We're All Fired Up In Gordon's Big Tent

This may come as a surprise to some, but I'm solidly behind Gordon and his "big tent of all the talents" approach to politics. I know that I've been insular and sniping at times in the past, but I've seen the error of my ways and I'm now firmly convinced that there's room for everybody in today's Labour Party. Margaret Thatcher is welcome (as long as it's only for a brief visit), as is Quentin Davies, Admiral Sir Alan West, Sir Digby Jones, Sir Mark Malloch Brown, Lord John Stevens, Baroness Julia Neuberger, Lord Lester and Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller. But these are all well-known Tories and LibDems, whereas I'd like to see an influx of ordinary little people, despite the views they may have held in the past. One person I would welcome into the Labour Party would be my spoofster, because despite his ultra-right-wing views and complete inability to organise a coherent argument about anything, I'm sure we could find him something useful to do. Maybe folding election leaflets or annoying Tory MPs by playing "knock down ginger" at their houses.

Mind you, I'd have to draw the line somewhere. It would be stomach-churning to entertain the prospect of recruiting a LibDem Councillor who, only a year ago, wrote:

"Labour's total lack of direction and leadership are the reasons behind this terrible state of affairs [Haringey Borough's total ability to deal with housing issues, according to a damning 2006 Audit Commission report] and the housing service needs a fresh start. People will be furious at the discovery that the housing register has not been kept properly – some tenants have been waiting in so-called "temporary" accommodation for many years. They will not be pleased to hear that they may have been entitled to be rehoused years ago. Worse still, the fact that Labour councillors have known about the terrible problems for years without taking concerted action to put things right shows how little ability Labour have to manage this borough. Labour will claim that they are now fixing the problems, but it is being done far, far too late for the tenants whom they are supposed to serve."

"Can anyone smell burning?"

So Haringey LibDem spokesperson for Housing Councillor Catherine Harris is one person who we certainly won't be inviting into the bivouac. Oh, just the thought of it makes me feel sick.