Responding to Keith Locke, Idiot Savant, Danyl McLauchlan and Left wing activists criticising Labour: What happens if we change the Government in September?

By
Martyn Bradbury
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52
27

Keith Locke is a national treasure, and a great man whom I respect deeply.

Idiot Savant is one of the best left wing bloggers in this country.

Danyl McLauchlan is one of the wiser and more considered bloggers in the NZ blogosphere.

And Labour Youth as a movement has been one of the most important activist groups for change in NZs youth political landscape.

All good people, doing good things.

All made solid criticisms and genuine points at the beginning of this year against the recent Broadchurch strategy that Labour have undertaken in their attempt at changing the Government.

Keith Locke, Idiot Savant and Danyl McLauchlan criticised the candidacy of Greg O’Connor while Labour Youth and Identitarian activists attempted a mass letter signing campaign to condemn the appointment of Willie Jackson. 

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

And that was all in just February.

Fast forward to June and we have righteous left wing condemnation that NZ Labour aren’t enough like Corbyn and according to Twitter Liberals, Labour’s immigration policy stopping foreign students from rorting the fake education industry apparently borders on the cross burning.

Poor bloody Andrew, buggers doing it rough.

All those criticisms are valid concerns, and some I share, but I think there are 4 issues to consider in response to those criticisms which added up still make Labour the most important part of any change of Government in September.

1: Peter Dunne as a progressive defender of civil rights

Greg O’Connor may be many things, but he didn’t sell his vote to the government to ram through vast search and surveillance powers. Dunne must go, and if it takes a a former Union cop boss to do that, so be it. Dunne out of Parliament robs National of a supply and confidence partner. It is essential for a change of Government that Dunne goes. Would an O’Connor win suddenly mean arming Police was on the table? Like hell it would. If O’Connor attempted to push that barrow, I’d be the first to demand he gets thrown out of the Party.

2: The Right look for converts, the Left look for traitors

Looking at the outrage Olympics on social media by some over Labour’s immigration policy is a reminder that we on the left have a tendency to look inwardly for traitors while the Right are always focused outwardly for converts. This cosmopolitan elitism starts becoming more pronounced when its middle class proponents are culturally and economically disconnected from the harsher realities of free market globalisation. Twitter liberals will fizz with rage at foreign students cut backs and claim racism, but the domestic working classes who are competing against those foreign students for rentals and jobs see economic survival not membership to the KKK. Writing off working class experience to label everyone xenophobic is the exact same hubris that undid Clinton and the Remain  movement in the Brexit debate.

3: How else do you win elections? Broadchurch vs Pure Temple

I get this terrible feeling that many left wing activists are going to go into shock when they realise Labour + Greens won’t = 51%. I spent the last 3 election cycles trying to start up smaller political party’s to the left of the Greens in an attempt to create a political partner that could provide Labour and the Greens with 51 by using the MMP coat-tailing feature. That didn’t work. The simple reality is that with less than 4 months to go until the election, the only way a change of Government happens is with NZ First. This means a Broadchurch strategy has to trump Pure Temple tribalism. If we want to change the Government it will require policy and values broad enough to bind rather than divide.

4: Engagement post a Change of Government

As activists we can’t pretend Labour Policy will solve all the perceived short comings of 9 years of National underfunding, but neither should we underestimate what could be gained. The doors are open to our MPs if they form a Government and getting them into power is just the first step. Once they are inside the Beehive we need to redouble our efforts to influence change because changing this Government and implementing progressive policy doesn’t end in September, it’s just the beginning where we start lobbying for our values.

Labour are far from perfect, but they need to get to 34% to be in position to change this Government. We can highlight the failings of Labour and urge them to do better, that is a valid response,  but there’s a time when all good people need to come to the party, and that time is rapidly approaching.

Voting once ever 3 years isn’t enough democratic participation, we need to prepare to continue for an activism that walks with our MPs and pushes them if a change of Government in September is to mean anything.

Getting a change of Government is just the beginning.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

52 COMMENTS

  1. There will not be a change of government, with the Transnational Capital Party importing hundreds of voters every week.

    Giving oxygen to TOP will most certainly NOT guarantee a change of government.

