Hard left Corbyn receives public backing from 41 leading economists

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, August 24th, 2015 - 118 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, Economy, Globalisation, manufacturing, Privatisation, uk politics - Tags:

Jeremy Corbyn has just announced that under a Labour Government, state assets privatised by the Tories might be renationalised, with minimal compensation.

I can see a certain Tory Labour “centrist” clique frowning at the ‘extremist’ audacity Corbyn is engaging in. Clearly the man has no electability or credibility! Right?

But just as the Tory Labour/Blairite establishment is reaching a crescendo of panicked claims that Corbyn is unelectable, that his economics (“Corbynomics”) don’t add up, and that his views are extremist hard left – more than 3 dozen notable economists have come out to back his anti-austerity stance publicly as being totally mainstream, congruent with the position of the IMF, and designed to boost growth and prosperity.

From the Guardian:

More than 40 leading economists, including a former adviser to the Bank of England, have made public their support for Jeremy Corbyn’s policies, dismissing claims that they are extreme, in a major boost to the leftwinger’s campaign to be leader.

The intervention comes as the Corbyn campaign reveals that a Labour government led by the MP for Islington North would reserve the right to renationalise Royal Bank of Scotland and other public assets, “with either no compensation or with any undervaluation deducted from any compensation for renationalisation” if they are sold at a knockdown price over the next five years…

But with just under three weeks until Ed Miliband’s replacement is announced, Corbyn’s credibility receives a welcome endorsement as 41 economists make public a letter defending his positions.

More detail on the backing Corbyn received from these economists is available here:

In the letter to which Danny Blanchflower, a previous participant of the Financial institution of England’s financial plan board is a signatory, the financial experts compose: “The allegation is commonly made that Jeremy Corbyn as well as his advocates have actually transferred to the severe left on financial plan. However this is not sustained by the prospect’s declarations or policies. His resistance to austerity is really traditional economics, also supported by the conventional IMF. He intends to improve development as well as success.”

So, Corbyn not only has mainstream appeal – he also has appeal amongst mainstream economists. This is what true, traditional, left wing economic credibility looks like.

More to the point, this is what true left wing leadership and courage looks (and sounds) like. My bet is that the UK electorate recognises it with ease – as does the Tory Labour right wing – and the reaction is going to be strong.

118 comments on “Hard left Corbyn receives public backing from 41 leading economists ”

  1. Tautoko Mangō Mata 1

    “What the Corbyn moment means for the left
    At long last, the left is asking itself whether power without principle is worth having.”

    http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/08/what-corbyn-moment-means-left

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1

      The “electability” conversation is where it all becomes clear. The argument that Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable is being made by three candidates who can’t even win an election against Jeremy Corbyn.

      QFT

      That, really, is the telling point.

      And this bit:

      Across Europe and the United States, however, professional politicians of the centre left have one idea about what politics should look like and the people they claim to represent increasingly have another. Certain politicians have not properly understood the definition of “representative” democracy.

      bold mine.

    • BLiP 1.2

      That’s a welcome change of tune from The New Statesman. It seems to be falling in line with other MSM voices, like this one from The Huffington Post . . .

      . . . “Ed Miliband was too far left, that’s why we lost!”

      Well, no. Firstly, Ed Miliband was not too far left – he was hardly left at all. Labour lost the election for a number of reasons, but mostly because no one knew what he was standing for. First he posed with a copy of the Sun, pissing lots of people off. Then he apologised for posing with the Sun, which pissed everyone else off. He swayed to every whim of the right wing press, failed to make a stand against the savagery of the welfare cuts – in short, no one really knew what, if anything, he stood for. So is it any surprise that a veteran rebel MP (with a very non-establishment beard) who is the very antithesis of ham-faced Cameron and his identikit, be-suited, PR machine cronies has met with a roar of unprecedented approval? . . .

      . . . something for Labour here to consider, perhaps.

  2. Nessalt 2

    that’s a poisoned chalice.

  3. dukeofurl 3

    How many votes do 41 leading economists have when it comes to general election time?
    The traditional labour policy is not a problem, its selling it to the electorate and having the party as a whole behind it.

    Some say having the Guardian on your side is a sign of certain defeat.

    Blanchflower was for a short period on a Bank of England external advisory committee, most likely with no real influence or accomplishment.

    We can see with promising roll backs of Thatcher or Blair policies, like the SNP promised to end ‘council tax’ in Scotland but they are still waiting, that implementation is not the easy street it appears.

    • Colonial Viper 3.1

      How many votes do 41 leading economists have when it comes to general election time?
      The traditional labour policy is not a problem, its selling it to the electorate and having the party as a whole behind it.

      You can’t sell a message that the sales person clearly does not believe in.

      But Corbyn believes in what he is espousing. 41 leading economists agree with him. And he is pulling crowds of thousands night to night.

      What does the right wing of Labour have to offer apart from more dismal economics and austerity-lite?

      • GregJ 3.1.1

        What does the right wing of Labour have to offer apart from more dismal economics and austerity-lite?

        +1…that and sitting around waiting for the Tories to “fuck up” enough to convince people to vote for Labour (and given the NZ experience that will be a long wait because the tolerance for lies, bullshit, incompetence and cockups appears to be a quite large).

