tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post8979718241136971396..comments2024-01-04T19:27:02.335-08:00Comments on Zenpolitics: Communicating the new: Momentum, Milne, movement politics and the mood in ScotlandJohn Hilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-90984342451982407102015-12-05T09:20:19.527-08:002015-12-05T09:20:19.527-08:00thanks for thatthanks for thatabdelhamidhttp://www.florida-eg.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-17345336334418035172015-10-26T14:26:58.856-07:002015-10-26T14:26:58.856-07:00Thanks, fine points all delivered in best Rhis sty...Thanks, fine points all delivered in best Rhis style :) And essential point taken on the sham Tory mandate under FPtP.<br /><br />Cheers<br />John John Hilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-19253033400039980312015-10-26T13:55:19.331-07:002015-10-26T13:55:19.331-07:00Damn' right John! Either the Corbyniki recogni...Damn' right John! Either the Corbyniki recognise how things are going now - more widely than just in The Isles - and make a 'comrades-in-struggle' pact with the nationalists, both Scottish and Cymreig, or their wonderfully promising new, revivifying-Labour momentum will die on the pernicious barricades of FPTP in England, in their bid to win control of the debased Paedominster parliament. Mhairi got that necessary cooperation of Labour and the nationalist parties dead right in her maiden speech, and still sees it plainly now.<br /><br />Paedominster, that ghastly sink of institutionalised corruption, is still - for a short while longer - the one predominant centre of government which, when push comes to shove, still runs all our countries in the island of Britain, and still runs - illicitly - a yet-to-be-liberated part of Eire too. London is still the ultimate seat of the constantly-unmadated elective dictatorship, still constantly wielding de-facto dictatorial power in all our lands, on the back of repeated minority votes from British electorates.<br /><br />This is the only matter on which I might argue with Mhairi: England >didn't< vote in a Tory government in Paedominster. As usual, because of the iniquitous, inherently-rigged voting system for General Elections, a minority of the electorate delivered a grossly skewed over-endowment of seats to the allegedly 'winning' party. In this case, another five years' worth (unless we all get lucky!) imposition of the harsh, wholly democratically-unmandated policies of Ca-moron and the unspeakable goves who march through the 'correct' voting lobbies at his behest, almost invariably. <br /><br />England's several-centuries-old elective dictatorship is still just about functioning - for a little while longer. Scotland's departure into independent sovereignty - PDQ we all have to hope and insist - will drive a final, conclusive stake through that noxious vampire system, with inevitable, irreversible knock-on effects in the other provinces of this fag-end of the almost-dead English empire, still clinging on terminally, here in The Isles. <br /><br />So I suspect it will be, anyway. Can't happen too soon. [This comment also posted at MediaLens Message Board]Rhisiart Gwilymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16198537913810396544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-28855087226682323522015-10-26T11:26:02.897-07:002015-10-26T11:26:02.897-07:00Thanks, Radcliffe.
Good observations, too, Anon,...Thanks, Radcliffe. <br /><br />Good observations, too, Anon, though I don't share your take on Corbyn. He's a genuine radical voice, with a much more human political touch than the spin/machine politicians around him. Admirably, Black, a towering humanist figure herself, recognises that. The question here is whether and how all that radical energy can be harnessed as a common project for progressive ends, including radical independence. Again, I think that's only going to happen through the dynamics of a movement politics rather than purely party politics. John Hilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072819649049077782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-9589818891439672972015-10-26T10:43:48.738-07:002015-10-26T10:43:48.738-07:00UK politics, at least for Labour, has historically...UK politics, at least for Labour, has historically been linked to Labour's stength in Scotland. This stength, those dozens fo MPs were vitally important for Labour's success south of the border and often tipped the balance towards Labour in national, UK general elections. Without Scotland, lost to Labour, taken over by the SNP, Labour's prospects look very bleak indeed and everything becomes so much harder.<br /><br />Is Corbyn really going to expend his limited time and resources and abilities acting like King Canute in a vain attempt to win Scotland back for Labour, in the face of the inevitable and relentless, historical, independence tide represented by the SNP? Corbyn and Milne would, in my opinion, be delusional to think that Labour, in it's current state and with a vicious Tory/neo-con government in Power in London, is going to challenge the SNP. That fight is, I would contend, lost; so why pour more energy into it? All Corbyn's resources should be aimed at challenging the Tories not the SNP.<br /><br />Black's understanding and analysis, she's surely a coming PM in a future independent Scotland, is spot on. Is she suddenly going to join Labour? I don't think so, but she might be convinced to cooperate with Labour if Corbyn survives and more importantly, changes the Labour Party radically and moves closer to the SNP and its voters. The SNP and their supporters and voters would be crazy to drop their guard and soften their approach to Labour for 'pie in the sky' at some future point, when Corbyn 'pigs might fly' walks into Downing Street.<br /><br />I don't think Corbyn understands what's happeing in Scotland and Milne doesn't either. Scotland is heading for independence, and Corbyn, isn't the guy to stop that historical momentum. Just compare him to Black. She's an inspirational figure, a natural, charismatic, leader, on the right side of history and her politics have a future linked to independence for Scotland. Corbyn, in coparison, seems like a tired and nostaligic throwback to another age, the age of Labourism, which seems doomed politically, definitely in Scotland and possibly in England as well. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1725411122663433189.post-1432846930078107002015-10-26T08:33:13.816-07:002015-10-26T08:33:13.816-07:00I think the analysis in this piece is spot on. Th...I think the analysis in this piece is spot on. There still remains an ignorance of what actually happened in Scotland especially the further south you go and it is something that will need to be addressed. Labour will not regain seats or trust in Scotland as it stands and love or hate the SNP they are growing to be the party disaffected Scts want. Labour has another dilemma and that is in Wales. The Welsh will be watching Scotland and watching the performance of Labour in Wales and will be seeing an echo of Labour's behaviour in Scotland. I support Corbyn and his performance so far which has been motivating. His appointments are excellent choices and give me hope. However I get the real sense that this is an English revolution that needs to show that it is working in England before any significant change will come in Scotland if at all. radcliffehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00355376284998348529noreply@blogger.com