    The only way it will conceivably happen is if Winston is kingmaker and chooses to go with the Wage Slave Labour Party.

  3. OK Martyn
    One reason that Corbyn was able to galvanise the young, could well have been his staunchly anti war message.

    Labour or the Greens could at least challenge the government on the latest news to come out of Mosul. Namely NZ.s Brigadier McAslan admitting the use of white phosphorus (affectionately dubbed Willie Pete)in highly populated areas in Mosul
    Two questions could be asked
    Are we committing more war crimes?As Amnesty suggests
    Has our mission in Iraq changed from “training”to active fighting…. without public notification?
    Corbyn had the balls to confront UK’s idiotic foreign policy in the middle East
    and it didn’t go against him
    Time for the Greens and Labour to stop worrying and start living

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/white-phosphorus-us-led-coalition-forces-iraq-injuries-burn-muscle-bone-mosul-humanitarian-groups-a7789431.html

    • And on the topic of white phosphorus, Israel used it in Gaza. Our NZ Superfund invests in Israel Chemicals, manufacturer of white phosphorus. I pointed this out to politicians to all parties, calling for divestment from Israel Chemicals but no one would take it up. I even sent around a photo of a Gaza toddler , hideously burned. No parliamentary party, wanted to know.

      • The fact is it’s illegal in densely populated areas
        We have come to a sorry pass in New Zealand where we find this sort of thing acceptable
        No doubt the political parties feel it is electoral death to cast aspersions on that sacred cow the military
        And our media is very selective indeed about which maimed and broken children deserve our tears.

    • Yes Franscesca. I was amazed to read a NZ Army Officer was participating in the totally contrived war against Assad in Syria. Assad once oversaw the most culturally diverse peaceful country in SW Asia (or the middle East if you prefer Colonial European geographical classification)
      https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=32c_1450655899&comments=1
      NZ definitely should not be participating in the, almost failed, regime change attempt by the USA and the hypocrisy of falsely accusing Assad of using chemical weapons http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/06/12/syria-sarin-attack-narrative-destroyed-by-mit-national-security-expert/
      and then using the banned white phosphorous is simply contemptible. If labour comes up with some credible independent foreign policies that show respect for our diverse world and do not simply conform to the whims of the aggressive, militaristic, failing superpower that is the USA then they will get my vote.
      Do unto others as you would have them do to you
      As a side note. The “Boy in the chair” photo victoriously heralded as proof of Assad’s evil machinations to destroy his own citizens by TV1 TV3 and Prime, has been shown to be a total setup organised by the “White Helmet” propaganda branch of NATO/USA/ISIS
      https://needtoknow.news/2017/06/cnn-anchor-challenged-correct-propaganda-story-aleppo-boy/

      http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-15/un-just-accused-us-killing-300-civilians-last-week-raqqa

      • Indeed, not a story our media will be willing to revisit.
        I read recently that an international team of doctors and lawyers is preparing to sue NATO over its use of depleted uranium in Serbia
        Up to 15 tons were dropped and Serbia now has the highest rate of cancer in Europe

    • I’d prefer that speculations about Corbyn’s popularity with youth did not ignore the very considerable matter of student debt peonage.

      New university students will be freed from paying £9,000 in tuition fees as early as this autumn if Labour wins the election — The Guardian

      The antiwar position probably contributes but student debt relief reaches them where they live.

      There is no mystery to Corbyn’s popularity – it’s policy.

      • Absolutely, and authenticity in championing those policies
        But Corbyn was a peace campaigner before even joining the Labour Party, and its remained an abiding principle.
        I confess I was also shoe horning there, so outraged about our own craven contributions to US foreign policy
        Of course it was a range of policies that appealed to youth voters

  4. The biggest way to change this government is to be seen. If you look at the Hauraki Herald, the local paper for the Coromandel each Friday, National’s Scott Simpson is plastered all over it. Adverts showing his electoral office, photographs of Simpson opening new endeavors, at cake stalls etc. There is nothing of his opposition.
    The same in Hamilton with Tim Macindoe and David Bennett. There faces are everywhere.
    Clearly there profiles are highlighted by an enhanced National Party budget compared to others but my point is that they are seen and for the non political, it is easier to vote for face recognition rather than someone you do not see.

