Brasso and Brass Necks
Ed Miliband has come up with a wizard wheeze in the Labour leadership election - he hes written an open letter to Liberal Democrat supporters - inviting them to 'come home' to Labour.
Here's an extract of what Brother Ed had to say:
"At some point you have to conclude that this is not a mistake here or there, but part of a pattern. The pattern is of a leadership that has sold out and betrayed your traditions, including that of your recent leadership: Steel, Ashdown, Kennedy and Campbell.
I believe that from this leadership contest you can see a party emerge which under my leadership shares your values. To the 1.5 million people who supported Labour in 1997 but have since then switched to support the Lib Dems, and to those who are long-term Lib Dem supporters, I ask you to look again at Labour.
If you join Labour you can come together with the emerging majority in the Labour party who want change that is real and lasting. If you join before 8 September you can vote to make that change in the leadership election.
Help build the society of equality, liberty and democracy that we all believe in, and stop the unfairness of this coalition. Leaving your party is the most honourable course when your party leadership leaves you."
For a moment I could see - in my mind's eye - thousands of Lib Dem supporters being spurred into action until I thought.
Hold on a minute - Ed Miliband was a minister in the last Labour government - he's the same chap who in government:
Here's an extract of what Brother Ed had to say:
"At some point you have to conclude that this is not a mistake here or there, but part of a pattern. The pattern is of a leadership that has sold out and betrayed your traditions, including that of your recent leadership: Steel, Ashdown, Kennedy and Campbell.
I believe that from this leadership contest you can see a party emerge which under my leadership shares your values. To the 1.5 million people who supported Labour in 1997 but have since then switched to support the Lib Dems, and to those who are long-term Lib Dem supporters, I ask you to look again at Labour.
If you join Labour you can come together with the emerging majority in the Labour party who want change that is real and lasting. If you join before 8 September you can vote to make that change in the leadership election.
Help build the society of equality, liberty and democracy that we all believe in, and stop the unfairness of this coalition. Leaving your party is the most honourable course when your party leadership leaves you."
For a moment I could see - in my mind's eye - thousands of Lib Dem supporters being spurred into action until I thought.
Hold on a minute - Ed Miliband was a minister in the last Labour government - he's the same chap who in government:
- Supported the PM's decision to abolish the 10p tax rate
- Presided over a system of MPs' expenses - that became a licence to print money
- Treated Gurkha soldiers like second class citizens - until Joanna Lumley road to their rescue
And that's without even considering his track record on the war in Iraq - which he now considers to be a great mistake - but, of course, Ed failed to voice any concerns at the time unlike, for example, Robin Cook, the former MP for Livingston, who at least stood up for his principles.
So on reflection perhaps the best thing Ed can do - is to buy a big bottle of Brasso to polish up his brass neck.
