New Labour and its policy of triangulation are now on their death beds.

They have no future. But the viral infection of Blairism is still in the bloodstream and leaves the Labour Party sick and in need of recovery. Any notion that we need more of the same is madness.

New Labour supporters of the illegal war on Iraq may try to take some comfort from the fact that few electors mentioned the war this time.

For many (but not all of us) it may have lost its immediate salience, there being so many other issues pressing upon the body politic.

But that would be a false comfort to them. After all, it was the war that lost the Labour leadership any claim to moral authority, and it was because of the war that they developed the reputation for spin and deceit. It was the beginning of the end. So it was not only immoral and illegal, but also politically stupid and suicidal.

We should not forget that Gordon Brown, when he took over as Prime Minister, was popular and commanded a lot of respect. That was when he was putting clear water between himself and the sordid regime he replaced. But it did not last.

The turning point, however, was not when the Government adopted the Conservatives tax policies, which, of course, favoured the rich and not the vast majority of people, nor when, as a result, Gordon Brown
chickened out of having a general election.

It came a little earlier, when, on the first day of the Conservative Party Conference, he allowed himself to be photographed with a tank in Iraq, making a populist promise (which he has failed to keep) to withdraw yet more troops from harms way. It was so obviously seen as an attempt to upstage the Conservatives that it stank of political opportunism, reprehensibly using British troops in so doing.

Nor, I fear, has this cheap politicking stopped. In a short time Parliament will vote on extending the period of detention for suspects to 42 days. This is also seen as a ploy to make the Conservatives look weak on terrorism. It is so tawdry.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is against it. He says it is quite unnecessary. Most police officers do not think it is needed. Even the former Attorney General says it will be counterproductive.

Fortunately, a good number of Labour backbenchers are showing the courage, judgment and integrity to oppose it. Let us hope they keep their nerve, as an increase to 42 days will do far more harm than good, and expose our nation to greater danger.

Let's get all that sordid, gutter politics out of the way as soon as possible. We need more straight forward integrity and honesty in the way in which the Labour leadership conducts itself. The current mantra is that the Government is "listening and learning".

The poor, unfortunate Yvette Cooper, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was given the unenviable job of touring the television studios the night after the elections to assure us that it was all alright because they were listening. The insincerity oozed out of every pore in her body. It was like Tony in drag.

You will understand why I am sceptical. After the Labour Party Deputy Leadership elections, we also heard that Gordon Brown had listened, especially to the argument for an increase in council housing for the many young people who need decent homes. We were all reassured, only to find that his proposals are so bound with difficulties that no more than 2,500 new homes are expected each year, when hundreds of thousands
are needed.

I hope they mean it this time, because, if they don't, the Labour Party is finished for a generation or more.

If we can get clear of the virus, and get back to decent health, we can tackle the issues facing Britain with a degree of enthusiasm.

Many will disagree with me, but, even in this most difficult of times, I believe that the worst of all possible Labour Governments (which this one is close to) is better than the best of all possible Conservative Governments (which a government run by the present Tory leadership will not be).

OK, so I am partisan, but let me just give you one stark example of why I say that. We in Britain are one people, we belong to one community.

There is no indignity or disadvantage for a child so debilitating as growing up in poverty. They have limited chances in life, and the occasional exception who escapes does not invalidate the general rule.

Under the last Tory Government child poverty trebled. Just think about the increase in misery that represented. Selfishness, greed and "I'm all right Jack" all ruled. Labour may not have eradicated child poverty, but it has reduced it by hundreds of thousands.

There is a real difference between the two, and decent people should have little difficulty in choosing.

Little difficulty, that is, once the fog of spin, deceit and cheap politicking has cleared. Let the fight to save the Labour Party from its own leadership begin now.

PADDY COSGROVE
Marine Avenue,
Whitley Bay.