The increasingly impressive James Purnell mooted some pretty well trodden ideas last week. The former Labour MP had the audacity to question whether millionaires should really get a pensioners free bus pass and state supplied fuel. A long overdue debate, but Labour grassroots have whipped themselves up into a fury of self-righteousness, that only they do best. The pitchforks and iPads have been out in force, culminating in one of the greatest headlines on LabourList that Guido has seen in a long time:

“Purnell is a heretic, and he’s in the wrong party”

He should then of course be burnt at the social-democratic stake right? Sentiments like that go a long way to explain Labour aren’t being taken seriously. A well deserved Order of the OTT…

@stellacreasy the way Gov is lynching services for most vulnerable kids, feels like Big Society IS being run by Ku Klux Klan! #NoCutsForKids—
Oona King (@Oona_King) February 28, 2011

Yes that’s right kids… the evil ConDems are stringing people up from trees and lamp posts in order to bring down the deficit.

No wonder the liability factor kept London Labour in Ken’s grip…