Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Getting personal
Labour members may be denying that the Labour Party leadership campaign is turning into a civil war but they cannot refute the overriding impression that the level of passion and personal abuse currently manifesting itself will lead to some sore losers next month.
Today's Independent is reporting that Labour's grandees are locked in a furious battle of words as they take opposing sides over which of the Miliband brothers should succeed Gordon Brown:
Peter Mandelson, Labour's veteran spin doctor, was the first to ignore the pretence that supporters of the rival camps are all good friends really to make personal attacks yesterday on Ed Miliband and two of his big-name backers – the ex-leader Lord Kinnock and his ex-deputy, Lord Hattersley.
This provoked a furious reply from Lord Kinnock who said: "Atavists like Peter Mandelson are indulging in the sort of factionalism that has inflicted such damage on our party in ancient and modern history. He should stop it now."
Whatever happens the new leader will have some egos to sooth once he or she takes office.
Today's Independent is reporting that Labour's grandees are locked in a furious battle of words as they take opposing sides over which of the Miliband brothers should succeed Gordon Brown:
Peter Mandelson, Labour's veteran spin doctor, was the first to ignore the pretence that supporters of the rival camps are all good friends really to make personal attacks yesterday on Ed Miliband and two of his big-name backers – the ex-leader Lord Kinnock and his ex-deputy, Lord Hattersley.
This provoked a furious reply from Lord Kinnock who said: "Atavists like Peter Mandelson are indulging in the sort of factionalism that has inflicted such damage on our party in ancient and modern history. He should stop it now."
Whatever happens the new leader will have some egos to sooth once he or she takes office.
