Labour and vote Tory? You’re just Derisory Labour

“The End is nigh. The devil is amongst us and we will all suffer for not acknowledging the true messiah.” This is not a Ken Livingstone joke, but what the bloke outside my work window screams; whilst holding up a placard claiming that we cannot see the future as he can.

In addition, he has been going for quite awhile now, at least a few years, and has even built up a few followers. It’s actually becoming quite serious, as he regularly offends or causes people to dodge the traffic to cross the road early just to get away from his pointy sermonising. I regularly feel he is missing an actual calling in another field. He surely has wasted potential as an extra in an apocalyptic film.

I mention him as when I read some of the millinery or derisory Labour types who like to continuously lay into our party and its leadership they seem rather similar.

Most people know who I mean. The usual suspects, who write green ink pieces on an almost daily basis, making copy for CCHQ’s press team or Guido Fawkes. I will put my hands up and even admit I have even once done one myself.

Yet in a week when we have seen our party get a 10 point lead in the polls; after a week when a budget that turns the stomach of any Labour supporter, and during a week when the government are up to their necks in sleaze, pasty taxes, and jerry cans; most Labourites would think there is a plethora of positive material to blog about Labour-wise. Alas not.

According to Tony McNulty to be happy is “complacent” or “premature”. And to be fair, he is probably right. But c’mon Tone, why not at least enjoy the good news?

Some other people feel that they can’t be cheerleaders any of the time; let alone some of the time. So when Ed Miliband has performed so well in recent weeks that to criticise him would be a bit of stretch who do they turn to. The bloke who has recently got a hit in the polls. Silence when he was riding high, loud condemnation when he is riding low. And some so called ‘Labour supporters’ stating that they would vote Tory over the Labour candidate. With comrades like them, aye?

Furthermore, I am young (and sad/geeky) enough to remember certain polls that months out from the election in 2005 that said we should ditch Blair for Brown and we will be ahead on polling day. I remember the slogan that went around in some Labour circles and on doorsteps at the time: “vote Blair get Brown”. The Tories thought at the time it would be a vote winner for them, until it turned out that it was actually quite popular.

I remember being angry then as it felt slightly off to be so disloyal to a leader who had delivered so much for our party. (On a separate note, as an Arsenal fan, it’s also a bit like how I feel now about the anti-Arsene Wenger camp).

The same sort of “the end is neigh” brigade were about then too. Not a positive word to say, just a constant stream of anger, and the toilet flush of negativity. Derisory Labour (well we are in the habit of creating new factions in the party…) came sadly easier to some people than knocking on a door or delivering a leaflet. In the end, a Labour government was returned.

For me party trumps the individual. When you hear people describe safe Labour constituencies by saying that “X constituency would vote for a donkey wearing a red rosette if they were the Labour candidate”, I will openly admit, they are describing people like me. Because as far as I am concerned a Labour candidate is better than any other. And I am not happy when I see Labour candidates, staffers or former Labour candidates, staffers or Labour supporters, members or whoever, talking about supporting the Tory alternative. I’m a tribalist and proud.

I understand the concept that pessimists are never disappointed, but when it comes to Derisory Labour, they are also rarely inspiring. And like the bloke outside my window, Derisory Labour, cause more harm than good. Ultimately, they too are a wasted talent.