But in general terms giving out leaflets asking for a vote for New Labour is something that I didn't feel I could do. One of the things I saw on the NEC over and over again was New Labour suggesting that poor election results were not poor election results and dismissing the loss of the Labour core vote. The loss of Sheffield council and the results in Scotland and Wales two years ago show a proportion of core Labour voters are either staying away or voting for parties that are not the Labour Party and not the Tories. New Labour refuses to address those voters' concerns. That's why you have this bizarre situation of a majority of public opinion in favour of renationalisation of the railways and against privatisation, but New Labour has the opposite policies.
New Labour is supposed to be the creature of focus groups and public opinion.
But in reality it is very ideological and committed to Thatcherite ideas. It will keep going with that agenda. I think the Socialist Alliance is a very positive development. Of course it is very early days. But I have been impressed by a number of things.