A Basket of Deplorables

The American Democratic Party has been defeated in the person of the most economically neoliberal and internationally neoconservative nominee imaginable. From the victory of Donald Trump, to the Durham Teaching Assistants’ dispute, the lesson needs to be learned. The workers are not the easily ignored and routinely betrayed base, with the liberal bourgeoisie as the swing voters to whom tribute must be paid. The reality is the other way round. The EU referendum ought already to have placed that beyond doubt.

There is a need to move, as a matter of the utmost urgency, away from the excessive focus on identity issues, and towards the recognition that those existed only within the overarching and undergirding context of the struggle against economic inequality and in favour of international peace, including co-operation with Russia, not a new Cold War.

It is worth noting that working-class white areas that voted for Barack Obama did not vote for Hillary Clinton, that African-American turnout went down while the Republican share of that vote did not, and that Trump took 30 per cent of the Hispanic vote. Black Lives Matter meant remembering Libya, while Latino Lives Matter meant remembering Honduras. 

The defeat of the Clintons by a purported opponent of neoliberal economic policy and of neoconservative foreign policy, although time will tell, has secured the position of Jeremy Corbyn, who is undoubtedly such an opponent. It is also a challenge to Theresa May, to make good her rhetoric about One Nation, about a country that works for everyone, and about being a voice for working people.

David Lindsay, 2017 council candidate and 2020 parliamentary candidate, Lanchester, County Durham; @davidaslindsay

George Galloway, former Member of Parliament for Glasgow Hillhead (1987-1997), Glasgow Kelvin (1997-2005), Bethnal Green and Bow (2005-2010), Bradford West (2012-2015); @georgegalloway 

Neil Clark, journalist and broadcaster; @NeilClark66 

Ronan Dodds, writer, broadcaster and activist, Newcastle upon Tyne; @RonanDodds 

James Draper, writer, broadcaster and activist, Lanchester, County Durham 

John Mooney, writer, broadcaster and activist, Lurgan, County Armagh; @FitzjamesHorse 

Mietek Padowicz, writer, broadcaster and activist, Newcastle upon Tyne; @scurvytoon 

Aren Pym, writer, broadcaster and activist, West Cornforth, County Durham; @arenpym 

Adam Young, writer, broadcaster and activist, Burnopfield, County Durham; @JustALocalSerf

Equal Pay Day?

Not for the Durham Teaching Assistants, most of whom are women, it isn't. But there is, of course, money for a cricket club that furnishes senior Councillors and Officers with a private box. Councillor Simon Henig CBE? Clearly, CBE stands for Cricket Before Education.

Oh, well, Donald Trump won the Rust Belt. So kicking out enough triangulating Third Way throwbacks to take Durham County Council to No Overall Control should be a doddle. Call that Equal Payback Day.

Swings and Roundabouts

From the Durham Teaching Assistants' dispute, to the victory of Donald Trump, the lesson needs to be learned, and learned the hard way.

The workers are not the easily ignored and routinely betrayed base, with the liberal bourgeoisie as the swing voters to whom tribute must be paid.

The reality is the other way round.

Support The Teaching Assistants Tomorrow

Support the Teaching Assistants at County Hall from 9am tomorrow.

And then march to the Miners' Hall at Redhills for a rally at 12 noon, to be addressed by the President of the ATL and by the General Secretary of Unison.

A Strategic Dispute With A Hostile Employer

Lanchester people, get yourselves to the EP School (if you're from round here, then you know) for 8am tomorrow, to join the Teaching Assistants' picket of the school of which Ossie Johnson is a governor. Media expected.

Everyone, get yourselves to County Hall for 9am on Wednesday, and then to the Miners' Hall at Redhills for a rally at 12 noon, to be addressed by the President of the ATL and by the General Secretary of Unison.

Unison has released £150,000 from its Industrial Action Fund to support the Durham TAs, describing this as "a strategic dispute with a hostile employer." The largest Labour Group in local government, massively dominating the longest-standing Labour council of them all. With the Leader of the Labour Party openly and publicly on the other side, the side of the workers.

As am I. And as I shall remain. Up to, through and beyond next May's elections.

Aviva Community Fund

Please vote for Butsfield and District Young Farmers.

The Nasty Party

There are two Labour Parties.

One is the party of Jeremy Corbyn, the party that stands in silent vigil outside Durham County Hall throughout working hours during this half term holiday week. The other is the party that skulks therein or in its private box at the Riverside, bailing out Durham County Cricket Club while sacking the Teaching Assistants in order to reappoint them on a 23 per cent pay cut.

One is the party of Jeremy Corbyn, the party that last night sought to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia because of the war in Yemen. The other is the party of the 98 Labour MPs who abstained, so that the motion was defeated by 90 votes.

One is the party of Jeremy Corbyn, the party that will contest the Richmond Park by-election, one hopes in the person of Barnaby Marder. The other is the party that expels people for retweeting the Greens, while demanding that Labour give the Liberal Democrats a free run at Richmond Park.

Whereas the real cheering on of the Lib Dems ought to be with a view to the re-election of their members, and of the Independents, on Durham County Council. Together with the removal of the 57 Nasty Party members who are doing to the Teaching Assistants what Margaret Thatcher did to the miners.

In some places, their removal by Lib Dems. In rather more, their removal by Independents, including those of us who, as supporters of the Leader of the Labour Party, can reasonably claim to be the real Labour candidates. And their removal by Conservatives in a certain number. The four sitting Conservative Councillors did at least abstain. By all means let them defeat a few members of the Nasty Party.

The aim must be to take Durham County Council to No Overall Control, to put together an administration including everyone apart from the Nasty Party, and to fly the Teaching Assistants' flag from County Hall every day thereafter.

We are trying to persuade Ken Loach to make a film about the Teaching Assistants, of whom he is a firm supporter. What an ending that would be, a shot of their flag's triumphant fluttering over a County Hall liberated from the Nasty Party. Even if he did not make that film, then someone will. I guarantee it.

Look at the poor press and broadcasting coverage that the party of Jeremy Corbyn receives, and remember that the Labour Party's Acting Head of Press and Broadcasting is the very personification of the Nasty Party.

I was going to write a criticism of Clive Lewis for his absence last night, and for his having joined in the call for a "Progressive Alliance" at Richmond Park. But Lewis is, as I am, a "mulatto", that being the preferred word of the Labour Party's Acting Head of Press and Broadcasting, who has directed it at me throughout the present century. Indeed, he has a directed a good deal worse than that at me during the present century.

Now living in London, he is easily as racist as Zac Goldsmith, and he is a threat to the physical safety of a very high proportion, perhaps even the majority, of the population of that world city. Look out for him.