The launch of Liberal Left is to be welcomed. Anything that challenges the Centre-right voting block of the Coalition is clearly a good thing. Anything that helps develop centre-left relationships as an alterative now, tomorrow or in the future to a Conservative led government is to be welcomed. With Labour currently struggling to maintain a healthy poll lead it would be stupid not to look for political partners outside of Labour’s ranks. But there is more than electoral necessity at [...]
News
Livingstone campaign statement on New Statesman interview
A spokesperson for Ken Livingstone said: “Ken is clearly saying the advance of lesbian and gay people into politics is unequivocally a good thing. ‘Unlike many in the Conservative Party he has fought for equality for LGBT rights throughout...
Birmingham by-election on the way?
There’s an interesting post by Rafael Behr over at the New Statesman today about the possibility of Labour MPs standing down from Parliament to run either as mayoral candidates or police commissioners. According to Behr, much of the interest is...

New pro-Labour, anti-coalition Lib Dem group launched
A new Lib Dem group – Liberal Left – have announced their launch today. The group is opposed to Lib Dem membership of the coalition, and appeared avowedly pro-Labour. Their launch statement includes the phrase: “A future coalition with...
- We’re 5 points ahead, did you notice?
- Burnham asks if Cameron really wants Lansley “taken out and shot”
- Quote of the day: Clarkson memorial edition
Comment
Cutting edge Ken
If someone had told me a year ago that Ken Livingstone would be the first politician in the world to announce a policy by text message frankly I wouldn’t have believed them. Neither would I have believed them if they’d told me Ken Livingstone would...
Closer to Home
By David Christie and Ellie Robinson Amidst shifting debates on bankers’ bonuses, Scottish independence and our leader’s appeal, millions of people perceive politics as remote from their lives and communities. This is the first in a series of articles...
What equality? Equality of voice
‘We need to be clear how equality, and what kind of equality (including of what), services our notion of the good society.’ To give David Miliband some credit, he is asking the right question. It’s not clear from his New Statesman sally whether...
- Matt Zarb-Cousin is a beautiful snowflake
- Top Totty
- We must prevent an epidemic of invisible injury in our Forces
Video
Give them a voice
Today Ken Livingstone has released the following video as part of his crime campaign:
Lembit Opik – Pop star?
Is it wrong that I think that this tune is actually quite good? As for the video…the less said the better. But it’s better than this one. Update: Opik tells Ruth Barnett of Sky News: “The...
Did Justine Greening plan a stunt to spin the media on bonuses?
Jeremy Paxman certainly seems to think so. Watch the Transport Secretary’s horror-show interview below:
- Maria Eagle – Greening can block Network Rail bonuses
- How US politicians speak to trade unions
- Chuka Umunna on what Britain can learn from Germany



