Those who know me would probably expect a little bit of leftie-bashing on my return to blogging, but what has infused me to right this piece on the problem of the British Left was the tweets of someone who has been described by everyone's favourite '' author Louise Bagshawe as a 'key voice for the left aged only 25', that is New Statesman columnist Laurie Penny. If you are not an avid New Statesman reader, if that isn't in fact an oxymoron then you may not be aware of Laurie.
The tweet in question was one in which Miss Penny labelled people that would be described as right wing 'drones'. This really annoyed me, Miss Penny on twitter has blocked me after trying to question her logic on something she posted, whats annoys me is the cheek of these lefties and others who label you a 'troll' or a 'drone' when they themselves are not willing to discuss and debate there ideas.
Furthermore, it is rather appalling how someone of the intellect of Miss Penny is frankly given so much air time, she has appeared several times of late on the BBC and Channel 4 news, what is her claim to fame? Well as previously mentioned she is a columnist for the left leaning New Statesman. Yes that's right ladies and gentleman, that bastion of left wing thought that has an article complaining about climate change on one page and then an advert for a Saab on the next. Maybe I am being slightly unreasonable, well, the circulation of the New Statesman is under 25,000 so its even like any one reads her articles anyway.
This is the big problem of the left, they are more than willing to sit on the sidelines criticising the right but they are not so quick to offer any alternative or take us up in debate, this is not the case with everyone on the 'left' but it is certainly a problem that many on the left and arguably the Labour Party face. Yvette Cooper today on twitter was quick to criticise the government on the effects there policies would have on women, but she offered no alternative. How does she expect her party to gain any credibility or her own views be taken seriously without providing some kind of alternative?
I don't think when it comes to trying to engage with others the right is very good either, the self importance of some of the 14th rate numpties that describe themselves as 'young proffesionals' really does make one want to cry. When they are not handing out there business cards which are often irrelevant, they are making egotistical comments and claiming themselves superior. We on the right need to engage with the people who don't read Adam Smith, Jefferson and Mill as it is us Libertarians that have the arguments that have the ability to appeal to the people themselves.