        • dukeofurl 3.1.1.1

          Obviously they campaign on their strengths-

          “lies, bullshit, incompetence and cockups ” are endemic to any government, that’s why Key especially is very quick to say LABOUR DID IT TOO’
          Its probably the only principle he has.

          Landcorp has been in the news recently, but when you think about it why would the government be in the farming business. It gets even stranger when you look at how they work. I know of a farming couple in central NI , who leased a landcorp farm for 20 years, they wanted to continue but when lease is up they were out. I think that it isnt the case that Landcorp is ‘farming’, but they are really just a landowner. But it gets more bizarre, when the Shanghai Pengxin group bought some farms they got Landcorp to milk the cows for them. Landcorp didnt even own the land and there is no benefit to taxpayers, or other farmers in doing so.
          Yet National is invulnerable over this issue which seems to go against all the modern national party’s core principles. The Taxpayers Onion doesnt go near it,

          • Pat 3.1.1.1.1

            “lies, bullshit, incompetence and cockups ” are endemic to any government, that’s why Key especially is very quick to say LABOUR DID IT TOO’
            Its probably the only principle he has.”

            that may be true but the origin of and response when discovered are what sets this government apart…..corruption in the space of 7 years appears to not only have become acceptable but policy, the history books appear to also be in the process of being rewritten….this lot have opened a Pandoras box and if its not closed pretty damn quick there will be no going back …only further into the mire.

    • GregJ 3.2

      The Guardian isn’t really on his side or backing him though – it has backed Cooper – which is hardly surprising for a centre-left paper popular with the intellectual elites of the left.

      However it is Corbyn that has energised the contest, the debate, the base and those who feel Labour has left them (pun intended) and The Guardian knows it can’t just ignore him.

      • Colonial Viper 3.2.1

        The scary thing for the Labour Right is that Corbyn has shown conclusively that there is a thirst out there for traditional left wing Labour economics, and ordinary punters are responding to it very strongly.

        • dukeofurl 3.2.1.1

          I can understand that for the UK, doesnt entirely translate to NZ.

          After all a bit of traditional labour policies seems to have worked for SNP in Scotland, but that has a bigger left leaning vote block.
          If Corbyn can take the party with him he deserves a chance as Blair/Brown and Milliband have had their chance.

          • Colonial Viper 3.2.1.1.1

            I can understand that for the UK, doesnt entirely translate to NZ.

            Historically, NZ has always been more egalitarian, and less class conscious outlook than the UK. We introduced the 40 hour week first, and we had the first true Labour Government.

            But we appear to have no socialists in our own modern Labour caucus and few who seem really ready to make the case for a strong progressive social democracy.

          • Lloyd 3.2.1.1.2

            Labour hasn’t run with these sort of policies since before Walter Nash. How do you know they won’t work now, when we have homeless people sleeping every night in Queen Street!

  4. Enough is Enough 4

    This is the clearest evidence yet that our New Zealand Labour Party should give up on the policy platform that they have followed since 1984. That same policy platform that ruins the lives of so many.

    Labour New Zealand. It is time to stop the rhetoric and be bold. We want our assets back and only you can lead a government that promises that.

  5. JanMeyer 5

    Just to clarify, the Guardian supports Yvette Cooper for leader of the Labour Party over Corbyn. He is unelectable.

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/13/guardian-view-labour-leadership-choice-yvette-cooper-jeremy-corbyn

  6. BLiP 6

    Jeremy Corbyn has just announced that under a Labour Government, state assets privatised by the Tories might be renationalised, with minimal compensation . . .

    What a great idea! Shame New Zealand won’t be able to do that if the TPP gets introduced. No doubt, this sort of news and the rise of Mr Corbyn in the UK will be giving National Ltd™ an added sense of urgency about getting the TPP passed in order to cement-in its neoliberal privatisation agenda. I see Tim Minibar Groser has already escalated his and John Key’s contemptuous dismissal of opposition to the TPP. Now such opposition is being framed as “completely extreme”.

    • weka 6.1

      Just out of curiosity, if Nat were to sign the TPPA, and then we got an actual left wing govt, what are that govt’s options? They renege on the agreement, a corporation takes them to court (is that internationally?), what if the govt ignores that? Decides to remove itself from the agreement etc. What’s the worst that could happen?

      • BLiP 6.1.1

        Well, based on history, if our government decided to put the corporate interests of, say, the US at risk, “the worst that could happen” is a 50-year economic embargo along with all manner of direct and indirect interference in local politics including assassination plots against the Prime Minister and Cabinet. That’s for starters.

        • weka 6.1.1.1

          ok, that wasn’t really what I meant. I meant what would happen officially. There’s a big stick being held over us, I’d like to know what it actually is.

          • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1.1

            Firstly it is to do with our officials and politicians being on the outer, diplomatically and personally.

            Secondly it will be about making it more expensive for NZ in many ways obvious and subtle; taking us to a secret TPPA tribunal may be just one way of doing that.

            Thirdly the financial markets will likely be used as a disciplinary tool against us as a country. Access to debt markets will become more expensive and the stability of the NZD may deteriorate.

            • weka 6.1.1.1.1.1

              Thanks. In the context of the approaching CC/PO crises, to what extent will those things matter? I can see how they would be important for keeping the current mainstream economy going (and political allies). What about if the world is falling apart albeit slowly? If the medium and long term goal for us is sovereignty and resiliency, can we manage anyway? Is the issue the export markets and how dependent we are on them?

