As you say, rather hammers home the original point…

If you’re just going to make stuff up, there’s really no point in trying to have a discussion. You’re just becoming an example of what I was talking about. Perhaps you could point out anywhere that I ‘dote on Lady Falkland’. Or that I’m a Tory supporter. Or that I hope for a Tory government.

Perhaps you could then go on to point out anywhere that I said “those who do not want to see a return of the Tories are the ‘defenders of Blair’s Government’”. As opposed to what I actually did say – that ‘Thatcher was worse’ is used by Blair’s defenders (“a justification for many for their continuing to support the illiberal Labour leadership”).

I don’t intend, by the way, to descend to your level of puerile schoolboy insults.

I’ll tell you what… you start, I’ll join you. Only at visiting time though.

I love the way you dote on Lady Falkland and criticise Scargill. You’ll always find a welcome cup of tea with the Tebbits.

By saying those who do not want to see a return of the Tories are the ‘defenders of Blair’s Government’ you are either being mendacious or stupid. Many of us in the Labour Party are extremely critical of the Blair leadership. Equally, many of us think we can do more to work with people in our community in the Labour Party than sitting in our small bedrooms playing with ourselves.

Is that another of the “this trumps everything” comments? Actually, it’s a comment straight out of the Lancashire coalfield (St Helens, to be precise), 1985. I don’t see how it’s possible to characterise Scargill’s leadership of the NUM in that period as anything other than incompetent.

“mental leap from advocating avoiding a return to the Tories… as ‘defending Tony Blair’”

I can’t see where I ever said that. I’m talking about ‘Thatcher was worse’ as a defence of Blair.

“…You are not a Labour voter.”

Not any more, though I was – man and boy. Not in this constituency – currently represented by a staunch Blair loyalist. If I was the next door constituency…

“So, what do you want, your liberties eroded, your health service decimated, even more privatisation and the dumbing down of state education to pave the way for grammar schools.”

Isn’t that what we got?

“…put your fingers in your ears and scream and scream and scream.”

Maybe if enough of us do that?

A sentiment straight out of the Nottinghamshire coalfields.

I am a bit puzzled as to how you have made this mental leap from advocating avoiding a return to the Tories (Howard’s Manifesto, written by Cameron, was at least as reactionary as anything Thatcher ever put out) as ‘defending Tony Blair’. It is a leap of Bob Beamon proportions. I actually think everthing wrong about Blair is that he is too much like a Tory, so if I ever even dreamt of advising anyone that the best thing they could do to get rid of Blair would be to let the Tories into power, I would wake up and apologise.

Yes, your liberties are being eroded. So, what do you want, your liberties eroded, your health service decimated, even more privatisation and the dumbing down of state education to pave the way for grammar schools.

You are not a Labour member. You are not a Labour voter. So your solution seems to be the political equivalent of Violet Elizabeth Bott… put your fingers in your ears and scream and scream and scream.

Phew, wish I was with you. That’d stop ‘em, two of us, eh?

I think the Austrians may be OK as long as you don’t mention Julie Andrews… though not everyone considers the Sound of Music as actually evil.

BTW don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m a Thatcher fan! I’m not – but what Thatcher did 1979 – 1990 hardly constitues an excuse for the authoritarian proclivities of the Blair government. As for David Cameron – pah! He makes Blair seem like a paragon of erudtion. If the Tories think that’s a route back to power, then more fool them.

As for the small ‘L’ liberals – do you mean the members of the Labour Party who believe in civil liberty (I know they exist, I’ve met some of them)? Well, it’s about time they got off their arses and did something.

Meanwhile here’s an alternate history thought: what if the NUM had been led by someone with a brain, instead of by Arthur Scargill?