AdamIf you are saying what I think you are saying, after all that everyone has been through I would be surprised if any of my colleagues would be prepared to reconsider our current coalition arrangements in the light of some unwritten, tactical and in all likelihood temporary shift by the current Labour Group. For as long as the current mentality prevails, we would forever be watching our backs. I believe that the psychology of the local party needs to change fundamentally.Whatever impression I may give to the contrary it is not and never has been my intention to destroy the Labour Party locally. I actually believe that the borough, and local democracy, needs a thriving Labour Party.I confess to a great deal of disappointment at the way in which the party has reacted to its defeat at the local elections. Its policy-makers and strategists seem to have concluded that their downfall was brought about by not being cynical, dishonest or manipulative enough and have gone to great lengths to build on these "qualities", which the local party already possessed in abundance. For me, as they say, that wasn't in the script. I truly believed that following their massive defeat they would go away, take a good look at themselves and regroup in a different, better form. Most of them are decent individuals, it defies logic to think that they cannot function as a decent party with decent principles and ethics. According to their new website over 60 members attended a recent joint function held by the two local constituency parties. Even making allowance for some exaggeration, the photo shows about 40 attendees. By the law of averages there must be someone, somewhere amongst that lot who will have a lurking suspicion that their current strategy has been less than a roaring success, and even - dare we hope - that some benefit might be had by changing it. But I have to say Adam that if that is the case, I've yet to see any evidence of it.Thus the struggle, and the ICG, goes on.
Phil Andrews ● 6445d