The Left is going bust
Why is it that the most interesting new ideas in British politics are coming almost exclusively from the centre right?
Ten minutes looking at the latest edition of New Statesman provides a pretty good clue. Take, for example, the flagship article by someone called Ted Vallance. He writes of how the Conservatives "vision for rejuvenating local democracy extends little beyond creating elected mayoralties".
Now I appreciate that leftie academics writing for leftie journals aren't supposed to say good things about Tories. But if Ted and co want to be taken seriously they can't simply ignore inconvenient fact.
Perhaps Ted simply doesn't know about proposals for locally elected police chiefs? Maybe he's missed all that stuff about open primaries and recall? Has he chosen to overlook all that stuff about devolved decision-making over housing and planning?
How odd that the Left should presume that it is the party of English radicalism and of the Levellers. What conceit. Perhaps they've not read The Plan? Maybe its allusions to our forebearers were too subtle?
Today's Left is firmly alligned with the quango state establishment. It is the party of human rights judges and pro-Euro lobbyists and Foreign Office mandarins.
If the Left cannot be honest in its assessment of its opponents, it is doomed. Keep on ranting.
Incidentally, more folk read this blog last week than paid to read the New Statesman.
Posted on 11 June 2009 by Douglas Carswell