Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Peter Principle*

Ever since I posted this item, I have been running a one-man campaign to have Peter Hain stand (or equip himself to stand) for the leadership (and not just the deputy leadership) of the Labour Party.

I offer no prizes for anyone who works out why I have dropped my campaign at this particular time. I have also given up waiting for Godot and recognise there is now no feasible candidate for the future leadership of the Labour Party. The only significant avenue left for the pursuit of democratic socialism within the Labour Party is political education, political education, political education.

* = The Peter Principle is "the principle that members of a hierarchy are promoted until they reach the level at which they are no longer competent" (The Concise Oxford Dictionary).

3 comments:

Curly said...

So David Miliband doesn't figure in your thoughts Harry?

Harry Barnes said...

Curly : Are you just back from the famous victory against Wigan - and did you ever see this which later appeared in "A Love Supreme"? -
http://threescoreyearsandten.blogspot.com/2006/11/from-beano-to-keano.html

I heard David Miliband address the recent Fabian Conference in London. I took elaborate notes of what he said and mean to study them sometime. I was amazed that I had come across a leading Labour politican who talked in terms of political ideas. However, I need to sort out whether it was more than an ideological form of smoke and mirrors. But perhaps without following his dad's political perspective, he learnt from it and adapted what he saw as relevant insights, to the practical politics of today. Perhaps I need some interpretations from South Shields.

There is an interesting article in this weeks "Tribune" by Ian Aitken supportive of Peter Hain's politics. But I fear that Peter is only yesterday's hope.

But if you are correct about David's potential, then it becomes a matter of how we see he extends it and gets to the top job.

The trouble is that I am a sucker for dreams or I would not be a Sunderland supporter.

Harry Barnes said...

Oh: I have just discovereed that you are the Tory Curly, without your glasses on. Never mind, you gave me food for thought.