176. How Close Are We To War With Iran? (Robert Malley)
16 February 2026
Going Fourth with JP
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Post
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2 May 2009
Greetings from Keighley, my home town, where John Prescott and I have been out with Labour MP Ann Cryer, canidate to succeed her Jayne Thomas, and candidates for the European elections on June 4 (or July 4 as John kept saying on his battlebus megaphone).
He may get his dates muddled, but he can still show politicians half his age a thing or two about street campaigning.
The mood was pretty good, helped by the kind of weather I don't remember much from my childhood. Hot and sunny, with not a breath of wind in the air. JP rectified the last of these factors as we spoke to a crowd in the town centre.
JP never tires of reminding people of the pledges we made at previous elections, because we met them. And that is the key to trust in politics.
But he also knows it is always about the future, and the policy choices faciing the country.
If there was ohe thing I learned from JP down the years it is that the politics of ideas have to be matched to the politics of organisation. It is what got Obama elected too.
Labour is going to have to be better organised than ever this time, and it will not be easy.
The best thing about the Keighley visit was not the weather, or the banter with John, but the presence of a group of teenagers, all members of the Youth Parliament, who had a passion for politics and were glad to be out campaigning for Labour.
We're now on our way to Leeds for another event on JP's Bank Holiday Weekend batttlesbus tour. If I have to listen once more to his line that he thumped that bloke in Wales 'because Alastair told me I had to connect with the electorate'... I'll thump him.
Bloody hell Alastair, that was fast. Hope your not Blogging and driving.
What a vibe this blog has!! Great news about the youngsters! And the ending is really funny! 🙂
Well done to both of you for showing that it is possible to be part of the old regime but supportive of the new one. Charles clarke please take note.
That’s twice in a month you’ve been -are you homesick? Or just overnighting before your big match tomorrow. Good Luck – and I say that as a Leeds fan
Glad it’s going well. I so prezza on the news telling messers Clark & Blunkett to stop complaining and get campaigning. Hope you’ve got your pass signed for tomorrow.
Up the Clarets.
Ian
I had the “pleasure” of driving John on a few ocassions ten years ago when I worked (briefly0 for the Party. Driving to Wales we accidentallly hit him on the head with the car boot and thought we had nearly killed him. But he forgave us and gave us sandwiches at his house at the end of the day.
Then we lost him in Armthorpe in Doncaster, finally locating him in a chip shop and one another ocassion we were driving round Doncaster as he was on the megaphone but forgot to turn it off when commenting on some of the abuse.
A great bloke, if a little Gene Hunt at times!
Does JP remind the public of the vote on Lisbon that was promised?
There should be buses with all labour MPs on board to support John and the Go Fourth Team.
I’ve just read Polly Toynbee—She’s trying to get her message over to the party–
Maybe not what the Government likes to hear—In free-fall without a parachute,unassisted suicide, Drowning in the polls etc
She then informs her readers of The Conservative Home web-site—Anti abortion, Anti gay adoption, Married couples tax allowance that redistributes to the middle class,
only 15% see climate matters as important–They want to cut money to Scotland to move them to Independence etc etc
Promises of austerity & cuts
by Cameron are Thatcherite 1980’s
so LOOK WHAT’S COMING—and BE VERY AFRAID
I was slightly surprised to hear that Prescott apparently undressed 450 students today and ‘did’ another 300 last night. Fellow sex pest Russell Brand must be furious.
Oh, and you, Campbell, should be in jail.
Thanks to Alistair and JP for a very entertaining afternoon in Keighley — looking forward to more of the same.