went like this at its most recent meeting, according to one who was there:
I attended a GC against my better judgement the oher day and it's a shambles.
There were only 27 people there and old Hartley the Education King was there pontificating the usual bullshit and Salter gave his usual shite and condescending report to the gathered. As if I am interested that he went on holiday to Australia.
The best bit though was Gavin from Compass who came to tell the Labour Party how to be a Labour Party and old fattie Hartley tried to say it was a waste of time.
Someone said maybe they should leave Labour and join Compass! They were talking about Labour Values and the Labour Councillors were talking about why it was all so difficult and it's been tried before and the National Policy Forum is a waste of space;
Then it hit me , this is why I have not attended a GC for 4 years; it's full of bloated Councillors full of their own importance and bullshit and people talking to themselves instead of representing the people of Reading.
Dave Sutton is now the Fair Trade King of Reading; Tony Page is running the Council as Jo Lovelock has hurt her knee or something; well on so much allowances she probably has a rich diet with Red Wine and it's all got too much.
Oh and the Parliamentary candidates were asking everyone to push on and go out canvassing and doing surveys so they can get their contact rates up; Salter's enthusiasm and love for the candidates filled the room; the moment he finished his shabby report he was off.
Apparently on Sunday he's jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet for the Alzeimers Society; But with so much hot air coming out of his mouth he will probably float up there for two weeks!
It really did turn my stomach having to be in the same room as 'the mouth of Reading'.
and this is from a Labour Party member who to my knowledge is loyal and active despite everything.
1 comment:
Just a few comments not from a member of Reading Labour Party.
I don't know how many GC meetings the person posting visits and in what parts of the country - but anywhere these days, to get 27 people turning out - is something of a record.
Many local parties have simply stopped having GCs - or any meetings whatsoever and just communicate sporadically with members via email.
I'm sure that Reading Labour Party has its very great faults and nasty individuals - but it was ever thus in the Labour Party - and perhaps attention should be turned to the appalling mess nationally - and the priorities of a national party that can let local parties wither on the vine up and down the country/starve regional organisation and provide no inspiration whatsoever.
'Compass' is merely another version of 'Progress' etc etc - and is about as useless.
Sitting MPS, whether nice or nasty , have never given a toss about candidates - in a way, its not amazing is it - especially when said MP is standing down.What is in it for him?
And councillors, wherever, have never been at all interested in parliamentary elections. All they care about is getting re-elected to the council or preventing someone else (usually in their own party) from doing so.
A sad fact - but any PPC worth their salt, will make their own luck/progress/generate their own campaigns/publicity/impetus. The two Reading Labour ones sound real dead ducks if all they can do is turn up to internal party meetings with canvass surveys/target sheets etc. Sounds like they need nannying and spoon feeding and wold flop like lead balloons if they ever got elected ( which they won't in the current climate).
If there is an ideal, lovely, friedly Labour Party in the country, I've yet to find it. The poster needs to develop a tough skin - stick with it, put up and forge ahead despite the odds - or take up knitting. Ain;t no other way. Sorry.
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