Quote of the day

"There is room for a party of the emotional spasm in British politics but that is a party of protest, not a party of government. Labour is a party of government."

Anne Perkins cautions Labour Party members against electing Jeremy Corbyn as their new leader and in doing so sums up all that is wrong with the moderate Blairite element of the party.

The simple fact is that Labour is not a "party of government" at present - it's a complete shambles. Perkins evidently believes that, in order to seem more electable, Labour shouldn't be seen to disagree (vehemently or otherwise) with the Tories. Not only does this make no sense - why would the electorate choose Labour if there's little to separate them from the Tories? - but it ignores the fact that, for an opposition party to look effective, it should (with reasoned argument and conviction) oppose, or at least offer alternatives to the status quo. That wouldn't exactly be hard in the current climate - and yet Perkins appears to want Labour to meekly toe the line.

And that's not to mention the way that concern for those affected by cuts to welfare and other public provisions - basic humanitarianism - is belittled as merely an "emotional spasm". That's the sort of thing you'd expect the likes of Maggie Thatcher to have spouted.