My week ahead 20 - 26 August 2012

This is the time of the year where we tend not to have many meetings but it does give us the opportunity to get out and talk to residents. This week we have also been daytime campaigning, which has been a success - Ipswich Tories commented that it was not with doing it for them as all their voters work!

We have been campaigning for Jane Basham as she seeks to be elected as the Police & Crime Commissioner for Suffolk. Not many residents were impressed that the Tories have chosen a farmer - residents worried that those of us in Ipswich will be treated as second class citizens when it comes to policing, as like Suffolk County Council we will get a rural bias.

Today we had the good news that in September we will see Bradley Wiggins - Gold medal winner, Paul Weller and Gordon Brown fan - entering the Tour of Britain race that will start in Ipswich, I am sure we will get a massive crowd at the waterfront to see the start of the race. Hopefully something similar to the attendance we have had this weekend for the second Ipswich Maritime Festival. I we nt toady and there was a real buzz amongst the crowd - I would like to say a big thanks not only to the residents who attended the event but the Ipswich Borough staff who worked so hard, the Events team, security, Fire Marshalls, and street cleaners - you did a great job.

Maritime Festival

Comedy waiters join the festival

Gordon - passion

If you are still not sure why you should vote Labour - watch this video

Gordon is the man!

Hazel Blears- too late to come crawling back

Hazel Blears let down the Labour Party and it's members. I actually like some of the stuff she said in her campaign to be deputy Prime Minister, her close links with her Labour roots, working class girl 'made good', her push for the parliamentary party to be closer to those of us out campaigning every week. I was also impressed by her use of new technology, tied in with good old knocking on doors, shaking hands and talking to people.

Then she acts like a spoilt child who has her toys taken off her! She quits just before the Euro and County elections- her aim to damage Gordon Brown. She did that bur she also kicked in the teeth those who campaign week in week out, and especially those who had spent every spare minute of the last 4 weeks fighting a campaign that was difficult anyway.

Now she has changed her tune! Her interviews this weekend have been very emotional, now I am not saying that she is not upset, I am sure she is, but partly because she realises she made a big mistake, she is from a strong Labour family and I am sure those in the North West who know her better will rally round her but I hope some there are honest enough to tell her that she had let them as well as us down.

The 'rocking the boat' brooch just made her quitting look more like an act of a teenager playing up because she is not allowed to go out Saturday night.

The election was always going to be hard for Labour this time but we suffered more than others because of the expenses controversy, even though more Tories were caught with their noses in the trough, but lets face it Hazel, you were caught ' playing the system' and that is when you should of quit.

I am sure she will bounce back, and that she will work hard in the Manchester area, but for many of us in the Labour movement we feel betrayed by her actions - maybe she should go on 'You Tube' and explain her real reasons for going.

Goodbye Tony (and Hello Gordon)

Tony now traveling the World to say his goodbyes to world leaders whilst Gordon travels the country to meet Labour activists (and the rest of the population).
Tony Blair (and New Labour) were often criticized for spin, forgetting their roots but it may seem strange then that Tony makes his leaving speech from the Labour club in his own constituency and Gordon launches his campaign from some trendy art gallery in London!
I am looking forward to Gordon as leader and I for one do not believe we need a leadership election, I believe the campaign for deputy leader will allow members to give the party (and Gordon) a message about the future direction of the party.
For Tony, he has made mistakes but we must not forget that without him we may never have had 10 years of a Labour Government and I do believe it is time for change and that by doing it now, we have a great possibility of a fourth term in power.
A new leader and the campaign for deputy leader can help reinvigorate the party and with a much more positive effect than Cameron had when he became Tory leader. It also could put the final nail onto the Lib Dem coffin as Simon Jenkins article in the Guardian last week suggested it was time for them to disband. He writes,
What are Liberal Democrats for? They are the flotsam of 20th-century politics drifting on into the 21st, coagulated from ancient clubs, cabals, splits and defections from other parties. Not since the 19th century have they cohered round any great interest. They represent no mass movement, no breaking of the political mould. Ask a Liberal Democrat what he or she is for and you get only a susurration of platitudes.
Go on Gordon and who ever is deputy leader- finish them off!