Tag Archives: Labour

Eight media myths about the 2015 election – and why they are wrong

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Alex Grant

I missed the start of this campaign: for the first ten days of April I was in France, in a house without Wifi or even a telephone. Coming back to the UK on April 10th I scanned the papers and … Continue reading →

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So long, Greenwich. I predict that by 2050 you’ll swallow up Lewisham and Bexley. The Thames Barrier will be a boutique hotel. And everyone will be mad as hell about air pollution

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Alex Grant

I’m moving out of London later this week, with my partner and our daughter, after 35 years living in the borough of Greenwich – the last 16 of them as a Labour councillor here. There are few things more boring than ex-councillors … Continue reading →

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The supporters of new roads across the Thames are stuck in the past. Without rail links they’d be a disaster for east London

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Alex Grant

The new road link would, the experts say, create a “corridor of opportunity”. It would “relieve congestion”, “improve accessibility” and “be of inestimable benefit to the capital”. It will, one supporter argues, “take longer-distance traffic off the existing main roads… … Continue reading →

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Emily Thornberry quitting does little to solve Labour’s southern discomfort. Miliband should have defended her right to tweet

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Alex Grant

The decision of Emily Thornberry to resign as shadow attorney-general – or Ed Miliband’s decision  to sack her, depending on who you believe – must be one of the loopiest political acts of modern times. Rather than lance a boil, … Continue reading →

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What happens when politicians and developers meet behind closed doors – and why Unite’s wrong to call the meetings off

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Alex Grant

What happens when politicians and property developers meet behind closed doors? According to Vince Passfield, Unite’s deputy regional secretary for London, multi-national investors seek to “stitch up deals that would  hit council tenants and leaseholders in the capital”. As a result Unite … Continue reading →

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Seven months before an election Labour must inspire, surprise and provoke its supporters. Not patronise them

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Alex Grant

Labour Vice-Chair Michael Dugher MP (who’s been charged with “bringing the Obama touch to Labour’s 2015 election campaign”) sent me an automated “Hi Alex” email last week. “You might not realise it yet, but it’s pretty amazing just how much … Continue reading →

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There’s no need for Labour to be apologetic about a mansion tax

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Alex Grant

What’s the average annual household income in London? And what about the average property price? The answers – average household income was £38,688 in 2011 (the last year for which the ONS has statistics) and the average property price, even … Continue reading →

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Memo to the Left: 1 Nationalism should always be viewed with suspicion. 2 Press freedom needs to be fought for. 3 And an independence referendum is not a conference workshop

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Alex Grant

A political leader who has spent much time cosying up to Rupert Murdoch faces difficult questions from a broadcast journalist a few days before a crucial electoral test. The leader accuses the journalist of “heckling” him.  The press conference has … Continue reading →

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Will Len McCluskey ever shut up? Bashing the Lib Dems won’t win the election for Labour

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Alex Grant

Will Len McCluskey ever shut up? His call for Labour to rule out a coalition with the Lib Dems after the 2015 election (as reported in last Sunday’s Observer), or else face cuts in funding from the Unite union he … Continue reading →

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Carbuncle Cup: the end of localism?

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Alex Grant

It’s been a busy few days for me. Since last Wednesday, when Woolwich Central was announced as the winner of Building Design’s Carbuncle Cup, I’ve been inundated with emails, tweets and requests for comment: I chaired the Greenwich Council Planning … Continue reading →

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