Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out

alexhilton Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 04:07:54 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Left wing Labour caucus Compass unexpectedly backed 42-day detention last night, when its parliamentary leading lights, John Trickett and Jon Cruddas voted for the controversial measure.

Trickett, under fire for this decision has resigned as parliamentary spokesman for the group. Leading left-winger John McDonnell is boycotting the up-coming Compass conference in response.






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Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out | 15 comments (15 topical)

Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#1)

by oratorhunt on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 04:51:57 PM GMT

Compass didn't back the 42 days - quite the opposite.  However, the Compass associated MPs are not forced to back the group's official positions by force of diktat.  So some Compass MPs like Emily Thornberry opposed, whilst others - including Jons Trickett and Cruddas - backed the government, as incidentally did a number of the Campaign group MPs.

Unfortunately, Jon felt that he no longer enjoyed the confidence of a significant number of the Compass rank-and-file to continue being their official spokesman in parliament.  This might be true of a vocal minority, but I think many people in Compass would like him to re-consider. 


Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#2)

by jkitleft on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 05:03:52 PM GMT

How many Labour MP's are members of Compass?


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#3)

by otware on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 05:09:26 PM GMT

I think he was right to resign. It's the only principled thing he's done in the last 24 hours. They should choose somebody who is less pro-government. What's the point of a group like Compass if their leading figures just kiss Brown's arse all the time?


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#4)

by e10rifles on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 05:21:57 PM GMT

I think the purpose of Compass per se is to kiss Brown's arse while occasionally giving out left-sound pamphlets at the same time.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#9)

by grimupnorth on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 01:59:49 AM GMT

I'll second that


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#5)

by oratorhunt on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 05:23:28 PM GMT

I disagree with the position of Trickett and Cruddas but I understand and respect their reasoning.  Who would have benefited if Brown had been defeated?  The Tories, certainly.  The ultra-Blairite phalanx of Byers, Milburn and Clarke angling to get their man into the driving seat and lurching even futher to the right than is already the case.  The proposals weren't automatically extending the 28 days to 42 days - that was a reserve power needing judicial oversight and parliamentary sanction.  And it wouldn't become law anyway because it would get knocked back in the Lords. 

So backing this particular vote was about keeping their powder dry and keep alive the very faint flicker of hope that the government might itself be led to move in a progressive direction.  Understandable if not supportable.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#15)

by Ian G on Sat Jun 14, 2008 at 04:21:43 PM GMT

A very sensible analysis, in contrast to the silly abuse from certain vocal members of the LRC above...


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#8)

by repub on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 11:39:54 PM GMT

This is stupid. He shouldn't be called "pro-government" on the basis of this particular vote.

If you look at the record in Compass, clearly Jon Trickett is the left-wing and Neal and Gavin are the right-wing.

Surely it was Jon who had to convince them to do anything on Trident or the agency workers bill...they must have thought it was far too old-fashioned Labour...


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#11)

by rwendland on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 10:31:59 AM GMT

Neal's latest CiF article suggests maybe he is turning more leftward: "must escape the Neverland of market fundamentalism". An interesting read, even though he does not talk detail policy. The likelyhood of a serious recesssion seems to have increased in the last few days, which will cause many to look more leftward. Sadly I think Brown is stuck in his ways - I was hopeful a year ago.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#12)

by e10rifles on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 10:37:08 AM GMT

Hopeful about Brown? Where have you been living for the last 15 years?

Anyway, I doubt anyone who remembers Lawson from his Bristol days will be taken in by his damascene conversion to socialism.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#13)

by rwendland on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 12:03:17 PM GMT

Yep, it was rather a naive hope! I had the hope that Brown had been doing the best he could within the constraints of Blair: Tax Credits and other quiet income transfers, holding back on MOD spending increases, limiting Foundation Hospital financial independence - and while not expecting socialism, hoped we'd have something more radical with Blair gone. How wrong - Alan Greenspan's account of an early meeting seems the more accurate:

"It appeared to me that Brown was the senior person. Blair stayed in the background while Brown did most of the talking about New Labour. Gone were the socialist tenets of postwar Labour leaders...Brown espoused globalisation and free markets and did not seem to be interested in reversing much of what Thatcher had changed in Britain. The fact that he and Blair had arrived at the doorstep of a renowned defender of capitalism (namely, me) solidified my impression"

Neal does seem to have the habit of running with (or just ahead of) the flow. That does make me dubious - maybe he is just a (not very successful - yet) career politician.

The Labour Left does need to get coherent and organised, with true leaders, over the next 2 years, otherwise it may be another opportunity missed.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#6)

by Wiseman on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 05:33:12 PM GMT

e10 this is what brown wants separate the centre-left and left, because if we unite he is sunk.  Lets give Cruddas and Trickett the stick they derserve but not the rest of the compass.

Remember collectivism is better than individualism!!

John


Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#7)

by otware on Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 07:21:59 PM GMT

This is what I have been trying to say regarding the Compass conference. Tarring ordinary members of Compass and Trickett/Cruddas with the same brush is not a good idea at all.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#10)

by lastword on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 10:06:12 AM GMT

Jon Trickett did the honourable thing in resigning.  There is no way I could imagine key members of Compass who are completely and utterly opposed to this policy wanting him to be their Chair after the way he voted.  I hope he stays involved in Compass but he cannot now represent the organisation with the authority he had before Wednesday's vote.


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Re: Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out (#14)

by compassoffice on Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 04:27:13 PM GMT

Compass didn't back 42 days, see: http://www.compassonline.org.uk/article.asp?n=2149. Alex the way this article is billed is at best misleading to say the least.


Compass backs 42 - Trickett forced out | 15 comments (15 topical)