Miliband D tries to break out of the Blairite box
James Forsyth 12:25pm
With ballot papers out, the Labour leadership contest is entering its most critical phase. It is striking that David Miliband has taken this moment to co-author an essay with his most significant left-wing supporter, Jon Cruddas. Indeed, a casual observer looking at the piece would assume that the two men were running on a joint ticket.
The language in the article is very Cruddas, it talks of a ‘new covenant’ (one of Cruddas’ favourite phrases) with Britain. The intellectual heart of the piece is an attempt to break away from the left right arguments within the party by proclaiming that Labour in government was “too hands-off with the market and too hands-on with the state.” It is also blunt about the task facing Labour, the two men state that the party’s ‘relationship with the British people has been ruptured’.
There is a feeling in Labour circles that Ed Miliband has closed the gap on his brother in the past fortnight. He has been stacking up endorsements on the left—Compass, Tribune, The New Statesman—and his media strategy is proving very effective. David’s decision to pen a piece with Cruddas at this moment suggests that his campaign believes he needs to shift the dynamic.
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Verityred
September 4th, 2010 12:41pm Report this commentLeaving aside how incredibly dull and sterile this all is, has the Speccie vanished up it's own fundiment? Leave the toes hanging out in case you wish to be pulled out again!
Nick
September 4th, 2010 1:15pm Report this commentThe intellectual heart of the piece is an attempt to break away from the left right arguments within the party by proclaiming that Labour in government was âœtoo hands-off with the market and too hands-on with the state.â
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When you look at the mess they have made of the state, its not surprising they want to leave the mess behind and get to messing up the private sector.
After all, how many companies have run up debts of 5,000 billion plus with out assets to back them up?
The banking crisses, causes by lack of regulation whilst taking the cash for the regulation, is about 40 billion.
Puts it in context.
Would the banks have taken the risk unless the government was offering to bail them out?
DavidDP
September 4th, 2010 2:22pm Report this commentâœtoo hands-off with the market and too hands-on with the state.â
Presumably they'll be shaking those hands all about, next?
Praxis Juncture
September 4th, 2010 4:04pm Report this comment----------------
After all, how many companies have run up debts of 5,000 billion plus with out assets to back them up?
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Oh dear Nick, you're not up to scratch on this old deficit malarkey are you?
The £5000bn that you state is total liabilities - this is not a debt, this is a potential debt if everything went tits up. As well as the truly large sovereign debt it also includes PFI liabilities if the tenants were to stop leases and the huge pension liabilities.
Well, if you took the took the total liabilities of the FTSE 500, for instance, I'm sure you would be staggered by the amounts in real debt and other liabilities. Just the FTSE100 companies have £100bn in pension deficits alone. Vodaphone alone has corporate debts of £41bn.
Beer Moth
September 4th, 2010 8:45pm Report this commentA what? 'a new covenant with Britain'? I'm sorry but just piss right off Cruddas. Kindik
Praxis Juncture
'...if everything went tits up'
What's this 'if'?
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