Thursday 15 December 2016

Christmas Cheer for Labour?


The last 100 years were recently described as the transit from Empire, to Democracy then Kleptocracy, as an increasing share of the world’s assets are sucked into the maw of a tiny minority of hugely wealthy individuals. Yes, individuals, for what are corporations but vehicles for multiples of individuals to acquire yet more that they cannot usefully use, without working for it?

No wonder then, if in such a world, large numbers who see this inequity happening around them are dissatisfied with those they have voted for merely perpetuating the status quo, albeit with minor tweaks of differentiation between parties. No wonder that such “indignados” [as they are known in Spain] respond when they hear a siren voice. This may be a voice from Left-field, as has occurred in Greece [Syriza] and Spain [Podemos], USA [Sanders] and here in UK, with Corbyn; or it may unfortunately and more commonly these days come from the Right: Farage, Trump, Le Pen, Wilders etc.

Political sirens must offer a braver new world, with charisma, articulacy and passion if they are to convince not merely their tribal followers but a substantial proportion of the voting public too. Herein lies Corbyn’s problem. He offers a socialist alternative model, true, with honesty and sincerity, which has brought to his banner thousands who had long felt disowned by politics and thousands more who were hearing the possibility for the first time of a politics in tune with their values. But his message stops there. Beyond the converts lie the public, deaf to his way. Sad as it makes me to say it, socialism is a minority sport, even within the Labour Party, at least at present.

Unless he can create a credible vision of a country people in their millions want, we will not go much further with Corbyn. To date, with open goals available for social ownership of rail, opposition to Brexit, mass council house building, State care and more, his Labour Party has devoted itself to infighting and invisibility.
Brexit has done it. Trump has done it. The people wanted them, despite their being palpably flawed. Labour, the people’s party, is no longer seen by the people as in tune with what they need. We who care about the values only it espouses, will patiently have to ride out a period of survival whilst we try to look for the role, the leadership, the political philosophy and policies which may bring us one day back to the fore. Trump, Farage and the other demagogues of hate will be found out, surely, by events which it will be painful to witness and experience.

Sorry. Happy Christmas