              I know that is off topic, but I wonder how actions like renationalising at cost will go down with the global powers as well.

              • Colonial Viper

                NZ is highly dependent on imports of critical supplies, materials, medicines, machinery, parts. Without the co-operation and friendship of large nations, in our current state we would suffer huge drops in living standard.

                • weka

                  To say the level of Cuba? Or worse?

                  • Colonial Viper

                    One issue I see is that we don’t have doctors who have learnt the hard way of making do without modern pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, and we don’t have farmers who have learnt the hard way of farming without large quantities of diesel and fertiliser, and we don’t have mechanics experienced in keeping machines running by any makeshift means possible.

                    And even Cuba got regular supplies of oil from Venezuela and machinery from Russia.

                    So it would be a challenge to live as well as Cuba, initially, if we were truly cut off from global supply chains.

              • Draco T Bastard

                I can see how they would be important for keeping the current mainstream economy going (and political allies).

                Greece is the example of what happens if a country tries to leave the empire. Cuba as well.

                What about if the world is falling apart albeit slowly?

                There’s no ‘if’, that’s already happening. The delusion of perpetual infinite growth is collapsing and the present socio-economic system is going with it (See GFC).

                If the medium and long term goal for us is sovereignty and resiliency, can we manage anyway?

                Yes we can. We have the resources, the knowledge and the human capabilities to be fine. The people at the top don’t want us to believe that.

                Is the issue the export markets and how dependent we are on them?

                No, the issue is profit. As more countries develop and start to over produce profit goes down. That’s why manufacturing is getting shifted to developing countries – it keeps the over production down. But doing so causes poverty in the country that shifted it’s manufacturing to other countries.

          • hoom 6.1.1.1.2

            Probably something like how Brazil has been sued via US courts with a massive official judgement against Brazil in favour of US financial interests.

            Massive political pressure officially, unofficially both direct at Govt & at our friends.

            Threats to cut us off from various international financial institutions.

            And of course Covert ops to start a right wing freemarket democratic coup.

      • Stuart Munro 6.1.2

        The worst that could happen would be a US financed ultra-rightist terrorist insurgency against the left government. The contras.

  7. Gosman 7

    Corbyn winning the UK Labour Party leadership is too delicious to comprehend. I can’t wait till he has to front up about him calling Hamas and Hizbollah friends.

    [lprent: see http://thestandard.org.nz/hard-left-corbyn-receives-public-backing-from-41-economists/#comment-1062270 ]

    • Colonial Viper 7.1

      Corbyn believes in dialogue with popular and elected political movements in order to resolve conflict.

      Better than Blair who reckons that 1000lb laser guided bombs are the way to go.

      • Gosman 7.1.1

        Please tell me what Hizbollah direct interest in the Palestine-Israeli conflict is beyond merely opposing Israel? They are not a Palestinian organisation.

        You may as well say IS should also be engaged in any peace discussions. Perhaps they can be called ‘Friends’ by Mr Corbyn as well.

        I’d be curious to know if Mr Corbyn has ever called Likud ‘Friends’ as I presume you accept they are also necessary to any peace process between Israel and Palestine.

        • McFlock 7.1.1.1

          gos:

          I can’t wait till he has to front up about him calling Hamas and Hizbollah friends.

          CV:

          Corbyn believes in dialogue with popular and elected political movements in order to resolve conflict.

          Better than Blair who reckons that 1000lb laser guided bombs are the way to go.

          gos:

          Please tell me what Hizbollah direct interest in the Palestine-Israeli conflict is beyond merely opposing Israel? They are not a Palestinian organisation.

          Gos, stop making shit up. Nobody mentioned Palestine, and you responded well after the edit time allowed so CV didn’t chop it down while you were commenting.

          Just in case you ever wonder why I think you’re a lying scumbag, slides like that are why.

          • Colonial Viper 7.1.1.1.1

            +100

          • GregJ 7.1.1.1.2

            I’ve clearly got to harden up – I only called Gossy a jerk and a hypocrite. 😉

            • McFlock 7.1.1.1.2.1

              Well, I’m a bit of a jerk. That was me toning it down. But if everyone were callous like me, the world would be a worse place. It takes a village to insult tory swine.

      • Anno1701 7.1.2

        He has prior form for this as the only Westminster MP who was willing to open dialogue with the IRA/Sinn Fein during the troubles in Northern Ireland

        well ahead of his time some would say

        http://www.history.com/topics/british-history/easter-rising/speeches/tony-blair-on-meeting-gerry-adams

      • Ad 7.1.3

        The Bush-Blair approach to Syria, Israel and Iraq is a shambles felt by every EU country now having to deal with hundreds of thousands immigrants on their doorstep. Ain’t saying I support Corbyn, but there’s sure as hell got to be a better way than how we got here.

        • Draco T Bastard 7.1.3.1

          The Bush-Blair approach to Syria, Israel and Iraq is a shambles felt by every EU country now having to deal with hundreds of thousands immigrants on their doorstep.

          But it keeps the military-industrial-complex profitable and that’s all that counts to the Tories.

