Reasons to be cheerful.

Too often, there's a tendency to be grim among us UK Leftists and while that may be understandable given the situation in the world and in our ally the US (I'm making the not unreasonable assumption we're all americophiles), I'd like to outline a few areas where we're doing pretty well. And a few areas we could win if with a bit of effort.

1. Education and health. The Tory disarray over spending was a pleasing sight indeed, with things like the Howard Flight debacle. Increased spending in these areas is no longer seen as inflationary and no longer seen as bad.

2. The PFI. Local experience is driving people away from the PFI and back into the arms of the state; Labour itself privately admits that it has not been as successful as hoped and different models will be found. The PFI is dying.

3. Business in government. The two decades of scandal-mongering over cash for questions and paying for access, although it may be fuelled in part by the RW press, is playing right into our hands. The people hate it. It's a popular one we can win.

4. The minimum wage. No longer an issue, and it didn't cost the 4 million jobs the RW press said it would. Raising it carries a large electoral base.

There's a few things to chew over. I can think of more.

Out of respect for Ian Dury?

More seriously, when you say 'people' are being driven away from PFI, do you mean the people who actually make the decisions, or the general public if they start to see bad results from PFI schemes? If you mean the public, then I haven't seen it have much effect so far. But if you know that PFI really is dying, I'll certainly accept that as good news.

Disasters at certain PFI hospitals have created large and vocal local campaigns, of which there are many. There increasing complexity of PFI is driving away investors and making the government more wary - more so under Brown.

Another:

5. The BBC. We should all be proud of the spirited defence we presented of the BBC; I think the government noticed.

and the ensuing birth of a serious socialist alternative to working for reform within the Labour party.

and I think I will be more comfortable with Respect after Galloway.

BTW, what do you think of Tomy's latest monopolising of the term "respect"? Majorite or what?

and I actually think it may backfire, but that's just a gut instinct.

As for Galloway, you're entitled to your position mate... I'm just happy to have an international voice, and itching to get stuck into grassroots campaigning. Which starts with supporting the BBC strike tomorrow...

implemented to define a clear gap in income between benefits and very low paid work.

Benefit claimants weren't taking up positions which paid £2 an hour quite understandably as the advantage in terms of income was negligible.

In a utilitarian influenced calculation, the government deduced that the worst jobs in the country would still be more attractive than the dole if a minimum wage was set at about £4-£5. It has apparently worked and now businesses are getting their pound an hour workers from Eastern Europe. Everyone's happy.

BTW £4.85 an hour for any job in the fourth richest country in the world is a fucking disgrace for an allegedly democratic socialist party.