    The Waikato Field-days is another example with Paula Bennett splashed all over T.V. news. Not so much that she was interviewed regarding farming, the fact that Nathan Guy was at pains to get his mug squeezed into the same frame.
    For the opposition, now would be a good time to be seen en masse.

    Yes Labour are far from perfect, this is highlighted regularly but by comparison, National are outrageous.

    When we do start to see the faces may I suggest that they start hammering National on the perceived state of the economy. National gloat at the strength of our economy. If what they are saying is correct why aren’t wages matching inflation. Vege growers are saying because of the impact the weather has had on their harvest over the recent wet period, you will need to pay more, why, given the so called state of our economy can the Government not subsidize to keep New Zealander’s diet healthy and cost effective.

    I’ll say it again, why have wages not kept pace with inflation? Because we have a false economy which English likes to trot out as an “alternative fact”

    • ” When we do start to see the faces may I suggest that they start hammering National on the perceived state of the economy. National gloat at the strength of our economy. If what they are saying is correct why aren’t wages matching inflation. ”

      Nice.

      Yet the only reason I can perceive is Labour and a few other party’s are playing the ‘ coy’ game.

      Trying not to spook the middle class.

      Trying not to spook business.

      But it could be funding, or internal division , – but I don’t think so. I think its part of Labours broad church inclusiveness. And while neo liberalism is evil and the ideology of ‘ Luciferian’ bankers , capitalism isn’t necessarily . Its simply enjoying the fruits of ones labour if conducted in moderation. And that’s OK. If properly State REGULATED.

      Which it isn’t under the globalist Bill English and his neo liberal agenda.

      I too , would have thought the gloves would have been more visibly off when it came to highlighting this disgusting 9 year charade of self interest and avarice which has become the hallmark of the National party under first John Key and then Bill English.

      I would have thought visions of pit bulls and bull terriers dismantling a lamb would have by now sprang to mind with the opposition mauling the National party.

      But no. For far too often it has appeared that the opposition , was in fact, the lamb.

      Obamas gone, the TTPA is gone , Key went when Obama went and the Bilderbergers and the rest of the globalists panicked when Trump pulled out of the Paris Accord and put the final boot into the TTPA… the NZ Left has finally NO MORE EXCUSES to ingratiate themselves like lap dogs any longer to the globalists and should be leading an all out charge of obliterating the neo liberal right in this country…

      That is , unless…

      And you know what I am implying by stating, ‘ That is , unless’….

      You are right , Bert – we do not just have 9 years under the globalist John Key and Bill English – but THIRTY THREE YEARS of neo liberal globalism’s societal plunder to take back from these scumbags.

      THIRTY THREE YEARS of theft, treachery and treason to address.

      And just 3 months til a general election to prove the Left are NOT aligned with globalism.

      We shall see. We shall see indeed.

  5. Point 5: Are New Zealanders the type to rally en masse around a Corbyn or Sanders figure in significant enough numbers to make a difference?

  6. Hmm, maybe I should protest vote for NZ First after all, despite my huge reservations? Looking at the urban liberals, and I mean with that the professional urban liberals, that like to lecture us all about what is right and wrong according to their somewhat academic PC judgments, I am getting rather sick of this back stabbing and side jabbing by some.

    I am critical of Labour for other reasons, I simply cannot believe these urban upper middle class, elitist PC driven liberals, who seem to feel like they are having the ultimate wisdom on every topic.

    As I noted many times before, on The Standard, at times on this Blog and in other forums, once any person dares be critical of immigration, instantly the accusation comes of being a xenophobe, a racist of sorts. I support Labours only very moderate, a bit flawed immigration policy, as it is at least a start to get things under control. Some things can be improved, if such policy is presented in Parliament or proposed as changes within the existing immigration policy administered by Immigration NZ.

    So we are supposed to welcome endless foreign students, and especially the ones coming to go to some of these private institutes that offer not so high level courses, basically with the opportunity to get assisted to get more points and other help to get permanent residency here? That is exactly what Labour under Little want to stop, and give could not care less about the cries by the industry being affected. I have spoken to a number of foreign students doing such courses, they feel ripped off, no matter what, they are like mercenaries and slaves, having to jump through endless hoops, get sold a BS “Kiwi Dream”, and thus they will do all to compete for jobs, and to stay here, they are desperate.

