If that was actually true, we would not be saddled with Johnson, picked as the Tories' favourite.
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If that was actually true, we would not be saddled with Johnson, picked as the Tories' favourite.
Says a man who has spent years fawning over Boris Johnson.
D
Deleted member 18243
That's what the great leaders have, vision. Theresa May had no vision or principles, she was just a caretaker. Johnson has a vision, but only of himself in various costumes.
Churchill had the vision of preventing the country from being taken over by foreign powers, and achieved it. Thatcher had the vision of returning the country to greatness, and had mixed results. Blair has been the most successful, but his vision was an evil one where Churchill's and Thatcher's were good. Blair's vision is to replace the British people with foreigners, and he is well on his way to achieving that, and he has managed to make all subsequent governments continue his policy. A genius, but an evil one!
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I've only ever seen him in his clown clothes.
But at an enormous cost.
I wonder what cost would have been too great.
Bigoted nonsense.
My recollection of Michael Portillo as a politician is that he wasn't a very pleasant person, the archetypal 'tory boy' if you like who cared little for the electorate or people worse off than himself, arrogant, his comeuppence came about when he lost his seat. Some time later, whilst unemployed, he was given a TV gig where he had to live for a week or two weeks on the benefit payment of the time. He struggled, and at the end of the programme admitted that the benefit system was flawed and many people simply didn't have enough money to live on, the thing is, he appeared to be quite emotional about it, something he never displayed as a politician, and in my mind, it changed him as a person, for the better.
For several years my thursday night highlight would be a few drinks, maybe more, then 'Question Time' followed by 'This Week', and the best programmes were the ones where the resident guests were Michael Portillo and Alan Johnson. Ex Labour and Ex Conservative but both passionate about their beliefs and there was a surprising overlap, they both in later life veered toward centrist policies.
Johnson impressed me so much I bought the first of his autobiographies. He was brought up in Notting Hill, a slum area then, his father was an alcoholic and a philanderer who eventually deserted them, his mother died not many years later, very young. Johnson was only about 12 at the time from recollection, his sister was possibly 16, maybe 15? and she refused to let Alan be taken into care. What happened next I find both extraordinary, and heart warming, the council moved them into a two bedroom flat, the only proviso being that a social worker visited once a week to ensure they were both OK, Alan's sister saw him though school and raised him despite being only a child herself, with weekly support from social services. I doubt that could happen today, not because of financial restraints or because of the tory's before anyone jumps on that bandwagon, but because of safeguarding and all sorts of different laws, some of which don't make sense.
From there, Johnson grows up, worked in the local Co-Op or equivalent, his sister gets married, Alan gets married, his sisters husband is an alcy and kills himself, she re marries and moves to Australia and Alan becomes a postman in Barnes.
So I bought the second book,
, Alan, married with a kid or kids, is offered a council house in Slough, on the Britwell Estate. You'd have to know the area to understand it but basically the GLC built 3 large housing estates around the outskirts of Slough. at a wild guess it was at least 2 - 3 thousand houses per estate. It was to relieve the overpopulation in London. We moved to the Langley estate when I was 12 months old, until then we lived in 'rooms' in Uncle Jimmys house in Battersea, yes, the one those ******* Germans tried to bomb. Of the 3 estates Britwell had the worst reputation. It seemed to be defined by the areas of London they were 'clearing', my estate was about 20% Irish Catholics, Britwell was 'Eastenders' and Wexham was maybe a crossover between the two
These were fantastic areas to grow up in, there were parades of shops, grammar schools and primary schools, doctors surgeries, a new hospital. These were 'instant' towns with all the infrastructure required, and more, it's something that could never be repeated today, lack of funds?, but this was achieved in the 50's not that long after rationing ended, a fantastic achievement.
My old man was a postman from the day he arrived from Ireland till the day he died, clever bloke but never achieved his full potential, he had two books, one was 'advanced mathematics', the other one was 'the joy of sex', his hobbies were drinking guiness, betting on horses and writing his own permutations for the 'pools', he organised syndicates at the post office to fund these permutations, they had a few big wins, during the long strike in the early 70's, when people were going hungry, we had food and bought a colour tv. A colour television, **** me, neighbours would pop in just to glimpse it.
He was mums 2nd husband, the first died from TB shortly after the 2nd world unpleasantness, she had one child and no money, she relied on charity from family and the catholic church, her life was transformed, not after marrying dad, but when under a Labour government, she received 'benefits' for the first time.