      • dukeofurl 7.1.4

        And thats what happens looking back in History, the Brits talked to the Irish (x2) and even to Ghandi, South Africa talked to ANC, even Begin talked to PLO.
        Gosman you havent read your history.
        Political power often comes from military action, wasnt that the way with 13 colonies in 1776.

    • GregJ 7.2

      Good old Gosman – straight to the Tory Dirty Politics smear tactics. Jerk.

      Ignoring of course that Corbyn says he disagrees profoundly with the views of Hamas and Hezbollah but argues that, in the interests of peace with Israel, you have to talk to these militant groups. It’s pragmatic, even if critics say Hamas is not really interested in peace and continues to attack Israel during ceasefires.

      You know the same way that the Conservatives, Republicans and National say that Western countries must keep trading and and having political dealings with repressive regimes such as Saudi Arabia because to bring about progressive reforms, you need a strong relationship with these states in which you are trying to encourage such reforms. Then again the only thing that matters to Tories is money. Hypocrites.

      • Colonial Viper 7.2.1

        And let’s not forget that in the early days, Israel ardently supported the fledgling Hamas in order to destabilise the ruling Palestinian Fatah group.

      • Gosman 7.2.2

        Hezbollah is an Lebanese based organisation. Please explain why they should be involved in any discussion of peace between Palestinians and Israelis? If it is because the organisation is based in a country that has yet to sign a peace treaty with Israel then would not the same logic apply to IS who are based in Syria? Should IS be called our ‘Friends’ as well for the sake of peace?

        • GregJ 7.2.2.1

          I’m going to assume you are just stupid. You do realise Hezbollah has issues with Israel separate from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

          You of course continue to ignore the context in which Corbyn used the words “friends”. Either deliberately or because you are too incompetent to do your own searching and research yourself.

          And why you continue to bring up Da’ish I have no idea – they are not interested in having discussions with anyone about anything because they are a bunch of self-righteous nutters who are only interested in subjugation of everyone to (their weird interpretation of) Islam, Jihad, the Qu’ran and Sharia law.

          Man we need better RWNJs.

          • Gosman 7.2.2.1.1

            Lots of Muslims have issues with Israel separate from the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Lets get all of them onboard shall we and call them our ‘friends’.

            [Gosman, pick up your act commenting on this post or they will start going into the bin: CV]

            • McFlock 7.2.2.1.1.1

              Well, let’s respect them and their viewpoints, and that of the Israelis, in finding a durable, stable and peaceful condition for the Middle East.

              Rather than selling one side phosphorous artillery shells that they then use on residential neighbourhoods, and calling the other side terrorists.

            • Gosman 7.2.2.1.1.2

              The issue that I am raising is that people on the right would love it if Corbyn was Labour party leader. He would have to defend his position on calling organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah his friends (Yet not Likud or even Israel). This is a valid attack and all I see put out in response is that you need to talk to a wide range of people for the sake of peace. That is correct but you don’t have to call the people you talk to ‘Friends’.

              • GregJ

                Your point – such as it is (& which is clearly a smear and an attempt to distract) – might have some validity if Corbyn were running for US President but in the UK I doubt it will have much traction. Still if it gives you comfort…

          • Stuart Munro 7.2.2.1.2

            They’re not really into long term subjugation – they’re an end times cult. They only want to win until judgement day.

        • mikesh 7.2.2.2

          “Hezbollah is an Lebanese based organisation. Please explain why they should be involved in any discussion of peace between Palestinians and Israelis?”

          How about solidarity with fellow arabs/muslims.

          • GregJ 7.2.2.2.1

            Yeah – any concord is almost inevitably going to require involvement of the wider Arab world. I’m not sure I’m hopeful of such a concord being reached though.

          • Colonial Viper 7.2.2.2.2

            How about solidarity with fellow arabs/muslims.

            Hmmm, doesn’t really happen. Persians are not Arabs. Tribal loyalties are sometimes stronger than religious loyalties. Sectarian divisions within Islam itself seem more severe than ever.

            The Saudis have more in common with Israel against Iran than with Iran.

            Very complex.

            Not an area we want to send NZ troops into.

          • Gosman 7.2.2.2.3

            According to that logic IS should now be regarded as our ‘friends’ as well then as they are a pretty big player now in the area.

            This is why Corbyn is pure gold for the right. Here is someone who thinks he can talk to radical Islamist groups and call them his ‘Friends’ in the cause of peace. Basically these are the same sort of people who throw Homosexuals from tall buildings and destroy World heritage sites because they are unislamic. For some reason Corbyn thinks they qualify for friendship status.

            However I note he doesn’t call Likud his friend though even though they too would be necessary for any peace deal. But I suppose as they are Jewish and right wing that’s fine.

            [lprent: I see what CV means. This comment has nothing to do with the content of this post. Where is the economics?. Looking back I can’t see any that do. If you want to raise your own topics, then do so in Open Mike.

            Banned 12 weeks because this looks a quite deliberate attempt to derail the post. I guess you won’t be doing that for a while. ]

            • Colonial Viper 7.2.2.2.3.1

              ISIS is both directly and indirectly, an American creation.

              • Gosman

                Doesn’t that mean it is even more important to include them in any peace discussions involving the Middle East?