    Some come here with own savings, others with money from parents to pay for the tuition fees and such, few get by without work. Some breach rules when applying and also working here, it is wide spread.

    And those going to Uni and so, most come here from already mostly somewhat privileged backgrounds from various countries, ordinary immigrants with trade or less skills would not have the money to get the foot into the door.

    So by supporting those elitist kids, who will do all to create an ever more competitive, and pronounced class based system here, these left wing bloggers and also Mr Naive Locke, they actually support the undermining of our socio economic fabric, which is already broken.

    In wonder what world they live in, it seems they are themselves privileged due to academic achievements and graduation, and by income and whatever entrepreneurial and employment opportunities.

    Do they know how the kids in South Auckland get by, do they care?

    Oh yeah, they will do more of the stuff this government does, more data gathering, more denying of privacy and rights, and utter control for the state in neoliberal clothing, working with big and not so big business.

    Tax alcohol more, tax cigarettes more, perhaps only allow marihuana of medical use, and tax that too, bring in more rules, laws and guidelines, yes Nanny State, or Big Brother State, and tell us all, you are just a fucking number, shut up and do as is right!

    We face no chance of a change of government if we let these PC driven, identity politics adhering, we know best kind of persons tell Labour and Greens or others what needs doing.

    We get academics also like Mr Spoonley, who like to lecture us, on population policy, while he seems to bend over backwards for the established economic system, so we need “growth”, also in population, to keep “progressing”.

    “Diversity” is one mantra, but have we not got a lot already, what are we doing with it, and how are we doing?

    No, enough is enough, get a grip, dear lefties, some changes are needed that even you do not seem to understand. The ordinary Jack and Jill have to pay for the costs of it all, and where are the resources to sustain millions more living in NZ?

    They will tell us, no more meat, we all have to become vegetarian, drink synthetic milk and live in tiny studio flats, so to be more environmentally mindful and efficient.

    Do you want to live in a high rise, like in Hong Kong, or London, where one building just went up in flames?

    I did not come to NZ for such a lifestyle, no thanks.

  7. “Writing off working class experience to label everyone xenophobic is the exact same hubris that undid Clinton and the Remain movement in the Brexit debate.”

    Well put. If people disagree with Labour on this or anything, they have every right to point of what they see as the failings in Labour’s policy, and articulate the policy they would have Labour adopt.

    It’s easy to squat the moral high ground (on social media, the blogosphere, or elsewhere), whinging about how imperfect everyone else is. Let’s hear your solutions. If they’re good, we’ll all get behind them, and see if we make whoever is in government come 2018 legislate them. Deep democracy works by coalition-building, not character assassination of candidates or parties.

    • Many of us have no interest in the fruitless exercise of trying to advise Labour what they should be. Labour is part of the problem. What we need is an entirely new political movement – of, for and by workers.

  8. Spot on. The people can change the government and it’s our duty to do it for the next generation, the current generation, the planet and our future.

    We know what to expect now from National. And they are escalating in behaviour. Liberalisation and deregulation is the sort of thing that has allowed a tower block in London to become a burning inferno for the poor, that’s next to keep the property market afloat here with a deregulation on building standards (or self certification of standards which is the same thing).

    National have got rid of resource consenting process in real terms with the super city, taking over democratically elected councils, SHA’s, unitary plan (apparently to provide affordable housing, but like the mythical unicorn, has anybody seen any in Auckland yet?, nope thought not). Any thing goes now as long as you have money and connections to develop.

    In the 1980’s National deregulated building standards and caused leaky building syndrome so that developers could save a buck on cheap cladding, you can see they are itching to stay in power so they can do it again.

  9. The right are unified by two themes. Greed and fear. Everything they stand for reverts to this. The left need a unifying force as well. I suggest fairness and courage. Then any differences are merely variation of this theme..

