Food for thought from across the pond:

[hedgehog]

Mr Straw repeated calls from new leader Mr Miliband to appeal to the "squeezed middle".

He said: "We mould our own future. If we are to stay relevant and electable in 2015 we have to learn the lessons of our past.

"It took years of work by Neil Kinnock, John Smith, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, to undo the damage of the 1980s and reconnect us with all the people for whom this party works, recognising a fundamental truth: that we can only help the poorest and most insecure if we are in government.

"And we can only achieve government by building our support not only amongst the weakest in society but crucially among, as Ed has said, the squeezed middle and amongst those who feel more secure about their incomes and their place."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jack-straw-labour-must-respond-to-squeezed-middle-2091787.html

I know very little about British politics, but I think that this week the Labour Party elected Ed Miliband as its new leader on a platform of no more Labour-lite. Sort of analogous to the Democratic Party turning its back on the DLC if I understand correctly.

[Arugula Latte]

1. Good for the Brits.

Tony Blair could have been a great Labour leader, but he completely squandered his role in history by hitching his wagon to the very evil and corrupt Bushco.

[hedgehog]

2. Politics in the US and UK seems to follow a feed-back loop;

a success for Labour (as opposed to New Labour) may be a boon for Obama. BTW- Tony Blair and company are coming under increasing heat for dragging the UK into Iraq.

If I understand correctly, Labour is pushing to tax the rich rather than slashing services.