Did Keir Starmer and Morgan ‘Machiavelli’ McSweeney really believe they could turn their backs on Europe and get away with it? For millions of people, it was like a death in the family. Were we expected to forget everything we have felt about Europe, its culture and its people, and follow exhortations to become America’s 51st state?
Everything in Labour’s culture and history dictates they are an internationalist party. Yet for 10 years, it has been the public who has kept the flame alive. Not Labour party members, who have been cowed by the Starmer-McSweeney cult into minding their P’s and Q’s. In doing so, they betrayed their party and its culture, and the country.
But at last, the embers of hope in the party have flickered into life. This week we have had a floorshow of Labour figures stepping onto the catwalk to declare their European credentials. Senior figures like Nick Symonds and Rachel Reeves declare how we must get closer to the EU, as long as it doesn’t involve getting, you know, too close. Like close enough to make any difference.
Others, like Angela Rayner and particularly Sadiq Khan have been bolder, but then in his elevated position the London mayor is untouchable by the PM and his party machinations. This is a genie which cannot be put back in the bottle.
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Keir Starmer is a cautious man and, as we have discussed in recent diaries, that caution works well in foreign affairs but not in domestic policy. And for Britain, EU membership was always seen only as a domestic matter – we wanted no truck with all that ‘European ideal’ nonsense. So Sir Keir will retreat into his usual caution. He has doubled down on his EU position so often, it is difficult to see a way out.
So as this diarist has observed before, he must go. But when the time comes. At the moment, Donald Trump has set the world on fire and Fireman Starmer is one of those holding the fort.
In wartime, the public like to gather round their leaders and stand together. According to pollsters Ipsos, Keir Starmer is presently seen as the most capable prime minister, but we might guess that’s based on his prowess in facing up to Donald Trump than his record at home.
Yet Labour’s scores still languish. If this means the voters tend to rate Sir Keir separately from his party, and also separately on his foreign versus his domestic performances, politics is about to become even more complicated. Pity the pollsters.
But we need not only Labour, but also the Tories, to make some recovery. All those only half-decided Reform votes need to go somewhere, and they are much more likely to throw in their lot with the Tories.
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This week, Conservative shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy (W Suffolk), claims that “mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination”. This has always been the view of your diarist. Those grand occasions at St Paul’s or Westminster Abbey – coronations and other national occasions – are almost entirely concerned with demonstrating the power of the establishment, and are little concerned with the religious or moral standpoints of the populace.
via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Only it turns out that Mr Timothy meant something quite different. He was complaining about a Muslim Adhan held in Trafalgar Square. The attempted subjugation he claims is acceptable as long as it is those in power who use the occasion to demonstrate their control. What he is complaining about is those who aren’t part of the state apparatus. Mr Timothy will have none of that, especially when he can construe that those praying may in some way present a threat to the establishment.
From Mr Timothy’s previous, one might almost infer that he has some predilection towards disliking Muslims. (Readers will recall that, as Theresa May’s puppet master close adviser, he was responsible for those disgraceful vans sent around the East End effectively telling foreigners to go home.) Since then, eight major Muslim celebrations of Eid have been held in Trafalgar Square, as well as Diwali, Hannukah and Easter. But Mr Timothy found it inconvenient at the time to mention them.
In France, no such major demonstration by any religion is permitted: it is a strictly secular society. Perhaps, if ever we become a civilised country, we might follow suit.
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This week saw the launch of the Conservative Party’s local election campaign – after a fashion. There was to be an introductory film, showcasing all the best bits of Kemi Badenoch (NW Essex). The master of ceremonies, James Cleverly (Braintree) was left staring at an empty screen. We were told that the film wouldn’t work, although there remains the possibility that they couldn’t find any best bits of Kemi Badenoch.
Meanwhile, behind him sat the faithful, showing all the same desperate hope of life after death as a convention of spiritualists. Or of course, the Conservative Party.
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Readers will know of the broad hierarchy of the social orders in the French Ancien Regime. The first estate was the clergy, the second the nobles, and the third was all the rest who had to strive for a living.
In modern times, the fourth estate has been wryly postulated as the news media, who stand back and report on it. But the fifth estate is admirably demonstrated by Nigel Farage. It is made up of those people who stand back and make money out of it.
One of the favourite little Farage peccadillos is to turn an international tragedy into a money-making opportunity. Hence, a supposed trip to consult with Donald Trump last week on the world calamity turned out to be nothing of the kind. (Mr Farage turned up at Mar a Lago and the president wasn’t even there.) But anyway, Clacton’s finest went on to give a speech to a far-right group, who paid him 28,000 quid for it.
The Farage grasp of patriotism is reflected in his enthusiasm to have his country perform as Donald Trump’s eunuch. Even in those intemperate circles in which he moves, he enjoys – shall we say – an equivocal reputation. As under the Ancien Regime, the great unsoaped are there to provide him with a luxurious lifestyle.
