I'm sure "New" New Labour will follow what's been its traditional policy since Harold Wilson's days of jumping further to the right with each successive iteration whilst further selling out its core principles. It's now so far from the Labour Party of the post-war years it might as well drop the appellation "Labour" altogether.
The truth of the matter is that even at the height of its ideological fervour - Labour was always a half-hearted at attempt at socialism. If anything the party was created as a buffer against true socialism breaking out in Britain with the creation of the NHS serving as a payoff to the electorate for the sufferings of two savage wars.
I mean, people talk about Blair selling the party down the river - but Harold Wilson did as much damage if not more so.
I might not agree with Peter O'Borne's politics - but he's absolutely correct in saying there are no longer any real divisions between Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib-Dems. There exists only one party in Westminster (excluding the SNP for the time being) which has multiple factions. They might bicker and scheme and war against each other - but should the
system as a whole be threatened (such as happened during MP's expenses) they'll immediately coalesce into a tight group, raise their shields and like a Roman turtle advancing determinedly toward a jeering band of rock-hurling Visigoths they'll wipe the obnoxious, upstart proles from the battlefield.
Blair was arguably the first all-out political opportunist (and perhaps still the best example) - but Cameron, Clegg and Milliband are all his spiritual progeny to some lesser or greater extent.
Not that they have much freedom of self-determination. We live in a global marketplace dominated by enormous multi-national conglomerates, super-power and approaching-super-power states etc. all of whose influence borders upon the unimaginable by comparison.
Instead of wielding comprehensive and conspicuous real-world power as prime ministers during the days of the British Empire (and immediately in the wake of WWII) once did - today's incarnations are little more the middle-managers whose job it is to take the fall for the true architects of power (international banking, trans-national corporations, defence contractors, big oil etc.)
Once their term in office is concluded they are handsomely rewarded with lucrative positions on the boards of several corporations (even John Major managed to get himself onto the board of the Carlyle Group) and they largely disappear from view. Which is surely antithetical to democracy since an ex-prime minister is arguably the best person possible to provide the electorate with experienced analysis and criticism of those in power.
The fourth estate gave the Tories a pretty easy time of it last term. But you can bet they'll be after Cameron like salivating dogs chasing the hare at Belle Vue this. Oh the self-righteousness will be cranked up to maximum (especially in the Guardian) as Tory cuts bite deep. After all, SOMEONE must stand up for the people (
). But the reality is (whether they know it or not) they are merely baiting the electorate for the absolute necessity of voting Labour next time around. And so the carnival just keeps rollin' on.
