Thread: Michael Foot Dead

Michael Foot has died today aged 96. They were talking about how he was an end of an era, that there is no one like him left. A genuine socialist, a person who conducted himself respectfully, someone who said things as they were, no spin, who wasn't rude to those who thought differently and the thing they did not say but all this adds up to - a person of integrity.

Not quite correct though, Tony Benn is still around.

Originally Posted by alexa

Michael Foot has died today aged 96. They were talking about how he was an end of an era, that there is no one like him left. A genuine socialist, a person who conducted himself respectfully, someone who said things as they were, no spin, who wasn't rude to those who thought differently and the thing they did not say but all this adds up to - a person of integrity.

Not quite correct though, Tony Benn is still around.

He sharpened his 'political teeth' in my city by being MP for Devonport, way before my time. Then moved onto bigger things. In saying that he never forgot his roots, and would often speak highly of Plymouth. He was a life long [suffering] fan of Plymouth Argyle [that must of been painful].

I agree him and Benn have plenty in common and are from a bygone era in politics when left truly represented left.. but unfortunately it did not appeal enough to earn a place in power.

Paul

Originally Posted by gunner

He sharpened his 'political teeth' in my city by being MP for Devonport, way before my time. Then moved onto bigger things. In saying that he never forgot his roots, and would often speak highly of Plymouth. He was a life long [suffering] fan of Plymouth Argyle [that must of been painful].

I agree him and Benn have plenty in common and are from a bygone era in politics when left truly represented left.. but unfortunately it did not appeal enough to earn a place in power.

Paul

Thanks Paul, that's interesting background.

Yes, it is a shame. I think it was Tony Benn who tried for a while telling people exactly how things were and came to the conclusion people just could not hear.

There was such a hope for being able to produce a fair society with social justice and equality of opportunity for all.

Labout had its faults. It over used buraucracy's rather than giving decision making power to the people - something Thatcher used to her advantage cemented in spin.

Labour also being supported by the Unions was always blamed for anything they got up to.

But it was a time where I think there was a lot more morality than in the 'everyone for themself' culture of spin we have today.

It makes you think, when Benn goes, does it all become folklore!

I heard a man speaking about the poverty of workers conditons the other day and I thought, 'oh my gosh, is someone actually going to start speaking again'.

The other thing they mentioned about Michael Foot was him being one of the people who fought against fascist ideas and who remembered and worked for them not returning.

I was saddened to hear of the death of Michael Foot, valiant journalist, principled politician, talented author and thoroughly decent human being. He led the British Labour Party at a time when it was unelectable but did so with honesty and integrity. He opposed Britain's membership of the EU but, unlike the current anti-Europe brigade, did so from an internationalist stance. At no point was it ever about xemophobia; his opposition was based on the imposition of market capitalism across the continent. "What kind of democracy permits only one economic option?" He had a point!

Michael Foot obituary | Politics | The Guardian

Originally Posted by Andalublue

I was saddened to hear of the death of Michael Foot, valiant journalist, principled politician, talented author and thoroughly decent human being.

I watched some labour members of the time reflecting that he may have been a rubbish politician and leader but a decent human.

Originally Posted by Andalublue

-- He led the British Labour Party at a time when it was unelectable but did so with honesty and integrity.

Michael Foot made the Labour party unelectable, under his reign as leader the trotskyites and loonies in Labour councils like Liverpool took large parts of the party and made the party as a whole into a national embarrassment.

I wonder if Andalablue will be saying the same of Foot's direct Tory equivilent Margaret Thatcher - principled politician, actual Prime Minister, chemist, orator, war leader, restorer of Britain's prestige and position amongst the top nations of the world, human being.

Not to speak ill of the dead, but with all this sucking Foot off everywhere it also must be remembered that his politics nearly killed Britain before 1979 and would have led to surrender during the Cold War had he ever been a leader in power.

He was apparently honest but he was also one of the 'anti war' crowd to be both a rabble-rousing thorn in Churchill's side during World War 2, as well as Bruce Kent's best pal in proclaiming the innocence and victimhood of the Soviet Union in later years.

He was one of many in Labour a little too sympathetic to the Soviets than was good for him, whilst at the same time being hypocritical enough to rail against its National Front counterpart. I believe this quote can be attributed to him: "When I went to Moscow and Leningrad in 1982, there was a powerful impulse to get swept up in the passion and romance of The Revolution."

Originally Posted by Infinite Chaos

I watched some labour members of the time reflecting that he may have been a rubbish politician and leader but a decent human.



Michael Foot made the Labour party unelectable, under his reign as leader the trotskyites and loonies in Labour councils like Liverpool took large parts of the party and made the party as a whole into a national embarrassment.

Not true. He was not a Prime Minister-in-waiting leader of the opposition, he was a Leader of the Opposition at a time when Labour had no chance of being elected after the late-70s mess and the early-80s Falkland effect. He was a good leader of the opposition, as many Tories have been gracious enough to concede. He was a loyal leader of HM opposition during the Falklands and acquitted himself well in parliament - he was a superb orator.

He was always going to be a caretaker leader of the Labour party while it reorganised itself, something that was a long, hard, painful process.

I notice RoP contributed to this thread. Don't know what he said as he is on my ignore list (actually he IS my entire ignore list).

I notice Andalablue's snooty 'no platform' with much comedy. I suppose I'm meant to feel some sort of shame, but I suppose it's a signal that he's scared to take on somebody with as firm a set of principles as he thinks he has! Otherwise I'm sure he would chew me out like a man.

Bit of a pity to note that I've clubbed the poor little Red into submission, just as I was starting to enjoy myself. But not taking part in the democratic process if things don't go your way is the tool of his communist trade. Good job I don't live within shooting range of him, lest I end up in a pit in his back yard with the back of my head blown away.

Alright, I'm sorry Andalablue, if you're reading! Please come back! I promise that if you deign to talk to me again I'll not make my arguments so trenchant, conclusive and painfully true!

....Hmm, you're not reading. In that case I'll just say Here Commie, commie commie! oooo, scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat, cowardy-cowardy custard!

Originally Posted by Infinite Chaos

Michael Foot made the Labour party unelectable, under his reign as leader the trotskyites and loonies in Labour councils like Liverpool took large parts of the party and made the party as a whole into a national embarrassment.

Labour was unelectable until it became New Labour.

Thatcher destroyed the Unions, far more easily than she expected apparently. It was a time when changes had to be made and Labour were unable to come up with covincing alternative.

But it could have gone other ways. Did you know for instance that the conservatives had a green paper looking at the possibility of everyone getting a wage as a right and then working to improve their standard of lving.

Personally I hate the way we have developed and fear for the world my grand child will meet.

I think a lot of the rights which people fought for have been lost and I see little integrity in politicians, little vision for a genuine better quality of life. I think we have lost our heart.

Little girls of 9 now sexual objects in dress if not in other ways.

Becoming rambos off to war against International Law.

Everyone has become the big fat capitalist trying to grab the last penny out of the other - the difference is it is now fashion.

Spin, no effort even at integrity.

Neo Nazi's on the rise.

Nah, not for me.

I liked the people of integrity and vision we once had and regret that Labour's desire for power over took theirs.

Originally Posted by Andalublue

I notice RoP contributed to this thread. Don't know what he said as he is on my ignore list (actually he IS my entire ignore list).

Ive not compiled such a list, but i can empathize with your first choice

Paul