It was this privileged upbringing that moulded me into the socialist that I eventually became, that and a gift from my best friends dad who kind of adopted me after my dad died, the gift was a copy of 'the ragged trousered philanthropist' by Robert Tressle. I still have it, the pages are yellowing and falling out, it's one of my most treasured posessions.
Back on topic, Alan got off the train at Slough Station and asked a policeman how to get to Britwell to view the council house they'd been offered, the copper eyed him up and down and asked why he would want to go there, it's a rough place. On arriving, seeing the house, the surrounding fields, shops, churches, Alan was overcome with emotion, he thought it was paradise.
I had in mind Alan had only been a postman in Slough for a year or two but it transpires it was far longer than that, on reading the book it came to light that he knew my old man and quite a few of my schoolfriends dads.
Alan was a shop steward in Slough, he quotes Joe Pane as being his inspiration for the union work, Joe's son. sadly dead now was a good friend of mine, in fact many of the people in Alans book were either friends or fathers of friends,
The book goes on to explain how Alan became a permanent employee of the union before his rise to Parliament , in the union he was a moderniser rather than a millitant, he pushed for pay rises, but backed that up with increased productivity.
He went on to become one of the finest politicians this country has seen, had he stayed the course and become leader, I'd probably be a Labour voter today.
After reading the second book, I shot off an email to Alan saying what a great read it was, and how I knew so many of the characters in it, I was disappointed not to get a reply.
A year and a half later, the wife shouted down the stairs, 'Phil, you've got an email from Alan Johnson', he apologised for his tardiness in replying, told me about an upcoming tv programme about the post office that he was making, he'd spoken to Joe who declined the offer to be in the programme and reminisced about his time in Slough, it was a lovely email.
So, that in a f*****g nutshell is a man of the people, a true conviction politician.
Anthony Wedgewood la di da ******g Benn?, do me a favour.
For several years my thursday night highlight would be a few drinks, maybe more, then 'Question Time' followed by 'This Week', and the best programmes were the ones where the resident guests were Michael Portillo and Alan Johnson. Ex Labour and Ex Conservative but both passionate about their beliefs and there was a surprising overlap, they both in later life veered toward centrist policies.
Johnson impressed me so much I bought the first of his autobiographies. He was brought up in Notting Hill, a slum area then, his father was an alcoholic and a philanderer who eventually deserted them, his mother died not many years later, very young. Johnson was only about 12 at the time from recollection, his sister was possibly 16, maybe 15? and she refused to let Alan be taken into care. What happened next I find both extraordinary, and heart warming, the council moved them into a two bedroom flat, the only proviso being that a social worker visited once a week to ensure they were both OK, Alan's sister saw him though school and raised him despite being only a child herself, with weekly support from social services. I doubt that could happen today, not because of financial restraints or because of the tory's before anyone jumps on that bandwagon, but because of safeguarding and all sorts of different laws, some of which don't make sense.
From there, Johnson grows up, worked in the local Co-Op or equivalent, his sister gets married, Alan gets married, his sisters husband is an alcy and kills himself, she re marries and moves to Australia and Alan becomes a postman in Barnes.
So I bought the second book,
, Alan, married with a kid or kids, is offered a council house in Slough, on the Britwell Estate. You'd have to know the area to understand it but basically the GLC built 3 large housing estates around the outskirts of Slough. at a wild guess it was at least 2 - 3 thousand houses per estate. It was to relieve the overpopulation in London. We moved to the Langley estate when I was 12 months old, until then we lived in 'rooms' in Uncle Jimmys house in Battersea, yes, the one those ******* Germans tried to bomb. Of the 3 estates Britwell had the worst reputation. It seemed to be defined by the areas of London they were 'clearing', my estate was about 20% Irish Catholics, Britwell was 'Eastenders' and Wexham was maybe a crossover between the twoThese were fantastic areas to grow up in, there were parades of shops, grammar schools and primary schools, doctors surgeries, a new hospital. These were 'instant' towns with all the infrastructure required, and more, it's something that could never be repeated today, lack of funds?, but this was achieved in the 50's not that long after rationing ended, a fantastic achievement.
