Over on the Total Politics website they’ve been poking fun at the ‘house party’ instructions issued by the David Miliband campaign. On reading the piece at first I thought it was being a little harsh, because house parties (where you invite electors – Labour members in this case – to a small event to discuss things face-to-face) have a great role in campaigning. And yes, the instructions are a bit detailed at points – but then many people will be hosting this sort of event for the first time ever.
Then, however, I got to this part:
Read your guests a page about David Miliband. But remember, as it’s in the first person, pretend that these are actually your thoughts!
Oops.
Update: Um, got that story a bit wrong as the text quoted isn’t from the Miliband campaign guide itself but rather TP’s commentary on the suggested comments written out for people in the first person. Providing verbatim comments written as ‘I think…’ is also fair game for some poking fun, but not quite in the same league as what I’d originally said. Also changed the headline to reflect this.
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In the aftermath of the election, we were told that the “New Politics” meant an end to the days of uncritical partisanship and everybody within a party being expected to have the same views on everything.
In that spirit, what exactly would be wrong with a Miliband supporter not agreeing with every single thing he says?
“I have moderated a number of comments on this thread to remove off-topic ones.”
Would it be off-topic to point out that “pretend these are actually your thoughts” seems to have been precisely Nick Ckegg’s strategy during the election campaign? When in fact his thoughts were the opposite …
@Anthony Aloysius
To give Nick the benefit of the doubt, the one thing he never for one second thought during the election campaign is that he’d end up in government and have to make good on anything he said.
Seems s slightly unnecesasary post now.