Are Labour the new nasty party?

Have Labour become the new nasty party?  Ross Clark certainly thinks so, and he outlines his reasons why in this week’s Spectator cover piece.  You can read his article here, but – as a taster of what to expect – here’s an extract:

“It used to be backbench Tory MPs who made up the ‘hang ’em and flog ’em’ brigade. Watching the crime debate at Conservative conferences used to be an excruciating business as one spotty activist after another tried to trump all who had gone before him by devising a still crueller and more unusual punishment. I have yet to hear Jacqui Smith or Jack Straw demand the return of the stocks, but exchange the words ‘hang ’em and flog ’em’ for ‘fine ’em and shame ’em’, and you have a potential podium speech at the Labour conference in the making.”