My old man was a postman from the day he arrived from Ireland till the day he died, clever bloke but never achieved his full potential, he had two books, one was 'advanced mathematics', the other one was 'the joy of sex', his hobbies were drinking guiness, betting on horses and writing his own permutations for the 'pools', he organised syndicates at the post office to fund these permutations, they had a few big wins, during the long strike in the early 70's, when people were going hungry, we had food and bought a colour tv. A colour television, **** me, neighbours would pop in just to glimpse it.
He was mums 2nd husband, the first died from TB shortly after the 2nd world unpleasantness, she had one child and no money, she relied on charity from family and the catholic church, her life was transformed, not after marrying dad, but when under a Labour government, she received 'benefits' for the first time.
It was this privileged upbringing that moulded me into the socialist that I eventually became, that and a gift from my best friends dad who kind of adopted me after my dad died, the gift was a copy of 'the ragged trousered philanthropist' by Robert Tressle. I still have it, the pages are yellowing and falling out, it's one of my most treasured posessions.
Back on topic, Alan got off the train at Slough Station and asked a policeman how to get to Britwell to view the council house they'd been offered, the copper eyed him up and down and asked why he would want to go there, it's a rough place. On arriving, seeing the house, the surrounding fields, shops, churches, Alan was overcome with emotion, he thought it was paradise.
I had in mind Alan had only been a postman in Slough for a year or two but it transpires it was far longer than that, on reading the book it came to light that he knew my old man and quite a few of my schoolfriends dads.
Alan was a shop steward in Slough, he quotes Joe Pane as being his inspiration for the union work, Joe's son. sadly dead now was a good friend of mine, in fact many of the people in Alans book were either friends or fathers of friends,
The book goes on to explain how Alan became a permanent employee of the union before his rise to Parliament , in the union he was a moderniser rather than a millitant, he pushed for pay rises, but backed that up with increased productivity.
He went on to become one of the finest politicians this country has seen, had he stayed the course and become leader, I'd probably be a Labour voter today.
After reading the second book, I shot off an email to Alan saying what a great read it was, and how I knew so many of the characters in it, I was disappointed not to get a reply.
A year and a half later, the wife shouted down the stairs, 'Phil, you've got an email from Alan Johnson', he apologised for his tardiness in replying, told me about an upcoming tv programme about the post office that he was making, he'd spoken to Joe who declined the offer to be in the programme and reminisced about his time in Slough, it was a lovely email.
So, that in a f*****g nutshell is a man of the people, a true conviction politician.
Anthony Wedgewood la di da ******g Benn?, do me a favour.
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Are you having a laugh?
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But you're not just because Alan Johnson didn't become leader of the Labour party?
I'm sure there are many more such posts of yours shrieking your praises of Tory, and other far right wing policies and people.
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Hadn't thought of Blair that way.
But yes - often it needs /someone "for the moment". Churchill - it's worth revising the 1945 history on what nobody predicted a few months before. Time can judge how suited Boris was to getting the job done, but surely his stocks are down now. A sad time for the many people or companies struggling to get by. A need for an Attlee?
I used to like Jack Straw, up to the Iraq invasion which he could have stopped. Robin Cook who died too young, and William Hague had their moments.
.
I daresay some will take the piss. Presumably they mistakenly think it's clever.
That's right, but try not to confuse socialism with communism,
That's right again, I think the Conservatives have done well, the sleaze and corruption is unfortunate, that will change with new leadership. What are these 'far right' policies you speak of?
Jim Callaghan could have gone on to greater things had the unions not done for him.
Or had Callaghan not gone one step too far with wage control.
If he caved in to the wage demands it would have avoided the 'winter of discontent' but raised inflation that they'd fought hard to bring down. It was difficult times and much like today, a very difficult period to be leader.
On the flip side, it brought in Maggie.
D
Deleted member 18243
I haven't seen an unpleasant side to Portillo, if anything he is too pleasant for politics. I didn't know he was on one of those "living on benefits" reality shows, although I do remember one with the limp Matthew Parris. Available on YouTube, very interesting. He hadn't a clue how to look after himself.
It would be interesting go see your definition of what "Socialism" means.
Is Sweden a Socialist country?
Is the NHS a Socialist service?
Are Public Libraries Socialist?
Is the State Pension Socialist?
Are publicly-owned roads and street lamps Socialist?
Is State-Funded education Socialist?
Are Free School Meals for the children of the poor Socialist?
Is a publicly-funded Fire and Rescue Service Socialist?
Is a publicly-funded Police service Socialist?
Is a publicly-owned Sewage system Socialist?
Is a publicly-owned Railway system Socialist?
