It’s only official when it is denied
November 8th, 2010 at 5:50 am by David FarrarOne rule of politics is to never believe a rumour until someone denies it!
Claire Trevett in the Herald reports:
Sue Bradford and Matt McCarten have rejected speculation they are about to start a new left-wing party – but neither will rule out doing so at some future point. …
Yesterday, both Ms Bradford and Mr McCarten said there were no current moves to do so and they had not discussed the idea with each other.
However, both believed there were virtues in the idea.
What I find interesting is that neither McCarten or Bradford see the Greens as a suitable vehicle.
November 8th, 2010 at 6:18 am
I think it would be pretty good if the Greens were left to concentrate on environmental issues and let the nuevo-stalinists get on with complaining about our democratic freedoms in their own party. Three cheers for Matt and Sue!
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:01 am
The speeches will be riveting, a couple of oratorial geniuses here.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:09 am
The Greens gave up any pretence of being an environmental party some time ago. They are a hard-left party co-led by a communist and an anarchist.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:17 am
‘They are a hard-left party co-led by a communist and an anarchist.’
Whose degrees are in political studies and law, rather than science.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:42 am
“The American People will take Socialism, but they won’t take the label. I certainly proved it in the case of EPIC. Running on the Socialist ticket I got 60,000 votes, and running on the slogan to ‘End Poverty in California’ I got 879,000.”
Upton Sinclair
Anyway socialists now run NZ. There isnt room in NZ for yet another socialist party. Just because Sue & Matt cant get on with the exisitng socialist leadership…..
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:48 am
20 years ago, Sue Bradford was briefly vice-president of the New Labour Party. She didn’t stay for long as she found the NLP to be authoritarian and right wing. But then, would any party ever be left-leaning enough for Sue?
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Deja vu? (minus Jim)
http://liberation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d75d69e2011570aeb115970b-pi
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:57 am
If Labour splits then we are half way to a real parliament. I’ve been saying for a long time that as long as we have two major parties that are big enough to govern alone we still have an FPP race come election time. The muppet centre major parties both struggling to try and hang on to FPP with Two ticks Labour / Two ticks National.
So great, split the Labour party into a left wing party and a centre popularist party and do the same for National. Split the people who want change into a right party and leave the centre huggers to their puffing and pandering to popularity.
This would be great for NZ politics, no more ‘one size fits all vote for us and we give you lots of lollies’ parties.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:00 am
Oh, splitting Labour would also be great for south Auckland. KFC vouchers AND Mc-D’s vouchers at election time.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:10 am
The left are sensing that there has been a gap in politics at that end of the spectrum.. Hence the move by the Labour Party to go left – high taxes, more Government assistance everywhere, fiddling with monetary policy, more workers rights. This new social democracy is being rejected almost as fast as it is being implemented elsewhere most notably in the USA.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:11 am
We should never believe anything the Greens say, over the last few years many of us have mentioned the communist pasts of Locke, Bradford, Norman and Turei, almost without fail some Green party apologist would quickly remind us that while they once held communist beliefs this was no longer the case.
Well it seems that we were right all along, with the departure of Kedgley the Greens cease to exist as a Green party, when was the last time you heard them talk about anything other than ‘social issues’?
The Greens are a con.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Have a look at this assortment of losers and wasters, note Comrade Bradford’s name as one of the key note speakers.
“Come to this Auckland event if you want to discuss the direction New Zealand is going in:
http://socialistaotearoa.blogspot.com/2010/11/another-aotearoa-is-possible.html
Speakers and workshops:
Saturday 27 November · 08:00 – 23:30
Te Wananga Aotearoa, 15 Canning Crescent, Mangere.
Registration $20.
Hosted by Unite
…
8.30am: Registration, Tea/coffee
9.00am: Welcome/Intros
9.15am: “Confronting the economic crisis – what caused it and how it can be overcome”.
The worldwide economic crisis over the past few years has seen a massive growth of unemployment and cutbacks in basic entitlements for working people. This session will discuss how this crisis came about and how we can fight its effects.
