I am at heart a Liberal, but there is nothing my party can do that can help restore confidence in pensions.
I am a member of the Conservative party, because they have power. But I rarely meet a conservative that shares my values. The Conservatives can help restore confidence in pensions and perhaps I can help them not to be such bastards.
I have tried to be a member of the Labour party, whatever the Labour party stands for, because we need an effective opposition to the Conservatives. I have sent them money in the past to help them fight elections and sent them a little more to join them. I was supposed to do unpaid work through Unison for Angela Rayner and will do what I can to help any Union that is helping (in the right way).
When I applied to the Labour party , I declared my other allegiances and stated that I was joining to help on pensions. They’ve sent me a letter (by e-mail)
It would have been better had I known about this when applying (I made my situation as clear to them as I do on this blog). I note they’re not going to return my membership payment. Infact, I don’t really see anything good to be said about Iain’s letter. Why a panel of the NEC should have to deliberate I don’t know!
The trouble with political parties
The trouble with these party politicians is that they forget what the party is there for. The Labour party, of all parties, is there for ordinary people who don’t otherwise get representation. Jeremy Corbyn could do with some support right now, especially as he doesn’t have anyone who’s helping out on pensions.
The trouble with the Labour Party
The particular problem with the Labour party is that it has more time for its rules than for its people. Infact people don’t come into it much. While it fights court battles to work out who can be in it and who can vote for leavers, people like me are told we aren’t wanted.
A political consensus?
I’ve no idea what Her Majesty’s opposition is doing to help ordinary people understand how to organize their retirement. I don’t see them doing anything much to help create better policy.
They appear to be the party of ‘no’.
No to the constructive policies put forward by the past three governments (one of which was run by them).
No to having a pension minister as a shadow to Nick Harrington
No to having people like me within the party, trying to help them out.
So what can people like me do?
They say that if you aren’t a socialist under 30 you have no heart and if you are a socialist over 30 you have no brain.
This kind of binary thinking is behind Iain McNichol’s letter. I’ve always thought that democracy worked best when people put down their differences and worked together. That was how the coalition worked and that coalition could so easily have involved the Liberals and the Labour party working together.
But just as the Labour Party refused to work with the Liberals , so they refuse to work with me (though they take my time and my money).
I can only speak for myself, but I can speak up for myself. I am better than the small-mindedness of the Labour Party and the Labour Party would be better for having me in it. I am not saying that I am better than any member of the Labour party, I am the sam
A small person can make a big difference if they put their mind to it. But they are better working with established networks of people.
Achieve by Unity.
I’m very proud of my football club, we know the value of working together.
Perhaps the parties could learn a lesson or two from our community spirit.
