Please help a disappointed Labour activist / councillor !

Recently I swapped emails with a first class Labour councillor, someone of integrity, values and purpose. In it I asked :

Can you tell me of ANY progressive achievement from the Government since the last election ?

The reply below is very revealing :

A few new nurseries have opened, a little more money has gone into schools and hospitals and, er.. that's about it. The PLP has shown no vision whatsoever (except, it seems, when submitting allowance claims...). It's been too often sidetracked into areas like Immigration and "welfare reform" instead of the radical policies which would have transformed many lives for the better. The recall of Mandelson was the day the next election was effectively conceded to Cameron. Things have only gone downhill ever since.

It is true the number of achievements at local council level have been rather better and that my friend is someone I could happily vote for, but is that all Labour have to show for 2005 onwards. Can others, in a non-tribal fashion, suggest ANY other positives. Of course, not being the Tories is one plus but....

Hard Left Jon Cruddas ?!

Andy Mayer, Lib Dem blogger writes off John Cruddas as being ' hard left'. Actually John Cruddas is responsible for putting the issue of affordable housing - to rent or buy - back on the Westminster agenda. So I say well done John ! Further, to come third despite standing against cabinet ministers past and present is some achievement. Best of all, the horrid smiley Blairite Hazel Blears came last. Excellent !

As for Harman, I think her contrast in PERSONALITY and background with that of Brown will serve Labour well. I can see her on GMTV / daytime TV on those 'sofa interviews' helping to keep lots of the 'nice middle classes' in the Labour coalition, especially in the SE.

A much more shrewd option than the favoured Johnson methinks. Write Labour off at our peril.

And, if you think Cruddas is 'hard left' then you must be pretty right wing Andy !