...after 25 years I have rejoined the labour party.
not from any matter of principle, I am as convinced as ever that there is no state road to socialism, whether revolutionary(bolshevik) nor reformist (labour). I am however painfully aware of the threat of a tory victory at the next election. The past 13 years Labour in government have done many things that I have found execrable, and yet have rebuilt the NHS, introduced the minimum wage and the tax credit system which has made a real difference to the lives of many working class people. the existence of a Labour govt. has given us a, relatively, benign regime in which to operate, a situation which would change immensly if Cameron and his toffs get in.
I look at Brown's handling of the recession and note that there has been less reprossessions than expected, less bankruptcies, lower unemployment, There is little that national politicians can do in the face of a global recession but it seems that Brown and co have in many ways given us a soft landing.
In contrast the slathering of Cameron's cronies at the chance to slash and burn the welfare state in their urge to cut! cuT! cUT! CUT! shows that they are determined to take us back to Thatchers days.
so I signed up to do what I can to stop Cameron.
11 comments:
What!!??
ahh well, at least you had the guts to admit it, and I can see why, but was it necessary to **join** them?
Surely, if you felt that extreme (and personally I think joining new Labour is an extreme measure), why not just support them and do a bit of leg work, rather than pay money to new Labour so they can ignore whatever you vote for at a CLP?
Or maybe you fancy your chances as an alternative to Gordon Brown :)
Who's your local Labour MP? Will you be canvassing for them at the election?
my local mp is martin salter, who is standing down at the election. I can't really see what so much worse in paying a quid to join (which is the fee for students) and simply signing up to volunteer. Elsewhere I wrote in a discussion over labour voting
"I will probably vote labour in May, I have voted labour with a few exceptions at every election since 1985.
In the end whatever the failures of Labour in office, the alternative is a hell of a lot less pleasant. Boney might believe that a return of the toffs to no. 10 might galvanise the masses, but what i see is attacks on the minimum wage (introduced by this govt.) cuts in working tax credits (introduced by this govt.) on child tax credits (this govt.) cuts in the NHS (massively expanded under this govt.) slashing of the child care vouchers (this govt.), attacks on social services(especially Cameron's emphasis on expanding the 'voluntary sector' at the expense of state).
One can attack Brown, and blair before him, for their priorities, their philosophical starting piont, their embracing of the free market, the various wars, pfi, mandelson, etc. etc. however when faced with Cameron's Eton smirk, there is no alternative but labour."
I canvas for my local Labour councillor only, but he's not up till next year. There's no way I'd campaign for my MP, Caroline Flint, in a general election.
Well that's a surprise. Still it won't be pleasant if those Oxford educated toffs from the Tory party get in this year as opposed to those, er, Oxford educated proletarian heroes currently in government.
Anyway, you've certainly had an interesting political journey over the last few years Darren!
It probrably won't last; I 'll jump ship across to to the spgb or the maoists, but for now it seems the right move.
Yeah righto, as long as you don't join Respect!
I know how you feel Darren. I would never rejoin, but I feel more loyal to them than any time since losing the 1992 election.
Speaking as someone who voted for Wilson in the 60s and has been known to put my cross next to the LibDems while mouthing off about "who ever you vote for the government get in" - I won't be throwing any stones.
"It probrably won't last; I 'll jump ship across to to the spgb or the maoists, but for now it seems the right move."
We've already got a Darren in the SPGB. Two would be bewitching.
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