Starmer turns away from Labour’s ‘foundational document’ in new lurch to the Right
Offensive gesture: ‘where are Labour voters going to go?’ is the question Starmer seems to be asking. He seems to think left-wing voters will have no choice but to support his hard-right sub-Tory version of the party. Is he correct?
Labour’s leader has betrayed the party’s members yet again.
After wooing leadership voters two years ago with a vow that the 2017 manifesto, devised under Jeremy Corbyn, that brought millions of voters back to the party was its “foundational document” and that “we have to hang on to that as we go forward”… he’s ditching it.
It’s the latest volte face against the policies on which he was elected party leader in 2020 – and possibly the last. After turning his back on his “10 pledges”, is any of his original leadership platform left?
What does it mean, in practise? Well, “left-wing campaign group” Momentum had this to say to The Independent:
“Our country faces huge challenges, from the cost-of-living crisis to the existential threat of climate breakdown. The status quo is failing millions of people – and socialist solutions like public ownership and raising the minimum wage enjoy widespread support amongst the British public.
“But the truth is that the Starmer leadership is avoiding facing these challenges in favour of a reheated and deeply unpopular Blairism. Whether it’s abandoning transport workers fighting for their livelihoods, or offering a windfall tax less ambitious than that of the Tories, Starmer’s tepid, unprincipled approach will neither tackle today’s challenges, nor invigorate a winning electoral coalition.”
And Ian Hodson of the Labour-defying Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, tweeted this:
Starmer to move @UKLabour further towards alignment with Tories to satisfy Murdoch and potential big donors. They will also align to enable Tories a safe home inside the party. https://t.co/DpJPtMbi9R
— Ian Hodson (@IanBFAWU) June 28, 2022
He makes a good point, doesn’t he?
But with Labour taken over by Tory squatters (including Starmer himself), where will the 10 million who voted for Corbyn’s – authentic – version of the party go?
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As a Labour Party supporter for 72 years I can no longer support this far right leader and will not vote Labour whilst he his running the party
This cuckoo must be ejected from the nest! He is destroying all the Labour Party’s founding principles! He belongs on the other side of the House!
He is a disgrace. What do voters do now? I really think he is challenging those who have always supported Labour by, essentially, saying that ‘who else are you going to vote for?’
If an alternative existed people would take it. This is the reason that Labour is dead in Scotland (a VERY slight resurgence due to Partygate) Will Plaid surge in Wales?
And what if Starmer DOES succesfully gain office for Labour? Will he rid us of any of the Tories recent obnoxious new laws – I think not..