Mailwatch(ed) Forum

Interesting newspaper article from about 1993. Do the criticisms of Smith seem familiar? They should do, as they are more or less identical to the charges levelled at Keir Starmer today. Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.

My first thought on the Smith’s death was Labour was going to walk the next GE. It was obvious even then that Tony Blair had a rare It factor that eluded Smith and Kinnock. On balance of probabilities, Smith would have just got Labour over the line in 1997 and then shined as PM. Allegedly dull leaders usually do, they just have to learn to tap dance their way into the top job like Johnson (that’s all he has).

I'm glad to see that, because my memory of John Smith as leader was disquiet at his failure to tackle an incompetent government. I don't doubt that he would have won the next election and done well as Prime Minister, but it was only after he died that he became so revered.

I disagree.
The grief in the party at his death was palpable and genuine.

I was at 6th form. In the middle of a lesson, another teacher rushed into the classroom and told us that he had died. We were all rather stunned.

I was doing a leavers' 'Achievement Awards' evening, and the guest speaker was a Labour MP. It was somewhat subdued, and she spoke movingly about him in her remarks.

Malcolm Armsteen wrote: ↑Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:27 pm I disagree.
The grief in the party at his death was palpable and genuine.

Indeed. In our branch, a guy called Dave Spilsbury immediately decided to open a book of condolence, and took it onto our High Street Street stall the next Saturday. Spils was suitably solemn in suit and tie, and members of the public were literally queueing up to sign the book.

Andrew Marr described the reaction to Smith’s death as “Princess Diana for grownups.”

Andrew Marr is a cock, and not an impartial source.

Abernathy wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 9:00 pm Interesting newspaper article from about 1993. Do the criticisms of Smith seem familiar? They should do, as they are more or less identical to the charges levelled at Keir Starmer today. Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.

Abers is it possible you could make it bigger please because I can't read a word of that.

Malcolm Armsteen wrote: ↑Tue Aug 02, 2022 9:27 am Andrew Marr is a cock, and not an impartial source.

His point was a respectful and heart felt display of condolence was evident rather than mawkish sentimentality.

Sounds like the work of a cock, to be honest...

Can someone explain why this is causing so much anger?

The Weeping Angel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:23 pm Can someone explain why this is causing so much anger?

Like the original tweeter stated, mailing out envelopes plastered with “FINAL DEMAND” in angry red lettering seems a rather questionable strategy, especially in the current economic circumstances. I can see why some people are a bit unimpressed.

Arrowhead wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:46 pm

The Weeping Angel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:23 pm Can someone explain why this is causing so much anger?

Like the original tweeter stated, mailing out envelopes plastered with “FINAL DEMAND” in angry red lettering seems a rather questionable strategy, especially in the current economic circumstances. I can see why some people are a bit unimpressed.

Fair enough.

Arrowhead wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:46 pm

The Weeping Angel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:23 pm Can someone explain why this is causing so much anger?

Like the original tweeter stated, mailing out envelopes plastered with “FINAL DEMAND” in angry red lettering seems a rather questionable strategy, especially in the current economic circumstances. I can see why some people are a bit unimpressed.

But it's addressed to the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, not the recipient.

Yep.

Compared with Rahman running on Jeremy Clarkson politics, this is fuck all.

Of course this is all Starmer's fault.

https://labourlist.org/2022/08/labour-m ... m-deficit/

The Labour Party has revealed that its membership fell by more than 90,000 in 2021 with a loss of income from membership fees contributing towards the party’s end-of-year financial deficit of £5m.

Labour’s financial statements for 2021, published on Tuesday by the Electoral Commission, show that the party’s total income in 2021 was £45,564,000, up from £41,580,000 the previous year.

The revenue that the party raised from donations increased by more than £4m last year, from £5,679,000 in 2020 to £9,933,000 in 2021. The party’s commercial income also rose considerably in 2021, from £423,000 to £2,977,000.

In the world of the cult, better marketing is an evil capitalist idea.

1 member that does stuff is better than 5 on twitter.