Hazel: picking up the pieces of her political career. (photo credit: dailymail.co.uk)Hazel Blears has resigned from the cabinet. Unfortunately, the residents of Salford are still stuck with her. She claims that she is 'returning to her roots' out of a desire to renew her personal committment to the people of Salford. Rubbish! She's jumped before she was pushed in the impending cabinet reshuffle. The timing of her announcement and that fact that it has come from her and not Number 10 suggests that she is playing a rather skilful political game. Allow me to elaborate.
Hazel must've realised well before now that her position on the cabinet was under threat and she must, by now, also realise that her popularity in Salford is ebbing away. In the last election in 2005, Hazel won with over 50% of the vote. However, the Lib Dems' candidate, Norman Owen, has been making up ground on her with every passing election. Now that Labour is polling lower than the Lib Dems nationally, she must anticipate that the Lib Dems will be nipping at her heels - especially in the event of a snap election! With all this in mind, I believe she has taken the decision to resign in order to distance herself from an obviously failing government with the hope that it will stall her similarly failing popularity here in Salford. She has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If Gordon Brown is deposed (as the media seems is certain will happen very soon after the European Elections) taking an anti-Brown stance now will increase her chances of being re-selected in a new Labour cabinet. Particularly if she can does manage to boost her popularity. If she is not re-selected for the cabinet, it still isn't a disaster for her: You can bet she will come out fighting to keep her parliamentary seat. She's a smooth talker and an experienced politician - she knows the words that will sooth and charm you and she'll tell you whatever you want to hear to try and sway your support to her.
Don't be fooled: this resignation is more about her political career than the people of Salford!
The fact is that Labour (and the Conservatives) and so completely out of touch with the public that they wouldn't know honesty if it crept up and gave them a big sloppy kiss! Nationally, Labour got it wrong on expenses, they got it wrong on Gurkhas, they got it wrong on fuel duty and locally they got it 110% wrong on the congestion charge, ice rink, propaganda wagon etc etc etc. The Conservatives are no better choice - they only know how to oppose and have no new ideas of their own (no good ones anyway). A vote for Labour or a vote for the Tories is a vote for the status quo. Vote Lib Dem if you want change for the better!
Hazel must've realised well before now that her position on the cabinet was under threat and she must, by now, also realise that her popularity in Salford is ebbing away. In the last election in 2005, Hazel won with over 50% of the vote. However, the Lib Dems' candidate, Norman Owen, has been making up ground on her with every passing election. Now that Labour is polling lower than the Lib Dems nationally, she must anticipate that the Lib Dems will be nipping at her heels - especially in the event of a snap election! With all this in mind, I believe she has taken the decision to resign in order to distance herself from an obviously failing government with the hope that it will stall her similarly failing popularity here in Salford. She has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If Gordon Brown is deposed (as the media seems is certain will happen very soon after the European Elections) taking an anti-Brown stance now will increase her chances of being re-selected in a new Labour cabinet. Particularly if she can does manage to boost her popularity. If she is not re-selected for the cabinet, it still isn't a disaster for her: You can bet she will come out fighting to keep her parliamentary seat. She's a smooth talker and an experienced politician - she knows the words that will sooth and charm you and she'll tell you whatever you want to hear to try and sway your support to her.
Don't be fooled: this resignation is more about her political career than the people of Salford!
The fact is that Labour (and the Conservatives) and so completely out of touch with the public that they wouldn't know honesty if it crept up and gave them a big sloppy kiss! Nationally, Labour got it wrong on expenses, they got it wrong on Gurkhas, they got it wrong on fuel duty and locally they got it 110% wrong on the congestion charge, ice rink, propaganda wagon etc etc etc. The Conservatives are no better choice - they only know how to oppose and have no new ideas of their own (no good ones anyway). A vote for Labour or a vote for the Tories is a vote for the status quo. Vote Lib Dem if you want change for the better!
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