It has been too long in the coming, but better late than never. The Labour Outlook website reports that “a coalition of trade union leaders, over 25 Labour MPs and Labour Party organisations have launched a new call demanding an end to the factional agenda from those at the top of the Labour Party and for the restoration of members’ rights and democracy in the Party”.
The statement by the coalition that calls itself Restore Labour Democracy warns that “a narrow, factional agenda is being imposed upon the Party” and that this approach “is increasingly unpopular with the public.” The complete collapse of the Labour vote at Gorton and Denton and the constant loss of local council by-elections (with only a few isolated exceptions) are indications of the profound alienation of what was once Labour’s core vote from the Party.
The faction around Keir Starmer has relentlessly purged the Labour Party for six years and has removed what little freedom and independence there was for Constituency Labour Parties, either to select candidates of their own choice, or even to discuss key issues like Gaza. One national opinion poll after another shows the deep distrust of Keir Starmer and points to three quarters of Labour MPs losing their seats in the next general election.
Tens of thousands of former Labour members – often people who have given blood, tears and sweat to the party over years, but have had their noses rubbed in the dirt too often – have gone to Your Party, and probably in even greater numbers to the Green Party. It is little wonder that in by-elections and campaigns, Labour can barely mobilise any campaign workers, except full-time employees and sitting councillors.
Coming local elections will be a ‘bloodbath’ for Labour
The local elections this coming May could be a political bloodbath for the Labour Party, as an even greater number of Labour councillors are likely to lose their seats than was the case last year, and that was bad enough.
It is not before time, therefore, that a number of trade union lefts are now organising and speaking out. Left Horizons has long argued that it is not sufficient for trade union leaders just to complain about Starmer’s approach and Rachel Reeves’ policies…and then threaten to disaffiliate. The trade unions have always had the resources to conduct a systematic and ongoing campaign against the right-wing faction who have hi-jacked the Party. Unfortunately, they have failed up to now to show anything like the same ruthlessness that the right-wing have deployed in their campaign to get control of the party machine.
We hope that those unions which have signed this statement will now, collectively if need be, put their resources where their signatures are. The have committed to “working together” and “reversing the damage”. But if that is to be done seriously, and if it is not simply a gesture, it should mean regular regional and national political schools organised by the unions, providing political education and training for the most active union militants.
It should mean a coordinated and systematic campaign to win regional Labour Party conferences, to gain majorities on Regional Boards, and to do the same at national level, at the national Labour conference and on the NEC. The Labour Democracy coalition needs to get a grip on the Labour apparatus, which currently functions as a factional arm of the right-wing. As for MPs and councillors, Open Selection of all candidates has to be put back on the agenda.
Nor is it only a question of organisation and democracy. “Restoring Labour democracy” has to mean free discussion of policies that are in the interests of working class people and not the millionaires and billionaires. There has to be full freedom of discussion inside the Labour Party about the meaning and purpose of real socialist policies and how they can address the needs of the overwhelming majority of the population.
Many good socialists alienated by Labour’s right wing
Starmer and Co have so alienated many good socialists that they are now members of Your Party and the Greens. Among many of these former Labour members, there is an almost visceral hatred of the party to which they once belonged and which has so badly let them down. Notwithstanding their understandable view of Starmer, we need to repeat that Starmer is not the Labour Party and the Labour Party is more than Starmer.
If there is indeed the possibility of a new and genuine left current developing inside the Labour Party, Left Horizons would see that as an important and positive development. Moreover, we would favour the greatest possible level of agreement and cooperation between that new left movement and members of Your Party and the Greens.
The darkest cloud in our sights at the moment is the possiblity of a government of Reform, possibly in coalition with the Tories, especially given that on so many issues the two are indistinguishable. Such a government would offer a challenge to all the social rights and services on which working class people depend.
Reform’s focus on refugees and asylum seekers carries a threat to all ethnic minorities in Britain. But it is also a smokescreen behind which they hide policies that include the privatisation of the NHS, the abolition of workers’ rights in the workplace and the meagre rights that tenants still have.
But in Gorton and Denton, former Labour voters turned in large numbers to the Greens and that stopped Reform in its tracks. That points to a possibility at national level, of some cooperation, electoral agreements and mutual support between the Labour left, Your Party and the Greens to stop Reform. If a candidate in an election – left Labour, Your Party or Green – is best placed to beat Reform, then the others should agree to stand down. That way – and polls confirm this – Reform will be beaten.
Supporters of Left Horizons would pledge to support whichever candidates are chosen by such a electoral agreements and within that broader left coalition, we would argue for bold socialist policies as the only answer to the problems facing workers.
We hope that the Restore Labour Democracy coalition has brought us a step nearer to the possibility of such cooperation on the left, and we would urge Labour and trade union members to support the statement by signing it. There is also an online meeting coming up and we would urge our readers and supporters to attend; book a place here.
Stop Reform with workers’ left unity!
The full statement from the coalition is here:
Restore Labour Democracy statement
We are deeply concerned by the undermining of democracy and the rights of members within the Labour Party.
Denying local members in Gorton and Denton the right to choose their candidate looks like part of a pattern, alongside the widespread barring of hard-working councillors and the withdrawal of the whip from MPs standing up for their constituents.
It’s increasingly clear that a narrow, factional agenda is being imposed upon the Party and that this is increasingly unpopular with the public.
This approach is wrong in principle and damaging in practice. When the Labour Party sidelines its members, it weakens Labour’s roots in our communities, alienates voters, and undermines Labour’s ability to win both people’s trust and elections.
We will work together to strengthen our democracy and reverse this damaging behaviour.
We call on all those in the Parliamentary Labour Party, affiliated trade unions, and the wider Party membership who value and respect the vitally important role played by Labour Party and trade union members to join us in these efforts.
Signed by:
Trade Union Leaders Including:
• Dave Calfe, ASLEF General Secretary
• Andrea Egan, Unison General Secretary
• Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary
• Dave Ward, CWU General Secretary
• Steve Wright, FBU General Secretary
Labour Organisations Including:
• Campaign for Labour Party Democracy
• Momentum
• Labour Muslim Network
• Labour Assembly Against Austerity
• Socialist Health Association
MPs including:
• Diane Abbott MP
• Tahir Ali MP
• Lorraine Beavers MP
• Apsana Begum MP
• Olivia Blake MP
• Richard Burgon MP
• Ian Byrne MP
• Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
• Cat Eccles MP
• Mary Kelly Foy MP
• Imran Hussain MP
• Kim Johnson MP
• Ian Lavery MP
• Brian Leishman MP
• Clive Lewis MP
• Rebecca Long-Bailey MP
• Rachael Maskell MP
• Andy McDonald MP
• John McDonnell MP
• Grahame Morris MP
• Simon Opher MP
• Kate Osborne MP
• Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
• Jon Trickett MP
• Karl Turner MP
• Nadia Whittome MP
• Steve Witherden MP
