As we reach a new era, let us remind ourselves that a party divided against itself cannot stand

As I watched the results come in on Election Day, I knew from quite early on that Labour was heading for a defeat. While the election resulted in a Hung Parliament, there is no doubt that Labour lost. Given the poor performance of the Liberal Democrats, it was also clear that the numbers didn't add up for a Labour-Liberal alliance; and that sooner or later, David Cameron would take over from Gordon Brown as Prime Minister.

Of course, I would have preferred if Gordon remained Prime Minister. I believe that he was instrumental in saving the world, yes, world, economy from a much deeper recession, or even depression. His actions have been recognised by many foreign governments, but alas, our own electorate did not do so. I am happy that Gordon has decided to remain a backbencher for the time being, but nevertheless the future of our party now remains uncertain.

As Gordon made his resignation speech, the media was reporting that the era of New Labour was over. In my opinion New Labour never existed. For many Labour grassroots supporters in the last thirteen years we were still the Labour Party. This is to take nothing away from the achievements of the Labour governments from 1997 to 2010. During that time we have introduced the minimum wage, brokered peace in Northern Ireland, seen NHS waiting times cut dramatically, and the Labour Party can be pleased with what we achieved under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

This leadership election is the first since 1994, a political generation ago. The leadership candidates call for a much-needed renewal of the Labour Party. Renewal of our party does not mean prefixing it with another tag. Despite being a supporter of David Miliband, I do not take to his tag of 'Next Labour'; enough is enough, we always have been the Labour Party, and we always will be the Labour Party. Renewal means engaging with each and every member of our party, renewal means a realignment of our party so we once again reflect the People's interests. Renewal means forgetting about our differences and instead focusing on what unites us.

Finally, our leadership election needs to be a wide and far-ranging debate. Not only are there good cideas from the centre of the party, there are also good ideas from the left and right. Whichever direction our party takes, the new leader needs to keep our party united by taking good ideas from each part of the party. We need to keep ourselves away from the civil wars we had in the 1980s while thatcher and co. were destroying th ecountry. As the great American Abraham Lincoln said before the steps of the Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, "A house divided against itself cannot stand" - likewise a party divided against itself cannot stand, never mind win elections.

Fired up and ready to go!

As with all Labour Party events, notice is very short. I was notified about an event at around 5:00pm in the evening, within twelve hours I was setting out to the station in order to get to Labour Party campaign HQ in Victoria.

Having arrived promptly at campaign HQ at 9:30, we had brief respite until setting out on leafleting in Charing Cross station. By chance, just as we passed Downing Street, the Prime Minister had just got out and was on his way to the Palace at 10:00 to meet with the Queen at and dissolve Parliament.

At 10:30 we returned back to HQ and then took the tube to St Pancras station though had no idea what we were to do there. We waited and waited, for more than half an hour. Then rumours quickly started spreading that the Prime Minister was going to be going through and catch a train to Kent. Within minutes, the cameras were rolling, I, and many other Labour activists had managed to shake the Prime Minister's hand as he went past, which was terribly exciting for someone who had never seen a Labour MP in the flesh until last Friday.

Afterwards we returned to campaign HQ to hear a speech. Mr Alexander is the director of Labour's campaign, and spoke about Labour's pledges to secure our economic recovery, to establish a fairer society, and to continue investing in public services. Each and every time Labour had made the right decisions on the economy, and though we are the underdogs in this race and the Tories have Ashcroft's money, Labour have the greatest number of youth members of the other political parties - and David Cameron had lost 40,000 members during his tenure as leader. He concluded by urging Labour party members to engage with undecided voters, to listen to their specific concerns, and then to talk about how Labour would be the best choice.

Douglas Alexander was followed by Harriet Harman, who made a brief speech concentrating on a number of "F" words:

Future - How Labour want to transform Britain into a digital economy, and reform Parliament.
Fairness - How Labour would create a fairer society with greater social equality.
Fear - of a repeat of the 1980s under Thatcher.
Footsoldiers - The Tories might have Ashcroft's money, but Labour would directly engage with voters on the doorstep
Families - Child Tax Credits, Sure Start, Maternity and Paternity Leave, and much more.
Fighting - Even though we are the underdogs in this race, if we keep at the top of the game we can succeed.

Finally, the day was finished off with some leafleting on behalf of Transport Minister Sadiq Khan MP in his constituency in Tooting. This is a crucial seat that the Tories need to win to win an overall majority in Parliament. While I returned home exhausted after an eventful day, I knew that mentally I was fired up and ready to go for the election on May 6.

New ICM Poll

Just received news that a Guardian/ICM poll shows the following:

Conservatives 37% (-1)
Labour 33% (+4)
Liberal Democrats 21% (-2)
Other 9% (-1)

Based on a uniform swing, Labour would be biggest party in Parliament and around 30,40 seats from a majority. I know this is just one poll but it shows the election race is not over.

