In 1997 I voted Labour. I, like, I suspect, many other people, didn’t vote for Labour, I was voting against a nasty, corrupt party in government that deserved to get thrown out. Although, at the time, the choice seemed clear, I was concerned that with so many self-righteous, self-regarding Christian Stalinists in key positions I might be voting in another nasty party. Almost immediately my fears were realised as the Government took courageous “hard” decisions to bash the weak and powerless while sucking up to the wealthy and powerful. So, as I wonder who I could possibly vote for in the next General Election, I was pleased to see that I was not alone in my view of Nu-Labour:
“.. for all its economic incompetence and mad attachment to nationalisation, the old Labour party was basically an honourable and decent one. It was New Labour, which presented itself to the electorate in 1997 as soft-focus, cuddly and moderate, which has nastiness running through its DNA. Nastiness towards individuals: think Dr David Kelly, hounded to his death because he threatened the government’s news management, 94 year old Rose Addis, smeared as a racist for daring to find the NHS of less than platonic perfection. Nastiness towards groups who can safely be cast in the role of scapegoat: smokers, fox-hunters, children. Nastiness towards anyone who dares question. All this combined with a cringing attitude towards multinational corporations and unpleasant foreign regimes and a nest-feathering instinct that would not disgrace an arctic eider points to one thing: New Labour nastiness is the nastiness of the bully.”
Thanks to Stumbling and Mumbling for the pointer.