Is Mcdonnell Waving The Latest Labour Play Book Here?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34931047

[lindapalmara]

Did you notice Chris Bryant (or "Pants, as I call him) looking storey faced behind him? What an own goal! I can imagine a very young McDonnell standing outside the Great Hall of the people, anxiously waiting for his Autograph! Mao was the bigger killer of his own people than Stalin and Hitler. How dare he read this odious book in our Parliament, I was in China recently and learnt a lot.

[naomi24]

Labour lurches from one embarrassment to the next.

[whiskeryron]

Isn't he just a little bit right though, to snuggle up to the Chinese Communists it would be better surely for the Tories to get closer to our own Socialist party & between them to get our own economic problems sorted out.

[Gromit]

I am beginning to see that the new Labour leadership, though principaled and well intentioned, are just very niave.

It would be obvious to any strategist, that waving the communist book would be a huge own goal. A very stupid thing to do.

There is little point in Labour bringing new legs into the political race, if they are going to continually shoot themselves in the foot.

[anotheoldgit]

/// it would be better surely for the Tories to get closer to our own Socialist party & between them to get our own economic problems sorted out. ///

With Labour's past economic record, I don't think that they would be able to add anything of any value.

[Quizmonster]

One wonders how many of those who criticise the Shadow Chancellor for quoting Mao actually listened to what the quote was. Here it is:

"We must learn to do economic work from all who know how. No matter who they are, we must esteem them as teachers, learning from them respectfully and conscientiously. But we must not pretend to know what we do not know".

In brief, "We should listen to people who know and don't pretend we know things we don't." What could be more rational? The fact that a Chinese despot actually said it does not make it any the less valid.

In the current benefits situation, many in his own party and most of the House of Lords knew more than old Smoke'n'Mirrors Osborne. Just think, but for the HOL, the slashed in-work benefits would probably be law by now!

[lindapalmara]

Quizmonster

//Just think, but for the HOL, the slashed in-work benefits would probably be law by now!//

Are you happy for your taxes to be subsidising large companies paying low wages and people who don't want to work full time so that they can have days off and have their wages topped up by the tax payer. Or maybe you are not a tax payer!

[douglas9401]

How does reading from a book by and old Chinese lunatic stack up against selling the country down the Yangse to his descendants then?
Nuclear power station, railways and bridges anyone?

[Quizmonster]

Linda, the cuts to benefits Osborne planned were to "in-work claimants" which clearly does not describe those apparent skivers described in your contribution at 16.34.
And yes, even at 78, I am still a tax-payer. Not only that, I also don't "hate Britain" or "support work-shy scum" or any of the other such absurdities some right-wingers here on AB devoutly believe about people like me!

Now, how about an answer to the question I asked re the Mao quote in Line 2 of Para 3 at 16.06. It read: "What could be more rational?"

[Zacs-Master]

The relevance of the quote was overshadowed by the fact it was from THE handbook of an oppressive communist regime. Mr McDonald really needs to think these things through and the act demonstrates another Labour shadow Ministers political main-stage unworthiness.

[Orderlimit]

Maybe Mr Ed Miliband was right when he recently said something like 'bet you didn't things could get any worse". It's a tough one.

[lindapalmara]

Quizmonster

I did not use any of the language or quotes you insinuated. I am speaking after hearing from a boss of a haulage company who said that although his company paid well over the minimum wage but his employees refused to work over the number of hours which kept them just below the threshold to claim tax credits. You haven't addressed the multi million pound businesses like supermarkets who pay low wages because they know the taxpayer will top,them up. Osbournes initial plan to take the tax credits away before the minimum wage and living wage come in was wrong but it's been changed now. We have to stop this welfare dependency that Brown created and encourage work whilst looking after the very vulnerable.

[Svejk]

Next week the Shadow Home Secretary will be quoting from the Koran during the law and order debate.

[janbee]

LOL at svejk xx

[Quizmonster]

Are you truly sufficiently deluded to believe that the Koran has NOTHING of value to say about ANYTHING?

[ToraToraTora]

Yes QM I agree with your isolated statement here:
"In brief, "We should listen to people who know and don't pretend we know things we don't." What could be more rational? The fact that a Chinese despot actually said it does not make it any the less valid." - it probably also says that somewhere in Mein Kampf but if I waved that about in the house whilst quoting from it, I too would look like a loony. That's the point.

[Quizmonster]

TTT, your reference to Mein Kampf really supports my case. I have never read that book, so I don't know whether or not it has any wise words within it amongst the vicious dross which I understand comprises most of it.
However, if it does, I can see no reason to deny that knowledge because of the author.
As for the point raised by others above, millions and millions of perfectly peaceful Muslims accept the Koran for its wisdom, though "the devil can quote scripture" in their case, just as 'he' can with reference to the Bible or any other 'holy' book.
Cheers anyway.