Thank you Chris Grayling for ruining your party's chances

VOTE LABOUR FOR A FUTURE FAIR FOR ALL

Sack Chris Grayling

While at the launch of the Labour poster yesterday, David Miliband talked about the difference between Camera-on and Camera-off. The Tories say one thing on their election posters but behind closed doors think totally different thoughts.

And so it has just chanced that Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling MP has come under scrutiny for being filmed saying that he would not mind owners preventing gays from staying in B & Bs. This is obviously unacceptable from a high ranking member in a party which has attempted to rebrand itself as standing for "compassionate conservatism". This latest comment shows that while they're still conservative, they are by no means compassionate. Homophobic Tories are also not new. David Cameron last year took the Conservative Party out of the mainstream of European conservatism into a group which contains homophobic parties and other right-wing extremists. The Tory leader also shamed himself in an interview with the Gay Times last month,

The silence of David Cameron is also astonishing. What is he going to do? Will he keep his Shadow Home Secretary? Tell him off? Or should he sack Chris Grayling from the Tory frontbench? The silence shows that the Tory leader himself is not sure. Why could this be? Is he busy with parliamentary business? Or is the whole party's stance similar to Grayling's and he knows that secretly compassionate conservatism would mean sacking most of his frontbench?

Therefore I have one thing to tell David Cameron; Sack Chris Grayling. Sack him so at least you still keep the image of compassionate conservatism even if most of your party are not compassionate conservatives. The longer the Tories keep Chris Grayling in the Shadow Cabinet, the more damaging it would be for the party at the election.

For more information regarding Grayling's comments, visit http://www.labourlist.org/grayling-b--bs-should-be-able-to-turn-away-gay-couples

Don't go back to the 1980s - Labour's new poster

Last night I saw leaked images of the new Labour poster. The party had run a competition open to party members to design this poster. The competition was won by Jacob Quagliozzi from St Albans, whose design was implemented by the ad agency Saatchi and Saatchi. The poster depicts the politically incorrect Gene Hunt from Ashes to Ashes with David Cameron's faced imposed upon it. Reviews were not kind to the poster, with even Labour members criticising. Which is just as well when I learned that I would be in the audience at its formal unveiling.

This was the first major Labour event I attended, and I was obviously very excited at the chance to meet David and Ed Miliband, who are two of my most admired politicians. It was only when we arrived at the event when we were told what was happening, and I for one was slightly intimidated by the TV cameras scattered round the room.

The Miliband brothers stood in front of a digital image of the poster, which is how it would appear on billboards across the country. Both said the underlying theme of the poster was clear; we do not want a return to the Tory government of the 1980s. They spoke of personal experiences of having gone to school where pupils had to share exercise books, without a formal school building. All that has changed. In this time we a truly blessed with a Labour government that helps all sorts of people from different backgrounds, in education, health, social services, and many other areas.

There are those of my age who argue why I should care so much about this. After all, I was only born in 1994, I had never experienced first-hand what the Thatcher government was like. But I have heard stories from people who have done. David Miliband said having lived through the 80s once was bad enough, living through two would be worse. History tells us that during the Tory recession in the 1990s, unemployment rates are four times lower than they are now. And Labour's investment have brought us on a path to recovery, and it is the Tories who threaten our economic recovery, built not only by the Labour government, but hard work and toil from the British people. Workers were willing to work longer hours for less pay so their fellow workers could stay in employment. The British people take their own initiative, but government provides encouragement.

But if the Tories gain power, all this would be in vain. Cutting public services where it hits hardest is putting our fragile economic recovery at risk. Only when our recovery is secure can we afford to start the hard work of cutting our deficit, while we still have to make difficult decisions on what to cut and what to keep. We learn from history. During the three-term Labour government, there have been less days lost to strike than the Tories had in a single year. That is what real change means. And that is why we must learn from history. After all, why are history lessons concentrated on the brutality of the Nazi regime? Because we can learn that we must not get ourselves into such a situation again.

David Cameron knows that the people don't want to be back in the 1980s. Which is why he is trying to distance himself from Thatcher and offer "compassionate conservatism". Or at least, that's what he's trying to make the people believe. When the camera is on, the Tory leader talks about punishing the bankers and keeping taxes low, but behind closed doors he leaves the mainstream of European Conservatism and puts himself on the fringes of Europe with parties on the extreme right, homophobic, racist parties, and even a Latvian party which honours the Waffen SS. Are these allies we as a nation want in Europe?

Therefore, no matter what you think of the poster, it sends a strong message: If you want to go back to a time of high unemployment, regular strikes like we had in the 1980s, vote for the Conservative Party. But if you want to avoid such an outcome, no matter how much you dislike some of the Labour Party's decisions such as going to war in Iraq, look at what the Tories are really offering. The Europhobe Daniel Hannan MEP is co-writing the Conservative Manifesto. The same Daniel Hannan who went on FOX News in the United States and called the NHS "a 60-year mistake". Even David Cameron had to denounce that, claiming Hannan is just a member who does not represent the views of the party, despite writing the manifesto.

