Democratic dialogues: how to communicate with the people of Nuneaton | openDemocracy

This
is a serious question: I need to know what Jeremy Corbyn proposes for
the countryside should he become leader of the Labour Party. I suspect
that his knowledge of life outside Camden and Islington may be
negligible.

We have to remember the countryside campaign of the
Labour Party when Blair’s version were triumphant: and we must try to
forget about those toe-curling events like the Cool Britannia parties at
No. 10: and for younger readers, this is not a joke or a prod.

What is much more sad and deflating is that the Labour Chief Whip was
one Denis Carter, aka Lord Carter, perhaps one of the most decent men of
all time in politics. All Wiltshire people who are aware will remember
DC as an agricultural consultant who founded AKC Consultants in Devizes:
his knowledge of rural life was second to none.

The most painful
episode I have ever witnessed in political life was of Dennis leading a
meeting at the Pembroke Arms in Wilton on the subject of “What Labour
will do for the countryside.” Poor Dennis: he was embarrassed from the
outset and the evening did nothing to alleviate his discomfort. Even at
that early stage, it was pretty evident that Blair considered the
countryside as a dreadful inconvenience that should be done away with
or, at best, fenced off and ignored.

Dennis’ talk went like this:
“We will build 67,000,000 houses and that’s the way to employ country
people. All the locals will build houses and get paid. They will then
live in these houses and be very happy, and should there be, er, no
work, we will build …. more houses.”

Dennis Carter was a
supremely good man and had a comprehensive knowledge of farming and
country matters. He did not “play” a Fender guitar. All Labour
supporters will remember him, even though he was not a millionaire.

Corbyn’s policy? “We will build 67,000,000 houses and….” (Contd p.94).

Sigh.