 |
| click to enlarge |
It seems that David Miliband was overwhelmingly the preferred choice of North Wales activists, beating his younger brother by 44 percent to 30 percent. In total only three North Wales constituencies favoured Ed over David, curiously all in the North West: Arfon, Dwyfor Merionydd, and Ynys Môn, perhaps indicating a more radical, left-leaning Labour base in our part of Wales.
20 comments:
Albert was a bit of a sage on this calling Red Ed months ago.
What exactly is the issue? The Labour Party have held an election for a new leader. Those eligible to vote, which included union members the last time I checked, did so. The result is that Ed Milliband won. You may well argue about the margin of that win, but it is a win under the rules of the election.
Has everyone simply lost the plot and cannot stick to the rules - and the outcome?
favoured Ed over David, curiously all in the North West: Arfon, Dwyfor Merionydd, and Ynys Môn, perhaps indicating a more radical, left-leaning Labour base in our part of Wales.
This is probably more to do with social deprivation, low wages and even lower job opportunities than any revolutionary zeal.
Ed Milliband is not 'left wing' - he just isn't New Labour. Politics in this country took a fundemental shift rightwards in the late 70's when the IMF became involved and we adopted neo-liberalist (known as neo-con in the USA) economics as a result.
30 years ago, Ed Milliband would probably be classed as centre-right.
TGC
DM was the clear winner amongst the MPs and the actual members.All of these people paid up Labour members. The union votes went 60/40.Not automatically Labour members A great chunk of Union ballot papers went out with propoganda for ONE candidate only. Guess which one? People like Whelan are crowing how they got their man in.
You are of course entitled to be glad that your man has been elected but please don't think
that we are fools for not spotting union gerrymandering.
Yet again.
The Tories HQ were, rightly, reported to be cheering to the rafters when the result was announced. A gift indeed.
But the fact remains: everyone in the qualifying trades unions was allowed to vote. If those against Ed Miliband then want to spend weeks trying to change the rules or not accept the outcome under those rules, then by all means, go out and campaign for a change. There may even be justifiable cause for change. But, as it stood, the result was arrived at through due, valid process. I suggest it is not me who is partisan, but those who will not accept the result!
Or put it this way: had David won, I would have walked away, probably regretting that we had a Blairite in charge again. But I would have accepted the result. That is the difference between my position and those who are screaming 'foul' over their man not winning.
Anyway, isn't it only the union members who are opted in to paying the political levy that get the vote?
No.
Furthermore some people had more than one vote.
The great bastion of equality Harriet Harman and her hubbie the ultra decomacrit ex union leader ex treasurer turned mp Jack Doormat had 10 between them.
Congratulations on being shortlised in the Politics section of the Wales Blog Awards. That amkes at least two of us from the island!
The only people that can loose the next general election are in the Coalition Government, and their one trick card game. If they have played the wrong hand with the gamble that it needs massive cuts now, and we enter into another recession (the so called double dip) I doubt the Coalition will survive.
On the same topic (the next general election) interestingly Norman Tebbit says in his blog in the Telegraph today:
“Michael Ashcroft is right. The Tories will need much better thinking if they are to beat Ed Miliband's Labour Party in 2015”
Now remind me again, how was the current Conservative leader elected?
Dyfed - really?
Anonymous said...
Anyway, isn't it only the union members who are opted in to paying the political levy that get the vote?
27 September 2010 13:01
Anonymous said...
No.
Strange you saying 'No' (anon 13:01) because my wife pays the political levy and she was sent ballot papers. I on the other hand opted-out of the levy and wasn't sent papers despite us both being in the same union. A quick check at work reveals a similar story - those paying the levy were balloted, those that had opted out weren't.
"only the union members who are opted in to paying the political levy that get the vote?"
When you say 'only', that's quite a few union members, as you generally have to actively seek to opt out of the political levy, rather than seeking to opt in.
I know TGC, but the other anon seems to think that ALL union members get to vote - they don't. You have to be paying the political levy as well.
"Now remind me again, how was the current Conservative leader elected?"
Was it with Harriett and Jacks ten votes?
If Freddie Green from the Bank fiasco happened to me a Tory party member and he and his wife had 10 votes between them can you imagine the outcry from the snivellers!!
"I know TGC, but the other anon seems to think that ALL union members get to vote - they don't. You have to be paying the political levy as well."
Sorry, should have expanded. As TGC says you have to opt out. Many don't give a fig (or probably even don't know about it)
In the next round on tightening up on these country wreckers (the last round was by Maggie which 13 years of Labour did not overturn) I think it should be made a law that they opt in instead of the current in until opt out.
Paul Waugh on his blog says
"By my rough count, Ed came first only in 62 seats out of 650 across the whole of the UK. So David won a massive 90.5 per cent of the CLPs."
29 of these were Scottish and Welsh meaning that
"Ed Miliband was not seen as the best man to become the next Prime Minister - even within his own party."
Labour and Ed Milliband, and what will this news churning event do for the jobless? the hungry? the ignored? Somethings happen for the good, somethings just happen, Ed Millibands victory does not bear fruit for the desperate and the disillusioned.
anon 17:28, I suppose you want us to have a dynamic emanufacturing and exporting economy like the Germans have then?
In which case you'll support stronger unions, union representation at board level (with voting rights) lower levels of home ownership, more workers rights, a proactive stance on europe as opposed to a reactive one etc etc?
98% turnout for MP's: David M wins;
72% turnout ordinary members: David M wins
7% turnout unions: Ed M wins.
Overall: Ed wins
very strange??
maybe the Labour party needs to just have 2 parts in their college:
50% members
50% MP's
that would ensure a true result
anyway, Mr Cameron will be singing in his bath...
Tell you what anon 11:40, perhaps Labour should have one member, one vote and that's it. Some Labour MPs had seven votes.
And anyway, exactly what has it got to do with MPs other than they should get one membership vote?
The whole of the current voting system is designed to lessen the power of the the people that count - the members (troops on the ground) and the unions (the money).
But unless you are as member or one of the people entitled to vote, then it isn't actually your business.
Post a Comment