If you’re selling your soul, working all day
Overtime hours for bullshit pay
Nothing’s gonna change if all you do
Is wish you could wake up and it not be true
Join a union, fight for better pay
Join a union, brother, organise today
You’ll see where the problem really lies
When the union comes around:
Rich men earning north of a million
Wanna keep the working folk down
Wanna keep the working folk down
Just a quick one from me this morning for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I’ve only just woken up at 7:15am, having stayed up far too late last night watching reports about the UK election and the polls opening.
The other reason is that those polls will shut at 9am NZT, and with exit polls coming soon after some of what I have to say might become rapidly redundant. But I wanted to say something and to create a place for folks to share their thoughts on the results as they come in, with things looking very good for Labour.
It was especially lovely last night seeing the proud messages of readers, or those who have kids in the UK, sharing stories and photos of themselves or family going off to vote or volunteering on the day.
Pam, the first MP I saw speak in person, going back 30 years to the Maidment Theatre at Auckland Uni. Someone who has inspired me with her forthright honesty, and her own battle with demons I share, so proud of her daughter taking part.
Louise: “My eldest son and his partner voted today too!! Hip hip hooray, let’s hope it’s good news opening our peepers in the morning! Lord knows the world needs some!”
Rose: “Heard from daughter in London, she's just voted. She's looking very pleased.”
I know for many of you the UK won’t feel particularly relevant, perhaps other than it’ll be good to see the back of those idiotic toffs who don’t seem to have a clue what they’re doing. Personally I feel an affinity for the place having spent a bit of time living there.
Not for the “important people” on TV, but the sort of people I knew where I lived and worked, dear friends and relatives still there. I hope for a better Britain for them. It’s going to be a massive effort to turn things round but stopping the damage and turning the ship is a good start.
This was one last Tory interview from Jonathan Pie last night, kind of...
The causes I believe in aren’t local issues, be it socialism or environmentalism. Yes we act locally but borders don’t ultimately matter.
There isn’t much point in striving for Green ideals in one place, and just ignoring what everyone else does. As for socialism - people are people regardless of those lines we draw on maps and the world would be a whole lot better place if we just saw each other as human beings first and foremost.
It would be nice if we were looking forward to someone a bit more inspiring than Keir Starmer, but compared to the current lot - he’ll more than do. Still it would’ve been so much sweeter if it had been this guy…
After I posted that tweet last night Rachel from the UK, some of you if you follow my Facebook page will know who that is, said her daughter was out campaigning in Jeremy’s North Islington electorate. In fact here she is:
For the people of the UK I hope this is an end to the politics of austerity and the transfer of wealth towards those who already have plenty. For the world it should be a signal that in one corner of the planet the people are massively rejecting the lies of safe and stable government, of restoring law and order, by cruel charlatans who only have their own interests at heart.
The next time Luxon, who seems to be travelling almost permanently these days, goes to London it’ll be nice to see him having to congratulate the new British PM. A man who, whatever deficiencies he might have, is hopefully about to be responsible for the sorts of policies favoured by our coalition being rejected and turfed out by the public.
So, how are you feeling on this historic day? One that should finally see the end of fourteen miserable years of Tory rule. Will you be watching the results with interest or are you a bit more focussed on things here?
Whatever it is I hope you have a great day, and for those who are interested I hope in just over an hour from now we’ll see a huge shift in British politics. I’m hoping a defeat for the Tories of such magnitude that they’re out of power for a generation.
My apologies if that was a bit rushed, it was an hour from start to finish. I’d just like to finish by echoing Caroline’s words - “Fuck Off Tories!”
Oh, and then Fuck Off some more….
Keep going…
Lots of people enjoyed the Billy Bragg song I put in the earlier newsletter about the UK election, so here is another. This is what Billy wrote to accompany this clip…
“Since I saw that clip of Oliver Anthony singing his song 'Rich Men North of Richmond', the ghost of Woody Guthrie has been whispering in my ear. "Help that guy out" Woody keeps telling me "Let him know there's a way to deal with those problems he's singing about". So today I sat down and wrote this response to Mr Anthony's song, for people like him and people like you.”
YES!!! They bloody did it. The exit poll shows an absolute landslide for Labour.
Lab 410
Con 131
Lib Dem 61
Reform 13
SNP 10
Green 2
Other 23
Live feed from SKY UK here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNlqaj7h2AA
Channel 4 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fey2cmdOa-g
The Daily Mail 🤢 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27TKFAZsyzQ
CNN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvrAStFTb3s
LBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq0Fkap2dY8