Here is what Diane Abbott has sent to party members:
Diane4Leader
Dear xxxx,
It is a privilege to be nominated as a candidate for the leadership of my party and the movement that has given me every opportunity in life.
I am well aware of the major achievements of our Labour government over the last 13 years.
But this is a “turn the page” election and I believe I am the “turn the page” candidate.
I am the people’s candidate, not the Westminster insider’s candidate. I believe that this is a strength.
There are three main reasons why I believe I am the right person to lead the party in the coming period:
1) Rebuilding and re-energising the party is essential. I have come up through the movement. I have done every job that it is possible to do in the Labour Party: collected subs at a local level; served as a City councillor; served as an elected member of the National Executive of the Party from 1994 to 1997. And I have been a Member of Parliament for 23 years. I believe I know the party better than my rivals and that I am more in touch with the grassroots. I am the candidate to rebuild and revitalise the party and build it into a fighting force to oppose the Lib Con cuts.
2) On issues of policy, I am closer to the heart and soul of the movement than my rivals. I called all the big issues correctly. I voted against tuition fees, I was opposed to the removal of the 10p tax, and I marched, spoke and voted against the Iraq war. No other candidate took these positions when it was difficult to do so.
3) I believe that in an era of 24 hour news, the party needs a good communicator at the very top. I have a proven record of being able to communicate with people. I am able to talk about social ideals in a way that engages people. Above all, I think I have a reputation as a straight forward, principled and consistent politician.
I hope that you will feel able to support me in the coming leadership election.
If you want to know more, you can visit my website www.diane4leader.co.uk
Or email me on diane4leader@hotmail.co.uk
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/dianeforleader
Join my facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105235839522326
Please forward this email to everyone you know
Yours in comradeship
Diane Abbott MP
I disagree with Diane on many things. But I think she would be excellent She is a person of clear vision and direction, and that is what the party needs now - not a trimmer who says what they think people want to hear. I do think however that she is wrong about Iraq. But there. My position is clear and always has been, and I believe it was more difficult for a person to vote for the war in 2003, as I did, in the teeth of foul abuse from Guardian readers, than it was for Diane, who was clearly and consistently opposed, or for anyone who pretended they were opposed but in fact abstained. But that doesn't matter now. I don't have a vote in the process as I am no longer a Labour Party member but belong to the Parti Socialiste of France (go Martine!), but I would urge those who do to vote for Diane. And I write this as a Blairite.
update: Alex Hilton has put it rather well on LabourList this morning:
under Diane, individuality would matter. Under Diane, we would have a leader with no hope of retaining power without engaging every faction, when each of the other candidates would need to build a factional dominance to keep power.
10 comments:
Slight correction required :
"Under Diane, we would have a leader with no hope of regaining power."
There, done.
I am not supporting Diane for the leadership, but, by God, the woman deserves a better apologist than Alex Hilton.
Measly-mouthed, spiteful no-mark shit. And that is being kind to him.
If Diane has got friends like this then wait for her enemies to display. Alex Hilton makes Salter look good by comparison.
Got it?
Hilton is a two-penny puff-ball who writes for The Guardian and delights in abusing those he does not know on the internet.
Rather like that stupid cockroach who goes by the name of 'Andrea' and is a Labour blogger. She demans the names of Labour and blogger.
"Above all, I think I have a reputation as a straight forward, principled and consistent politician."
Yes, apart from the small matter of her child's education where utter hypocrisy creeps in.
oooh, that's brought them out! I just thought Alex Hilton (whom I barely know) had put it well. But (apparently) he is a "shit" and as such cannot present an argument. I have found the opposite very often to be the case, myself. As for "Andrea", I think you will find that person is a man, comrade. Oh and what does "measly-mouthed" mean? what fun we are having inventing new words today!
Exactly. Only a man could be so vile and disgusting about women he does not even know - similarly Alex Hilton.
And to use a woman's name to do it is just typical.
Unfortunately, I can't afford to sue everyone every time and suing for internet comments is rarely successful.
But if I could, then I'd like a five figure sum from both of these nasty, mean-spirited and, frankly, derivative creatures.
I think you will find Andrea is a perfectly good name for a man, in Italy and Romania to my knowledge, probably elsewhere too
I agree - it is! Point taken!
Momentarily distracted by the memory of the vile and spiteful things these beasts have said about me.
In terms of what these people said then 'Revenge is a dish etc etc'.
And as someone else said ' you'll be really amazed at what I am going to do next.'
Well - YES. They will be.
I'll catch up with them in 2015 - - probably before.
I would not have a problem with Diane's views on Iraq, if it weren't for the fact she joined the marches organised by the Trots, fascists, racists and supporters of terrorism than organise her own marches.
For the last few years she has spent one night a week earning lots of money on TV attacking everything Labour stood for and sucking up to her Tory colleague.
I doubt her loyalty to the Labour party.
I know of one former labour councillor,and race relations boss,who recently confided to a colleague of mine that he thought Abbot,along with Botang[sic],had done more damage to race relations than all the trots,fascists etc put together...
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