A Little Bit Pregnant
Labour leader - Ed Miliband - spoke at the TUC rally on Saturday, but didn't join the marchers at the start of their journey through London from the Embankent on the River Thames.
Some commentators have suggested this was an odd thing to do - an attempt to distance the Labour hierarchy from the event - a kind of lukewarm rather than full-blooded support.
Maybe so, but maybe not - maybe he just had other things to do with his Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.
If so, good for him since he doesn't get many days off - and he has a young family.
But what I did find strange is what Ed Miliband actually said - because he is reported as telling his audience that "some cuts" were needed - which is not what they wanted to hear.
Because the unions' position is 'no cuts' whatsoever - that every public pound is well spent - and no mainstream UK political party believes that - not even the Labour party.
So what cuts are needed - is the question for the Labour leadership to explain - how far and how fast? - as I said on the blog site the other day.
Pitching up to a union rally and telling people that you agree with them - is like falling off a log for a politician - they could do it all day every day - probably even in their sleep.
Especially if you don't have to say - in practical terms - what would be different if Labour were in government.
On the cuts - in the real world of hard choices at least - you can't be a little bit pregnant.
Some commentators have suggested this was an odd thing to do - an attempt to distance the Labour hierarchy from the event - a kind of lukewarm rather than full-blooded support.
Maybe so, but maybe not - maybe he just had other things to do with his Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.
If so, good for him since he doesn't get many days off - and he has a young family.
But what I did find strange is what Ed Miliband actually said - because he is reported as telling his audience that "some cuts" were needed - which is not what they wanted to hear.
Because the unions' position is 'no cuts' whatsoever - that every public pound is well spent - and no mainstream UK political party believes that - not even the Labour party.
So what cuts are needed - is the question for the Labour leadership to explain - how far and how fast? - as I said on the blog site the other day.
Pitching up to a union rally and telling people that you agree with them - is like falling off a log for a politician - they could do it all day every day - probably even in their sleep.
Especially if you don't have to say - in practical terms - what would be different if Labour were in government.
On the cuts - in the real world of hard choices at least - you can't be a little bit pregnant.
