Labour Party | Karen Bruce

A new era for Labour

Campaigning, Equality, Labour Party, trade union, Young People Comments Off

Oct 032010

I came away from Labour Party Conference renewed and refreshed and feeling that as a party we have entered a new era. I was pleased with the election of Ed Miliband as leader (my second preference after Andy Burnham.)

Ed’s speech was excellent, I was really impressed with his passion for the party and his vigour for ideas to make life better for people, such as the living wage. I was in the hall and know that many there said they had goose bumps and others were brought to tears. It was an emotional time and whilst it was hard not to feel for David Miliband, I feel the right Miliband has been chosen and it’s time to move forward. It strikes me that David’s decision to give Ed some space is the right one.

Labour can now move forward and reach out to a new generation. Ed has the ability to listen to people, it’s an important quality to be able to get along with people and be one of them (when Ed was first elected as an MP I remember him at Labour Party Conference in the bar (I think it was The Grand in Brighton) playing the piano and leading a sing along at about one in the morning!)

I hope that this new era will be more inclusive and that the party will really listen to members and voters. Labour did some great things in its 13 years in government but the government ended up distant from people and unable to listen. If we learn from past mistakes, as I believe we will, then we can not only win the next election because people don’t want to vote Tory, but because people really want to vote Labour again.

The highlights of this year’s conference for me were a) Ed being elected b) Ed’s speech c) my three year old daughter Esme sitting in the conference hall listening to Andy Burnham’s speech as shadow health secretary and clapping enthusiastically, when I asked her what she thought Andy was talking about she said, “making people better” d) various fringes and training sessions including a fringe on the future of social care and training sessions such as community organising and beating the Lib Dems.

Leeds loves Andy Burnham

Campaigning, Education, Environment, Equality, Family, Health, Labour Party, Leeds, Older People, trade union, Transport, Young People Comments Off

Aug 212010

On Monday event with Andy Burnham took place in Leeds. As Andy’s regional director I got to organise and host the event.

Thanks to @pennyb for the photo.

Great feedback for Andy from Leeds with lots of twitter comments and this great email I thought I’d share:

I really enjoyed Andy Burnham’s presentation and questions last night. I am impressed. He came across as genuine. He has obviously thoroughly thought through his politics. He will definitely be getting my first preference. If only more MPs were like him. He is a breath of fresh air in a climate of career politicians. I will put a donation for his campaign in the post.

@laidbackian: Had a great night with @andyburnhammp in Leeds. He has a passion for the Labour Party unmatched by the other candidates. #andy4leader

@stephenjtowler: Andy Burnham excellent in Leeds tonight. Why would you not vote for him?

@khutchinsondean After event tonight finally getting off the fence and backing @andyburnhammp for leader; most authentic, credible and fresh thinking choice

@laidbackian: Great night with @andyburnhammp in Leeds. He has a passion for the Labour Party unmatched by other candidates. #andy4leader

@Emma_Hoddinott: Saw @andyburnhammp last night in Leeds. Was very impressed with his ideas on Labour Party reform.

@christophe_read: Spoke to @andyburnhammp last night about my Young Labour report -he’d seen it & was v much along same lines. Top bloke.

@LauraPony: Pleased @brianahaha is also putting @andyburnhammp as first preference following event in Leeds last night #andy4leader

@LauraPony: Excellent evening listening to @andyburnhammp then eating lovely Italian food with fantastic family

@MagsNews: Andy Burnham – great guy. Met him in Leeds yesterday evening. V genuine and cares passionately about the party… My second preference!

@KatRRose: Enjoyed meetng @andyburnhammp in Leeds, @ed_miliband‘s better civil liberties 1st pref, but Andy Burnham is cool prob 2nd pref

@alexsobel: RT @KatRRose: Enjoyed meeting @andyburnhammp in Leeds, @ed_miliband 1st pref but Andy Burnham cool prob 2nd pref -prob me too

Andy reconnecting Labour

Campaigning, Elmet and Rothwell, Health, Housing, Labour Party, Leeds, Rothwell Comments Off

Jul 032010

All the Labour leadership candidates were invited to speak at the Unison annual meeting yesterday in Leeds and take part in a hustings. I was there with Andy Burnham and was really impressed by the level of support he has with many Unison members. Speaking to members there it was obvious the respect and affection Andy is held in by many in the public sector and particularly in the NHS. Knowing Andy’s commitment first hand, many having worked with him whilst he was Health Secretary, and the fact that Andy has shadowed staff at every level has made a huge impression, that was obvious.