            • Macro 7.2.2.2.3.2

              WTF has this got to do with the subject of the post Gos?
              Nice misdirection I have to say – and completely error ridden assumptions on your part as well to make it so – well done – top marks for trolling!

              • Colonial Viper

                I’ve just warned Gosman that if he keeps up with these irrelevancies I will be binning his comments.

                [lprent: Wrong approach. If you don’t actually ban him, then the most effective approach is to edit his comment, put a [deleted] in over whatever was diversionary (sometimes the whole comment), then explain why it was deleted. This leaves a marker in as a warning. And alerts moderators doing scans.

                Or just ban him, and tell me or one of the editors and above. Gosman knows the rules about diversions, and the penalties. ]

        • Naturesong 7.2.2.3

          Because Lebanon is home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees?

          Also, Lebanon not signing a peace treaty with Israel is pretty understandable given Ariel Sharons actions there in 1982. Not least of which was the Sabra and Shatila massacre.

        • swordfish 7.2.2.4

          The Gos

          Lebanon and the Palestinian Occupied Territories have both been the victims of frequent massacres, carpet-bombing and full-scale destruction by Israel.
          – “Mowing the lawn” as your good chums in the Israeli elite cheerfully call these War Crimes.

          Hamas and Hezbollah both emerged as a resistance to brutal Israeli occupation (in case you hadn’t realised, Israel occupied south Lebanon for 22 years until Hezbollah forced them out).

          As CV has suggested, Israel originally financed and nurtured Hamas in an attempt to dissipate the Palestinian public’s desire for national self-determination.

          • Gosman 7.2.2.4.1

            So has Syria. That doesn’t mean all the extra State player in Syria (should be playing a part in any peace discussions involving Israel.

            • McFlock 7.2.2.4.1.1

              Nobody said it did.

              At worst it means that the Assad regime and extra-state parties that have territory close to the med should be involved, simply because they are in a position to upset any peace process.

              But nice slide from Corbyn into how-to-solve-the-middle-east. You’re definitely proficient at being a fuckwit.

        • dukeofurl 7.2.2.5

          Refresh you memory when Israel was dealing with lebanese militias.
          Remember the Falange in the Beirut refugee camps., they were virtually a mercenary wing of the IDF

        • Tricledrown 7.2.2.6

          Gooseman you know nothing about middle East politics.
          Once again shooting your self in the foot( big toe acshually that’s where your Tory redneck brain is).
          Do some proper research.

    • Blue Horsehoe 7.3

      That comment just shows what a little cock you are , Gossip

      [lprent: Silly pointless abuse. But I already banned you on a later comment. ]

  8. plumington 8

    The ruling elite won’t let him be elected and if by a miracle he is they will sabotage him or his policies eg Greece

  9. ianmac 9

    Blair was Thatcher-like.
    But the Corbyn approach is distinctly so different that people will rally rather than bother with the tiny detail of differences between Conservative and usual Labour. Now we can see the real differences!
    The effectiveness of Corbyn’s approach will be measured by the ferocity that will be visited upon him from Blairites as well as the Conservative Dirty Tricks Brigade.

    • Gosman 9.1

      You are aware that Labour tried a similar tactic before back in the 1980’s and it failed abysmally. Why you think it will work now is beyond me. Turning the clock back to the 1970’s won’t entirely inspire the majority of the electorate I would suggest.

    • Wayne 9.2

      Or more likely the electorate will simply not vote for him, because he has policies they think are stupid. After all thats is what happened to Foot; no appeal to the majority of electors.

      • Colonial Viper 9.2.1

        Boy are you out of touch. Please check Swordfish’s comment which shows that a large majority of Brits think nationalising key assets like rail and utilities is a good idea.

      • vto 9.2.2

        Wayne, do TPPA provisions around investor-state disputes apply to domestic investors as well as foreign investors?

      • Naturesong 9.2.3

        FIFY:
        no appeal to the majority of donors

      • Blue Horsehoe 9.2.4

        Dinosaurus Mapp….

        Your ilk are already on the wrong side of history, just that you refuse to accept what is coming your way

        Imagine being an old man so ideologically blind, and twisted that he fills his spare time on this site making asinine statements such as that

        Was it orders from down the lodge Wayne, that make you come here and post such utter shit ?

        [lprent: And that reads to me as just being pointless abuse.

        There were several rhetorical ‘points’ in there, but they just looked like insults by a complete and utter fuckwit with the intellectual powers of a slogan wielding rabbit hyped up on hormones – and making about as much sense.

        Looking over your previous comments in just the last few days, it appears that you make a habit of walking close to the edge of that particular policy for anyone on the right regardless what they say. In other words you could appear to be engaging ideologue brainless mode. But I suspect that you are gaming it. That explains my sentence. I’m gaming it as well.

        Banned 3 weeks, and if I see any nonsense about it under any handle. Well, take your chances with whatever clod induced irritation I feel, you pathetic dickhead. Read the policy. ]

  10. Lara 10

    What a strange thing to say, that he’s “unelectable”.

    If the British Labour party membership vote for him as leader, he’s their leader. And following that, if enough people like what he’s saying and they vote for him, then he gets elected.

    He certainly seems to be pretty popular. People seem to like what he’s got to say.

    So the way I read that “he’s unelectable” is his opponents saying that they’re scared of him and want to use sound bytes to scare people away from voting for him. Because he is in fact entirely electable.

