I think the Daily Mail is frankly wrong to take a solitary comment of a 17 year old boy, who later became Ed's dad, and declare that he hated Britain, when that same man also fought the Nazis in our navy. I may strongly disagree with Ralph Miliband's Marxist views but there is no question he was a patriot, who believed also in free speech. The Mail is wrong to describe Ralph Miliband as a man who hated Britain. As Tim Montgomerie writes in the Times today "wanting to change Britain does not mean you hate it."
My family emigrated to this country and then served our country in the world wars. Some of the family felt they had no option but to change their name - hence why I have some cousins called Tunstall. My grandparents carried on with a Germanic sounding name. It cannot have been easy for them, albeit my grandfather served 5 years in the war for us in India and Asia, and my great uncle tragically died on the beaches at Dunkirk - killed by the Germans two weeks after his wedding.
For my part I have sympathy for Ed. Deciding to serve your community as a councillor or as a Member of Parliament is a great honour, and I know of no elected member of any office, from any party, who does not do it unless they want to make their area a better place; but you open yourself up to criticism and comment of all sorts. To an extent that goes with the territory, albeit I still find the vitriol by some hard to comprehend. I wish some would pause before the vitriol. On this issue twitter is the worst of anonymous abusers.
Criticise me for the decisions I make as your representative, whether that is my votes on issues of conscience like same sex marriage, or my views on assisted suicide law change or women Bishops (I am in favour of all 3) or the policies of the coalition government (I think we have got about 90% of the horrendously difficult judgment calls in these tough times right over the last 3 years, and fully accept that not all decisions were perfect - no government ever is) but do not bring families or personal attack into it. That is my broad rule. I could comment that Labour criticise the conservative ministers repeatedly for a "privileged" background, and the glee at Mrs Thatcher's death was in poor taste, but perhaps we have all got something to learn from the events of this last year.
So I support Ed's upset with the Mail and have written to him a short letter of support. The response is not to say that all free press is bad. That is not what Ralph Miliband would have wanted. The right
approach is for a free press to round on the Mail, and all of us to try and be a bit less personal in our attacks.
Thursday, 3 October 2013
The country now has a clear choice at the next election
Time spent debating with and talking to left wing think tanks, TUC reps and a dizzy whirl of political speed meetings - some of our international brethren called it speed dating (see my later post on this later today) dominated my 3 days in Manchester. Sunday night I spoke at the Low Pay event with the TUC, the resolution Foundation and a full room debating the minimum and living wage, equality, the way to opportunity and so much more.
Monday and Tuesday I spent plenty of time with the boss on Home Office business, although I did a round table on skills and apprenticeships, and met with the Association of Colleges and Red Cross. I spoke at a great debate on local banks with the Salford Rep of Unite and head of the Salford Credit Union - he spoke superbly and we ended up discussing how we can help set up exactly the same institution I am aiming for in Tynedale. Our aims are exactly the same and Peter Jackson, our local group Conservative leader in Northumberland was taking a lot of notes of the debate.
I was pleased to speak at the IPPR event on Tuesday night before a packed audience who fired in multiple questions and comments in a fascinatingly robust debate on the Conservative Party relationship with the North. People spoke with such passion and love for the North, but disagreed both on specific issues and on the way ahead. What impressed me most was the sincerity of feeling. Interestingly, the debate at Labour in Brighton had been entitled "does the Labour Party take the north for granted?"
That could never be said of the hardy souls who venture to suggest there is an alternative way aside from a left wing way. Every day we are making the case that, for example,
- jobs and manufacturing come not from more government but from less government, and helping people set up SMEs and bigger businesses.
- that no country, family or business can last if it does not live within its means, however hard the decisions that follow on from such an acceptance.
- that debt needs to be paid for and that you cannot further borrow your way out of a debt crisis ( still trying to convince Ed Balls on this)
- that the taxes of those that work have to pay for all of those who do not, for whatever reason.
- that central government does not know best how to run a local school, but that local head teachers
and governors are much better placed to be in charge.
I could go on. But one thing is clear. The choice at the next election will be clear. Between a central government, statist control, with a prices and incomes policy to match, and a greater amount of nationalisation, plus businesses being the enemy, not the cure - which is the labour policy - and that set out by the PM and others this week. For years people have argued that all politicians are the same and there are no differences in approach.
