There will always be some rivalry between Labour and the Greens, because they are competing for the same group of voters.
But if Labour and the Greens are going to form a government after the 2014 election, they will need to learn to work together, rather than quarrel over things that don't matter.
A couple of senior Labour people have been using Twitter this weekend to attack the Greens and Russel Norman because (oh the horror!) the Greens may or may not have changed their policy on mining.
This makes Labour look like a pack of clowns, and turns many supporters off. It should stop.
A lot of people have said they voted for the Greens rather than Labour in 2011, because they thought Labour were arrogant and acted like they had an automatic right to the left vote. The behaviour by the Labour insiders on Twitter this weekend seems to only reinforce such opinions.
Too many senior Labour people can't be trusted to exercise restraint when using social media. If they can't think of anything sensible to say when using Twitter or Facebook then they should say nothing.
Maybe it's time the party adopted a social media three-strikes policy for its senior people. Three stupid, negative and harmful posts and you lose all right to tweet, blog or Facebook post.
And there should be zero tolerance for any behaviour that reeks of self-entitlement.
Supporting Labour at the moment is like being a Black Caps fan. Sometimes the team rises to the occasion and exceeds all expectations. But mostly they look like a disorganised rabble. Still I support them, though don't ask me why, or for how much longer.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
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Good post Scott; as one who has supported the New Zealand cricket team for almost 50 years, I know just what you're talking about, and I share your frustration!
ReplyDeleteThe difference between the two though is that every once in a while the Black Caps clear out the deadwood and start fresh, often with not very good results but always with hope for the future. Many senior Labour MPs though appear to simply be hanging on for dear life at the expense of any sort of party regeneration, the 2011 list being the case in point.
ReplyDeleteThat's how it looks to me too Alex. Labour pretty much wasted last term rebuild-wise. Shearer is doing what he can but he's got a bit of learning to do seemingly without a lot of senior support from old old millstones.
ReplyDeleteAnd the troops don't help much either. Bizarrely I'm probably one of Shearer's better supporters at The Standard.
Agree 100% with Scott's post.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the response too often is that if non-Labour people like Keeping Stock and Pete George agree with a criticism of Labour, then (ergo) ... all critics iz righties! (never mind that those critics have included No Right Turn, Dim-Post, Bradbury, our host ... pretty much every leftish blog).
It was a constant theme on Red Alert, which is why I don't bother going there any more (does anyone?). If Labour MPs can't grasp the idea that LABOUR voters might get annoyed with stupid self-inflicted wounds, then they're just going to keep pi55ing people off. Not smart.