By some dark magic, the Ghosts of New Labour have been roused from their political
slumber. Over the extended weekend, we had news of Gordon Brown’s new job and
Alistair Darling’s new book. Today, it is Peter Mandelson and
Alan Johnson who are haunting the newspapers. Both give interviews – one to the Independent, one to the Guardian – with the same purpose: to rally the vote in favour of AV. Mandelson’s is even front page news. “This is our chance to hurt Cameron,” reads the headline, underneath a
portrait of the man whom Labour learned to un-love after last year’s election.
Both interviews suggest that Labour are catching up with some of the risks attached to next week’s referendum. Although a victory for Team No is not as damaging for Ed Miliband as it is for Nick Clegg, it would still put the Labour leader on the losing side, which is, of course, never ideal in politics. And, what’s more, there’s speculation that it could catalyse a general election for which Labour are ill-prepared. Hence Johnson and Mandelson, both urging their party’s supporters to aim their boots between Cameron’s legs, rather than at the wings of the yellow bird of Liberty.
But if Labour are wary of the AV vote, then they also see it – and its aftermath – as a grand opportunity. “The key issue is going to be after 5 May,” says a party source to the Guardian, “how are they, as a government based on political convenience rather than principle, going to be coherent and functional having been through this?” We already know how keen Labour are to paint the coalition as incompetent. They are going to relish adding “terminally divided” to the charge sheet, as well.
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