, 19 tweets, 7 min read Read on Twitter
Children in Victorian poverty in our schools: @Channel4News this evening.

My dad died when I was small. Subsequently, I had two episodes of homelessness as a child (early 1960s). I stole food to feed my Mum and me.

When I became a teacher in inner London, I still saw poverty...
But it seemed *comparatively* unusual, resulting from particular circumstances (like my experiences).

What's become clear in the last 5 years is that it's no longer unusual, it's no longer temporary, it's no longer linked to illness or 'inadequacy'. Now it's a feature of life.
In part I blame myself. By the late 1980s, as I watched families with children at my school find it harder and harder to cope, it was becoming clear that Tory policies were creating a poverty time bomb; but I was in a sort of denial, as I tried to keep my own head above water.
But no good blaming myself for society's ills.

What I could see to do, what I could do, I've tried to do.

One thing I did a few years ago was to join @ukLabour and, as far as possible, I've been an activist.

I'm in the party because of what I believe. Not the other way round.
I've campaigned vigorously and I've stood in local and county elections in this overwhelmingly and, it has to be said, complacent Tory constituency. I've managed to turn the conversation online and in the street to issues I think matter, schools, homelessness etc.
I'll tweet more about my political opponents here later, maybe. For now, I'll just say that I have felt that I was getting my voice heard.

Unfortunately, I happen to be an economist. So I know only too well that the problems I'm opposing will become more insoluble if we #Brexit.
But soo what? I'm campaigning in a party committed to tackling the same ills as I am, in a local (constituency) party in which I've become proud to be a member. Furthermore, over 90% of the members agree with me about remaining in the EU.

I have comrades, and a political home.
Now I come to the national leadership - @jeremycorbyn and his kitchen cabinet.

Corbyn wants Brexit. I believe he's wrong, and I admit that I'm suspicious of his motives. But he has every right to his views, and every right to put them forward in democratic fashion in the party.
But what he's done is play games with democracy within our party. Worse; his morally weak and intellectually vacuous policy of creative ambiguity has torn us apart.

The sort of damage we've seen in Labour because of the Tory Brexit project was always likely; but never inevitable
It required unambiguous leadership and firm direction to steer the party through these troubled waters. Instead, we've had ideology and ambiguity.

Now I come back to me. Despite good efforts on my part, it has become increasingly difficult to work effectively where it matters.
I want, with my party, to tackle the issues raised by @Channel4News tonight. Instead, with EU campaigning already well underway, I have no idea what the Labour Party's policy on remaining in EU might be.

I have grievous social ills, and a very nasty Tory Party, to oppose...
And the leader of my own party plays games of ambiguity over the future of this country's ability to resist the social ills AND the poison of the far right.

Since I believe that we should remain in the EU and, EVEN MORE, that ambiguity is a rot at the heart of our politics...
I ask @jeremycorbyn; how I can stay in the 'Labour' party of ideology and ambiguity which you has created in your ghastly image, if I want to get rid of the Tories and to work for every child to have a decent childhood?

It's not your Brexit, Mr Corbyn; it's the way you abuse us.
Perhaps, Mr Corbyn, you will explain to me why you think it is A WORTHWHILE PRICE TO PAY that I leave my lovely, committed local party and campaign against them in #EUelections2019; and that my voice can no longer support them in the things we SHOULD be doing, which we'd planned.
Something I've never said before on Twitter.

You were my constituency MP 30 years. Some people thought you excellent: I didn't.

When I asked for your help on behalf of students in my school, you took months to reply, twice failed to meet me, and then said it wasn't your job.
I suggest I can be forgiven, therefore, for suspecting that you are not much interested in doing the job you are paid to do. Given your frequent voting against the party in Parliament, as well, it seems fairly likely.

Now, you're tearing my loyalties apart. I can't forgive you.
Why am I having to exhaust myself trying to cope with you, Mr Corbyn, when I should be fighting this creature?

Do your job, Mr Corbyn, or in the Bowels of Christ just go.
The ultimate irony is that nobody serious is asking Corbyn to stand on a #Remain platform (even it many of us want it).

They are asking him to stand on the platform of giving the public a #FinalSay.

Is it really Corbyn's line that this would amount to betraying Labour Leavers?
I await #Corbyn and #Milne's explanation of how their decision today to enable the Tory project of #Brexit will help me to work for children, the homeless (and the climate as it goes) and all the other things WHICH I JOINED THE LABOUR PARTY TO DO.

It'll be a long wait, I guess.
Missing some Tweet in this thread?
You can try to force a refresh.

Like this thread? Get email updates or save it to PDF!

Subscribe to Sam Butler
Profile picture

Get real-time email alerts when new unrolls are available from this author!

This content may be removed anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime, convert it as a PDF, save and print for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video

1) Follow Thread Reader App on Twitter so you can easily mention us!

2) Go to a Twitter thread (series of Tweets by the same owner) and mention us with a keyword "unroll" @threadreaderapp unroll

You can practice here first or read more on our help page!

Follow Us on Twitter!

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just three indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3.00/month or $30.00/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!