Labour supporters and glory hunters

Labour United.
I really enjoyed reading this article on Labour United
http://www.labourlist.org/labour_united_the_problem_with_the_next_generation?utm_source=taomail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=842+Communication%2C+Tue+5th+May+2009&tmtid=11409-842-6-1-2089

This is something I’ve been going on about for a little while, which is that party of the current problem is the amount of glory hunters who are not real Labour people. Now, what is ‘real’ in that sense? I don’t know. Socialists? Good start. Poor people? Certainly not, there have been plenty people from rich who are left and poor who are right.
As for being white, middle class, university educated. Now this is a problem. Partly because I am white, university educated, middle class. But I believe that I’m ‘real’ Labour. Why? Because I am a Bevanite and I think Michael Foot is the second best human being ever born after Nye Bevan. What I like about Bevan was his socialism and his willingness to compromise. I don’t really care where he came from, his background for the fact he liked fancy suits and expensive food and drink (maybe even champagne). The point is that they are both socialists, never mind their background.
I don’t want to discriminate against anyone on the basis of their background, only where they are and where they are going.
I support Labour for the same reason I support Southend United. Not because we win all the time, but because that is where my heart and soul is. I am a lefty, I have been as long as I can remember.
I get annoyed at the constant claims to have found the perfect formula of ‘what works’ with no ideology attached. All sides do it. Every party claims that they are inherently better than their opponents. I don’t believe this. I believe what I believe, and that is why I support Labour. Not because my head tells me that they CAN rule while the Conservatives can’t, but rather because I believe politics to be motivated by the heart. Do I want tax cuts for the rich or poor? The poor, tax the rich out of existence! That’s a parody, but the point is that politics comes from my heart, with policy guided by the head.
And to do this well, there needs to be people who get out and engage with voters.

Part of the problem with all the young professional politicians is, I believe, the obsession with youth. Not just in politics, in business to. Cameron is young. Blaire was young. Obama is ‘cool’ and ‘down with kids’ etc etc etc.
The obsession with youth means that older and or more diverse candidates are blocked because they are not young. I don’t say this is the whole problem and therefore discredit the article, but it is a factor.