CSM Hustings Event

In my capacity as Vice-Chair of the Christian Socialist Movement (CSM) I helped to organise a hustings event on Tuesday for all the candidates standing for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party. Everything went incredibly well (much to my surprise) - blu-tac on the signage failed only once (!) and there was a good turnout - I just wish more people could have been there to witness the debate. We rarely hear politicians talking positively about the values that drive them as they are so often on the defensive, responding to a media agenda driven by conflict. I am all for challenging politicians and holding them accountable, but we just don't get the space for this kind of discussion. CSM wanted to hold this event to engage in a constructive way with the candidates, to allow them to talk about faith and values, and to see what issues of social justice they would prioritise as deputy leader. All of them were positive about the contribution of faith in society - some certainly more comfortable with the idea - and all acknowledged how important Christian Socialism has been in the history of the Labour Party. If you had asked me yesterday who I was going to be voting for, I would still have been non-commital but after a thorough lunch-time chat with my Dad today, I have decided that I will be voting for Jon Cruddas. Part of me would like a woman to work with Brown, but I find Harriet Harman unconvincing and Hazel, despite performing excellently at the hustings, still doesn't do it for me. Another part of me is worried that Jon Cruddas would harm the Labour Party's 'electability' (despite his claim at the hustings that New Labour isn't 'new' enough)... so I was thinking of voting for Hilary Benn although would prefer him in the Foreign Office. But I thought about it today and I would be betraying myself if I didn't vote for Jon - he is honest about the challenges facing the country - he recognises that unregularised migrants are some of the most vulnerable in our society, he has been quick to criticise 'racialisation' of the housing debate, he thinks renewal of trident is a big mistake and wants to revive party democracy. This is why I joined the Labour Party and at the end of the day, if we lose the next election, I don't think it will be down to our choice for deputy leader.... and one of his heroes is Oscar Romero.

Left or Right?

If anyone is reading this, apologies for being so quiet, especially with all the election excitement. I won't say very much about the local, Scottish and Welsh elections as it is soooo last week now - especially with Tony Blair's resignation expected tomorrow morning. But what it does underline is the need for the Labour Party to really renew itself locally, at the grassroots. I haven't yet made up my mind about the contest for deputy leadership, but I will be listening very carefully to the ideas that are presented at the CSM hustings event... And we have also had election fever across the channel. Depite being won over by their electoral system (c'est magnifique non?) I am unlikely to be convinced anytime soon by Nicholas Sarkozy. Having labelled delinquent youths as 'scum' and having used highly inflammatory language against immigrant communities, he is now attacking the 35-hour week. This is a bit of a pet issue of mine - despite the need to maintain economic competitiveness, I am convinced that our long hours culture has led to a whole host of other problems - relationship breakdown in families, children not seeing their parents and a massive increase in stress-related illness. Do the French really want this?