but as yet I haven't seen sight nor sound of a Conservative MP and as such they a leaving the field open to Labour to make the policy their own, let alone damage Labour for their previous stance on the issue.

[Tony Makara]

Louise, just saw your interview on TV. You looked totally in charge! I think you have a natural 'presence' in front of the cameras. Good work.

[jorgen]

Louise, you forgot the most important reason: tactical voting to get rid this country of the "Heir to Blair's Conservative".

[Yet Another Anon]

Louise, you forgot the most important reason: tactical voting to get rid this country of the "Heir to Blair's Conservative"
If that turned out to be the case then maybe the headlines the next day would be "It was the son wot won it for Labour!"

[Jason O'Mahony]

Louise, your anti EU stuff is a cop out. The Tories pretend that they can get the EU to turn into a mere free trade area, something even the much over-hyped Margaret failed to do. It ain't happening, because the rest of the EU is far more socially orientated. In Ireland, we'll get a Yes vote because of the social aspects of the EU. And as for losing your UN seat, that is a straight lie. Do you honestly think France will surrender hers?
You don't like the EU? Leave. This isn't the US. We won't send soldiers after you.

[John Moss]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7006231.stm

Truly Nasty! Here is a high flying Labour woman who smeared her gay Lib Dem opponent as a paedophile to get elected. Having seen similar tactics used by Labour against Andrew Boff in Hackney, I have no doubts that the socialists hate us with a passion and will do anything to kill us, even lies and personal attacks.

I hate socialism with a passion, but I only pity those who cleave to it. Brown may not have mentioned the word Conservative in his speech, but everything in it was designed to appeal to those who vote Tory, yet it was all spin and deception.

We must attack Brown's record remorselessly - he has destoyed so much that was good and working well, like pensions, yet failed to reform the bits we had either cocked up, (railways) or barely touched, (schooling and healthcare).

How much will a GE cost? I hear £1bn. sheer waste.

[Chad Noble]

"sign up to an EU president and foreign minister and make Giscard d'Estaing a happy man. Nation states are an outmoded concept anyway."

Dan Hannan wrote in 2005 that remaining in the EPP until 2009 would erode any trust left in the Tories over Europe. At the time he believed that Cameron would withdraw immediately upon winning the leadership election.

Anyway, the point is, I'm sure most people would find it hard to understand your argument or call for a referendum or opposition to a federal Europe when you are voluntarily official members of a group that seeks just that!

No-one would fear a u-turn, a broken pledge, or a backroom stitch up if you just acted consistently and pulled out of the EPP now to ensure you speak with the same voice in the UK as you do in the EU.

They may have the opposite view as me, but I prefer an open and honest europhile to this kind of two-faced and dishonest Tory approach to the EU.

Why remain in the EPP for a moment longer?

[Tapestry]

COMMENT OVERWRITTEN.

PERSONAL ATTACKS ON OTHER READERS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

[Tony Makara]

Thanks Iain, Labour's record of sleaze is really staggering, and shocking. Especially after the openly stated that they were going to be whiter than white.

This Labour government is an 'Animal Farm' government. They came into office on a meek and moral agenda and have have ended up being the most corrupt, the most abusive government this country has ever seen.

[Louise Bagshawe]

Thanks all for the kind words. We had a by-election last night in the safe Labour ward of Lloyds in Corby. The swing to the Conservatives was 3%. Lloyds is absolute Labour heartland territory in central Corby. The swing achieved in this ward is more than double that needed to take the seat Conservative at a general election, and this in Labour's safest area. I regret to say that the BNP also received a lot of votes. Unmanaged, open-door immigration is a live issue in Corby and will form part of our campaigning here.

I want to congratulate our outstanding candidate Lynn Wilson for achieving this swing. She worked incredibly hard and is typical of the local government candidates our seat is blessed with, who are prepared to take the fight to Labour in its safest areas.