Then it was on to a house meeting I’d arranged for Andy to meet some local members in Rothwell. Discussions included some of Andy’s big ideas, his leadership bid is based on Labour becoming the party of “aspirational socialism”, the members there liked the use of the word socialist which had seemed to become a bit of a ‘dirty word’ of late in the party. Andy talked about his ideas that include the large-scale purchase of private accommodation by councils and for a national care service funded by a fair levy on estates, instead of the unfair ‘dementia tax’ that people are saddled with at the moment, which means working people who are the first in their family to own their own homes are forced into losing everything they have worked for to pay for care in older age.

With Andy we will get a leader of conviction, someone who cares about people , is passionate about the Labour Party and the NHS and someone who can communicate with everyone, which crucially means that members and voters know he can connect with them because he is one of them.

Andy Burnham for Labour leader

Labour Party Comments Off

May 202010

Here’s why I’ve decided to back Andy Burnham in the Labour leadership contest, I want my daughter to grow up in a country that is fair and just, governed by a Labour Party that is connected to the people. Andy is a choice for the future, I believe that Andy can rebuild Labour for a future generation.

When you look around at who’s running the country now (the elite) it even makes me feel marginalised, and I’ve been a politico for many years as a Labour Party councillor and activist. I get the feeling that Andy understands what it’s like for working class people, a northerner, his dad was a telephone engineer and his mum was a receptionist – I can identify with that and I think a lot of people will. One tweet this morning said Andy is “Evertonian not Etonian” and I think this sums it up.

As well as having a huge political talent and a natural with people, Andy has a lot to offer and a different persona to the others standing for the leadership.

We have a lot to thank Tony Blair for (winning three terms of a Labour government for a start), and Gordon Brown for leading the nation out of the financial crisis. For the future, re-connecting with the people is going to be the key.

We need to offer the people real choice, Andy is a complete contrast to David Cameron and Nick Clegg. Andy will bring a breath of fresh air to the campaign, the party as leader, and I am convinced -to the country as our future prime minister.

The Labour party is the people’s party and I believe that Andy is one who can take it back to its roots.

You can be part of of it at Andy’s website www.andy4leader.com

Having said that, I think it’s essential that we have a good debate, the party needs it for renewal, I was pleased to hear that Diane Abbot is standing this morning. I would like to see as many candidates as possible go forward for consideration by the party and to promote debate on all the issues. Candidates only need 33 MPs to get on the ballot paper, candidates shouldn’t be greedy and rob the party of this opportunity for debate by taking so many nominations it prevents everyone standing. This is an exciting time for the party and the opportunity is there for the taking.

What will the parties do for women?

Equality, Family, Labour Party, Tories Comments Off

May 012010

I was sorry to miss being at the LSE’s ‘what about women’ election debate I was meant to be at this week. I have just watched it on video and it was a great debate. You can watch the debate between Harriet Harman, Lynne Featherstone and Theresa May here. It’s a disgrace though that women (apart from the leaders’ wives) haven’t had the chance to be more prominent and at the forefront of the general election campaign as they should be. You may not get the chance to see women from the three parties debate in a high profile TV debate such as the leaders’ debates, but it’s well worth watching it via the LSE website.

Ceri Goddard of the Fawcett Society chaired the debate and all the speakers agreed that we have come a long way, but there is still a very long way to go.

Harriet Harman QC spoke very well and was the only one to get up on her feet. She stressed that women now work and still do the lion’s share of childcare and caring for older relatives. She was in a very strong position compared to the other two as she was able to cite what the Labour Party has actually done (in fact some of it’s down to her) to further our cause. Some great examples of Labour achievements for women are SureStart centres, longer maternity leave and paternity leave. There is still an unequal division of labour in the home. There is sustained systematic discrimination that means that women earn 20% less than men. Labour has taken action and through the new equalities legislation employers will be banned from having secrecy clauses. Employers will also be able to take positive action to allow them to diversify their workforce.

There has also been massive progress on domestic violence and human trafficking but there is still a very long way to go. Harriet made no bones that all public authorities in every decision they take, will have to take into account equality between men and women. This is enshrined in the Equality Act that Harriet helped to bring about and this is vital, especially with the expected cuts in public services, which will have a huge impact on women who make up the largest part of the public sector workforce. Harriet said that we could expect that there would be rows about it and if there aren’t then we’re not making any progress!

She said that the Tories ‘big society’ is a big cop out as only wives of rich businessmen would have the time to devote to running schools, police and post offices. Lynne Featherstone chipped in that busy single mothers would have no chance of being involved in anything and that big society would need to be supported by vital services. Theresa May said that their ‘big society’ would give people more control over their lives.

Harriet went on to say that the Tory tax break for married couples would send a message to children in one parent families or whose families are separating that there is something wrong with their family and that there must be something wrong with them too.

Next Thursday I’ll be casting my vote to keep Harriet and her colleagues in a position where they can keep up the good work already done for women, there’s a lot more to do and only the Labour Party will do it!

