Compass on Boris - 3 comments

I can't think of any positive reasons why anyone would vote for Boris Johnson for London Mayor. What concerns me, though, is the distinct possibility that Compass - who have launched a 'dossier' (PDF) about the Johnson threat - will find one by mistake.

Compass, and everyone else in the Labour Party, ought to be offering positive reasons why Ken Livingstone should be re-elected, as well as impressing on Ken the need to avoid needlessly alienating many of his party's supporters by (for one thing) chumming-up with foreign dictators - part of the reason why he isn't a shoo-in (a mere 7-4 on) right now. We really must avoid insulting the electorate's intelligence by claiming, as Doreen Lawrence (why?) has, that Johnson they mustn't even think of standing voting for Johnson because cities have a 'unity' (perhaps in the same way that cities can be offended, as Liverpool's spokesmen once claimed it to be) that would be damaged by the election of someone with divergent views. Sorry, but can such sentimental tripe possibly convince anyone over the legal voting age? Adults conduct politics based upon policy (OK, fine, but they should), not identity, and we need to prepare for the day when the Conservatives decide to stand a proper politician as candidate for Mayor. Or PM, for that matter.

Via Tom. Tyger is somewhat in agreement.

Update: fixed an error; added a link.

A social revolution - 1 comment

"A social revolution is taking place in X. No wonder the Y and their friends are determined to discredit it.", is the well-worn argument George Galloway uses here.

Isn't that normally followed up with, "Gulags? What gulags?"?

Pinochet cheats justice - no comments

Pinochet is dead, via Phil. Luke puts it well:

Part of me wants to celebrate, part of me to regret that he did not live long enough to be brought to justice by the courts in Chile.

... and this from To the Point:

The only thing to lament here is that he has joined the ranks of twentieth century dictators that have died a peaceful death in their own beds, --privilege that he denied to the thousands of Chileans he had murdered

Reminded me of this piece about the death of the Chilean socialist singer/songwriter, Victor Jara.