Why we need a united left!

Wiseman Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 05:47:28 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Dear Comrades

I am tired of this intellecutal garbage coming out of some of my comrades.  We have got to speak straight to ordinary people about what is good about preferring a left or centre-left stance eg the Labour party was established by the LRC, trade unions etc, who were progressives.  All I want to see is some consistency not manifestos of waffle!

Some hometruths

1) We need change as a party or we get beat in the next election

2) We should stop ripping the hell out of each other in groups be it Progress, Compass, LRC, etc

I demand change, we need change.  We need socialism back on the agenda in the party no more:-

1) Privatisation
2) Incomptent ministers
3) low wage rises for public sector workers
4) following the US on foreign policy

All I want is to follow our membership card (Yes we do have them) that incudes a statement about democractic socialism.

Lets start acting like it!

No more personalities, please!

John Wiseman





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Why we need a united left! | 3 comments (3 topical)

Re: Why we need a united left! (#1)

by raresurreylabourmember on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 06:58:17 PM GMT

I agree with you that we need to get our act together if we're to survive as a party, but I can't let your condemnation of groups in the party go unchallenged. It's important that we present a fairly united outward face, but that doesn't mean that we don't have internal debate, it just means that when it comes to elections we stand by our agreed platform as a whole, even if some of us disagree with parts of it.

I agree broadly with your points, though I think it's unfair to say that we've simply followed US foreign policy. But there would be plenty of Labour members who disagree far more with your idea about how we should change. How do we decide who's flag we should rally around unless we have debate? 


 


Re: Why we need a united left! (#2)

by Wiseman on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 08:37:26 PM GMT

fair points and I am a member of two of those groups, but it does get frustrating

John Wiseman


Re: Why we need a united left! (#3)

by Calum on Sat Jun 28, 2008 at 09:20:35 PM GMT

I agree with you that we need a united left.

however, i disagree with you saying we need to stop with all the "intellecutal garbage". It may all sound very middle classy etc... however, we need a ideological narrative within which we can work.

simply saying lets stop privitising, give power to people, increase investment in x,y and z is all well and good. however, it isn't substaniable.

the democratic left needs a coherent ideological narrative within which to work. without such we lack direction. the great failing with New Labour is that there is no real narrative. as a result we have resorted to managerialism. back in 97' there were so many social justice problems to solve that it was ok. however, today there are less problems, and those problems that there are are caused by us. as a result of having no narrative, no overarching goal and message we look like we have ran out of idea. this is because we have.

without an overarching ideologcial narrative we will forever be lost and lacking direction. we need ideological direction. we need a ideology driving us. we haven't got such a narrative as it is.

therefore we need this ideological debate, and these internal party groups are a good way of doing that. to shut them all up would be remis and would simply lead to a continuation of the same old failing politics of managerialsim and a dearth of ideology and ideological conviction. 


Why we need a united left! | 3 comments (3 topical)