Labour fight over whether infighting has ceased
11 Sep 2006 by Henry France
A war of words erupted over the weekend as to whether the Labour infighting of last week was over. MP Ed Balls led the 'no fighting' side. "It is clear just from the fact that we are discussing the fight over infighting that the infighting itself has actually stopped. Otherwise we'd be discussing that," he said. "Anybody who thinks that the infighting itself is continuing is stuck, irredeemably, in the past."Others disagreed, including ex-cabinet minister Charles Clarke. "It's clear that infighting from last week is continuing; this is about far more than just whether the fighting has stopped. That some within the party are portraying it as such just shows how arrogant and self absorbed they are." He went on to say how much damage the infighting was causing the party. "These people, without the inability to function within the constructs of a modern political party, are destroying all of us."
Some commentators see a subtle strategy in this new turn. Mark Wheldon, a researcher at the Institute of Pointless Politics (IPP) - a body funded by the newspaper industry - sees an underlying policy initiative. "It's clear that Labour cannot disguise the infighting it is currently going through. So, I think the cabinet wants to portray the fighting as being over whether or not there is any fighting rather than about personalities within the party. I think this is part of the strategic rethink the Prime Minister talked about at the weekend."
"For the Labour party to remain in power for the next ten years it needs to be inventive about the way it covers up its infighting. I think this is just the start of a wave of new initiatives in this area. This will undoubtedly be at the forefront of a regenerated New Labour."
A Downing Street source, who requested anonymity because he is not permitted to talk to the press, described Mr Wheldon as "completely bonkers", adding: "I bet Gordon Brown put him up to it."