    • James 10.1

      Thats a really fair point.

      Im one of the people who have said he is unelectable, but of course, technically you are right.

      If enough people vote for him, he will be elected.

      Im not scared of him, but would admit Im scared of the damage he would do the the UK should he be elected (in my view anyway).

      I guess when I say unelectable – I mean that I think he will be a disaster for the UK. I think that the majority of voters (thats all voters – not just the Labour folk), will think the same and he would not get elected.

      Only time will tell – But I think that there is more of a move to the right than the left in the UK.

      Either way – it will be interesting.

      • Draco T Bastard 10.1.1

        Im not scared of him, but would admit Im scared of the damage he would do the the UK should he be elected (in my view anyway).

        I look at the damage that the RWNJs have already done and see that there are people, like Corbyn, about with the nous to fix it. Those people are the people that the RWNJs are scared of because fixing the damage done will prove, yet again, that the RWNJs and their policies are the problem.

        I guess when I say unelectable – I mean that I think he will be a disaster for the UK.

        No, it’s just what you’ve read in the Tory aligned MSM – you haven’t thought about it at all. If you had then you would be fully in support of Corbyn and other like him.

    • mikesh 10.2

      Going by the last couple of elections, “electability” doesn’t seem to be the party’s strong suit.

      • Colonial Viper 10.2.1

        Yep. The nerve of those who have led Labour to defeat after defeat now bleating on as if they know about “electability.”

  11. McFlock 11

    The problem Labour in the UK have isn’t so much in appealing to the public, it’s winning under FPP.

    Well, that and the rabid tory press, who are even worse than ours.

    • Gosman 11.1

      There is left wing alternatives in the print media (The Mirror and The Guardian) and a State own broadcaster dedicated to public service broadcasting on television and radio. What more do you lefties want? Oh I see. You want no alternative views from your own getting any publicity.

      [Gosman quit with the irrelevancies and pick up your act commenting on this thread or I will start binning your comments. Also see above. CV]

      • Gosman 11.1.1

        What other view do you expect me to take from the position Mcflock had that the press in the UK is Tory and that is why Labour fails to make much traction? There is lots of alternatives to the Tory supporting press in the UK in the mainstream. People are free to get their message from multiple sources as you would expect in a society with a vibrant free press.

        [And no one here except for you was suggesting otherwise. Avoid derailing with irrelevancies and I will avoid binning your comments. CV]

    • The lost sheep 11.2

      What about the Guardian and The Independent?
      Available absolutely everywhere to anyone in the U.K. (or online) who wants their news and opinion filtered through a thoroughly Left Wing World view?
      You don’t have to read the Tory Press unless you want to….

      Best 2 papers in the Wold IMO. Fark all I enjoy more when in the U.K. than sitting in The Crown and Bull at lunchtime with a pint of Theakstons Old Peculiar and those 2 venerable papers.

        • The lost sheep 11.2.1.1

          According to the link you provided, the first three categories of major newspapers are split 12 Right, 10 Left, and a few in the Center.

          I don’t see how that backs an argument that readers have no option but to read and be influenced by a rabid Tory press?

          The Independent is not a Right Wing Rag by any means, and the context to them backing the Conservative/Lib Dems can be read in link below.
          In short “the newspaper said in an editorial that a minority Labour administration reliant on the support of the SNP would be “a disaster for the country”.

          http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/may/04/independent-conservative-liberal-democrat-coalition-cameron-clegg

          • McFlock 11.2.1.1.1

            According to the link you provided, the first three categories of major newspapers are split 12 Right, 10 Left, and a few in the Center.

            Indeed.
            And the “not right wing rags by any means” back the conservatives, while the right wing rags threaten anarchy, economic collapse, capitalist flight, and UN troops on the streets of Britain.

            I don’t see how that backs an argument that readers have no option but to read and be influenced by a rabid Tory press?

            That’s nice.
            Now would you care to address the comment I actually made?

            The Independent is not a Right Wing Rag by any means, and the context to them backing the Conservative/Lib Dems can be read in link below.

            lol

            So, basically, they were more afraid of the SNP than they were of UKIP or even just the Conservatives? Sounds not at all right wing there /sarc

            • The lost sheep 11.2.1.1.1.1

              If you believe The Independent is a Rabid Right Wing Tory rag, then you must be right McFlock. The Right have got the Left utterly shafted.

              And where does such thinking lead you to ? State CONTROL of the Press by any chance?

              • McFlock

                again, feel free to respond to something I actually stated.

                I assume that because you have studiously neglected the point about FPP, we at least agree that FPP is an obstacle to achieving a truly democratic electoral outcome?

                • The lost sheep

                  I agree completely about FPP, but as there is zero chance of it being changed in the U.K. it is a moot point.
                  Is Jeremy Corbyn himself talking about ending FPP? If so, he is doing so very quietly. Wonder why that is?

                  So having answered your question about FPP, you can tell me again how the RIght Wing Press control the peoples political preferences, when I can walk into any place in the U.K. that sells newspapers and choose The Guardian ahead of the Right Wing papers?
                  How are The People forced to buy The Times?

                  • McFlock

                    “Again”? I never told you that in the first place.