[Paul Kennedy]

"How does it feel to know that regardless of what's written here, Dave has so badly let you down that the Labour majority in Corby will increase when the election is called?" 9:24

Not according to today's Independent, based on excellent overnight by election results!

"Tories snatched a Sunderland council seat from Labour today, sending a grim warning to Prime Minister Gordon Brown as he ponders whether to call a General Election.

With results in from eight out of nine of yesterday's council by-elections, Conservatives had snatched back the projected lead.

Labour held six seats but, on the basis of results at Portsmouth and Northamptonshire, Tories look on course for a sweeping parliamentary victory at Portsmouth North constituency and a closer one at Corby if there were an early poll.

At Dover the 5.5% swing in a Kent County Council contest for Dover Town - which covers more than a quarter of the Commons constituency's electorate - would be enough for Conservatives to take it.

But the outcome in the district's Aylesham ward produced the only major swing to Labour of the night.

In a further boost to the battered morale of David Cameron's Tories ahead of their conference next week, they successfully defended control of Cheshire County Council.

At Sunderland, Tory Angela Cuthbert gained a Washington East seat on a 3.7% swing on top of the result in May when her party was already riding high nationwide.

Her husband Ian had then won another seat in the ward.

Tories leapt into second place at Portsmouth's Nelson ward - just 109 votes behind Labour.

There was no swing between the two major parties since May when Conservatives had a lead of more than 20% in votes cast in the Portsmouth North constituency.

Analysis of the eight contests suggests a projected nationwide Tory lead over Labour of 6.2% - which would produce a hung Parliament at a General Election.

This compares with a 1.4% margin for Labour last week.

A calculation based on the three county seats and one from the Isle of Wight on August 30 which were last fought on the same day as the 2005 General Election gives a 5.3% lead.

RESULTS:

Cheshire County - Gowy: C 1863, Lib Dem 1419, Lab 307, Ukip 107. (May 2005 - C 3936, Lib Dem 2666, Lab 1555). C hold. Swing 1.8% C to Lib Dem.

Chester-le-Street District - Chester Central: Lab 324, C 89, Lib Dem 81, BNP 51. (May 2007 - Two seats Lab 411, 389, C 172). Lab hold. Swing 1.6% C to Lab.

Dover District - Aylsham: Lab 661, C 108, Ind 59, No description 1. (May 2007 - Two seats Lab 831, 808, C 311, 287, No description 75). Lab hold. Swing 11.6% C to Lab.

Dover District - Maxton, Elms Vale and Priory: Lab 365, Lib Dem 274, C 252, Ind 70, Ukip 65, Ind 56. (May 2007 - Three seats Lab 733, 647, C 624, Lab 602, C 566, 545, Lib Dem 381, 296, 291, Ind 243). Lab hold. Swing 5.1% Lab to Lib Dem.

Kent County - Dover Town: Lab 1860, C 1348, Lib Dem 420, Ind 300, Ukip 256. (May 2005 - Two seats Lab 6194, 5888, 3455, 3122, Lib Dem 2658, 2255). Lab hold. Swing 5.5% Lab to C.

Northamptonshire County - Lloyds: Lab 1093, C 375, Lib Dem 311, BNP 265. (May 2005 - Lab 2620, C 886, Lib Dem 707). Lab hold. Swing 3% Lab to C.

Portsmouth City - Nelson: Lab 791, C 682, Lib Dem 548, Ukip 90, Green 78, English Democrats 71 . (May 2007 - Lab 840, Lib Dem 717, C 711, English Democrats 199, Green 168). Lab hold. Swing 0.0% C to Lab.

Sunderland Borough - Washington East: C 1196, Lab 994, Lib Dem 206 . (May 2007 - C 1245, Lab 1220, Lib Dem 441, BNP 195). C gain from Lab. Swing 3.7% Lab to C.

Figures are still to come for a Mansfield District by-election."

Well done to all of our candidates.