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| Ed Miliband's chance to fill the moral vacuum at the heart of UK politics | Ed Miliband's chance to fill the moral vacuum at the heart of UK politics |
| (21 days later) | |
| Interesting that the Downing Street source noted that the Tory rebels, while refusing to support David Cameron on Syria, still supported him on the "economy and on his education and welfare reforms" (MPs force Cameron to rule out British assault on Syria, 30 August). Could this be an epiphany for Ed Miliband? Sensible and logical opposition to policies which are based not on evidence, or even public opinion, might encourage foul-mouthed abuse from No 10, and cries of "disgrace" from Michael Gove, but they can be challenged, and even defeated. | Interesting that the Downing Street source noted that the Tory rebels, while refusing to support David Cameron on Syria, still supported him on the "economy and on his education and welfare reforms" (MPs force Cameron to rule out British assault on Syria, 30 August). Could this be an epiphany for Ed Miliband? Sensible and logical opposition to policies which are based not on evidence, or even public opinion, might encourage foul-mouthed abuse from No 10, and cries of "disgrace" from Michael Gove, but they can be challenged, and even defeated. |
| Were austerity measures, which included the destruction of the welfare state, really necessary to combat the effects of the financial crash? Did the NHS need wholesale reform and privatisation? Does a state education system, which places Britain sixth in world league tables, need its assessment procedures returned to the divisiveness of the 1950s? Did the last government really cause the problems? Of course not, but who knows, when the opposition has been so feeble? | Were austerity measures, which included the destruction of the welfare state, really necessary to combat the effects of the financial crash? Did the NHS need wholesale reform and privatisation? Does a state education system, which places Britain sixth in world league tables, need its assessment procedures returned to the divisiveness of the 1950s? Did the last government really cause the problems? Of course not, but who knows, when the opposition has been so feeble? |
| It's a little late, but there is still time to voice objections, propose alternate policies and win in 2015. The Syrian debate has shown that distrust of the Tories and their Lib Dem associates, complicit in all things Cameron, provides Miliband with the opportunity to fill the moral vacuum, and provide Britain with a political party with principles. Whatever next? Bernie Evans Liverpool | It's a little late, but there is still time to voice objections, propose alternate policies and win in 2015. The Syrian debate has shown that distrust of the Tories and their Lib Dem associates, complicit in all things Cameron, provides Miliband with the opportunity to fill the moral vacuum, and provide Britain with a political party with principles. Whatever next? Bernie Evans Liverpool |
| • The Labour leader's decision to present the prime minister's choice to uphold the UK's traditional roles (supporting international treaties banning the use of chemical weapons, attempting to protect the vulnerable from murder and despair) as some sort of personal failure by Cameron is unpleasant. Choosing to castrate Britain's foreign policy capabilities and betray its most virtuous characteristics is not a bold step for the Labour leader to take. Leif Jerram Manchester | • The Labour leader's decision to present the prime minister's choice to uphold the UK's traditional roles (supporting international treaties banning the use of chemical weapons, attempting to protect the vulnerable from murder and despair) as some sort of personal failure by Cameron is unpleasant. Choosing to castrate Britain's foreign policy capabilities and betray its most virtuous characteristics is not a bold step for the Labour leader to take. Leif Jerram Manchester |
| • And the winner at coalition politics is: Ed Miliband – with hindsight not surprising since he became Labour leader by recognising his party itself was a shifting coalition, not an obedient New Labour hegemon. In terms of his direct personal influence over the two biggest policy issues during his leadership – the tabloid press and Syria – he has achieved more concrete policy change than was previously thought possible of a leader of the opposition. In both cases, too, he has opposed the two powers – Murdoch and the US – that compromised the New Labour project so very visibly. Which is why New Labour's shamed deadbeats – Prescott, Blunkett and Mandelson, the Bennites de-nos-jours harking back to a golden era that never was – hate him so much. And why we should start recognising him for the statesman he is turning out to be. Bill Cooke Manchester | • And the winner at coalition politics is: Ed Miliband – with hindsight not surprising since he became Labour leader by recognising his party itself was a shifting coalition, not an obedient New Labour hegemon. In terms of his direct personal influence over the two biggest policy issues during his leadership – the tabloid press and Syria – he has achieved more concrete policy change than was previously thought possible of a leader of the opposition. In both cases, too, he has opposed the two powers – Murdoch and the US – that compromised the New Labour project so very visibly. Which is why New Labour's shamed deadbeats – Prescott, Blunkett and Mandelson, the Bennites de-nos-jours harking back to a golden era that never was – hate him so much. And why we should start recognising him for the statesman he is turning out to be. Bill Cooke Manchester |
