A Long Way Left of Centre

I read this article by Alex Smith on Labour List, which apparently is the commentary on 'left-of-centre' blogs for the Guide to Political Blogging 2009-10 published by right-winger Iain Dale's Total Politics magazine (available for the exorbitant price of fifteen quid with postage and packing).

The tone of Smith's article assumes that 'left-of-centre' and 'Labour' are broadly one and the same. For example, Smith writes the following utter bollocks:

We also know the future of our blogs and general online campaign activity will depend on the younger generation of councillors and new MPs and those activists who seek to rebuild any of lost electoral base or aim to push the party in an appropriate direction. Indeed, the future of the left will depend on it.

Even after all these years, it staggers me that there are still people prepared to put the Labour Party and 'the Left' in the same sentence, apparently without irony. But what constitutes “the left wing blogosphere" (as defined, conveniently, by the right) is now way too wide a definition if it includes scumbags who enthusiastically helped take us to war, like Alastair Campbell and John Prescott, or their loyal cheerleaders on Labour List, or any number of Labour MPs or indeed the Islam-obsessives on Harry’s Place. It just goes to show how far the 'centre' has shifted if those who reject neoliberalism, whatever else we may disagree about, are lumped in with these tossers.

It looks as if we need an extra category - "a long way left of centre' perhaps. So if you shudder at the thought of sharing the company of the kind of people who would eagerly add a 'We Still Believe' video onto their blog, then feel free to steal the badge at the top of this post.