The Legacy of JFK

I attended a conference last week on John F Kennedy's Presidential Heritage. It was hosted by the excellent Eccles Centre in the British Library. I hope that, in the not too distant future, recordings and possibly transcripts from the conference will be available on their website.

Going down, I feared that it might be an extravagance on my part - JFK has always fascinated me - but that era is just outside my areas of research (US Congress and UK Parliament 1974-date), and there was to be nothing related to the current work I'm engaged in. I need not have felt guilty - it was a thought provoking day - covering the role of "Action Intellectuals" in the White House; Civil Rights; Economics; the Vietnam War; the role of Lyndon Johnson; and Kennedy's death. I took pages of notes - but most importantly, have had lots to think about since.

In the evening David Miliband gave an inspiring talk about America; Britain & Europe: Lessons from JFK. At its heart was Kennedy's recognition of "Double-Pull" - the pull of both national political identity and the search for unity and co-operation between states. Kennedy was attracted by the idea of European Integration - and encouraged Britain to get involved. He liked the idea of strong European institutions to act as umpires in the disputes over national interests.

Do look out for the papers from the conference - they were excellent.

Monday Morning

Timing is everything in politics. My arrival at the entrance to the secure area around conference coincided with that of David Miliband. He went on to make a superb speech - not just a unifying speech from a closely defeated candidate for the party's top job - but but foreign policy and what can and should be achieved. I shall be reading the text carefully - it had great substance.

I've escaped from the conference for a couple of hours. I'm hoping to call in at the Labour History Museum - I used its archives for a paper I presented in the summer on the first Labour Group in the House of Lords (1924 - formed as Labour entered overnment for the first time). They have the original minutes of the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party); copies of the conference reports (which always include a parliamentary report) and books of memoirs not generally available. I will be depositing a copy of the paper that the staff at the archives were so helpful in assisting me with. [If you are interested in a copy, drop me a line at info@washminster.com. I will email a copy as soon as I return home - where my PC's hard drive has the file.

Tonight I am attending a Law Society reception (which as a law lecturer at a couple of universities, I have a great interest in training which the Law Society oversees) - then Diversity Night at an Indian Restaurant. Finally I'll be going to the Guardian's late night reception.

Labour's Next Leader

This week ballot papers will be despatched to Labour Party Members to enable them to vote in the election for the new party leader. Information on the contest can be found here.

The candidates are (with links to their websites)

Diane Abbott - "Turn the page, change the party"

Ed Balls - "Fight for Fairness"

Andy Burnham - "Reconnecting Labour"

David Miliband - "Bringing Labour together, Leading Labour to power"

Ed Miliband - "Change to Win"






The result will be announced in Manchester on September 25th in Manchester.

Monday

A very full - and interesting day. Aftera two mile walk from my accommodation into the Conference Centre, I arrived just in time for the start of "European Question Time". Breakfast was provided. Chaired by Baroness Ashton, the Leader of the House of Lords, subjects ranged from campaigning, to social policy and to international security.

The plenary session had already begun by the time I'd got across to the conference hall itself. However my stay there was short - as I joined a small group of parliamentarians for a tour of the Labour History Archive and Study Centre of the People's History Museum. The building itself is of great historical significance for the Labour Movement - in 1868 the Trades Union Congress (TUC) had its first meeting there. The tour was fascinating and I saw the original handwritten minutes of the first meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (12th February 1906, letters from Eric Blair [George Orwell]; Charlie Chaplin - and a handwritten letter from a young Tony Blair to the Labour leader of the time, Michael Foot. There was a fantastic collection of political posters and some banners. The People's History Museum is currently closed for redevelopment - but it has so many items of interest, that I would strongly recommend a visit when it reopens. Details of the Museum and the archive are available at http://82.71.77.169/introduction.htm

I returned to the conference hall to hear the speech by Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. At lunch time I went to a debate organised by the Guardian - on who was Labour's Greatest Hero. Keir Hardie; Clement Attlee; Nye Bevan and Barbara Castle were the four nominees. It was enjoyable and interesting. A full report is expected soon on http://www.guardian.co.uk/

In the afternoon session we heard speeches from Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Defence Secretry, Des Browne. I sought to participate in the debate - with a speech on the need for Britain to work with fellow EU members; the United States and other countries to advance both Britain's and the world's interests. However time ran out and I wasn't called. The afternoon concluded with tributes to, and speeches by two retiring Members of the European Parliament - EPLP Leader Gary Titley and Glenys Kinnock.

Tonight I briefly attended a reception put on by my union branch - the UNITE T&G Parliamentary Branch http://www.w4mp.org/html/personnel/tgwu/default.asp. I then went to a Hansard Society/Channel 4 event entitled "People Like Us: is British society fairly reflected in parliament? This was recorded and a podcast is planned which will appear on the Hansard Society website - http://www.hansard-society.org.uk/

I enjoyed a visit to the Labour Friends of India reception; then went to a packed meeting entitled "American Election Update". The level of interest was obvious - and we were treated to some useful insights into this enthralling election.

By the time I got back to my accommodation it was nearly midnight - and now I'm off to bed - and another busy day, which will include Gordon Brown's speech.