Our policies have to flow from an understanding of the kind of society we want explains Jon Cruddas in the Independent today, he argues 'Elections are decided by which party can convince voters they have the right vision for Britain and the ideas to implement it. They are decided by which party can forge a message and consequential policy agenda that is emotionally in tune with the contemporary challenges of our time'.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/jon-cruddas-were-talking-a-language-thats-failing- to-resonate-834601.html

Thats it. I've had enough of the Tories, the Labour back stabbers. Get off Gordon's back. All he's got to do is reward the hard working class, then we will all rejoin the Labour Party. The party belongs to the working class and if the middle class swing voters don't like it, they can try their luck with the Tories - they'd soon regret it.

IF the Tories are going to win the next election the Labour government should reward their traditional supporters in advance of the dreaded middle class traitors who have done well off the backs of the low paid, under a Labour Party. Back to the future when voting Labour meant helping the underclasses gain the right share in the national cake.

It's a great idea and an electoral disaster

Well, to start off on a good note, Stroppyblog carries news that in Hackney, London, the Hackney gazette has decided not to publish advertisements by the BNP or to give any more column inches to a discussion on whether or not the BNP merits attack under the category "racist" or "fascist." It's nice to see that collective left wing action can still get things done, and it's one more step to stopping the BNP get a London Assembly member elected.

The Tories have apparently reported Jacqui Smith for her annoucement of extra Polcie to fight terror today, saying that it break electoral rules.

Compass are delighted to announce our post-elections debate taking place on Tuesday 6 May from 6pm in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, London.

According to today's Independent the next general election could take place on 11 June 2009

Leaders from across the centre-left, civil society and from all corners of the UK, have today urged every progressive voter; activist and organisation to get behind the campaign to re-elect Ken Livingstone, in a statement co-ordinated by Compass.

Very heartened how the elections went yesterday and even more so by the fact that the opposition parties have triumphed.

Whilst the reports rightly trumpet the success of Bhuttos's PPP and Sharif's PML(N) in the National Assembly elections, the untold story so is that the MMA (Islamic party) which ruled the North West Frontier with creeping Taleban legislation, has been trounced!

They have lost control of the Provincial Assembly to the Awami National Party (pashtun nationalist and secular) and PPP came in second.

The victory of democracy over fundamentalism at the ballot box is a great victory and shows the true secular spirit of the majority of Pakistanis. It shows why the radicals though will resort to assasination and intimidation to get their way.

At the National Assembly level, we have to hope that both the PPP of the late Bhutto and PML(N) of Nawaz Sharif can find an accomodation. PPP has yet to suggest a PM candidate - hopefully its not the Mr 10% Zaradari, Bhutto's widower, as that would be a step back.

There is still a long way to go for Pakistan, but this really is quite a milestone, albeit with much blood shed tragically along the way.

Compass and Progress are pleased to invite you to a crucial discussion on Labour's future direction entitled: Winning a fourth term: what's the road to victory? The debate is kindly hosted by the LGA Labour Group. Speakers include: Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government; Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, Former Home Secretary; Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass; Jon Trickett MP, Compass Parliamentary Spokesperson and chaired by Michael White, The Guardian (tbc). It takes place on Wednesday 19 March, 6pm-7.30pm at the Bevin Hall, Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ.

Click here to register

I am thinking of putting my name forward to become a councillor and thinking through the practicalities. Could anyone advise me what the likely workload is going to be?

On Newsnight in half an hour, more about Harman's role in this latest Labour funding scandal will emerge. When will it be time for more heads to roll?

With the recent lurches to the right by GB, and the general 'race to the bottom' to win the votes of Middle England over the last 10 years, it feels more than ever that we have to change our system to prevent 90 constituencies from deciding the outcome of general elections.

Will Parbury of Parburypolitica continues his look at constituency campaigning....

Will Parbury of Parburypolitica picks over the bones of constituency campaigning

From Parburypolitica ....  There is a perception that once a Lib Dem has got into a seat they are hard to shift. Unfortunately this perception is not entirely undeserved but I want to take a closer look at what common features of Lib Dem incumbency happen across seats when they make a gain from an opponant.

The Electoral Commission has produced its report on the May 2007 electoral pilot schemes: e-voting, electronic counting, advance voting. For e-voting the main recommendation is that "no further piloting should take place in the absence of a robust, publicly available strategy that has been subject to extensive consultation"; we need to "debate a robust electoral modernisation strategy". My take on it is that we've learnt all we can from rushed and somewhat amateurish trials (e.g. an untested wireless electronic polling station network being used on the big day). E-voting does not seem to boost turnout in the pilots.

The Guardian today reports that trials of 'e-voting' by telephone and internet had a 'significant and unnaceptable' security risk according to the Electoral Commission. I ask, what's wrong with taking democracy seriously instead of treating it as an inconvenience or an imposition?

As the Deputy Leadership contestants formally declare their candidacy, as Labour members we are now finally getting to judge who has the most to offer the new Leader in his efforts to renew the party’s appeal. 

But suppose that, as the contest develops, it emerges that your preferred candidate has little chance of emerging as the victor?