Local and European Election Results

No denying it- that was awful with a capital A for Labour.

Why we did so badly

1. We've been in power for 12 years. People tend to get sick of any government after 12 years.
2. The economy is in a mess.
3. The MPs expenses scandal.
4. Hazel Blears, a woman who should never get near a ministerial box again, stabbed Gordon Brown the day before the election.
5. Our voters didn't turn up.
6. The other lot did.
7. Infighting.
   

What do we do now

The first and most important thing is to stop this infighting, which just generates bad press. We are not going to win the general election with Gordon Brown, but we are not going to win it with anyone else either. The only thing we can do now is damage control- limiting the Tory majority.

I suggest that Mr. Brown subjects himself to a leadership contest like Major did in 1995. Whoever wins, the other side accepts that and supports them. If no-one gets the necessary support among MPs, so be it. Let's get this stupid thing over with.

I suggest we drop ID cards. More trouble then they're worth frankly. The Tories will only do it when they come in otherwise.

We need to focus our resources on the seats we can actually win. If this means not contesting places, so be it. We need to save money.

We also need to find ways to get our message across that do not involve the press. The Tory media don't care about our message- they never have.

Finally, we need to prepare for 2013/4. That's the key election for us.