Is there hope at last?

A new internet campaign has begun to remove Tony Blair (www.iwontvoteblair.com) as an alternative to impeachment. The basic philosophy is that you can’t personally vote Tony Blair out unless you live in Sedgefield, but his MPs can make him resign. The only reason they’ll get rid of him is if he’ll lose the election. They will lose their seats if you don’t vote for them - that’s motivation! All you are asked to do is write to your MP and clearly state, ’I promise I won’t vote for a party with Tony Blair leading it’ and tell all your friends to do the same.

Should I put my name to this, or just hope that Tony Blair and his capitalist clique are just a bad dream?

Yours

Which Blair Project?

Dear Which Blair,

Haven’t you learned yet that Auntie is a cynic? And that Blair is not going anywhere? As much as I would love for the bastard to be expelled, let’s be realistic. Not a single Labour MP has had the balls to support impeachment - why the hell would emails from you and your mates make them change their mind? They didn’t when war actually started. And even when we had the chance, not a single pro-war MP was deselected.

Unfortunately buddy, you’re not alone. Former independent MP Martin Bell is trying a similar ’will-fail’ tactic - he’ s trying to get Blair’s opponents in Sedgefield to unite around one anti-Blair independent. The Tories and Lib Dems just laughed in his face. Which is what Auntie is doing now at the ’I Won’t Vote Blair’ website. (It’s not exactly an eye-pleaser; its webmaster would do well to take a peek at this month’s ’Guerilla Guide’.)

What worries me most is the crap response on the site to the FAQ, ’Won’t we just get Gordon Brown, Michael Howard or Charles Kennedy instead’? ’Probably. This is about democracy.’ Yeah, well, maybe if the left tried to focus on providing an alternative then we might not think we were voting in vain. Or fought for good ol’ proportional representation so our votes counted. These things won’t come soon (or ever), Auntie despairs, so why not use your energy to fight Blair and co at next year’s G8 in Scotland? Otherwise, you could just foment revolutionary hot air for another four years.

1 November 2004

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Also on Labour Party:

Editorial: Parallel worlds by Hilary Wainwright (February 2009)
Criticism is not enough by Jeremy Gilbert (January 2009)
Editorial: A place for the left by Hilary Wainwright (September 2008)

Also in this section:

Rocking for revolution by Mike Marqusee
Spin your own web by Fola Yahaya
America’s new radicals by Gary Younge
Boom or bust in Washington by Max Fraad Wolff, Richard Wolff
Rethinking capitalist crises by Sam Gindin
Taking the pledge by Melanie Jarman
A Forum of contradictions: the 3rd ESF by Oscar Reyes
Information super-highwaymen by Dave Jones
Power and the State by John Holloway
Challenge the state, don’t reclaim it by Sarah Young
Change the World by Transforming Power - Including State Power! by Hilary Wainwright

Red Pepper magazine, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ. Tel (+44) 20 7281 7024

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	Please support Red Pepper, make a donation today	Is there hope at last? A new internet campaign has begun to remove Tony Blair (www.iwontvoteblair.com) as an alternative to impeachment. The basic philosophy is that you can’t personally vote Tony Blair out unless you live in Sedgefield, but his MPs can make him resign. The only reason they’ll get rid of him is if he’ll lose the election. They will lose their seats if you don’t vote for them - that’s motivation! All you are asked to do is write to your MP and clearly state, ’I promise I won’t vote for a party with Tony Blair leading it’ and tell all your friends to do the same. Should I put my name to this, or just hope that Tony Blair and his capitalist clique are just a bad dream? Yours Which Blair Project? Dear Which Blair, Haven’t you learned yet that Auntie is a cynic? And that Blair is not going anywhere? As much as I would love for the bastard to be expelled, let’s be realistic. Not a single Labour MP has had the balls to support impeachment - why the hell would emails from you and your mates make them change their mind? They didn’t when war actually started. And even when we had the chance, not a single pro-war MP was deselected. Unfortunately buddy, you’re not alone. Former independent MP Martin Bell is trying a similar ’will-fail’ tactic - he’ s trying to get Blair’s opponents in Sedgefield to unite around one anti-Blair independent. The Tories and Lib Dems just laughed in his face. Which is what Auntie is doing now at the ’I Won’t Vote Blair’ website. (It’s not exactly an eye-pleaser; its webmaster would do well to take a peek at this month’s ’Guerilla Guide’.) What worries me most is the crap response on the site to the FAQ, ’Won’t we just get Gordon Brown, Michael Howard or Charles Kennedy instead’? ’Probably. This is about democracy.’ Yeah, well, maybe if the left tried to focus on providing an alternative then we might not think we were voting in vain. Or fought for good ol’ proportional representation so our votes counted. These things won’t come soon (or ever), Auntie despairs, so why not use your energy to fight Blair and co at next year’s G8 in Scotland? Otherwise, you could just foment revolutionary hot air for another four years. 1 November 2004 If you would like to reuse an article from Red Pepper either in print or online, please contact us first. There are many options available, with free usage for non profit campaign groups and activist blogs - just tell us first! Please support Red Pepper, make a donation today Mail a friend about this article, "Is there hope at last?" or post it to: Delicious Facebook StumbleUpon reddit Shoutwire newsvine NowPublic Digg	Also on Labour Party: Editorial: Parallel worlds by Hilary Wainwright (February 2009) Criticism is not enough by Jeremy Gilbert (January 2009) Editorial: A place for the left by Hilary Wainwright (September 2008) Also in this section: Rocking for revolution by Mike Marqusee Spin your own web by Fola Yahaya America’s new radicals by Gary Younge Boom or bust in Washington by Max Fraad Wolff, Richard Wolff Rethinking capitalist crises by Sam Gindin Taking the pledge by Melanie Jarman A Forum of contradictions: the 3rd ESF by Oscar Reyes Information super-highwaymen by Dave Jones Power and the State by John Holloway Challenge the state, don’t reclaim it by Sarah Young Change the World by Transforming Power - Including State Power! by Hilary Wainwright


Red Pepper magazine, 1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ. Tel (+44) 20 7281 7024