Like many I listened to Sir Keir Starmers first "conference" leadership speech on-line in my case because the remote control of the TV had been taken away from me by she who must be obeyed and wanted to watch something else on Sky Arts. Frankly I'm glad I did for reasons that will become clear.
Starmer gave a "stayed as she goes" kind of speech which was mainstream, considered and professional which alluded to issues ignored during the previous era such as promising to take care of Britain's security as well as it's people at a time of crisis and accepted we are in a chagrining world.
Despite being a "remainer" he put the question of Europe behind and simply told the PM to get on with finalising the deal we were. The question has been put and the country must now move on. This was a clear message along with a little patriotism to the fallen red wall" that Labour was back and on their side.
In a clear message that the party was to move on from where it had been revolved around a commitment to the 2024 manifesto which hasn't been produced yet but will form the basis of the party going forward to not just the next general election but beyond to 2030.
Most of this has been covered elsewhere but what concerned me that despite the need to make Labour electable again were the comments being thrown at Starmer on-line as he spoke from those who had come not to listen, and certainly not reconsider.
The "heckling" consisted of chants of JC4PM, this was no longer Labour and all the usual stuff including messages from former Corbyn supporters who have left but forgotten to shut the door behind the,. There were far to many and virtually from the start.
Meanwhile Momentum seemed to have a ready prepared statement calling his speech "disappointing" because it ignored so many of their pet causes. They even claimed he didn't mention Black Lives Matter when Starmer was clear about his commitment o fight racism and discrimination. As usual the left expect a litany of slogans and promises that can never be met.
The behaviour of these hardcore leftists along with the previously reported attempts by ultra left trade union leaders to make demands and control the party for their narrow ideological outlooks shows that there remain two parties in one and only one can move forward. The Corbyn or hard left recidivists must be left behind.
Starmer has a year before a real conference takes place when this pandemic is hopefully at an end to begin that process and hopefully implement the rules to at least exclude those who break the rules. It's even more important following the reaction of the hardcore left that they are sidelined and shown the door. They can never be allowed to take over the only party that offers hope to ordinary working people again.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to hear of the heckling, but it still sickens me. Scattergood's comments were ridiculous, and out of step with those of the unions. Sadly far too many CLPs seem to have been hijacked by die-hard Corbynists who just won't give up.
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