Labour's three stooges aid Con-Dem coalition

THREE FORMER Labour cabinet members are now acting as advisers to the Con-Dem coalition. Prime Minister Cameron has appointed Alan Milburn his 'social mobility tsar', who is supposed to help break down barriers for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. In reality, Milburn will provide a fig leaf for the brutal cuts policies of public school educated millionaires.

Roger Shrives

Milburn, of course, looks after his own social mobility. After resigning as Labour Health Secretary, Milburn took a Ł30,000 a year post advising venture capitalists Bridgepoint, who specialise in helping finance private health care firms get their claws into the NHS. He also advises unhealthy multinational PepsiCo.

Milburn's ex-flatmate John Hutton, now Baron Hutton of Furness, is heading a commission into public sector pensions, which the bosses aim to cut heavily. Who better to give an illusion of Tory fairness than Labour's Furness? Hutton is also on the board of a US nuclear power company.

Former Labour minister Frank Field is described as the coalition's new 'poverty czar'. Field's first report blamed 'toerag parents' for 'dragging down children' - he obviously sees his remit as increasing poverty.

Right winger Field hero-worships Margaret Thatcher, wants to cut benefits and calls for the return of national service as an alternative to growing unemployment and to instil "a sense of order and patriotism" in young people.

Spot the difference

At a time when the government is pushing a vicious cuts agenda, the political equivalent of the Three Stooges are coming to Cameron's aid. What will workers threatened by Cameron's carnage think of top Labour politicians actively helping the Tories?

This modern day gang of three are extreme examples, but what have Labour's leaders done since they lost office?

After running the country on capitalist lines and fighting an election on right-wing ideas, the tops now seem pre-occupied with a deeply uninspiring party leadership battle between politicians barely discernible from the Tories.

This weak coalition government should be fought all the way, not propped up. But given that Labour's policy was to carry out the same cuts in six years, not five, no wonder these three can't see much difference.