This election will be a fight between the radical Left, with the Blairites nowhere to be seen, and the centre right.
Monday and Tuesday I spent plenty of time with the boss on Home Office business, although I did a round table on skills and apprenticeships, and met with the Association of Colleges and Red Cross. I spoke at a great debate on local banks with the Salford Rep of Unite and head of the Salford Credit Union - he spoke superbly and we ended up discussing how we can help set up exactly the same institution I am aiming for in Tynedale. Our aims are exactly the same and Peter Jackson, our local group Conservative leader in Northumberland was taking a lot of notes of the debate.
I was pleased to speak at the IPPR event on Tuesday night before a packed audience who fired in multiple questions and comments in a fascinatingly robust debate on the Conservative Party relationship with the North. People spoke with such passion and love for the North, but disagreed both on specific issues and on the way ahead. What impressed me most was the sincerity of feeling. Interestingly, the debate at Labour in Brighton had been entitled "does the Labour Party take the north for granted?"
That could never be said of the hardy souls who venture to suggest there is an alternative way aside from a left wing way. Every day we are making the case that, for example,
- jobs and manufacturing come not from more government but from less government, and helping people set up SMEs and bigger businesses.
- that no country, family or business can last if it does not live within its means, however hard the decisions that follow on from such an acceptance.
- that debt needs to be paid for and that you cannot further borrow your way out of a debt crisis ( still trying to convince Ed Balls on this)
- that the taxes of those that work have to pay for all of those who do not, for whatever reason.
- that central government does not know best how to run a local school, but that local head teachers
and governors are much better placed to be in charge.
I could go on. But one thing is clear. The choice at the next election will be clear. Between a central government, statist control, with a prices and incomes policy to match, and a greater amount of nationalisation, plus businesses being the enemy, not the cure - which is the labour policy - and that set out by the PM and others this week. For years people have argued that all politicians are the same and there are no differences in approach.
This election will be a fight between the radical Left, with the Blairites nowhere to be seen, and the centre right.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Manchester conference
Fuel duty frozen till 2015 is the key news for us in rural Northumberland. Compared to the dozen fuel tax rises under the last government this is brilliant news.
I spent yesterday at various home office events, helping several candidates, speaking at a skills and apprenticeships round table, and then at the ANEC and Northumbrian water receptions. As always the conference is fascinating for the people you have the chance to listen to and the opportunity to talk policy with many. Very interesting discussions with everyone from the IPPR, to the news from the NECC of the slow turnaround of the economy, and a good chat to the brilliant MEP, Martin Callanan, who spoke really well about the need for a strong centre right voice in Europe.
Last night Boris in his speech demolished Ukip, cheering up party activists with a slew of jokes:
‘Ukip if you want to – David Cameron’s not for kipping. Not unless, obviously, he’s at his sister-in-law’s wedding’....but the Mayor is good at reminding all of us of the misery that would result from voting Ukip:
“Look, it was a great miracle of memory – he managed to memorise the entire 1983 Labour manifesto and recite it!”
I spent yesterday at various home office events, helping several candidates, speaking at a skills and apprenticeships round table, and then at the ANEC and Northumbrian water receptions. As always the conference is fascinating for the people you have the chance to listen to and the opportunity to talk policy with many. Very interesting discussions with everyone from the IPPR, to the news from the NECC of the slow turnaround of the economy, and a good chat to the brilliant MEP, Martin Callanan, who spoke really well about the need for a strong centre right voice in Europe.
Last night Boris in his speech demolished Ukip, cheering up party activists with a slew of jokes:
‘Ukip if you want to – David Cameron’s not for kipping. Not unless, obviously, he’s at his sister-in-law’s wedding’....but the Mayor is good at reminding all of us of the misery that would result from voting Ukip:
However, my favourite quote of the week has been the PMs comment on the Miliband speech from last week:‘My message to the charming Mrs Farage and all those who believe in that way of thinking and all her friends is look, don’t vote for Ukip, don’t even think about it because we will see this country if you do so sleepwalk into a repeat of the Labour government.’
“Look, it was a great miracle of memory – he managed to memorise the entire 1983 Labour manifesto and recite it!”
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