Speakers: Jane Kelsey, professor of law at Auckland University and author of many books exposing the effects of neoliberal economic theory on NZ will focus on the international dimension of the crisis; Mike Treen, National Director of Unite Union will focus on the impact of the crisis on NZ and how working people can resist.
11am: Activist Workshops
This will be an opportunity for a number of workshops to be held on topics suggested by activists across the country. These include the following possible subjects (some confirmed, some possible) – Casualisation of labour, workers resistance in Europe (Joe Carolan – Unite Campaigns Organiser); Maori economic elites; Tax justice campaign (Vaughan Gunson, Socialist Worker); Migrant workers; Workers resistance in Australia (Jody Betzian AMWU organizer and Socialist Alliance activist; Climate Justice & Workers Rights (Gary Cranston, Climate Camp); The Right to Strike (Jared Phillips, Unite Waikato Organiser); Campaigns against poverty and beneficiary bashing
12-1 Lunch
1pm: Poverty and inequality – can it be ended?
The growth of inequality and poverty in Aotearoa was the one unarguable effect of the neoliberal economic changes imposed over the last few decades. What happened here was mirrored around the globe. This reality barely changed under the last Labour led government and none of the major parties have a programme to seriously combat – let alone eliminate – the terrible social consequences of poverty and inequality. But can it be ended?
Speakers: John Minto (Spokesperson for Global Peace and Justice Auckland and Unite Union organizer); second speaker to be announced.
3pm: Activist Workshops
This will be an opportunity for a number of workshops to be held on topics suggested by activists across the country. These include the following subjects (some confirmed, some possible) – Casualisation of labour, workers resistance in Europe (Joe Carolan – Unite Campaigns Organiser); Maori economic elites; Tax justice campaign (Vaughan Gunson, Socialist Worker); Migrant workers; Workers resistance in Australia (Jody Betzian AMWU organizer and Socialist Alliance activist; Climate Justice & Workers Rights (Gary Cranston, Climate Camp); The Right to Strike (Jared Phillips, Unite Waikato Organiser); Campaigns against poverty and beneficiary bashing.
4pm – 6pm: “The Left and parliament – some lessons from the Alliance and Green Party experience”
Matt McCarten (Unite General secretary, former Alliance Party president), Sue Bradford (community activist and former Green Party MP)
7pm Drinks Dancing and Revolutionary Music!!!! @ Onehunga RSA”
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:21 am
The description of Sue Bradford as a community activist is possibly near the mark, if you remove the letters “ity activ”.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:32 am
Jesus Bruv
What a day,shame I missed it, 10 hours of sitting around blaming other people.
Nice to see not one of the speakers has to worry about employees today so they will have really been able to fill their boots at The Onehunga RSA.
I hope they all at their best cardigans on.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:38 am
These people live in another World. As long as they keep to themselves and get below 5% of the vote, no need to take any notice.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Paul, it isn’t being held until the 27th, so there is still time to buy a pair of sandals
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Rodders
You don’t buy sandals – you queue for them.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Rodders Thanks mate,- I’ll get knitting
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:54 am
“7pm Drinks Dancing and Revolutionary Music!!!! @ Onehunga RSA”
Will the comrades be dancing at the tune of North Korean folk songs? This event ought to be the most comical reunion of losers in a long, long time.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Manolo
North Korean folk songs followed by a jerk circle where people can share their best “stick it to the man” story.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:01 am
If a non-denied party starts up along these lines it’ll be interesting to see where union support and money goes.
This non-news may be a factor in Labour trying to lurch towards worker populism.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Pete George
They are welcome to lurch toward worker popularism. That’s more in keeping with their roots than “one size fits all” popularism.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Can we make suggestions for who else should join?
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Call them “losers “if you want.
Sue Bradford “successfully” undid generations of parental rights and family discipline.
In that she was aided and abetted by both major parties,including to their everlasting shame ,National.
