Why are you Labour?
TonyHannon Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 03:58:35 PM GMT 
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Now that it’s occasionally forgivable to take an idea from those freedom-loving, government fearing, free-market evangelicals at the Conservative Party – I’ve decided to put a question to you that I’ve stumbled across on ConservativeHome.
They’ve asked PPC’s why they are Conservatives. The resulting collection of platitudes, misdirection and cynical, unreasoned box-ticking can be found here:
Alongside, to be fair, about four good answers.
It prompts a predictable question – why are you Labour?
A lot of people support their party because their parents encouraged them to, or, at the very least, gave them an interest in politics. This is not my experience - I grew up in Ireland where people either come from a political family or they grow up fiercely cynical of all politicians and the band of risible apologists that follow them around (we were the latter).
I joined the Labour Party this year because I’m certain that this group is the one most capable, and most likely, to lead to an improving society. I’m left leaning because I see us as more likely to tackle a problem with a practical, reasoned, fair and open-minded approach.
I’m Labour because we don’t care how a family is made up as long as the people within it are safe, stable, contributing to society and get a fair crack of the whip. We don’t see humanity or the value of human life as meaningless beyond Dover so we increase foreign aid.
Labour understands we need a place at the centre table in a strong Europe now that the world’s problems are getting pretty dire - national sovereignty to decide the size of jelly beans will mean little when we’re under 10 foot (or 3 1/3 yards) of water.
I understand that the free market is free but not that it can do whatever it likes – come what may. Otherwise, we’d have called it the reckless abandon market. Yes - the market is quick to react to opportunities but it is often a little too slow to react to problems.
I believe lower taxes are an objective – not a philosophy. There’s no validity in the false economy of underfunding a hospital or school now, if we have to pay through the nose for its resulting failures later.
I also believe in personal responsibility but we can’t blithely stand back from personal irresponsibility. If someone wants to drive a 4x4 in Chelsea – fine, but with that comes congestion, unnecessary pollution, increased petrol consumption and more pedestrian fatalities, all with a greater costs to the rest of us – Urban 4x4 owners should pay their share of that.
The final reason I’m Labour though – is this Government. It’s had some dreadful errors and has had some woeful decisions (including this wretched detention proposal) but, when all the good is added up and the bad subtracted, it’s a very positive balance sheet.
So why are you Labour?
Why are you Labour? | 13 comments (13 topical)
Why are you Labour? | 13 comments (13 topical)
