GE2015 | Winds of Change

Anti Austerity March in London

Though I could not be there, I fully support the unified front against Austerity, and followed closely the march and the speeches made. It was good to see a wide spectrum attending – trade unions, political parties, Socialist Worker, Charlotte Church, Owen Jones, Russell Brand, activists, local groups, and ordinary people.

As a Liberal Democrat I was somewhat concerned I could discern neither a party presence nor any known figure from the party. From Labour, we had Jeremy Corbyn, from the Greens an official contingent featuring both Natalie Bennett and Caroline Lucas, and from Sinn Fein, Martin McGuinness was present.

To a degree, a broad popular movement does not rely on its political party support, but on grassroots movements, but for national representation, and for hope of change it is vital that the political parties are there.

Owen Jones made a strong and powerful speech, and it is this which I wish to blog on, whilst acknowledging interviews that @ChunkyMark (Artist Taxi Driver) did with Charlotte Church, and with Sheila Coleman of UNITE.

Owen spoke about the rights we enjoy today, rights which were not gifted to us by the benevolence of those in power but were won by the struggle and sacrifice of the people. This is a key point – a single march probably won’t achieve anything, but the continuum has always been towards more rights, better conditions, whether it was the early trade unionists fighting for the rights and dignity of the working people, or the chartists fight for democracy, the sufragettes for equal votes, or the marches for equal rights for LGBT people.

Marchers today can rightly be proud at the heritage they now embody, but it is a heritage not just under threat, not just under attack, but one which is facing imminent eradication at the hands of the rich.

IT IS NOT FOR US TO ALLOW MANY OF THE THINGS THAT OUR ANCESTORS FOUGHT FOR AT SUCH COST AND SACRIFICE TO BE STRIPPED AWAY BY A GOVERNMENT OF THE RICH, BY THE RICH AND FOR THE RICH

As Owen said, and as Charlotte Church and Sheila Coleman also said in their interviews with Mark McGowan, the march is not an end but a beginning, it is a start, where we must go into our communities and organise. We have to reach out to people who have not been reached out, and we have to engage them, because it is their rights, not just those of the people on the march which are being destroyed. It is vital not to just “talk to ourselves” but to spread the message, create local activism, and work together.

LET’S STAY TOGETHER, LET’S FIGHT TOGETHER, LET’S WIN THIS BATTLE TOGETHER

I think that’s how Owen ended his speech. If it wasn’t, then it may just as well have been. It was the key aspect of his message, and it is resonates.

The first part – let’s stay together. This is key. Owen showed how the politics of the rich is to set the ordinary person against each other, to convince them that the reason they are losing their rights is because someone else is stealing them. Its the foreigners stealing our jobs! This is absolute nonsense, but it suits the establishment to promote this message to divide the opposition, and by dividing them to rule them.

Let’s fight together – if the various cross-party organisations do not come together to work in unison, then the force of concerted action is lost, as the action becomes divided between many smaller organisations, smaller marches, smaller protests. Grassroots works from bottom up – the local issue will then coalesce with other local issues, to become a regional force, and so on up. But the danger of opposition is that each group can go off on their own, forget about the unity of opposition, fight their own local battles without seeing the larger national picture. It is beholden on the organisers to make sure that these battles form part of a unified opposition to so-called austerity, and to the Tory agenda.

Let’s win this battle together – I am a strong believer both in Proportional Representation and in electoral pacts to achieve the progressive majority under First Past The Post that will allow PR to be passed. With the progressive parties all fighting each other, the vote will be split, the chances of winning will be diminished. Just looking at the Liberal Democrats, there are a dozen seats that could have been won if the other progressive parties had left the field open. The same is true for Labour, for the Greens, and for the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and Sinn Fein (both of whom suffered from the electoral pact between the Ulster Unionists and the DUP, to prove the point).

I will write more on that latter point, but togetherness is vital for victory, and every progressive party needs a leader who is open to working with other parties to achieve this end. Tim Farron is this for the Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn is this for Labour.

Winds of Change
22nd June 2015

Dear SNP

Since #GE2015 we have been impressed with the comradery of the SNP MPs in Westminster, and by their generally fantastic maiden speeches. We have laughed as you laughed, over seating, clapping and challenging the yah-boo-sucks mentality of parliament.

But we have become worried. In just 5 weeks, we have become worried. There are two strands to this, one is the co-ordinated social media barrage where multiple MPs’ accounts, each apparently the private domain of its owner, state on social media almost exactly the same thing, as if singing from a hymn sheet not broadcasting their own thoughts.