And so to conclude, take a long, hard, look at the Conservative Party. Make sure you look beyond David Camera-on, but David Camera-off, when you'll find that the Tories have not really changed at all. And take another look at the Labour Party. Yes, we have been in office for three terms, yes, there have been mistakes made, yes, the public might have been misled once or twice - but no government can ever be flawless. No matter how much you have lost faith in the Labour Party, just remember that it's a better alternative to the painful 1980s.

They think it's all over... it isn't yet

I don't think anyone one in the Labour camp would have predicted this a year ago. However, despite having handled the deepest recession since the 1930s, despite being in office for thirteen years, despite the Conservatives believing they had an easy ride into No. 10, the new YouGov/Sunday Times poll predicts Labour will win the election being a few seats short of a majority, with the Conservatives at 37% and Labour at 35%.

Of course, it is wrong to base all calculations on a single poll, but there has been a clear trend of the gap between Labour and the Conservatives narrowing since January, when the poll lead was around the 10% mark, through to early February, when the margin had been reduced to 6%, and now to 2%. What could be the reason for this dramatic fall in Conservative support?

A week ago, while launching the general election campaign, Gordon Brown asked voters to take a hard look at the Conservatives and another look at Labour. Perhaps the latest poll is an indication that people do not like Conservative ideas and feel that despite a number mistakes in the last thirteen years of Labour governance, it would still be preferable to a Conservative government. There are those who can still remember the Thatcher and Major years, and would not like to go back.

The Conservatives are promising tax cuts, and also to reduce the deficit. However, in order to pay for this there would be have to be tax rises elsewhere and a big sledgehammer would be thrown over our public services. The fact that David Cameron has have a poster saying he will not cut the NHS, suggests the more likely he will.

What many people do not realise is that despite the United Kingdom emerging out of recession later than most other countries, the British government played an important role in revitalising the world economy. It was Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling's plan to inject £75 billion into the British economy that triggered the stimulus in the United States, which has saved millions of American jobs. If Britain did not act, and action not taken so fast, the world could have gone into a deeper recession.

Another reason for Labour's resurgence in the polls could be due to unfounded political attacks on Gordon Brown. Andrew Rawnsley's book "The End of the Party" alleges that Gordon Brown was bullying his staff. Not only are these allegations completely unfounded and a work of fiction, it is an attack at Gordon Brown which the people do not want leading to a general election. It is clear why Rawnsley is making such a fuss about this, he wants to make himself a lot of money and increase his book sales. However, the people are now tired of this and as Peter Mandelson says, to be angry at times shows that the Prime Minister cares about his job, and cares about the course where Britain is heading. At a time of economic recession, surely one wouldn't want a Prime Minister who isn't alarmed by the fact that stocks have fallen 10% in one day?

Therefore, there are a number of reasons why Labour would be rallying in the polls and could yet win a fourth term. The people have decided to take a hard look at the Conservatives, and they don't like what they see. While they also have reservations about Labour, they will still prefer if Labour would stay in power. The Conservatives' sums do not add up, and in order to make most of their promises would have to cut a number of frontline services. The people are also tired of political attacks and accusations, and feel that Gordon Brown has been portrayed unfairly by the media, and find that Gordon Brown is in fact a better leader and more qualified than David Cameron.

Watch this space and get ready for a Labour poll lead.

Don't underestimate the Labour Party

War in Iraq and Afghanistan, Economic Recession, MPs Expenses, 13 Years in Office - just a few things that has caused a number of people to lose faith in the Labour Party, and led many to believe the Labour Party will lose the next election to the Conservatives, leaving David Cameron riding his bike to No. 10 like a knight in shining armour.

But not so fast - Recently polls have suggested that the gap between the Conservatives and Labour has been closing. David Cameron's airbrushed ad campaign has backfired spectacularly. There has been controversy regarding Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, Lord Ashcroft's tax status.

While the Conservative Party generally have more funds to fight elections, the Labour Party have always succeeded in getting people together to campaign on the doorstep. On Saturday, I went on my first canvass in Ipswich with local councillors and activists and despite the weather, turnout was better than expected. Initially I was seeing at how the experienced campaigners were doing it, and soon I managed to canvass my first voter, and a Labour supporter to boot. As I was going around, I realised why Labour still had a chance in the election, there were still many Labour voters, and although we lost a couple here and there, it was still uplifiting to see so many people supporting the party. Those who were unsure, we were able to say to them that while there were obviously failures, there were still many successes during our 13 year term as the majority party - Sure Start, Free Bus Pass, Child Benefit, investment in the NHS, and others. Even those who did not support us acknowledged our successes, and some said that although we were the better party "Some people just want change".

Nevertheless, it was still good to see that no matter what happens, this Labour government has managed to make things better for a number of people. While change is clearly needed, we can learn from our failures, and build on our successes, and change for the better. On the other hand, David Cameron's Tory party have few policies, and most of the ones they do have lead the country in the wrong direction. Tory change may be change, but it will be change for the worse, change to cut taxes for the rich and the way they will pay for this is to cut funding for social services. Is this the change we want? I believe that all of us who believes in a fairer and more equal society should send this simple message to David Cameron - "Thanks, but no thanks."