I come from a South Wales mining community which was let down in the 80s when Labour became more interested in fighting itself than fighting the Tories. We are in danger of doing this again.

Every time I read about a “high profile Labour MP” or “insider” privately complaining to Dan Hodges or other hacks I’m reminded on the great scene from the West Wing where Toby calls in the Campaign team on a Sunday:

“There’s an old saying: “Those who speak, don’t know; and those who know, don’t speak.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I know that by and large the press doesn’t care who really knows what as long as they’ve got a quote… 

We’re a group. We’re a team…We win together, we lose together, we celebrate and we mourn together. And defeats are softened and victories sweetened because we did them together…And if you don’t like this team… then, there’s the door…

It’s great to be in the know. It’s great to have the scoop, to have the skinny, to be able to go to a reporter and say, “I know something you don’t know.”

And so the press becomes your constituents and you sell out the team…“

I think any senior Labour figures briefing the press needs to decide who their constituents are.

Millions of voters up and down the country aren’t interested in Westminster’s Versailles like palace intrigue. Millions of voters up and down the country want Labour to use Westminster to empower them and to protect them… and if you don’t like it… then there’s the door.

I’m delighted that Labour Bristol stopped the Lib Dem steamroller. In my opinion it’s rarely that Garry Hopkins ever thinks twice. I’m also delighted the Green Party recovered a little sanity in the face of all other parties affording higher priority to green spaces than them and I’m delighted that Labour Bristol has delivered a manifesto commitment even when we are in opposition.

Like a lot of people he uses the term when he finds himself in hot water and confronted with a situation he can’t easily explain.

Here are some yes or no questions based on the statements I’ve made that he considers “lies”.  I’d invite him to answer yes or no and we’ll see how truthful I am.

1. Does paragraph 18 of this doc represent the position negotiated by the Green Party negotiator?

2. If, the answer above is no has the Party sought a clarification or amendment?

3. If, the answer to question 2 above is yes please publish that request for amendment.

4. Do you accept that the substance of para 18 means the Green Party negotiator agreed 38 green spaces should be sold without reference to neighbourhood partnerships?

5. 2 weeks ago when asked what your position on green space sales was did you tell me that you weren’t involved in the process and that you and the Green Party supported Tess’ negotiations?

6. Do you remember being asked at least twice to clarify your personal position of green spaces and you dodged the question twice? Here’s the screen grabs and here’s another to refresh your memory

7. Do you agree this is different from your stated position on Friday that “I am voting (always was) footer [sic] sell off to go to NPs…”

8. Would you agree that if this was always your position its odd that you didn’t say so back in October 29^th?

9. Have you deleted your previous tweets in support of Tess and dodging my questions on green spaces? Here is a screen grab from tweettunnel.com for the date in question with apparently missing tweets to help you answer

10. Would you agree that in apparently deleting tweets it gives rise to the inference you have something to hide?

11. Now that you have happily changed your mind and oppose your party leader’s negotiated position of some green spaces sales being made by the Council without reference to neighbourhood partnerships:

1. Have you asked her to vote against that position?
2. Will you ask her to vote against Green space sales?

12. Will Cllr Tess Green the Green Party leader vote to oppose green space sales and send all further decisions to neighbourhood partnerships? (Since it’s such and important issue maybe you could ask her?)

Hopefully you’ve answered yes or no and managed to get through these questions without calling anyone a liar. Keep on spinning ;-D

A cross party committee was set up to resolve the issue. Initially Labour, Greens and Tories recognised how unpopular the Lib Dem parks sales were but then something happened.

The Bristol Green Party and other Green Cllr gave Cllr Tess Green authority to negotiate on the committee on their behalf.

We now have the incredible position that Labour and the Tories favour sending decisions on the disposal of green spaces to neighbourhood partnerships and THE GREENS and the Lib Dems favour a central sale of 38 sites in working class areas. It seems the Greens fight against a Costa on the leafy Gloucester Rd but not FOR the parks of working class Bristolians.