Sue Bradford and her ilk are very dangerous and seek to undermine the fundamental basis of our society,alot of people have supported her.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:18 am
They are welcome to lurch where they like, but the “worker” voter catchment must be smaller than it used to be, so if they do that they will be volunteering for a much smaller party role, especially if the Unite party gets some traction and competes for the same space.
This is a good time to invent a new political force to keep National and the traditional minor parties honest. I’d go for a collection of competent independents who don’t see a need to paint themselves just one colour.
Go ahead and suggest BeaB. What about that dynamic Unite dude from Christchurch?
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:19 am
And no doubt “revolutionary songs” is a euphemism for “commit atrocities against the middle classes and their fellow travellers”, it just sounds nicer to say “revolution”.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:21 am
“past few years has seen a massive growth of unemployment”
Not in China where there has been an uplift in employment.
The world enters into global wage arbitrage. Expect wage deflation. Unless wages are allowed to drop here in NZ the future is bleak for the workers and many others.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:27 am
A revolutionary change – since then there has been, um, it has changed, ah, what?
I know there has been a legislative change, it was a not very good compromise on paper, but in practice I can’t see any real changes, and certainly nothing significant. Maybe other parents and grandparents have different experiences (beyond the “oh god, I’m now a criminal paranoia) – the change had no effect on how I’d consider disciplining children.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:33 am
The Onehunga RSA will never be the same again
But the irony of peaceniks and anarchists hiring a club for returned servicepeople is certainly not lost on this blogger …
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:35 am
The problem with crazy cat ladies is they’re never really gone.
The left is naturallt divisive so anything that tears them apart even more is good news for people who hate socialism.
When your heros are Che and Fidel you’re not a liberal, you’re just fucking stupid.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 9:39 am
I agree with you kowtow. These people are dangerous, very dangerous, indeed.
It’s also undeniable they are true losers in life. The great majority of these comrades are individuals of limited ability, but demagogues and accomplished liars, whose only purpose in life is to bring successful people down, to sow racial and class division, to equalise us all in mediocrity.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Is it significant (and ironic) that most of the ‘lecturers’ are former University of Auckland graduates and have been or are teachers?
One wonders. . .
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Personally I hope Bradford never returns to Parliament and agree with Kowtow she has done a tremendous amount of damage to NZ families. What I cannot understand is why the press never checked the condition of her own family. What sort of job has she done with her own? It would certainly be interesting to know.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
[big bruv 8:11] Oh yes, the ‘Greens’. Putting the CON into conservation.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
[kotow 9:16 am] Yes these people appear rather comical at times. One can’t deny that they are often effective though.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
[GJ 12:57 pm] No doubt if Sue Bradford had been from a National/ACT background, her private life would be an open book. However you can’t expect the largely socialist ‘antique media’ to subject their socialist bretheren to the same level of scrutiny.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
McCarten and Bradford in the same party, yeah right.The Alliance Party can trace it’s failure to those two. But should the unthinkable happen then an equally remarkable name and logo would be required. For instance “The Mad Lefties Coffee Party” or “The Shitstirrers and assorted Bums Party” would do.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
The Green Party members seem to have given up on keeping any pretense about being an environmental party – they are replacing Sue Kedgley in Wellington Central with a candidate that has ‘consulted’ one of the largest GE research companies in the world!!
The irony!! The most vocal anti-GE campaigner in the Greens replaced by someone who done work with a company involved in GE research!! If you needed a clearer example of the new direction of the Greens, you probably couldn’t find a better one.
AND I have supported the Greens since they started – even I am ready to consider jumping ship.
Vote:November 8th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Can we include lecturers in that number – good ol’ Kelsers et al? I hope her “free trade is evil” book she’s spent the last year vomiting is successful. I’m surprised Mohsen al-Attar isn’t going to rock up with some smooth beats about evil imperialism or whatever.
Vote:November 9th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Jane Kelsey & Margaret Mutu & Co – University of Auckland, the last bunker for the rabid feminist lefties. A little purge of some Departments of Me-Bubbles would be profoundly invigorating for taxpayers.
Vote: