Welcome to my new blog.
Why Red Wharfe? I'm a Labour man, the River Wharfe is but 1/4 mile from where I type - and I am a sucker for weak puns.
More importantly - I am a life long Labour supporter typical of so many:
Deeply regretful to this day that John Smith never had the chance to lead the country
A member in the mid to late 90's - intoxicated and exhilarated on that May night in 1997
Delighted by the first 12 months - from Robin Cook's stated ethical foreign policy to the minimum wage.
Slowly deflated over many policy areas - most obviously Iraq - to point where membership lapsed and loyalties strained.
That said, still supportive of the party - and proud of much of what has been achieved to make this country a better place in the last 13 years.
Tired and saddened having worked hard to keep the marginal seat (Elmet,nr Leeds) in Labour hands, only to see it fall to the Tories.
Appalled at the media treatment of Gordon Brown - and respectful that at heart he is a good man.
Disgusted at the breathtaking hypocrisy of the Lib Dems this week - never to be trusted again, if they ever were (certainly not here in Leeds)
Energised not demoralised by the election defeat
Ready to influence, listen, learn, debate and and fight for the emergence of a compelling new voice from the left.
Hope you'll bookmark the blog - and have something to say here too...
Thanks
RW
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Who's John Snith?
ReplyDeleteast Updated: Wednesday, 12 May, 2004, 09:37 GMT 10:37 UK
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John Smith tributes a decade on
John Smith
Mr Smith was held in affection beyond political boundaries
Political allies and ex-opponents have been marking the 10th anniversary of John Smith's death by paying tribute to former Labour leader.
The Scot's sudden death from a heart attack on 12 May, 1994, aged 55, shocked the whole nation.
His predecessor, Neil Kinnock, said it had been a "hellish day" - sorrow over Mr Smith's loss had transcended all political boundaries.
Robin Cook said the UK would have been a very different place under Mr Smith.
Euro membership?
The former foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he believed a Smith administration would not have been associated with spin.
Mr Cook added that, had he lived, Mr Smith would have won the 1997 election and Britain would now be in the single currency.
I think people felt safe with John Smith
Neil Kinnock
Lib Dem deputy leader Sir Menzies Campbell, who was an old friend of the Labour leader, told Today: "John Smith had a remarkable character.
"He most certainly would have won in 1997 and again in 2001 but we don't know the mistakes he would have made nor indeed the difficulties he would have faced.
"I can certainly agree with this conclusion we would have been in the single currency and we would have been out of Iraq."
Common touch?
Mr Cook suggested Mr Smith "might have done more with his majority" than the current Labour leadership and he argued that his former colleague liked "ordinary people".
"He could speak to his constituents who were on benefits, to those who were manual working class, just as easily as he could speak to City bankers."
He added: "I remember when he died the enormous tidal wave of affection and respect and grief that went right across Britain - it surprised even those of us that knew John, that loved John."
Neil Kinnock
Mr Kinnock made a memorable tribute to Mr Smith on the day of his death
Mr Kinnock, who paid a powerful Commons tribute to Mr Smith on the day he died, spoke of the overwhelming grief he had felt.
He told Today: "It was a shattering moment, there's no doubt about it - this day 10 years ago was a hellish day for me.
"My mother-in-law died the night before and John's death was literally an intolerable tragedy."
Mr Kinnock, now an EU commissioner, said one of the factors that compounded the sense of tragedy was that Mr Smith "had had snatched from him what was a very clear prospect of a really powerful and justified climax to his career".
"I think people felt safe with John Smith," he said.
BBC political editor Andrew Marr highlighted Mr Smith's sense of humour, in particular his sense of mischief saying "he was a terrible political gossip".
He added: "John Smith had such huge moral authority that even now, 10 years after his death, he is still an influential figure in the Labour Government - he's been co-opted by everyone who finds Tony Blair just a little too Tony Blairite."