Winegums wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25, 2018 1:08 pm
Remember when Tristram Hunt crossed a picket line to give a lecture?
Tristram Hunt was employed by the University in question at the time and did not join the strike as he was not a member of the union striking, though he supported their right to do so. He had an obligation to deliver a lecture for his students, who of course have to pay considerable fees for their courses, and chose to honour that. No one is obliged to join a strike, of course.
John McDonnell, while being paid to be an MP, chose to go to Scotland, not to meet with university bosses as arranged (which could perhaps have even helped bring about a resolution), and instead went and stood on a picket line as a publicity stunt.
So what was your point, exactly? That some people can support a cause while still fulfilling their role, while others will always put their right-on image ahead of working for their constituents when free?
Outside of certain political bubbles, most people view strikes as a pain in the fucking arse. Sometimes they are of course absolutely necessary, and sometimes they will be wholly or mostly backed by public support. But they're not the holy bloody grail of socialism that dinosaurs like McDonnell think they are. Hunt made a judgement call - perhaps in hindsight the wrong one, sure. But at least he thought about what obligations he had. I guarantee McDonnell didn't think for a second what to do, because he probably can't even comprehend the possibility of a strike not always being 100% justified. Or, it would seem comprehend the stupidity of a very senior shadow cabinet member coming over like a 1970s throwback being photographed with a bunch of striking students and greedy lefty lecturers (as certain parts of the press will spin it) the day before his boss delivers an incredibly important speech that could be the basis on which Labour will win the next election and/or see the beginning of the end of the May government.
By all means, lets have a left-wing government. But not one run by people whose political calendars stopped advancing when ABBA were still new to the hit parade, and not by those who can't help but walk into entirely self-inflicted heffalump traps visible from miles away by anyone who can be bothered to peer over the top of their red rose tinted glasses for a few seconds.