Now it’s the turn of the more radical, antagonist, political demonstration, which several relatives of the victims didn’t want to be part of. Palestinian and Cuban flags, banners for Assange, paramilitary uniforms and flutes everywhere. #BloodySunday50#BloodySunday#Derry 🇬🇧🇮🇪
Ahead of Keir Starmer's major speech today, I interviewed veteran Labour MP Jon Cruddas @JonCruddas_1 in @repubblica about his new book “A Century of Labour” (Polity Books).
Cruddas explains to me why he "fears that Labour will have no mandate for change once in government", but also his concerns about "the lack of independent thought in the party".
Moreover, despite his great achievements so far, "Starmer remains quite an elusive political character" and Cruddas tells why the Labour Party "could be destroyed by victory" after the 2024 election. 🧵 FULL INTERVIEW HERE 👉repubblica.it/esteri/2024/01…
1. Cruddas praises the words of his leader Keir Starmer, because “it's quite a good, ethical case to make in terms of public standards in public life. There’s only been three Labour Prime Ministers who won power at general election in 100 years and the possibility of Starmer becoming the fourth Labour Prime Minister is a phenomenal development. Objectively that's something that should be recognised”.
However, Cruddas stresses, “The journey is not complete, and I don't think anyone should assume that the election is done and dusted”.
2. So far, Starmer has played a very cautious but productive political strategy, also thanks to the self-destructive instincts of the Tory Party. Is this position tenable? “I think it's insufficient”, Cruddas notes, “the danger is to win an election, which becomes a referendum on the incumbent government, but without a mandate for change. That seems to me to be a real concern, because the Labour will inherit a total mess”.
Qualche giorno fa sono andato a Portland, nel sud dell'Inghilterra, dove c'è la controversa chiatta dei migranti e richiedenti asilo, ieri evacuata perché è stato rinvenuto il batterio della legionella. Ecco quanto ho visto e sentito al porto e in città. Cose non incoraggianti.
1. La chiatta si trova qui, sull'isola di Portland, anche se in realtà una connessione con la Gran Bretagna c'è grazie all'unica strada verso Weymouth e Chesil Beach, infinito e malinconico istmo di spiaggia dello straordinario romanzo di Ian McEwan (terza foto, sullo sfondo).
2. La chiatta Bibby Stockholm, che dovrebbe ospitare 500 migranti e richiedenti asilo "illegali" per il governo, è stata attraccata nel porto privato e blindato Portland Port Ltd. La polizia ammette solo gli addetti ai lavori. Questo è il massimo che sono riuscito a vedere da lì.
BREAKING. Irish Foreign minister @simoncoveney tells me: "There is a real intent in London to try to resolve the #Brexit protocol issues through negotiation over the next few weeks and months. And I think the EU will respond to that generously. In fact, I know they will." 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇮🇪
Coveney: "I think there is an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and certainly, I think there's a view within the British government now that an election at this time in Northern Ireland really serves no positive purpose. It would be a very polarising..."
"...election through the winter at a time when households are focusing on the cost of living at a time when businesses are under pressure. And so to push a potential election back into next year, to give some space for us to try to resolve some of the other issues." #coveney
Kureishi: "Sunak comes from a very wealthy background, and he hasn't actually struggled. He went to public school and then he went to Oxford, he worked for Goldman Sachs and so on. Unlike Obama, he has no real roots in the immigrant community."
Kureishi: "I don't think the immigrant community or Asians are particularly ecstatic. It's an important moment that someone of Asian background becomes the Prime Minister. But it doesn't feel exciting. It doesn't feel like something extraordinary has happened in a country."