What can the left do in the UK between now and two elections' time (so, what, 2015?) other than just go "tch, yeah, that'll work" to every Tory proposal?

Take the political compass test every other week to reassure themselves.

how about acting like a left-wing party for a change?

Emigrate

whither, my sweet noodle

make jokes about knife crime

TMI (xp)

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My current favourites are Paraguay and Uzbekistan.

get more Labour MPs to present Have I Got News For You. it worked for Hague and Johnson.

Assuming you mean centre-left here (ie left of Blair-Brown but still actually likely to get anywhere near government at some point), they need to do what Blair and Brown have failed to do, or lacked interest in doing, for ten years.

Which is to create a climate in which there is mainstream demand for even remotely left-wing policies, not just shift to the left and hope for the best. The Tories will not have anywhere near the benign economic conditions Blair and Brown had, so they can hope socio-economic factors create demand for them, and capitalise on any failures.

is either a moderate socialist state?

No but I can tolerate living under a dodgy government if the weather's good and I can't understand most of what anybody says.

Which is to create a climate in which there is mainstream demand for even remotely left-wing policies

feels almost impossible, altho i'm not sure how much the '97 victory came as a result of mainstream demand for left-wing policies as opposed to general desire for change and anti-sleaze.

Paraguay got a new government in April and while there are challenges ahead for Lugo the dawn may have arrived there

just ended 61 years of conservative rule!!!!

you can't hide just by changing your name.

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