Anthony Barnett (London, OK): Stephen Byers has set out the Blairite backing for Brown in today's Observer, while in an article about his article in the news section of the paper, Nicholas Watt reports that Byers coordinated with both Charles Clarke and Alan Milburn about it beforehand. It sets out a curates egg of issues that must be addressed, I was especially chilled by its conclusion:
Neighbourhood politics are of growing importance. It follows that grass-roots activists will be vital. So the time has come to start seeing Labour party members as assets to be valued and not as irritants to be tolerated. They will need to have a far more significant role than they are given at present.
I've posted about the demoralisation of Labour members. Image if you are one what it must be like to be told that you will no longer be regarded by the leadership as an irritant that has to be tolerated, thank you very much. Instead you will now be - or rather you will start to be - seen as an asset to be valued. Just think what that must do to one's democratic juices!
