Will Labour listen now as they try and pick up the pieces after losing Glasgow East? .........
Stewart Cowan, 25/7/08
After a recount last night in the Glasgow East by-election, the SNP was confirmed to have taken Labour's 25th 'safest' seat with a majority of 365, overturning a massive 13,507 majority: a swing from Labour to the Nats of 22.54%.
John Mason, the new Scottish National Party MP for Glasgow East said, "Three weeks ago the SNP predicted a political earthquake. This SNP victory is not just a political earthquake, it is off the Richter scale. It is an epic win and the tremors will be felt all the way to Downing Street."
Margaret Curran, the Labour candidate said, "I regret that I did not win this for Labour tonight."
"I do believe the Labour Party has to listen and has to hear the message from the people of Glasgow East."
Well, what else was she supposed to say? It's the same old codswallop; the same old slapping down of labour's already downtrodden foot soldiers with the standard trite remark; the same old rhetoric to avoid supplying a proper answer.
Two years ago, the BBC had the headline: 'Labour will listen' says Blears.
"Labour will listen more to its rank-and-file members, Labour Party chairman Hazel Blears has pledged. She told a London conference, organised by left-wing think-tank Compass, that many rank-and-file were discontent with the leadership."
"Amicus union leader Derek Simpson said Labour was set for a general election defeat if it did not change direction."
Of course, some people just cannot admit that they have done a bad job and have to divert attention onto others.
The BBC piece said that Ed Balls accused Conservative leader David Cameron of hypocrisy.
"What we are hearing is the same old conservatism that prefers a minimal state and cuts in investment and leaves the poorest and the weakest in our society dependent on charity," he said.
10% tax band removed, Mr Balls? Hypocrite!
Massive influx of cheap labour, Mr Balls? Hypocrite!!
After May's local council election humiliation for Labour, their deputy leader, Harriet Harman, said:
“I think that we have got to really listen to what people were saying when they were expressing their views in the election yesterday."
“We have to reflect and listen to what people are saying – that is the whole point about having elections in our democracy.”
Maybe they really are good at listening; they just don't care to act on what they hear.
So the answer to the headline, "Will Labour listen now," is NO!
Because they are bought and paid for by global corporate and banking interests. They have been commandeered to look after the interests of the few while enslaving the masses through overbearing taxation, intrusion into our lives, weakening of the family, Christian influence and strong, decent communities so that the elite they serve can micromanage us out of the chaos and confusion they create.
Are any of the other mainstream parties much different?
Here is the full result from Glasgow East:
* John Mason, SNP - 11,277
* Margaret Curran, Labour - 10,912
* Davena Rankin, Conservative - 1,639
* Ian Robertson, Lib Dem - 915
* Frances Curran, Scottish Socialist Party - 555
* Tricia McLeish, Solidarity - 512
* Dr Eileen Duke, Scottish Greens - 232
* Chris Creighton, Independent - 67
* Hamish Howitt, Freedom 4 Choice - 65
Turnout: 42.25%
The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Labour's David Marshall on health grounds.
Exposing the traitors in power