Unions Together video

Labour Party, trade union Comments Off

Mar 242010

Enjoy this great video from Unions Together:

Fourth term within sight for Labour

Campaigning, Labour Party, Tories Comments Off

Feb 282010

The YouGov poll in today’s Sunday Times shows a narrowing of the Conservative lead to just 2%. This would actually mean that Labour would be just nine seats short of forming an overall government. This is great news, and though by no means can Labour be complacent, if this trend continues we will get a fourth term, which would certainly be a historic moment for the party. In 1997 a third term was a distant dream, a fourth an impossibility. Yet here we are 13 years later and a fourth term is indeed possible. It’s up to us now to secure that victory and make sure that the momentum doesn’t slide away from us. I believe passionately that only Labour has the best interest of all sections of the community at heart and over the 13 years there have been some great achievements – the national minimum wage, investment in our schools and hospitals are just some, and we’ve had our ups and we’ve certainly had our downs, and I think we’ve learned a great deal as a party. On the doorsteps in Leeds yesterday, it felt optimistic. It’s great to see we’re winning people back and that people are putting their trust back in Labour. I think that the main reason is the upturn in the economy. For the first time in a YouGov poll since July 2007, before the financial crisis, people trust Labour more than the Tories to run the economy. The saying is very true – actions speak louder than words!

Lightweight opportunist or experienced pair of hands?

Campaigning, Labour Party Comments Off

Jan 022010

As the year 2010 begins we will have a tough choice to make as a nation in the coming months. There are stark differences between the two main parties and it is up to us as Labour Party members to make sure that voters know what these differences are. The results of the election this year will shape what the next 10 to 20 years are to look like. Make no mistake, if the Conservatives gain power, those to benefit will be the richest estate owners in the country through the Conservatives planned inheritance tax cuts. Without a doubt Tory plans would benefit the few not the many.

There will be big changes this year, these will come from a new intake of Labour MPs who will bring a fresh perspective, to build on the many good things that the Labour government has done over the last 12 years . Positive change will not come from the Conservatives who have failed to capture the public imagination, even 12 years on from their demise in 1997.

The televised debates will provide a valuable opportunity for Gordon Brown to get his message across, voters will get a chance to compare and contrast in full how the two party leaders cope head to head. I think that Gordon will do a better job as the more experienced and knowledgeable of the pair

Gordon Brown has been a good safe pair of hands at the helm here whilst the storms have battered the global economy. Taking the bull by the horns and levying a windfall tax on banker’s bonuses was the right thing to do and the government’s vision includes a clear plan to halve the deficit in the next four years.

The general election campaign starts now, interesting times lie ahead!

Congratulations to James Lewis

Elmet and Rothwell, Labour Party Comments Off

Oct 052009

I would like to thank you all for giving your loyal support throughout the selection in Elmet and Rothwell, I’ve loved meeting so many of you, thank you for welcoming me into your homes. I’ll never forget the trust and confidence you have shown in me. I congratulate James Lewis on becoming Elmet and Rothwell’s candidate for the general election. I for one will be fighting to ensure that we win Elmet and Rothwell for Labour and now that James is our candidate we should all get behind him and do our utmost to make sure we have a Labour MP here.

Yvette Cooper’s inspiring conference speech

Education, Labour Party, Young People Comments Off

Sep 282009

Just watched Yvette Cooper’s conference speech. Yvette is not only the Work and Pensions secretary but is MP for the neighbouring constituency to us, Pontefract and Castleford.

Wow, I have to say I was very impressed with what Yvette had to say and the passion with which she delivered it. Yvette told us about the good work that local employment partnerships are doing and the real difference they are making to many young people’s lives. Following the success there will be further investment to help more of our people struggling to find work.

This is of particular interest to me having worked in this field, signing young people and employers up into training. The young people I worked with were so pleased that someone was taking an interest and helping them. For example, Chloe, who had been laid off from her employer. She wanted a change of direction and decided she wanted to go into holistic therapy. Because the course was about to start I hit a brick wall as I was trying to get the wheels turning for her so quickly but I persisted for her and managed to get her signed up and secure Learning and Skills council funding.Chloe was so grateful that someone had taken this much interest in her and was so excited about her new start. I helped her find the best value uniform sites on the internet too, she even promised that I could be her first customer, well I’m still waiting for that one!

Yvette also reminded us of the Jarrow Marchers in 1936, where 200 people walked 300 miles with their MP ‘Red Ellen’ (Ellen Wilkinson), from the town of Jarrow to the Palace of Westminster in protest against unemployment and extreme poverty. The marchers’ great efforts came to nothing though as all they were given were their train fares home.Yvette also talked about the people’s march for jobs 1981 in the Thatcher years. It’s always good to remember what the Tories did to us, by remembering what they’ve done in the past we can work together to fight to try to ensure that they never get a chance to do it again.

Older Entries Newer Entries