    • Duncan, you have highlighted a need. “Fairness and Courage” sounds more unifying than “A fresh approach”
      Perhaps we are those voices, writing in to plant a seed of
      “Hope Courage and Fairness”
      People have unified under ideas which captured their imaginations and then shown great courage in the fight for fairness and hope.
      It always begins with ordinary people wanting change.
      Enrol, talk, donate money time and energy to create the change.
      It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.

  10. Yea, yea, yea. But not this time. I cannot vote for Little as PM. He is incoherent on national radio whenever I have listened to his winges, his discourse is generally confusing and he appears too pally with Roger Douglas’ mates for my liking. We need substantive political change, not National look-alike nonsense. Wee are more likely to see real incremental change by making sure TOP has a hand in the next Government and can bring some of its policies with it.

  11. And here we go:

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/newshub-poll-record-surge-for-new-zealand-first.html

    But that is only the poll based on those that pollsters can reach, so how reliable is it? Many young people have NO landline, are not identifiable on any public phone listing for their mobile numbers, are hard to contact.

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/poll-labour-crumbles-falling-towards-defeat.html

    So what do we make of this?

    The powers that be determined to manipulate the election, yet again?

    Certainly, ACTION is required, NOW, or this shit will continue to brainwash ever more NZers, shake and rattle your neighbours, friends, colleagues out of their stupor, if you can.

    Reid polls, over time:
    http://www.reidresearch.co.nz/TV3+POLL+RESULTS.html

  12. Yeah but , no but.

    Labour, if you will remember, hatched a batch of scum so scummy they continue to out scum even the National Party Scum that we must endure to this day. Those Labour Scum took our shit and sold it right from under our noses man. Then, they blame the poor they created for the shit we’re sinking down into daily.

    Has Labour addressed that particular earthy reality? No. They haven’t. Why? Is it because nothing’s changed? I reckon so. So, fuck Labour as vigorously as National . They want my trust thus vote? See this finger Labour? Now ponder your rectums

    If you want my fucking vote? Give me roger douglas’s head on a plank. But wait, there’s more! Give me a public inquiry and a few arrests and imprisonments followed by the renationalising of OUR fucking assets you pricks!

    You want my vote @ Labour? Go and fucking earn it then. I’ve had enough of well paid windbags coming up with nothing.

    • You are magnificent. Rightful plopped into the right drop of a swamp (I live in the country).

      How oold are you Countryboy? Passionate by 16, experience by 70.

      It has to be revolution or nothing, and there are no revolutionaries around. A Corbyn or Sanders would do.

      We seem to be in a mathematical stream here.

    • You are magnificent by any measure Countryboy. A Knight by my voice.

      I, myself, back in the day, was proposing Roger and his mates swim for it.

      And , yet, we are more right than this blog opinion.

  14. Throw Pagani and her friends off the balcony, Labour, do the same to ALL neoliberals, thanks!

  19. The best way for voters to bring about change is for them to totally boycott ‘elections’. Just think: the self-serving liars campaign for several weeks…..and nobody votes for any of them because the general populace finally realizes that voting simply perpetuates dysfunction.

    Although an increasing portion of the populace is utterly disillusioned and disengaged, a large portion of the populace still imagines voting can make a difference; that delusion remains intact, despite repeated betrayal, and abundant evidence that international bankers and corporations will continue to remain firmly in control of NZ and will decide what happens, whoever forms the next government.

  20. After releasing your bile about the shortcomings of labour, take a deep breath and picture the dead rat cooked to perfection to a cordon bleu recipe.Now swallow it.It is our only hope to avoid having to swallow a far larger dead rat-three more years of National!

  21. “What happens if we change the Government in September?”

    Absolutely fucking nothing, that’s what.

    You want us to vote and make a political choice. Yay.

    What political choice? You’re asking us to choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

    Whomever I vote for, National always ends up with the most votes, Labour next and Greens third.

    But they all have one thing in common – neo-liberal policies.

    It’s the neo-liberalism I want to vote out but apparently that is not up for negotiation.

    I’ll vote for the Molotov. It seems the only way left to break through Kiwis’ hopeless political ignorance…

  22. I guess the lesson here is that people vote for Parties and Leaders who offer them a positive vision of a society and economy they like, and that seems genuine, comprehensive and clear, not parties that say ‘you better vote for us or you’ll get that other lot’.

