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Pipe down, Harman tells heavyweights
Joe Murphy6 May 2009
Harriet Harman today accused former ministers of ganging up on Gordon Brown and said they risk wrecking Labour's chances of winning a fourth term in government.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, the party's deputy leader said ex-Cabinet heavyweights should stop indulging in being "political pundits".
"It's important that we can reassure people we are listening to their concerns," she said. "We don't want anybody who is part of Labour's team in Parliament giving people the impression that we are anything other than completely focused on giving the help they need at this time."
She spoke after Labour grandees Charles Clarke, David Blunkett and Stephen Byers all criticised the Prime Minister's ability to get his message across.
"We are politicians not commentators," warned Ms Harman. "I'm here to listen to what people say and try to make a difference in their lives. I'm not a political pundit commenting on my colleagues, it's not my job."
Ms Harman praised Mr Brown as the best person to "get a grip" on the economic crisis. "Gordon Brown is that person," she insisted.
The Commons leader was speaking before launching in Southall a Labour Party campaign urging black and Asian people to use their votes in the European elections on 4 June or risk the far-Right British National Party gaining a seat as an MEP for the region.
She said a shock BNP victory was a genuine possibility and a "frightening prospect" for a city that prided itself on diversity and a cosmopolitan outlook. "Unless we can get people to wake up to their democratic right to vote, they could wake up in the morning after the election and find they are represented by a racist," she said.
"London is a diverse city, representing diverse communities. We don't want the BNP representing it.
"Although they dress up in suits, they are as racist as they ever were."
In the 2004 Euro-elections, the BNP polled four per cent in the capital, with 76,152 votes. But the party's leadership has exploited fears over immigration, Islamist extremism and the recession to target voters in white working-class estates. The anti-fascist magazine, Searchlight, has listed London as one of six regions where there the BNP could win a seat on a share of roughly nine per cent.
Ms Harman portrayed her campaign as an attempt to rally "people of good faith" and said she would hold talks with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. However, when asked if anti-Labour protest voters should back one of the mainstream Opposition parties rather than the BNP, she would not answer.
"I think we want a high turnout and we want people to vote Labour," she said.
The Commons Leader made clear she thinks the system of regional lists, a form of proportional representation introduced by Labour for Euro-elections, should be scrapped. Critics always said the system would open the door to the far-Right to win seats.
"We are not changing the system before this election," she said, implying that it could be axed afterwards. "At this point I'm not saying 'Let's blame the system', I'm saying let's work to make sure people understand the dangers."
Reader views (5)
So the Harpy is not happy.
Well excuse me, but Ms Harpy wants NuLab to "consider the peoples concerns"?
They have had 12 years to consider, cogitate, and examine "peoples" concerns, and have not listened. Now the time is right to consign these "workers" for the "common man" to the dustbin of room 101.
While I am on here, PR voting!!!
The only means that the "common man" has to break the chain of a tweedledum tweedledee Parliament. Your turn, my turn, your turn etc...
Well, as far as I am concerned all 648(if I am correct) MPs can go down the dole office for all I care, they are nothing but conniving, avaricious thieves, and deserve nothing more. God luck finding a job as well paid as the one you have just lost.
- John Mills, Kent, 07/05/2009 00:05
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"We are politicians not commentators,"
"I'm here to listen to what people say and try to make a difference in their lives."
She wouldn't know a politician if it jumped up smacked in the face and yes you are making a difference to our lives, you're making it more miserable.
- Beowulf, England, 06/05/2009 23:39
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It sounds as if Harriet is trying to suck up to Gordon in the hope that he won't fire her in the reshuffle.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK, 06/05/2009 17:12
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Hmmm... it won't be the critics of McBean who will lose the next election. The government will have done that themselves. It's called 'Cause and Effect'.
As a white male, I am now legally discriminated against in the workplace - I didn't serve in HM's Armed Forces so that I can become a third-class citizen in my own country, thanks to this government's anti-white, anti-men racism.
A pox on all their houses.
- Lickyalips, Richmond, Surrey, 06/05/2009 15:42
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Hatty Harman states that ex-cabinet ministers risk wrecking labour's chances of winning a fourth term in government!!!!!! Labour haven't a hope in hell of winning a single seat at the next election.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 06/05/2009 11:13
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