John4Leader National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism.

doctordunc Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 09:51:26 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Shaw Theatre, Euston Road, London. Saturday 31st March, 12pm-4pm. Free Entry



A host of fantastic speakers, including:

John McDonnell,
Tony Benn,
Jeremy Corbyn,
Alice Mahon and many others;

A host of fantastic entertainers, including:

Ken Loach
1st of May Band
Steve Gribbin
'Jago' Panjabi Folk and Dance

Why not come along for a fantastic afternoon of politics and entertainment?

"Help us change the face of British politics"


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John4Leader National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. | 25 comments (25 topical)

National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#1)

by JamesM on Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 10:26:36 PM GMT

Would it be ungracious to enquire whether it is Benn, McDonnell, Corbyn and Mahon providing the comedy?


Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#2)

by doctordunc on Fri Mar 23, 2007 at 11:06:20 PM GMT

Not ungracious, but perhaps a tad predictable!  Having said that, they're all very entertaining speakers, so will undoubtedly give us a few laughs along the way.


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#3)

by JR on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 01:28:20 AM GMT

That's what I thought as soon I saw the title of this thread!

McDonnell's policies are the comedy and the music part involves singing 'We'll keep the red flag flying here' at every ten minutes.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#4)

by doctordunc on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 01:30:26 AM GMT


A predictable joke only gets funnier when repeated.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#6)

by JR on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 01:34:41 AM GMT

Whenever I listen to McDonnell, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Haha!


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#8)

by otware on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 01:46:10 AM GMT

Well at least he's got the guts to stand up for what he believes in. Not like Brown and his cronies who are all too keen to absorb failed Tory policy into their ideology if they think it will go down well with the electorate.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#11)

by JR on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 11:49:34 PM GMT

Well at least he's got the guts to stand up for what he believes in.

He's never been in a position of power so don't speak too soon.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#13)

by jonesythered on Sun Mar 25, 2007 at 02:01:26 AM GMT

John was deputy leader of London in the 1980s and was in charge of finances - i.e. he was basically the capital's chancellor of the exchequer.

So, you may wish to retract that statement...


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#14)

by JR on Sun Mar 25, 2007 at 03:15:53 AM GMT

No, rather I'll rephrase it.

He's never been in a position of real power (ie. not Mickey Mouse jobs), so don't speak too soon.


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#15)

by grimupnorth on Sun Mar 25, 2007 at 12:07:10 PM GMT

I don't think Ken Livingstone would have described being Leader of the GLC as a "Mickey Mouse job." John was  his Number 2  and responsible for a  multi-million budget.Thatcher hated what they were doing so much she abolished it.
Yet another vital nugget of Real Labour history which you didn't  know.


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#19)

by JR on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 06:04:57 PM GMT

Erm well actually I did know that Thatcher got rid of the GLC in 1986 along with all of the metropolitan county councils including my home county of Greater Manchester. Why on earth did you think I wouldn't know that?

Deputy leader of the GLC was a mickey mouse position - anybody outside of London wouldn't have cared less who he was. Ask any regular person outside of London to name a member of the Greater London Authority today and they wouldn't have a clue.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#23)

by grimupnorth on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 11:39:23 PM GMT

well JR you have really exceeded yourself in terms of pearls of wisdom, Sad 2 hear you come from near me,


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#24)

by JR on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 11:46:44 PM GMT

This coming from somebody who uses '2' for 'to'.

Sadly, labourhome has turned into the unofficial 'let's support John McDonnell' forum.

Get real grimupnorth, McDonnell is a hopeless loser. The fact that he was sacked by Livingston for being too left-wing amuses me no end. He stands about as much chance of winning as I do. I can't wait until he fails to get the 45 nominations and then the lefties can stop banging on about him.

Of course, I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that you live near to me. But fortunately, since Blair came to power, it's no longer 'grim up north', so maybe I can sell up and move somewhere further away and still get a good price for the house?


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#16)

by otware on Sun Mar 25, 2007 at 02:27:33 PM GMT

Well I disagree. Being in such a powerful position in th old GLC is much more epxerience of power and authority than most MPs ever have.


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#17)

by jonesythered on Sun Mar 25, 2007 at 02:45:47 PM GMT

Well, others have answered this pile of toss, so I'll leave it at that.

All I would say is that I don't see much point continuing to "debate" with these obnoxious and embarrassingly ignorant "rightwingers". I use the quotes because I don't people like JR or Loz are sufficiently politically literate for it to be possible to characterise their politics.

(Feel free to substitute "bile" for "politics"...)


[ Parent ]

Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#20)

by JR on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 06:06:26 PM GMT

blah, blah, blah. Change the record.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#18)

by jimmo on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 02:58:02 PM GMT

And John McDonnell wanted to stand up to Thatcher on the budget, but Livingstone was having none of it. It was illegal, and Ken wanted to be respectable. So he sacked John. An honourable discharge, IMO.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#21)

by JR on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 06:12:54 PM GMT

Hardly an honourable discharge if he was being sacked for an irresponsible budget which would have worsened Labour's image even more than it was.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#9)

by grimupnorth on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 07:22:36 AM GMT

I get the same feeling when I hear Gordon Brown but on the whole it's pretty tear-jerking stuff. Especially  if you're a  low-paid worker or a public sector employee.You won't be laughing at the next election JR if Brown   is running the show.See today's Guardian. The New Labour pundits are in despair. Ha bloody ha.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#10)

by otware on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 10:47:33 PM GMT

Poor old Gordon will be the new Michael Foot. If I wasn't so saddened at the prospect of David Cameron as PM I'd be laughing.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#12)

by JR on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 11:51:49 PM GMT

New Labour pundits should be in despair since Brown's going to ruin all the good work they've done.

Brown may will bring tears to my eyes, but McDonnell would make me choke on my own rage if he ever gets into power (which of course he won't).


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#5)

by otware on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 01:34:23 AM GMT

Hey! The Red Flag is a great song! In my fantasy world the Red Flag and the Internationalé are competing for no1 in the charts.


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Re: National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. (#7)

by JR on Sat Mar 24, 2007 at 01:36:28 AM GMT

Gee...move over 50 cent and Kanye West!


[ Parent ]

Re: John4Leader National Rally: Comedy, (#22)

by davidfloyd on Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 06:29:31 PM GMT

"And John McDonnell wanted to stand up to Thatcher on the budget, but Livingstone was having none of it. It was illegal, and Ken wanted to be respectable. So he sacked John. An honourable discharge, IMO."

Yes, I do think it's a bit of a shame McDonnell hasn't run on the slogan: "The man Ken Livingstone sacked for being too left-wing."

Agree, though, that McDonnell's position at the GLC was hardly 'a mickey mouse job'.

Not clear of the relevance of whether people outside London had heard of him.

Most people haven't heard of most of the present cabinet.

 


Re: John4Leader National Rally: Comedy, (#25)

by grimupnorth on Tue Mar 27, 2007 at 01:37:56 PM GMT

Ken Livingstone decided he wanted to be an MP and did the dirty   on his former comrades.
Reg Freeson, then the  sitting MP in Brent East, actually didn't deserve to be de-selected but Ken's shenanigans saw him off.
Ken's "form" is much like Michael Meacher's, who decided he wanted to be in the Cabinet and made principled gestures like voting at the NEC  against  formally supporting the NUM in 1985. Ancient history maybe but some  of us on the left have very  long memories
 


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John4Leader National Rally: Comedy, Music and Socialism. | 25 comments (25 topical)