No tears for Starmer
An MI6 plant in my opinion. A hollow man, deeply duplicitous, a Zionist warmonger whose only job was to expunge the Labour left. He will not be missed or regretted.
Politics
Left
Smash Left populism, get Right populism
That’s Starmer’s achievement, as the local elections show. He always was a muppet puppet; his string-pullers are much more sinister.
Uncertain Futures and Political Change
The world is turned upside down and challenges progressive politics to change gear.
Without pluralism within the climate movement, we risk handing the future to the far right
“As climate politics enters a critical phase, exclusion is a luxury we cannot afford. We need all hands on deck.”
Don’t fight the last war
Hannah Spencer’s stunning win for the Greens in the the UK’s Gorton and Denton by-election has some lessons for political strategists here as well.
Why Changing the Government Should Be Enough
Outrage is easy. Outrage feels righteous. But outrage without discipline destroys the very people it claims to save.
If we want transformation that endures, we must build it brick by brick. Or watch it burn, again.
It Is Not Enough Only to Change the Government
Everyone on the left can agree that we must change the government. Elliot Crossan argues that if Labour wins in 2026 and refuses […]
Corbyn still draws a crowd – what’s new?
Zarah Sultana for one – she’s a star. Gaza for another – anti-zionism/semitism won’t work this time. 500,000 signed up in a week for a new party is impressive.
Vale David Parker MP
David Parker’s Deputy Leader ‘s speech in 2014 at the Wellington Labour Party Conference was the best I ever heard from a Labour Leader. Vision matched values in intensity and scope. Parliament now loses one of its very best.
NZ Leftist Collective March 2025
Samah Huriwai-Seger, Shane te Pou. Craig Renney, Kieran McAnulty, hosted by Pat Brittenden
The Unbearable Weight of Being a Useful Idiot
Res Publica takes aim at modern day ‘tankies’. Pro-authoritarian leftist, who can apologise for any authoritarian regime provided that it is intellectually cloaked in the ‘correct’ rhetoric and a veneer of geo-politics. In their view, modern day tankies are only good at reducing the left’s credibility to rubble in real-time.
NZ Fabian Society event: Brian Easton on Transforming New Zealand
“Why is the Left failing?”
Standing for Auckland
Can Kerrin Leoni pave the way as Tamaki Makaurau’s first wāhine Māori Mayor? Open to all today from Nick’s Kōrero…
The Left Went That Way
In the past two decades, election results in western Europe, Australasia, and North America have been framed as a crisis of the left. But in reality are things that bad?
Anti-Muslim, anti-black, pro-Zionist: UK Labour goes for purge
I attended Faiza Shaheen’s impressive candidate launch in Chingford four years ago. She aimed to take on IDS and she dented his majority. Reselected two years ago by the local Labour Party, four days ago she was deselected by a 3-person kangaroo court from the party’s National Executive Committee.
Update: Faiza Shaheen to stand as an independent in Chingford.
The future of UK Labour and what it means for Aotearoa
It appears almost inevitable that Keir Starmer will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But his taking the party to the right and an active drive to rid the party of left wingers raises the spectre that his Goverment would be a pale immitation of its predecessors.
What’s Left?
From Election 2023’s result through to February 2024 there has been massive loss and damage to the Parliamentary capacity of Labour and Greens. Who still has the capacity to lead? What’s left?
A sad lament from the serial left
Attacking leftists attempts to expose the Atlas Network of right-wing think tanks, Chris Trotter offers this gem “Morally speaking, is taking money from oil companies really all that distinguishable from giving money to oil companies every time we fill up our petrol tank?”
New Year’s Resolution
With the left out of power, one of the most useful things we can do in 2024 is simply let people know where they can join in and do good.
Labour’s leadership
Now that the dust is settling it is time for the Labour Party to think about its future.
Election Night 2023 on The Standard
A post for election night discussion on the Standard (and links for where to watch).
Solidarity and ostracism
The mechanism for ostracism destroys solidarity and has serious implications for the left.
Comrade Chris and the politics of the warm inner glow
Left wing contrarian Chris Trotter has made some outlandish claims about Jacinda Ardern’s recent conference speech.
An appeal to Putin’s Apologists
Guest with a life of anti-fascist and anti-war activism in their rear-view mirror, alarmingly finds at fifty that they are staring at the green shoots of fascism in their headlights.This is not where any progressive expected to be. But for the left, there is also no discounting fascist action by offering up the reasoning of the aggressor.
“We have to talk about sex. It’s important”
British philosophy professor Kathleen Stock being interviewed by Redline’s Daphna Whitmore on gender critical feminism and the sex/gender wars. Also, why being able to debate matters.
Bryce Edwards: The State of the political left (in the Age of Outrage)
What role has the political left played in helping create some of the changes to the current way politics is debated?
“Beyond Jacinda” – Colin James and Cr Tamatha Paul
Colin James and Councillor Tamatha Paul will discuss Colin’s paper “Beyond Jacinda” on Monday 7 December at 5:30pm at Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott Street Wellington. It will also be shown on Zoom and available on YouTube. Registration links below. All Welcome.
Qanon is here
While a few in the media leapt at the opportunity to vilify a small evangelical community at the latest COVID 19 spread, the really big COVID 19-conspiracy story landed by the thousand this weekend. It’s overdue we woke up to QAnon here.
Joe Biden’s Four Surprising Vectors for Success
He’s old, boring, uninspiring, and offends no-one: surely he’ll fail miserably as President? But he has a stronger chance than any Democrat President since LBJ of getting very strong domestic reforms done.
A Welcome Change Coming.
There’s an increasing number of progressive and conservatives who are rediscovering their moral compass in these, the final days of unfettered liberalism.
Constructive Criticism and Team Work In Politics
Team play is more important than ever in politics.
Why UK Labour lost? Part 7: Momentum and the Corbynistas
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s blog
Momentum and its supporters need to find a way of selling genuine social democratic politics to a conservative English public.
Guest Post – What is wrong with the left?
Guest post from old maaaaate cans about recent Stuff guest columns attacking the left for not civilised enough and wondering if it is because of right wing insecurity.
Goodbye 2019
Throughout the world 2019 was the worst year for the left since 1979. What will 2020 bring?
It Is the Thought That Counts
Antagonistic personalities are an obstacle to effective politics tackling major present problems.
Listening to left wing dissent
What stands out for me are the voices of the people who are saying actually, there were solid reasons for abandoning Labour, this is why I did. There’s something important here about really listening to dissent and being willing to engage with views that don’t make sense in the context of our own personal ideologies.