I'm too exhausted and fed-up at the moment to blog at length. But a good post on Socialist Unity underlines why, in the run-up to the General Election, we have to gather our strengths, admit our weaknesses and mistakes, and try and stop a Tory Government. And the answer, frankly, is not to abandon the Labour Party
http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=4415#comments
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
I'M TOO EXHAUSTED BUT.......
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8 comments:
Glad to hear that you don't think leaving the party is a good idea.
You should tell that to Alice Mahon the next time you see her.
Although agreeing with many of the sentiments in the article, I struggle to see how such a blog can exist without being 'done' by Trading Standards as surely the title 'Socialist Unity' (outside the Labour Party I would stress) is a contradiction in terms isn't it!?
Harriet Harmon sent me an Email this week.
It says something special is happening we have had an exceptional increase in membership, people know that New labour is the way forward, people are worried over the increase in votes for the BNP and Tories, is it not time you came Back...
My answer is simple "NO".
The fact is my life is shit under a labour government, if Thatcher had still been in power my benefits would have now been £130 a week, JSA would have been £104.
The simple fact if your poor single or a single mother life is harder under a Labour government, now. I know for many years labour had a problem with poverty and what people feel but new labour is a Tory government.
The idea that Labour has taken children out of poverty is a bit of a joke my benefits after working most of my life is £86 a week, I'm expected to live on £86 a week, labour has now rid it's self of the real basic protection for single mothers income support.
What can the Tories do to us that labour has not done it's self, I'm sorry I cannot or will not vote this bloke into power again and give him what he wants legitimacy
Mr Centre Left,
I'm not in the business of lecturing people like Alice, who made a brave principled decision. Alice knows my view which is that one should stay in the Party. I entirely understand her decision.
And frankly it is no wonder people leave when you show such intolerance to anyone who even thinks of being involved in socialist activity in any other way than Labour. Yes, you can unite with people outside the Party on issues you agree on. Maybe you should try it sometime.
It is actually rather a good way of building respect amd acknowledgement that Labour still has a socialist wing.
Hi Susan,
doesn't it worry you that you put so much time and energy into relating to the 'ultra-left' which has fewer members than the average non-league football club.
You really should try extending some of that tolerance you talk of to some members in the Labour Party. Rather than giving lectures on what we can all surely agree on (such as dumping the afgahn people and our own security.)
Dave Draycott
Susan,
Again you misunderstand me. I am not saying the Labour Party is the only Socialist activity is that you (or 'one' as the article above puts it) should engage in. There are plenty of other valid activities such as:
1) A Trade Union - Fine
2) The Co-operative movement - Fine
3) The Fair Trade lobby - Fine.
Those are to name but a few.
However:
Engaging with extremist far-left cults - Not Fine.
Remember Sue, the hard-left consists of probably no more than 2,000 people in the UK now. And outside one or two Trade Unions where they continue to be the bain of everyone's life they are a complete irrelevance.
And speaking of TU's, I hear/notice that you spoke at the 'United Left' fringe mtg at UNISON Conference this year, which is interesting as that organisation I believe to be SWP and/or generally Trotskyist dominated, and if you take a look at their 'slate' (as per the Unionfutures blog) you will notice that nearly everyone they stood in the NEC Elections was opposing a Labour Party member, nearly all of which where centre-left candidates.
Why Susan?, why support the very people that spend all their energies fighting against your own party comrades?
Dave and Mr Centre Left( because you are a double act, aren't you)
I spend very little time engaging as you put it , with the ultra-left.
I spoke at an LRC fringe meeting at the UNISON conference, with Kelvin Hopkins MP, friend of Michael Meacher and bastion of CLPD.
I talk to and engage with people outside the Labour Party because many of them used to be within it - I spend much of my time arguing against new workers parties and pointless electoral challenges.
I spend the vast majority of my time fighitng within the Labour Party. So, whatever you imagine I'm doing politically, you've got it wrong.
The problem I have, as someone who is not easy to pigeon-hole in Labour party terms, is that members gave absolutely no say in anything any more. Its all carved up at the centre. So why bother to be a member?
Hi Susan,
"Dave and mecentreleft (because you are a double act,aren't you.)" Dear me Susan I do believe you're on the slippery slope to lefty conspiratorial paranoia. You know the sort of stuff:'it was the Americans and the Jews who blew up the twin towers.'
Can't a guy agree with someone who makes some goods points without it being a plot?
I must admit I'd rather be twinned with 'mrcentreleft' than 'merseymike' who exudes contempt for the electorate....and British troops in Afghanistan? Why, dying is in their job description.
As for your arguing for the Labour Party. I have to say I do find your blog 'a little' negative. 'Interesting' political approach: to try to tear the house down whilst remaining in it.
Dave Daycott
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