                    I merely said that the combination of a tory press and FPP is the major obstacle to any left wing victory in the UK.

                    The “tory press” point I raised requires neither 100% of publications nor 100% of their circulation share to be rabid right wing (as opposed to moderately right wing or even on-balance right wing), nor does it require “control” rather than merely giving the tories the simple advantage that consistent, well-funded propaganda has given the powerful throughout history.

                    Given the speed with which you go from what I actually wrote straight to “How are The People forced to buy The Times”, I don’t see you walking any place in the UK. Running with your eyes firmly shut would be more likely.

                    But sooner or later you might ask a question based on something I wrote, rather than based on your onanistic fantasies.

                    • BM

                      Arse ->plate.

                    • The lost sheep

                      O.K. So don’t explain how it is that The Guardian is available in every single news outlet in the U.K. that also sells Right Wing papers, and yet somehow the the Right Wing papers sitting beside it have an influence advantage.

                      You probably also then also won’t want to explain how it is that we are discussing Jeremy Corbyn based largely on pro-Corbyn information that has been published by The Guardian and other U.K. media, and there wasn’t any barrier to us accessing what ever of that we chose and being influenced by it?

                      And you definitely won’t want to explain whether or not you believe the current media situation is ‘correct’ and should be allowed to continue exactly as is, or whether you think it needs changing, and if so, how you believe it should be changed?

                    • McFlock

                      O.K. So don’t explain how it is that The Guardian is available in every single news outlet in the U.K. that also sells Right Wing papers, and yet somehow the the Right Wing papers sitting beside it have an influence advantage.

                      Because truth is not a popularity contest. Pleasant lies and pretty distractions will always be more appealing than inconvenient truths.

                      You probably also then also won’t want to explain how it is that we are discussing Jeremy Corbyn based largely on pro-Corbyn information that has been published by The Guardian and other U.K. media, and there wasn’t any barrier to us accessing what ever of that we chose and being influenced by it?

                      Information collated and summarised on a left-wing blog run by volunteers, not paid staff given money by rich fuckwits.

                      And you definitely won’t want to explain whether or not you believe the current media situation is ‘correct’ and should be allowed to continue exactly as is, or whether you think it needs changing, and if so, how you believe it should be changed?

                      You want me to deconstruct and redesign the UK media system on a post about Corbyn’s support from mainstream economists? Nice derail attempt.

  12. swordfish 12

    Some UK Poll data on Nationalisation/Public Ownership (and related issues)

    RAILWAYS
    YouGov
    (2013)
    Renationalising the Railways
    Support 66%
    Oppose 23%
    (Support: Lab voters 79%, Ukip 73%, Lib Dem 64%, Tory 52%)

    YouGov
    (2014)
    Renationalising the Railways
    Support 60%
    Oppose 20%
    (Support: Lab 78%, Ukip 70%, Lib Dem 60%, Tory 42%)

    Survation
    (Aug 2015)
    Railways back into public ownership
    Support 64%
    Oppose 19%
    (Support: Lab 78%, Ukip 70%, Lib Dem 66%, Tory 48%)

    ——————————————————————————————————
    ENERGY COMPANIES

    YouGov
    (2013)
    Should the Energy Companies be Nationalised and run in the Public Sector OR Privatised and run by Private Companies
    Nationalise/Public Sector 68%
    Privatise/Private Sector 21%
    (Nationalise/Public Sector: Lab 82%, Ukip 78%, Lib Dem 62%, Tory 52%)

    Survation
    (Aug 2015)
    Return Energy Companies to Public Ownership
    Support 62%
    Oppose 19%
    (Support: Lab 79%, Ukip 72%, Lib Dem 56%, Tory 45%)

    ————————————————————————————————
    NHS

    YouGov
    (2013)
    NHS should be run by Public sector or Private Sector
    Public 84%
    Private 7%

    Survation
    (Aug 2015)
    Remove all Privatisation from the NHS
    Support 62%
    Oppose 21%
    ——————————————————————————————————
    ROYAL MAIL

    YouGov
    (2013)
    Royal Mail should be run by the Public Sector or Private Sector
    Public 67%
    Private 22%
    ——————————————————————————————————–

    OTHER

    YouGov
    (2012)
    In general, I think Government and Public Services:
    Are a force for Good / Are part of the Solution 41%
    Get in the way / Are part of the Problem 28%
    Neither 19%
    (Lab 47/24/18, Lib Dem 48/24/20, Tory 41/32/20)

    YouGov
    (2012)
    Services like Health and Education should not be run as businesses. They depend on the values and ethos of the public good
    Agree 60%
    Disagree 16%
    Neither 18%
    (Lab 67/10/16, Lib Dem 74/10/13, Tory 50/25/22)

    YouGov
    (2013)
    Should the Labour Party continue with the ideas of ‘New Labour’ and build upon the record of the last Government OR abandon the ideas of ‘New Labour’ and distance itself from the last Labour Government
    Abandon/Distance itself 45%
    Continue/Build upon 19%
    Neither 16%
    (Ukip and Lib Dem supporters recorded particularly high percentages for Abandon/Distance itself)

  13. rhinocrates 13

    Just a warning:

    http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/25-000-rogue-voters-in-labour-poll-chaos-1-3866045

    The UK Labour Tories are not even hiding their attempts to rig the election. It’s ironic that they’d whimper about “electability” when they are so blatantly corrupting the voting process by attempting to retrospectively disqualify anyone who might have voted for Jeremy Corbyn.

