Daring to speak at the party parties!

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics : app5

Two days ago nobody had heard of Walter Wolfgang. Now, at least here in Britain, virtually everyone has. This link leads to today's Independent newspaper where the man himself has his say!

As the first leaves start falling, it is clear that summer is over in Britain. The annual holidays behind, most people are busy hunkering down and getting back to work. Not so our beloved parliamentarians! They all take a few extra weeks to celebrate amongst themselves during something laughingly called the "Conference Season". But "confering" has little to do with it - it is more a time devoted to self-congratulation if not mutual masturbation. In the case of New Labour, it looks like the habit really has led to blindness.

The first party to party were the Liberal Democrats. They're the ones that usually get my vote and to be honest the delegates did actually get the participate. But influence? Well, most questions concerned the leadership and whether Kennedy was the right person to help them capitalise on recent gains. The leader's answer? "I'm going on!" and that was that.

The second party to party have been New Labour. For them, the party in government, the delegates might as well not have existed. Most of them were spin doctors and media stooges anyway! The chancellor, Gordon Brown, already lives in 10 Downing Street (Blair and family live in the more spacious number 11 apartments) and after eight years is clearly anxious to explore the rest of the building. He's about the embark on a year long nationwide tour to pursuade us all that it's a good idea. Whilst his leader does seem to envisage this transition in due course, for now he's having none of it. His answer to the assembed masses? "I'm going on!" and that was that.

Hidden in the more localised area of conference was Ken Livingstone - former party upstart but now a veritable institution as mayor of London. Despite questions about his own re-election not actually being on the agenda, he sought to reply all the same. The answer? "I'm going on!" and that was that.

Foreign secretary Jack Straw is clearly going on too, not that he saw fight to say so directly. Rather, he chose to justify his position and policies in a manner now deviod of idealogy or constructive purpose. When one of the few genuine conference delegates chose to interrupt the robotic speech for the purposes of participation, he was violently ejected from the room. And the speech? It just went on and that was that.

Except there was a glitch.

The assault on Walter Wolfang was captured on camera for all to see and the lie of conference was exposed. Simultaneously, an undercover operation revealed an astonishing amount of cocaine use at the event - far more than could be attributed to the nighclub bouncers who were handling security and the eviction of Walter Wolfgang. Just how many of those in attendence were also artificially removed from reality is a matter for speculation, but one is reminded of the Nazi elite of the 1930s.

The carnival's now over, but hopefully the memory of it's behaviour will run and run. Not however, go on and on.

The tories have got in on the act before their conference has even started. For them it is always about leadership as assorted relics and aspirants join the fray. After months of musing on a better way to elect one they've come to a conclusion. The answer? No change. "We'll just go on!"

Feminist artist Caroline Coon also has a new posting today. This time on Rock Against Racism and assorted tangents. Odd to think how at one time this was just the sort of thing the grassroots of the Labour party took an interest.

On a more optimistic note, Click Here to read about a plan to develop cheap clockwork laptops to bring technology to the third world.

Later.