| • So it would appear that sense prevailed (only just) in the House of Commons in trying to solve a mess for which we in the west are partly to blame. Like the states of Africa in colonial times, most states in the Middle East are an artificial construct that emerged from negotiations after the first world war to allow ourselves and France to continue to have an influence on the world stage – and to help ourselves to the oil reserves which we then needed in ever-greater amounts. With the possible exception of Egypt, none were based, to the best of my knowledge, on historical tribal, racial or religious boundaries. No wonder civil wars in both areas have been a feature of the past 100 years. | • So it would appear that sense prevailed (only just) in the House of Commons in trying to solve a mess for which we in the west are partly to blame. Like the states of Africa in colonial times, most states in the Middle East are an artificial construct that emerged from negotiations after the first world war to allow ourselves and France to continue to have an influence on the world stage – and to help ourselves to the oil reserves which we then needed in ever-greater amounts. With the possible exception of Egypt, none were based, to the best of my knowledge, on historical tribal, racial or religious boundaries. No wonder civil wars in both areas have been a feature of the past 100 years. |
| On the subject of near misses, we have two things to thank the late Harold Wilson for. First, the establishment of the Open University and, second, and, in the context of recent events, more importantly, for not listening to Lyndon Johnson's pleadings and refusing to commit British troops to Vietnam in the 1960s. It's a pity that Tony Blair didn't do the same in Iraq. John Marriott Lincoln | On the subject of near misses, we have two things to thank the late Harold Wilson for. First, the establishment of the Open University and, second, and, in the context of recent events, more importantly, for not listening to Lyndon Johnson's pleadings and refusing to commit British troops to Vietnam in the 1960s. It's a pity that Tony Blair didn't do the same in Iraq. John Marriott Lincoln |
| • Having watched the late-night result of the Commons votes, and the subsequent comment highlighting the disastrous consequences for the government, and specifically David Cameron, I was surprised to see the front page of the Guardian seemingly reporting Cameron's triumph and savaging of Ed Miliband in the debate. In the event the opposite has occurred. Fortunately your editorial was a little better. | • Having watched the late-night result of the Commons votes, and the subsequent comment highlighting the disastrous consequences for the government, and specifically David Cameron, I was surprised to see the front page of the Guardian seemingly reporting Cameron's triumph and savaging of Ed Miliband in the debate. In the event the opposite has occurred. Fortunately your editorial was a little better. |
| Miliband is thoroughly decent, intelligent man and has a vision. But he isn't a PR man like Cameron, so to some comes across as lacking charisma. Well, we know where charisma has taken us vis-a-vis Blair and now Cameron. | Miliband is thoroughly decent, intelligent man and has a vision. But he isn't a PR man like Cameron, so to some comes across as lacking charisma. Well, we know where charisma has taken us vis-a-vis Blair and now Cameron. |
| I have been disappointed in the past at the attitude of some Guardian journalists towards Miliband and this seems to persist. With the rightwing bias in most of the media, Miliband has a difficult enough job as it is, so please stop helping the Tories. Peter Ward Bristol | I have been disappointed in the past at the attitude of some Guardian journalists towards Miliband and this seems to persist. With the rightwing bias in most of the media, Miliband has a difficult enough job as it is, so please stop helping the Tories. Peter Ward Bristol |
| • Wasn't this the week Michael Gove was making a speech about Ed Miliband being a weak leader of his party? After the Syria vote, surely David Cameron has by far the stronger claim to such a title? Pete Ruhemann Reading | • Wasn't this the week Michael Gove was making a speech about Ed Miliband being a weak leader of his party? After the Syria vote, surely David Cameron has by far the stronger claim to such a title? Pete Ruhemann Reading |
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