The second is the ultimately confusing and very swiftly self-defeating war of words, tweets, broadcasts and statements between Labour and the SNP. Nobody really understands who is right, if anyone is right. The SNP say one thing, and blame Labour. Labour often say the same thing, and blame the SNP. Neither of you back the other’s amendments. Or if you say you do, the other says you don’t.

Why don’t Labour and the SNP get together, agree common amendments, take them to the relevant bills and push for them?

By continuing this ragged argument you are simply playing to two narrow fields – one is your own supporters who already support you, the other is the right-wing press who can tar both of you with the brush of chaos.

Sort it out and co-operate. The SNP needs to show its supporters South of Borders that it is capable of working with Labour, not just battling them on territory they both claim. To do the best for Scotland, they need to co-operate at Westminster. On a larger focus, they need to show they are willing to form a progressive alliance for the UK opposition.

If they both keep bickering, claiming the same thing, and ultimately defeating each other, then it will just be to their joint detriment and they only beneficiary will be the Tory press.

Winds of Change
16th June 2015

The Queen’s Speech

A Serious Discussion on Monarchy

I have been a Monarchist all my life, I am a Social Democrat and I always believed that the Queen standing above politics was the best protection against fascism in its modern guise, that the Queen represented social continuity, national stability and a link with the past.

Maybe in the past she would have had the power to tell the Prime Minister that she was not saying certain things in the Queen’s Speech. Maybe she is just getting old, or perhaps her advisors are too politicised. I don’t know.

But I have to agree with the Marxist commentary on the Queen’s Speech yesterday that it was absolutely obscene to see a millionaire sitting on a bloody golden throne with a crown of diamonds on her head say that we’re all in it together, one nation blah-blah and by the way we are cutting benefits to the poor but giving lots of money to the rich.

What the actual buggering fuck?!

Was this a dirty trick from Cameron and the Tories? I honestly don’t think they have the brains, schoolroom politics made large, little tossers made big in the spurious glory of their majority.

So, does Her Majesty not have a say on what she is going to say? Or did she or her advisors drop the ball and not realise how absolutely disgusting this would look? The richest of the rich in finest regalia amongst glorious pageantry come to tell the poor that they will have less and be worth less, be treated as shit and be shafted even more, but don’t worry because her government is giving the well-off and the rich lots of things to make them happy.

What the Hell?!

If the Queen does not have the power to tell the Prime Minister he is getting her to make a political statement, not just in the words but in her aspect in speaking them, then I think it may be time to have a grand constitutional convention and discuss everything. I have always reserved the powers of the monarch from my support of such an idea.

Now, I just don’t know

Winds of Change
28th May 2015

Radicalism is a Right

Its only two weeks since the country was tricked into voting for evil, but in those two weeks democratic radicalism has come under massive and sustained attack.

Extremism Laws that allow the government, the Tories, to define who is a radical and who is an extremist, who comes under this law, who cannot talk, demonstrate, protest or even seek support.

The Metropolitan Police are already arresting and charging demonstrators for what are essentially minor non-crimes in an effort to prevent protest and to build a narrative of how demonstration lands you in jail, and should not be engaged in

The Home Office now wants to review and censor all TV programmes for “radicalism”, its the same as in Iran, in other hardline states, in the new Russia where independent television is under constant attack, hounded and driven out of their premises.

Murdoch is now cleared to complete the takeover of Sky, destroy its independent voice and change Sky News, a home of journalists with integrity, into another Fox, full of ignorant right wing hacks.

Protest is an essentialk part of the democratic tradition, especially when elections are so unproportional in creating virtual elective dictatorships. Marches, the people’s voice, the ability to get across messages that challenge the establishment, all of this is essential.

Even more so when the establishment already has the advantage of vicious right-wing media, the police, the courts, and rich backers to fund any excess they want to promote.

Radicalism is being made illegal. Again, I believe that Martin Niemoller’s quote has an eternal resonance:-

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Just because the rhetoric targets a different radicalism than yours, does not mean that you are not next, or the one after next.

Winds of Change
23rd May 2015

For too long?

“For too long we have been a passive and tolerant society that said as long as you obey the law we will leave you alone”

For too long?!

This is wrong?

People who obey the law should still be attacked, they should be hounded, they should be subject to extra-legal tests?

This is one of the most astonishing blatant examples of Tory evil ever stated.

What is says about the Tory agenda for the next government is astonishing in its cut-throat nastiness. They will now go all out against the young, against the unemployed, against the disabled, against the poor, against protest, against unions, and against so-called radicals.

You would have thought that such an attack would rise the people but Martin Niemoller said it right

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

They come first for the illegals, they come next for the young, and most people are neither illegal immigrants or young, they think OK, sacrifice these people, we will then be OK. Then they come for the unemployed, and for the disabled, and most people thank the Lord they are not either. Then they come for the poor, then they come for the demonstrators, then they come for anyone they can label radical at will, and you realise THERE IS NO ONE LEFT. You gave up and abandoned everyone else. You connived, you colluded, but then it comes for you and there is nobody left to defend you!