    I’m not surprised that the Grauniad are against him and call him “unelectable.” Typical of the comfortable middle class that have captured Labour, they love to play lip service to progressive politics to look hip at dinner parties, but the moment the time comes for actual commitment and effort and a possible threat to their inflated house prices, the moon turns full and they twitch, shiver, grow hair and long nails, start going “Urgh… principle… yes but… urgh… I mean, I’d like to… but in the real world!”

    Solipsists all, they think that if THEY won’t vote for him, no-one else will.

    Keep an eye on the old guard bench warming latte slurpers here.

  14. johnm 14

    Corbyn wants a decent society for people not one for the rich who want to get richer and the establishment.

    That’s why he must be derailed at any cost, he must be stopped:

    • johnm 14.1

      Interesting comment on Corbyn from David Icke

      The whole Neoliberal, corporatised consensus is threatened by this man who wants a return to at least a semblance of democracy: Rule by the people for the people and the proper restraints on greed and capital corrupting the democratic process. U.S. president Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) defined democracy as:
      «Government of the people, by the people, for the people»

      • johnm 14.1.1

        “A Democratic Explosion Unprecedented in British History”

        By George Galloway and Seumas Milne

        Seumas Milne of the Guardian wrote of the Corbyn phenomenon: “A democratic explosion unprecedented in British history. That’s all!” Milne joins Sputnik to discuss the unpredictability of politics and the runaway campaign, which shows little sign of flagging.

        George Galloway & Seamus Milne discuss the MSM smear campaign against Corbyn

        http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article42700.htm

    • Macro 14.2

      🙂 Thanks for that John – yes he must be STOPPED! please people – vote for the establishment and the rich and we will trickle down on you – promise!

  15. Bob 15

    “From the Guardian:

    More than 40 leading economists, including a former adviser to the Bank of England, have made public their support for Jeremy Corbyn’s policies”

    He’s got policies? But he has been leader for more than 12 months where he has done nothing but complain about the Tories, had party consultation and countless focus groups. How could he possibly have policies!

    It is interesting that someone that actual HAS policies is getting support…

  16. David 16

    I hope he gets elected. It will be an interesting experiment that can be viewed from a safe distance.

  17. James 17

    Mind you – a lot were saying the same great things about Alexis Tsipras – and look how well that worked out.

  18. joe90 18

    The Financial Times, that bastion of the left, reckons Corbyn’s Quantitative easing for people instead of banks (pdf) might actually be quite a good idea, concluding:

    If Corbyn’s preferred investments are useful, they could help restore some of the lost ground in productivity and lead to higher real wages for Britons. And by expanding capacity, this extra investment spending may not even end up being inflationary. (The actual amounts in question, according to Murphy, are quite small relative to the size of the UK economy.)

    “People’s QE” is far from an obviously wrong idea. Implemented properly, it could even improve the Bank of England’s ability to fulfill its mandate without needing to goose house prices or get into contentious debates about helping the rich at the expense of pensioners

    http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ftalphaville.ft.com/2015/08/06/2136475/corbyns-peoples-qe-could-actually-be-a-decent-idea/

    http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015/03/12/how-green-infrastructure-quantitative-easing-would-work/

    http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015/07/08/jeremy-corbyn-renames-green-qe-as-peoples-qe-but-thats-fine-by-me/

    • greywarshark 18.1

      Ooh-er! Gobsmacked.

    • Colonial Viper 18.2

      WOW

      • dukeofurl 18.2.1

        Thats how the policy can be sold, QE for the people instead of the banks.

        In Germany the CDU government has been happily paying workers to spend part of the week at home. Why cant they do these sort of things in UK ? The Tories have such a vile anti -worker base ( mainly in the press) which makes these things ‘sound far left wing’

      • RedLogix 18.2.2

        Something Steve Keen has long advocated. Conventional economics frequently mistakes a stock of something with a flow.

        Giving money to a bank only increases it’s stock of money, which in a debt saturated world is hard to move. (Unless you can pump up an irrational bubble – in which case all you are doing is lending into a crash). And is largely why the global economy has been so slow to recover from the 2009 GFC.

        Giving money to people immediately creates a flow of money which stimulates the economy. In other words it injects money directly into the point of the economy where it can actually do some good.

        Better still is a debt jubilee – a cash grant that comes with the condition that debt exists the cash MUST be used to pay that down first. Still has a stimulatory effect AND unwinds debt saturation, mitigating the damage caused by deflation.

        • Colonial Viper 18.2.2.1

          Yep – am definitely ‘keen’ on those solutions. Problem is the 1% who are the owners of financial assets far prefer to see those asset prices inflated, and the banks don’t want their profitability cut by people suddenly able to pay down debt.

          • Skinny 18.2.2.1.1

            + 1 CV The 1% are having far too easier run.
            Cobbah got something that should be right up your alley is ya handle via email linked here?

            • Colonial Viper 18.2.2.1.1.1

              Please check the email linked to your The Standard handle.

              • Skinny

                All good thanks cobbah just someone had a nerve damage problem and was heading down your way. Sorted now 🙂

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    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

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    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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