Unbelievably, Labour are already making excuses for losing the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, two days before polling day.
According to the Times, a “senior strategist” has put out the following line:
“After the locals it was right to have a serious inquest and take action because of what the country was telling us. That is why we acted on the 10p tax. But there will be no repeat of the internal soul-searching. Crewe was always going to be tough in midterm and commentators who pretend that we should be expecting to win this seat at this time are being dishonest.”
Hang on a second. Crewe a tough seat? This is Crewe we’re talking about. Crewe, held by Labour through thick and thin, in the teeth of the most enormous Thatcher landslides and any other adversity you may care to mention, in every general election since the war. If Crewe is turning Tory, no matter what the political weather, things must be pretty blooming bad.
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the essential lack of defeatism that is the hallmark of most politicians. The will to fight was, I suggested, hard-wired in every politician’s DNA.
But not, it would appear, for this “senior strategist”. He seems to have already given up the ghost and rolled over. What a wuss.
So, a couple of words of friendly advice for Gordon.
First, don’t anticipate the result at Crewe. It shows disrespect for the electorate. Nobody on this side of the political fence has done so. We’re all still fighting.
Second, sack the strategist.
According to the Times, a “senior strategist” has put out the following line:
“After the locals it was right to have a serious inquest and take action because of what the country was telling us. That is why we acted on the 10p tax. But there will be no repeat of the internal soul-searching. Crewe was always going to be tough in midterm and commentators who pretend that we should be expecting to win this seat at this time are being dishonest.”
Hang on a second. Crewe a tough seat? This is Crewe we’re talking about. Crewe, held by Labour through thick and thin, in the teeth of the most enormous Thatcher landslides and any other adversity you may care to mention, in every general election since the war. If Crewe is turning Tory, no matter what the political weather, things must be pretty blooming bad.
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the essential lack of defeatism that is the hallmark of most politicians. The will to fight was, I suggested, hard-wired in every politician’s DNA.
But not, it would appear, for this “senior strategist”. He seems to have already given up the ghost and rolled over. What a wuss.
So, a couple of words of friendly advice for Gordon.
First, don’t anticipate the result at Crewe. It shows disrespect for the electorate. Nobody on this side of the political fence has done so. We’re all still fighting.
Second, sack the strategist.
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