Papering over the Proverbial Cracks

This blog was intended for MyBoxx but the account doesn't seem to exist any more... so I am posting it here:

Over the past week the Labour Party has put on a remarkable show of cohesion, especially seeing as it was not so long ago that the papers were showing polls in the most popular MP to take over from Good-old-Gordon (the run away leader in that particular survey was the over-smiley David Miliband with something like 42%)

However, now all the paid for speeches, fringe meetings and free lunches have been inhaled by the over pampered journalists and politicians, we all love Gordon again because he acted on HBOS and wants more poor families to have Internet access. And I must say; my love/ hate relationship with him is warming yet again... What can I say? I am very susceptible to spin.

Although I genuinely believe Mr Brown is the right person to be leading the country (at least at the moment, ask me again tomorrow) what I fear we have seen here is a papering over of the cracks of dis-contempt in Labour and one big 'We are all fine' smile for the conference that can only be compared to a dysfunctional family on the day of the family photograph.

The thing is, papering over the cracks doesn't last long, and I am doubtful that Labour will be able to survive the next 18 months before the forthcoming general election without at least one more wave of rebellion. We have of course already seen scandal one day after Gordon's speech with the resignation of one of his senior ministers, Ruth Kelly, apparently for personal reasons.

What I will say for the party is that they have countered the criticism, responded to crisis (HBOS) and scraped together what solidarity they could muster for the conference, unlike the Tories who seem to have just stuck their heads in the sand and waited for Gordon to fuck up, which he hasn't, so it will be interesting to see what ammunition David Cameron can come up with for the Conservative Party Conference on the 28th.

It ain't over 'till the Toff-Tories sing.

I bid you fare well.

Jazza.