  23. Re. Greg O’Connor’s Labour candidacy.

    Marxists and other assorted lunatics: Cops are a class enemy, and thieves are class allies.

    Me, and most working class people I’ve ever met: Get a job, snowflake.

  24. For Gods sake if anybody doesn’t want to vote Labour, at least vote for the Greens, if you want further left policy!

    If you don’t like what the National Party have done in the last decade and want to guarantee a change of government that’s pretty much your choices.

    Everyone else apart from Mana (if they keep Te Tai Tokerau, fingers crossed) might join up with the Natz!

    Not voting, is like giving a vote to National and ACT, because that’s part of National’s brighter future, Keeping the ‘renta crowd’, homeless and disillusioned, confused about their choices, to do nothing and let’s the Natz future come to fruition without a fight.

    If you are still blaming Labour after nearly a decade of National rule, you might as well pin on a National Supporter badge and start posting anti Labour messages at Whale Oil.

    Likewise with child poverty.

    Child Poverty is only going to get worse in NZ, and it’s not the opposition that can do anything about it while they are not in power, it’s the people who have to do something about it – by telling the National party in 100 days time, to fuck off.

    I’m not sure if it’s Natz trolls, but I’ve noticed that various posters are talking about waiting to 2020 to vote….. apparently this is to pay back the Labour party – anyway if this is the attitude to child poverty from the far lefties, then rather than blaming the middle class, rich and corporations, it’s about time the far lefties actually shouldered some of the blame themselves for growing child poverty.

    Likewise the so called ‘left’ commentators. I just saw something on REDLINE – which describes itself as Contemporary Marxist Analysis, giving the National party glowing reviews. WTF? Like Transport blog now turned what ever the fuck the new name is, their agenda has gone very mainstream and pro National.

    By doing nothing to vote National party out or voting for one of their potential collaborators, they are actually condoning what is going on in NZ.

    In addition everyone is such an armchair critic. Has anyone every wondered maybe the Labour party is such a mess due to their mini shock doctrine of it’s own in the 1980’s? It’s like blaming all Muslims for terrorism in the name of just a few!

    None of the Labour MP’s are still there from Rogernomics, but within the shock of Rogernomics, the National party has taken Rogenomics much further and the shock of that has confused people, left some voters still in a time warp of 1984.

    It was 33 years ago someone else has been running the country for the last 9 years and they are not called the Labour party, so if you want to vote for National go for it, but don’t whine about the outcomes on the blogs and still be blaming Labour for the countries ills, blame yourself for supporting them as you live in your damp grungy flat for $550 p/w which you will be moved on from soon anyway to make way for someone with more cash and a more National ‘attitude’.

    It’s actually the faux working class lefties that are often the most middle class and whiners about Labour, helping National while real working class workers or beneficiaries who have few options left who need the change of government the most.

    So National gave a generous accommodation supplement, pity there are no state houses left and no private landlords willing to rent to you! It’s a slight of hand, that even that will disappear after the election. Wake up!

  26. The answer to Martyn’s question about what changes if Labour gets in is “Not much at all”.

    In 1999, Labour got in. They presided over year after year of budget surpluses, without raising social welfare benefits.

    They governed for nine years without doing a thing to disturb zero-hours contracts.

    Industrial legislation remained *largely* unchanged. In particular restrictions on the right to strike.

    They joined in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, though.

    Who could really tell that National went out in 1999 and Labour came in? And who could tell that Labour went out in 2008 and National came in? These transitions are seamless, because National and Labour are two sides of the same coin, two cheeks of the same arse. The frontstabbers (National) and the backstabbers (Labour).

    The ruling class put two horses in the race and get us to choose – and call it ‘democracy’. But they own both the horses.

    Don’t play *their* game.

    • Yes, play PHIL F’s =game=, and join the more progressive National party or one of their collaborators and play +their+ game, because life has got so cool in the last decade for the anti Labour +players+ letting National +win+. It’s all part of the +brighter future+

  27. Braid kirk. No such conceivable, Scottishly. I can see your calculus but your Maori Party devices aren’t good. Every Left govt is a revolution. We lack a Sanders or a Corbyn, a roarer for that revolution.

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