With Mr Farage otherwise engaged as usual on causing some petty annoyance to the world in general, it was left to Robert Jenrick to launch the Reform lottery: an apparent offer to pay a whole street’s energy bills. The party will bung chosen areas of the country a few quid for their vote… though of course they won’t. As always with Reform, the idea is nothing of the kind. And anyway, even Mr Jenrick’s accustomed smirk – one wonders whether he can have come by it honestly – is unlikely to get this one past the Elections Act.
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Jimmy Reid, the Red Clyde supposed firebrand, once remarked (à propos Margaret Thatcher’s victory) that, if democracy means anything, it means the right to be wrong. That, as we know from the antics of the far right’s supposed champions of free speech, is acceptable up to a point, Lord Copper.
Frank is a bus driver and one of the wise men at the Muckrakers, and also well read. He points out the remark by Thucydides that “So little trouble do men take in the search after truth; so readily do they take what first comes to hand.” The boy Thucydides would have fitted into the Muckrakers, as long as he bought a round.
But Reform UK is concerned at heading off any potential difficulties of free speech should they ever find themselves in power.
The civil service will have read the policies, and it would be their job to point out why they can’t work. So Reform’s idea is to sack senior civil servants and only employ those who are prepared to swear that black is white in order to keep their jobs.
The last time this was tried was, apparently, in 1934, in Nazi Germany.
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The Daily Telegraph reports claims by the Greens that more than 50 Labour councillors have joined them over the past six months. Neither the claim by the Greens, the report by the Telegraph nor the story itself can come as a surprise. All are to be expected, just as are Conservative councillors moving to Reform.
One Labour MP complains that the reported desertions are “a reflection of the fact our base is deserting us”. Which is ironic, since the whole essence of the Morgan McSweeney harrowing of the party was to return to what he claimed to be the party’s base. In more than 50 years in politics, your diarist has never experienced a more grotesque political miscalculation.
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Two weeks ago, this diary revealed an evidence-free claim by Councillor Deborah Richards from Ipswich regarding the alleged practice of cheating at polling stations, apparently aimed at the Muslim community. She has previous on this, but last week she went further, with a baseless innuendo once again featuring Muslims.
It has been condemned by politicians from other parties. Cllr Richards is a Conservative, though in spreading her poison she never admits to any political affiliation. Nor do her Tory colleagues condemn her. It seems Islamophobia has transitioned from being quietly acceptable in the Conservative Party to becoming almost sanctified.
Cllr Richards represents the St Margarets and Westgate division of Suffolk County Council. She is due for re-election in May. It is possible that her voters may well read more about her in the weeks beforehand.
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A rare mention this week for Alice Macdonald (Norwich N) who has become the first Norfolk Labour MP to give birth while in office. It is nice to have something positive to write about Ms Macdonald, and we wish her and her family every joy.
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We turn to the regular update on happenings within Your Party. (Stay awake at the back there, I shall be asking questions afterwards.) Readers will recall that we last found our wacky chums effectively split into two – the Corbyn and Sultana factions, The Many and the Grassroots Left – at daggers drawn on every point, but neither prepared to give up their hold.
Seasoned observers of the left and its amoeba tendency will know what happens next. The Central Executive Committee, which formally runs the party, is not actually allowed to make any decisions, since one or other faction would disagree with the outcome. (It is not known who is allowed, though it is believed a committee is about to be set up to discuss the issue.)
Grassroots Left had a meeting last weekend of its Advisory Committee (formerly called the Slate Committee), but after further disagreements it seems the Socialist Workers Party is considering withdrawing from Grassroots Left. The Socialist Unity Platform has also, after due consideration, decided instead to become the Socialist Disunity Platform and has also resigned. The Weekly Worker (no idea, your diarist has lost track) claims:
“Real power is being exercised behind the backs of the elected committee members. The aim is clear: a politically pliant membership which votes in the approved way in occasional referendums and does the donkey work in elections. Meanwhile demands for closed sessions, secrecy and codes of conduct are threatening to paralyse Grassroots Left.”
Meanwhile, back on Planet Corbyn, it is suggested the real power behind the party/parties remains none other than Karie Murphy, who played the role of Morgan McSweeney to Jeremy Corbyn back when the world was new and Labour decided that the future was Corbyn-shaped. It is not known if she actually holds an official position, but after all there are so many to choose from. It is not impossible.
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By the way, dear reader, a correspondent has written to point out an inaccuracy in last week’s diary. It made claim to a dinner party in Downham Market where the tout ce qu’il y a de chic gathered to discuss politics. The good lady points out that the last dinner party known to have taken place in that fair town was in 1962, when conversation was preoccupied with what was to become known as the ‘Big Freeze’ and a large hole which had occurred at Black Drove Farm, and was the subject of parliamentary questions. The main social event these days is the weekly Saturday night quiz at the Con Club.
Pecksniff is pleased to correct the record.
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This week’s code breakers were Malcolm Lynn, Karl Whiteman, James Porter, Jasmin Gregory, John Elworthy, Helen Forte, Liz Crosbie and Stace Richards.
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