I can well understand Bristolians will not believe this so check out paragraph 18 of the proposal. The situation having been discovered and publicised Bristol Green Gus Hoyt reversed his previous support for Tess Green’s freedom to negotiate and said he would support decisions going to Neighbourhood partnerships and always had… this was despite previously refusing to comment on the matter.

The situation has been described to me by one anonymous Green Party member as the local party’s “Clause IV” moment and I’m told there are serious misgivings in the local party.

THE WORST thing about the situation is that due to illness the vote is looking very very tight. It would be a disaster if the motion fails but for Cllr Green not backing down from this position that runs contrary to everything most people think the Greens stand for.

What can you do? You can lobby Tess Green here  and ask her to change her vote and send decisions to local people and you can lobby and email Gus Hoyt and ask him to persuade the other 1/2 of his Bristol Party to change her mind.

So what’s happened in the meantime? Sadly I lost in Bishopsworth. We got the biggest non general election vote in recent years and it goes to show what you can do with very limited resources available. There are no Tory or Lib Dem safe seats in Bristol. I was elected Chair of the Bristol Labour Party and we are currently in the process of selecting candidates and encouraging a broader range of participants. It looks like it’s working.

On a personal note Kat and I moved house and we now own (are owned by) a 4 month old Clumber Spaniel called Herbie (Morrison) Lewis. He is without a doubt one of the most happy and destructive things I have enocuntered.

I’m currently compiling responses with a view to arguing for more PCSO coverage in Bishopsworth, Highridge and Withywood and will blog on this more soon

In Bristol the Lib Dems have frozen funding for PCSOs so we only half about 1/2 off our full compliment. Members of the local Lib Dem cabinet like Cllr Jon Rogers complain about anti social behaviour but won’t fund measures to combat it.

Perhaps most shocking is this online map launched today by the Labour Party to detail front line Police cuts caused by this Tory Government. In a time of rising unemployment and economic depression we need to rely more not less on good effective community centred policing. This is a Labour issue. It’s the people on our estates and our communities who will suffer the most

<a href=”http://www.campaignengineroom.org.uk/police-map” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.labour.org.uk/images/policemap/policemap-sml.gif” alt=”See how damaging the police cuts are” border=”0″></a>

So I was interested in the many articles generated in the Evening Post and Bristol’s micro blogging sites. (Plainly someone in a government press office or the local Lib Dems are in over drive with the spin)

But I have a serious question for all those raving about this new scheme. Anyone thought about it logically?

People are going to be graduating from University with massive debts AND the figures for unemployment are rising AND the cost of living is going up with VAT AND various employment protections that offer you a decent payout if the worst happens are being abolished.

But it’s ok because despite the massive debt making you work for longer to save the money and not having a job to start with and the increased cost of living; you have to save a little bit less to purchase the house which will be liable to repossession if you ultimately obtain a job and this government’s savage cuts makes you redundant or have a knock on effect on the private sector!

I’m afraid its the usual con trick from the Tories and Lib Dems. Take one step forward as a distraction from 2 steps back. (see the fuel duty decrease of 1p coupled with the VAT increase of 2.5p as a good example)

Completely meaningless in the long run

Here’s a written copy of my speech to Full Council which I will be making from the public gallery tonight.

You can watch proceedings here form 6pm

You can also listen to Labour Leader Helen talk about our challenge to the Lib Dems on cuts here

Withywood Park

Many readers will already be aware of the Bristol Lib Dems’ mismanagement of the green spaces consultation.

Many of you will also be aware that when it came to debating this in the Council House the Lib Dems used their majority to steam roller opposition.

If we can collect 3,500 signatures we can force the Lib Dem cabinet into having a real debate. They can ignore the opposition parties but they can’t ignore the Bristol public.

Please take 30 seconds to sign here and verify the signature by clicking the email link sent to you.

Thanks