I started watching BBC2's Newsnight every night back in the early 1990's, when Jeremy Paxman was just a boy. As it's archived every night now on their website and you can replay the night before's programme up to 24 hours after it's broadcast. I can still enjoy it here, and not have to stay up late (the Indian conference calls I have to do most mornings at 7am make a 11.15pm bedtime too late for me now!).
Having missed watching the Labour deputy leadership "hustings" special on Tuesday, I was happy to see that they archived it separately from last nights programme, so I could watch it too today.
Harriet Harman was a real revelation. I'm not sure if anyone is assessing and observing by their behaviour and making assumptions about who Gordon Brown is secretly backing for the job, but I'd have to bet on Harriet Harman. I think she was his "deputy" in some role in the past. He must be secretly backing someone - right?
What, for us old Labour watchers (that's people who, like me have been observing the Labour party for a long time, not those of us watching "Old Labour". "Old Labour", what a horrible term - one of Tony Blair's least attractive.) is most fascinating though, and maybe a tantalising glimpse of what a Brown premiership will be like, is how outspoken and left wing Harriet Harman was prepared to be. She heavily criticised the Blair government for clumsy "news management", and argued for a more re-distributive tax system. She was arguing against Alan Johnstone in flavour of redistribution of wealth, whatever next? Maybe this is just wishful thinking about a more "Genuine Labour" Brown led government. Interesting all the same. I'd vote for her if I was still a member.
It was John Cruddis the left wing total outsider "never in a million years" candidate that won the Newsnight viewers on line pole held after the show was broadcast. Hazel Blears came last. Her performance on the show was a total disgrace. Complete Blairite clone, she typifies all that is wrong with the current government. She was the only candidate that seemed incapable of giving a straight answer to anything. How does she think that plays with the Labour Party electorate?
It'll be interesting to see how things develop in the next few months.
2 comments:
I didn't see Newsnight but Hazel Blears realy gves me the willies. Do you knkow about the big fuss over here because no-one from the Govt has called Alex Salmond to congratulate him. He's in a bit of a huff.
I think you can still see it on bbc.co.uk/newsnight if you are really interested. I think Alex Salmond is quietly pleased he didn't get a phone call. If he was not - why is he telling everyone? He is a good old political opportunist and he is using this to his advantage. It'll be really interesting howb all these relationships play out, the first "non Labour / Lib" government in a devolved counrty (if you don't count NI)
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