Something Old, something New, Something Borrowed, Something Bozier

So a chap called Bozier has left the Labour Party in a flounce and joined the Conservatives because they are the keepers of the sacread Blairite flame. The Labour Party isn't a serious political force anymore apparently.

I don't know much about Luke Bozier. He isn't an MP, a Shadow Cabinet Minister or a member of the House of Lords. As far as I can tell he blogs a lot and writes articles, which I suppose makes him not disimilar to a lot of us. He's just made something of a career out of pontificating. That's fine. I'd do it if I could. It must be more fun than actually working for a living.

However two things have irritated me about the follow-up to this.

One is the pomposity and ego of the man himself with his talk of statements as if his departure should be greeted with wailing and gnashing of teeth. As if a Bevan or Crossman has left the Labour Party.

The second thing is that people seem to think we should be nice to him. Yes, it is a bit sad when someone leaves a party they've spent time supporting but it was people like Bozier who greeted the potential departure of the old school left from the Labour Party with glee. I don't remember anyone trying to bend over backwards to be nice to me when I had concerns about the 'reformist agenda' (whatever that actually means in non-politicalese). We were 'Old', they were 'New'. The force was with Tony Blair and if we didn't like it that was tough. Leave if want I was told. You won't be missed. Political parties change I was told. This isn't about YOU, it is about the party and victory.

But at the first sniff of change - and it doesn't look like much of a change over here outside the party - Bozier goes running off into the sunset and joins the Tories. That doesn't seem like a political act to me, that seems like a selfish careerist thing to do. Having supported the Labour Party since the 80s it looks to me like Bozier doesn't actually have the stomach to fight his corner.

At least Bozier has a choice. My disillusionment with the Labour Party leaves me without much of a home to go to, except the Green Party. I feel like I've been disenfranchised. I can't jump to the Conservative Party or the Lib-Dems. But then I'm just an ordinary voter. My views won't get me a column in the Independent. I'm expected just to put up and shut up.

The blogosphere has created a sub-division of the political class. People who can't - or won't - stand for political office but build up a following or influence through their internet activities. Their opinions are expected to count for something, hence the puffery abut Bozier. I think there's something a bit wrong with that. But the only way to fight it would be to multiply the number of voices out there and reduce the dominance of the one or two political blogging sites that seem to be working hard at being the 21st centuries example of 'power without responsibility' as the old media dies.