The Right Dishonourable – Page 83 – As truthful as resources permit

Alan Johnson launches ‘Labour In For Britain’

Posted on 1 December, 2015 by Jimmy Nicholls

Jeremy Corbyn’s prevaricating over the European question has not stopped a Labour faction from putting together their bid to promote Britain remaining within the EU.

Voiced by Alan Johnson, one-time postman and former home secretary, the group’s video harkens back to the similar referendum in 1975.

Back then Labour prime minister Harold Wilson and much of the establishment lobbied successfully to keep Britain in what was then the European Economic Community.

One wonders if this time round the inners will be as effective.

Podcast

Podcast Ep. 25: the Autumn Statement, COP21 and blanking Katie Hopkins

Posted on 30 November, 2015 by The Podcast

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George Osborne’s latest budget, this week’s climate change conference in Paris, and Brunel students’ spurning of rent-a-gob Katie Hopkins are the subjects of our latest episode, in which Jimmy and Jazza sound off about subjects they are vaguely familiar with.

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Tony Blair talks Jeremy Corbyn, George Bush’s humility and the failed standup career

Posted on 30 November, 2015 by Jimmy Nicholls

The shadow of Tony Blair is longer than that of any living British politician, the two-and-a-half term Labour prime minister now one of the most reviled and admired characters in Westminster and beyond.

But with much debate about him linked to his disputed status as a “war criminal”, it is fascinating to hear a different side of him in this interview with the comedian Matt Forde, a former Labour aide.

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At every Labour fumble the professionals on the Tory front bench look wiser and wiser

Posted on 27 November, 2015 by Jimmy Nicholls

For all the differences between the front benches in the Commons at the moment there is one thing that unites them: both sides are headed by career politicians.

Not the same sort of career politicians, mind. George Osborne, the Tory chancellor, is a man who prides himself on belonging to what he terms the parliamentary “guild”. As described by his biographer Janan Ganesh, this is defined by the view that:

“Politics is a trade with its own skills and codes that can only be learned on the job. It is not an amateur vocation for talented people from other fields.”

Two swords’ length away from Osborne, his shadow John McDonnell is of a different view.

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Diane Abbott suggests Chairman Mao ‘on balance did more good than harm’

Posted on 27 November, 2015 by Jimmy Nicholls

Labour chancellor John McDonnell may have provoked laughter in the Commons this week for quoting from Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book, but at least he did not defend the views of the Chinese tyrant.

The same cannot be said, however, for international development shadow secretary Diane Abbott, who told the Beeb’s This Week that were some upsides to Chairman Mao’s murderous rule when asked why people wore t-shirts with his image on.

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