Niemoller has it right. You have to make a stand at THE FIRST INSTANCE. You have to stand up for the poorest and the most vulnerable even if you think self interest says screw them, we’re alright. Because you won’t be alright. You will be next.

Defend everybody or fall. Common decency, that is all.

Winds of Change
22nd May 2015

UNITY, DEMOCRACY, VICTORY

What is democracy? It is an interesting question.

Obviously it is voting in general elections, council elections and Euro elections

It is the campains
It is the literature, the party systems, and so on

But we have a right to assembly, we have a right to march, to demonstate. The Tories want to take this away.

We have a right to strike. The Tories want to take that away.

They don’t want to take your vote away, they can control that, on the one hand by gerrymandering the boundaries, on the other by their right-wing media friends fearmongering and scaremongering people into voting “the right way”.

It is obvious therefore that demonstrations, marches, assemblies, strikes are what really frighten the Tories. It is what they seek to ban, ergo it is what is a real weapon.

And of course, what the Tories excel at is in promoting division, and in doing this division between the progressive left not only lets the Tory government in with a majority, but prevents the opposition from organising to defeat this government.

The Fixed Term Parliament Act is a Tory trick, it increased the threshold needed to win a vote of no confidence from simply winning it, to winning it with a margin. So what happens if you win it, but not quite enough? A Tory government that just had 55% of the Commons vote it down, it can continue? This is simply insanity, but is Tory tricks. Its not designed to actually come to this pass, it is designed to prevent people daring to try.

Dare to try! There are some humans on the Tory backbenches, there are some decent people, not only in the Tories but in the DUP (*Shannon voted against austerity). Fight the Tories, win that vote, and then look to the constitutional consequences. Fear is the Tory weapon. Don’t be afraid to fight because you might not win ENOUGH. Fight it, win and then challenge this constitutional insanity.

The Tories won with less than 40% of the vote. There is a majority against them, even if some of that did vote UKIP. That FPTP gave them a majority on that percentage is the same stupidy that prevented the SDP/Liberal Alliance in breaking through in 1983.

But parliamentary representation is not the entirety of democracy. Look to the community organisations, look to Radical Assembly, look to the PCS union! Look to march, to demonstrate, to show by mass action how the Tories are intent on destroying this country and everything good about it.

All parties should find their balls and come out in support of the anti-Tory groundswell. Failure to do so is a failure of representative democracy.

Winds of Change
21st May 2015

False Narrative

We have to win back our lost voters, we hear that from both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. ‘Our’ voters? They are not yours, they are not anybody’s, they lend you their vote, it belongs only to them.

The idea that a majority is some fixed item that exists for more than a moment after an election is also an illusion, a psephologist’s dream.

Vince Cable had a safe seat because he had a majority in the many thousands. No! He lost his seat, so where did the Lib Dem votes go…? No! There were not “Lib Dem votes” they were voters who had lent their vote to the Lib Dems, but now did not.

You can hold a thousand autopsies. You can have a hundred investigations. You can write a dozen reports. You look into it until the cows come home, or they refuse to. But you CANNOT analyse where “your” vote went, because you did not have that vote.

What you had was the trust and belief of people, and that is the only truth in this whole debate. Why was it lost? How can you get it back?

PARTY ANALYSIS

Labour – Scotland is an interesting microcosm, it shows not only how it was lost, but what the end game is if you lose it. Labour no longer seemed a viable left-wing party to many Labour supporters in Scotland. It stood alongside Tories in the Referendum, and in this it served to emphasise the right-wing policies that New Labour adopted – PFI, war in Iraq, everything that people’s anger and resentment simmers under the surface.

Lib Dems – the party I supported for 20 years, and ten before that supporting the SDP in the Alliance. But I did not vote for them in 2014 or 2015. Why? Not because they entered a coalition with the Tories, but because of the laws they supported the passage of in coalition – the laws which attacked the poor, the disabled, the young.

What I see in the debates after the twin disasters is that Labour is bouncing to a Blairite right-wing analysis! Never mind about abandoning their core voter, never mind about the slow build up of betrayal that came to a head, just worry about the rich and corporations who constantly moan whilst they make money!

The Lib Dems I see a better debate in. Their disaster was more dramatic, but the core belief seems to be stronger, the understanding that they have to reconnect and show belief, show vision is stronger.

BELIEF, VISION and TRUST

Don’t look to the segmented electorate in all your A1s and C2s (or whatever). Don’t look at what the rich and privelege moan about, they will always moan, they are selfish and conceited, they want more, believe they should have more, they don’t care for the poor, for the ordinary person. Ignore them!

