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Is there hope at last?

A new internet campaign has begun to remove Tony Blair ([www.iwontvoteblair.com->http://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.

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November 2004



The crack pipe of peace Dear Auntie _ War, famine, economic depression and global warming - the idea that 'another world is possible' seems remoter than ever. Will we ever have a just and peaceful world? _ Desperate for peace, Preston

Learning by number Dear Auntie _ At one of the Gaza protests in London, Stop the War put the number of protesters at around 100,000 but the police insisted it was only 20,000. Can Auntie reassure me that the Met has a scientific methodology for estimating crowd numbers? _ Numberless in London

No hope Dear Auntie, All my left-wing friends seem to be overjoyed about Obama winning the US election, holding real hope that he will bring change, that he'll stop the wars, and that he'll somehow make America all cuddly and nice. But haven't we been here before? I'm getting flashbacks to the expectations people had of politicians like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, and how quickly they betrayed us. Is it terrible that I think Obama will be just more of the same? Hopeless, London


Co-operating with cuts in Lambeth Isabelle Koksal reports on how Lambeth’s ‘co-operative council’ is riding roughshod over co-operative principles in its drive for sell-offs and cuts in local services

Labour and the cuts: beyond the ‘dented shield’ The scale of coalition cuts means the very future of local public services is in jeopardy. Michael Calderbank asks whether Labour councillors can do more than offer verbal protest and practical acquiescence

Refounding the politics of labour Ed Miliband's speech had little to say on the unions. Hilary Wainwright urges the Labour leader to embrace a newly political trade unionism

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Red Pepper is a magazine of political rebellion and dissent, influenced by socialism, feminism and green politics. more »

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