Political look alikes

May 14 2008 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

JUST some comments on Denis Kilcommons’ observations regarding New Labour PM Blair's millionaire lifestyle (“Megabucks Tony”, Diary, May 9).

As a socialist thinker whose roots are from two Wakefield mining families, one of which was monumental in founding the Labour party in that area, I never expected Blair to be anything other than a mark II Tory.

Unlike Blair’s father, who aspired to be a Tory MP, my father was a socialist Labour councillor on the old Elland council in the 60s, beating a sitting Liberal after contesting Shelley when living in Kirkburton.

In those days councillors were unpaid and did not earn a living from serving local people. Prior to election Blair promised nothing to socialist supporters and, contrary to dad’s thoughts, he constantly proved New Labour to be the Tory Mark II party. The only exception to this was the minimum pay rate which most Tories would still have at £3.50 per hour.

I no longer vote, which as a campaigning socialist in the 60s and 70s is a complete turnaround. I consider myself a disenfranchised citizen as there is no difference between the main parties, something which the man in the street used to say three decades ago.

Steven Midgley

Elland