Look simply to why you exist, what you stand for, what you are in politics for. Don’t play games trying to find a policy “to appeal”. Know what is right, and put all your energy into it. If people don’t accept it, use the word “yet” and redouble your efforts.

Political parties don’t exist to win election. Think about that! They do not exist to win elections. They exist to promote a vision and to implement that vision they must win an election. But if they have no vision, then winning an election is pointless, it swaps one lot of centre-right conservatives for another. Without the vision, the parties are pointless.

With the vision, the votes will follow. It is axiomatic that you have to have someone who can propound that vision, who can enthuse, who can lead. That is personality, that is charisma, but it is also a willingness to listen, to be humble, to not seek power for its own sake, but to seek it for service to the people.

Votes will follow Vision, but you must have vision!

Winds of Change
21st May 2015

Scotland at Westminster

I wasn’t sure what to title this article, but I think a neutral title works best.

It has been explained to me that the SNP has a policy of not voting on England-only issues, as if EVEL already exists. But this policy is that of a party of protest, or of representation, not of a major party of opposition who, at this moment, occupy the position of being the standard bearer of the progressive left.

Furthermore it abandons Wales, all too often junked in with “England” where laws are concerned. I would ask the SNP to consider that a law that applies to England AND Wales is not an England-only law, but one which affects the entire United Kingdom, whether or not it has effect in Scotland or in Northern Ireland.

And to what end would the SNP abandon their progressive left comrades in England? Is it a message that England does not matter because First Past the Post gave the English a Tory majority, despite less than 40% of people who voted voting Tory? Is it that this potentially permanent Tory majority, to be expanded by gerrymandering, should abandon decent progressive English people to being second-class citizens?

Therefore, I would argue, and call upon the national and parliamentary leaders of the SNP to seriously consider:-

1) The SNP is no longer JUST a representational party of Scottish nationalism, but is a major progressive left party of the United Kingdom, currently in a leading position to challenge the Tories, and a party that the progressive left across all 4 parts of the UK is looking towards to see leadership and statesmanship and not only Scottish-focused actions.

2) Laws that affect England AND Wales are not English-only but fall under a UK-wide remit of the SNP to challenge, fight and vote upon.

3) Whilst the United Kingdom holds, then it is an obligation upon the progressive party of one constituent part of the UK not to abandon the people or causes of another part of the UK.

By refusing to stand as the progressive opposition to the right-wing government in Westminster, the SNP seriously devalues their national, UK-wide role. By agreeing to stand aside under a pseudo-EVEL accord, the SNP only empowers the Tories. They will gain nothing from this, and from their failure to stand united with the other progressive left they will show the Tories how to divide and rule.

The SNP can stand tall as the voice of the progressive left. If they don’t it will not be to their credit, but to their shame.

Winds of Change
19th May 2015

Fear Not?

Reclaim Opposition

UKIP like the BNP is not a progressive opposition but a regressive one. It appeals to the basest of motives and it drives its message by fear on the one hand and self-interest on the other.

UKIP like the BNP will leave a national void when it implodes. Its support is sporadic and chimeric, and sure if nobody is standing ready to take its place it might drift back to vote UKIP but it is not a core vote, it is not a solid electorate behind it.

Counter to the apparently accepted logic that this vote has abandoned the progressive left, I believe they have simply abandoned parties that were not talking to them, not speaking for them.. But don’t read this message wrong. People don’t want racist policies, they don’t want apartheid, these are just fallback positions built on fear when there is no positive agenda with which they can identify with.

Much of this post-election disaster is going to try to focus on policies, on how right-wing the parties will need to be to win votes, on how much self-interest they must now build in. And all of this is WRONG!

People do not vote for UKIP because they are racists. At the same time, I will not say most people are not in one way or another racists deep down. I am saying that if you give them a believable message of hope they will overcome and bury their racism. They voted for UKIP because they could not see a positive message that they believed from elsewhere, so they fell back on fear. But give them hope, give them a positive message, then they will vote for the progressive left.

Forget what so-called experts say. Voting is down to 3 factors

1) belief

2) fear

3) anger

A positive message from a progressive left party can capture all three of these. Look at the SNP. Their campaign was not about independence but about what the SNP could do for Scotland with a strong representation at Westminster.

What the progressive left have to do is to rebuild, come back as strong as possible as soon as possible, uniting people around a message of hope in opposition and working together to oppose the regressive right-wing agenda now on the table.

But they have to do it now, in 2015-2016 or they will have let the Tories make it harder. Fight, unite and win. That is the only formula.

Winds of Change
May 18th 2015