Labour Lefties, in spite of the wishful thinking of some right-wingers in the party, are beginning to leave behind the “demoralised state of mind” in which they have languished for up to twenty years. Though still lacking sufficient collective coherence and self-confidence, the Left is heartened by the departure of Blair (and Brown), the collapse of the neo-liberalism that under-pinned their project, and the albeit hesitant return to democracy and social democratic politics by the party leadership. And yet, too often, Labour Lefties are reluctant to throw themselves back into party activity.
In the New Labour years, many on the left (and increasingly even centrists who insisted on the right to dissent) were driven out of council positions, barred from standing for office, or hounded out of office in the local party. Even those who weren’t felt marginalised. After all, they were led to believe that activism didn’t work — the spinners and the ad-men had it all under control.
And so, if they didn’t leave the party as so many others did, they retreated to whatever activity felt safest. At election time, going to work for one of the dwindling band of left MPs or the last dissenters on the council. Perhaps, giving up knocking on doors altogether. No reason to go to conferences, it never made any difference. If they turned up at party meetings, it was mainly to point out how dreadful it all was. Which it was.
Long-standing habits die hard. But they must change. If not now, when?
Labour is at a crossroads. It’s future is uncertain, though the signs of a return to democracy and social democratic values are encouraging. It is up to the Left to make use of the opening window of opportunity to exercise influence on the party’s future path. It it fails to do so, it will be responsible for its failure.
That means engaging in every aspect of the party’s activity. In year-round campaigning. In community engagement. In training. In local government. In party meetings at every level. In fundraising. In donating.
It will be harder for some than others. Some are lucky to live in a left-wing local party. Or at least an active, tolerant party. For others, the right don’t make it easy. I live in Tower Hamlets where Left and Right play a blocking game. All party offices are contested, each side voting to block the other. Competence is irrelevant, intention to do the job is not required A high proportion of those elected fail to attend meetings or do anything. The left should not play such games but it takes both sides to end it.
If the Left wants to win the support of the centre — and it can never win without it — it must work harder at everything, canvass harder, fundraise harder, take on more responsibilities. There are no excuses. Nothing will be gained by waiting. Time to get stuck in.
And this week, I have made my first donation to the national party since the Iraq war started.
Sorry, friend, but the hard truth is that Labour just isn’t worth it! Too many of the Blairites, of those who lack compassion and moral values, still around.
My head says that you are right Jon but my heart is finding it difficult. I mean Twigg agreeing with Gove over Education… Byrne and Flint still in place.. and in particular Flint to be in charge of tackling energy policy with its potential for green growth. Not only does she have no previous experience of the issues, not only has she no science background, but she is purple through and through. What a disaster!
However, the left has no option. The imperative must be to remove this government and the LP is currently the only credible vehicle. To not fight for a Labour victory is to allow another 5y of this neo-feudalism…. but if the LP is not going to move left now when will it?
There are and will continue to be disappointments, Syzyzgy, of which the appointment of Flint and Twigg are severe examples. But, as you rightly say, “the left has no option“. There is no better vehicle available for attracting popular support for socialist policies than the Labour Party. We have to win the party to our view and we cannot do that without fully committing to the party ourselves. Ed Miliband, for all his concessions to the right, only just managed to scrape the Leadership electon last year, and then wothout majority support in either the parliamentary party or the constituencies. To sustain the party’s mover leftwards, we must win the support of the centre ground in the constituency parties.
That centre ground is conflicted. It often, perhaps mainly, supports the left in policy debates, but it is also deferential to the the party’s leaders, whatever their policy differences with it. Anti-Toryism takes precedence over their preferred policies. To win their support, we must earn their trust.