Et Tu, Denis?

Manchester students and other readers of my blog postings will know that I have long been an admirer of Denis Healey. Not long ago I wrote: "I see Blair and Brown as 'restoration Labour' - bringing back the tradition of Bevin, Morrison, Gaitskell, Healey etc." Although Denis served as Deputy to the Madman of Hampstead Heath, he can hardly be blamed for penning "the longest suicide note in history" - after all he attained the position after defeating the Beast of Chesterfield as the Party's moderate candidate. Cf. my recent blog quiz: "Q3) Did you vote for Benn or Healey in the 1981 Deputy Leadership election? (10 points for Healey, 5 points for abstaining, minus 20 for Benn)".

Many of you will remember the touching moment when Denis kissed Cherie at Callaghan's funeral and Tony read from Ecclesiasticus 44: "Let us sing the praises of famous men, our ancestors in their generations."

Admittedly, Denis' views seem to have moved to the left somewhat over the past year or so - especially on nuclear defence, foreign wars and privatisation of public services. He's clearly beginning to lose a few of his marbles as old age catches up with him. The silly old billy even seems to think it's the Labour Party that's moved to the right, rather than him moving to the left.

Tonight, on "Newsnight", he went too far. The programme went on air long after the dust had settled, the protesting schoolkids had been cleared away, Tony had issued the longest resignation note in history and Gordon Brown had nominated Steve Redgrave as his future Minister of Sport. And there was Denis Healey, telling everyone that Tony's judgements had been seriously faulty over the past couple of years, demanding TB's immediate resignation and calling for the prompt coronation of the Laird of Kirkcaldy. Shame on you Denis!