A Voice from the Village Community, be it Urban or Rural
Friday 27 June 2008
Henley
I refer dilligent readers to my earlier comments re Crewe and Nantwich.
5 comments:
Anonymous
said...
And with a Glasgow by-election in the offing, you'll have an orgasmic few months ahead of you Ken! I guess when you're someone who changes political colours and coats, you'll always be in a position to gloat over someone's losses, eh?
These are not losses, they are incompetance, I will always do whats best for Thanet/Kent/UK/ Europe/etc, and will not be blindly led by political loyalty. I support the conservative party because they offer ,IMHO, whats best for us all
A CALL TO ACTION TO ALL LABOUR PARTY AND TRADE UNION MEMBERS
1. The Labour Party faces a crisis that threatens its very existence. Membership is in decline, activity is at an all time low and in March 2003 139 Labour backbenchers rebelled against the Government's Iraq policy - the largest Parliamentary revolt against an incumbent government for a century.
2. The crisis over British participation in the Iraq war, in the absence of a specific UN resolution, is however only the latest instance of questions within the Party over its basic aims, values and Party democracy. A chasm has opened between the Government and the Party over policies that have not emerged from a democratic process.
3. Thousands of members have already left the Party. Constituency organisations around the country risk becoming empty shells and trades unions are reviewing their affiliations. The Party faces a serious financial deficit and a lack of activists working in election campaigns.
4. Ordinary members have said that they no longer feel that Labour is their party and that they are excluded from Party decision-making processes. Many consider that the "New Labour" Leadership is more comfortable with power, wealth and celebrity than it is with ordinary people. Many Party members feel that "New Labour" has accepted the Tory agenda on fundamental issues.
5. There is a growing fear that, at the next general election, there will be two right of centre parties competing for government. We believe that there needs to be a clear dividing line between the policies of a Labour Government and those of the Tories. "New Labour" has opened itself to the very charges of elitism, cronyism and secrecy which alienate potential voters It is scarcely surprising that disenchantment amongst the electorate, particularly the young, is increasing.
6. The Labour Party has a long and proud history of achievement that "New Labour" have now denied. We urge members who are contemplating leaving the party to stay and those who have already left to rejoin in order to work with us in our fight to reclaim and democratise the Party. This would not be because they necessarily approve of what the Government is doing, but because they wish to see Labour fight for progressive policies once again.
7. We believe that the Party must be one in which there is a genuine participation between ordinary members and the Parliamentary Leadership together with recognition of the importance of the trade union link. No party member or trade unionist wishes to see a split between the Party and the Government. However the Partnership in Power system has proved to be one in which policies are decided by an unaccountable elite. The Labour Party will not survive as democratic socialist party if this continues. Save the Labour Party has therefore been formed to challenge the shift to the right by "New Labour" and to recreate an active role for members.
8. Save the Labour Party will address the core reasons why members are tearing up their Party cards and trade unions are questioning their continued levels of affiliation. Party members should make Party policy. We will challenge the manipulation of internal Party candidate selections and the growing sense that internal Party forums have become useless talking shops.
9. The return of the Tories to power would be a disaster and is something that we must all work to avoid. But the answer is not "New Labour". Alas the chances of "New Labour" inadvertently assisting the return of a Tory government are increasing. The success of the Labour Party is dependent upon an active, vibrant, participatory membership that is able to make its voice loud and clear on policy issues that matter to it.
10. The trade union link is vital to the Party. The state funding of political parties, advocated by many within "New Labour", is designed to destroy that link. Save the Labour Party will work to strengthen and democratise that link at every level. People join the Labour Party and/or pay the political levy, through their trade union, because they wish to help determine the sort of society they want to live in- not because they desire to be part of a glorified supporter's club. It is crucial to the future of the Labour Party that the trades unions take their policies into the Party at all levels.
11. The values of democratic socialism, internationalism and the need for a successful Labour Party are as relevant to day as they always have been. All party members whether from right, left or centre are invited to join us in a sustained campaign to rebuild the Labour Party as an effective force for internationalism and democratic socialism.
If you agree with this statement and wish to work with us to help Save the Labour Party please e-mail: MarkJames994@aol.com
5 comments:
And with a Glasgow by-election in the offing, you'll have an orgasmic few months ahead of you Ken! I guess when you're someone who changes political colours and coats, you'll always be in a position to gloat over someone's losses, eh?
These are not losses, they are incompetance, I will always do whats best for Thanet/Kent/UK/ Europe/etc, and will not be blindly led by political loyalty. I support the conservative party because they offer ,IMHO, whats best for us all
Put another record on Clive
A CALL TO ACTION TO ALL LABOUR PARTY AND TRADE UNION MEMBERS
1. The Labour Party faces a crisis that threatens its very existence. Membership is in decline, activity is at an all time low and in March 2003 139 Labour backbenchers rebelled against the Government's Iraq policy - the largest Parliamentary revolt against an incumbent government for a century.
2. The crisis over British participation in the Iraq war, in the absence of a specific UN resolution, is however only the latest instance of questions within the Party over its basic aims, values and Party democracy. A chasm has opened between the Government and the Party over policies that have not emerged from a democratic process.
3. Thousands of members have already left the Party. Constituency organisations around the country risk becoming empty shells and trades unions are reviewing their affiliations. The Party faces a serious financial deficit and a lack of activists working in election campaigns.
4. Ordinary members have said that they no longer feel that Labour is their party and that they are excluded from Party decision-making processes. Many consider that the "New Labour" Leadership is more comfortable with power, wealth and celebrity than it is with ordinary people. Many Party members feel that "New Labour" has accepted the Tory agenda on fundamental issues.
5. There is a growing fear that, at the next general election, there will be two right of centre parties competing for government. We believe that there needs to be a clear dividing line between the policies of a Labour Government and those of the Tories. "New Labour" has opened itself to the very charges of elitism, cronyism and secrecy which alienate potential voters It is scarcely surprising that disenchantment amongst the electorate, particularly the young, is increasing.
6. The Labour Party has a long and proud history of achievement that "New Labour" have now denied. We urge members who are contemplating leaving the party to stay and those who have already left to rejoin in order to work with us in our fight to reclaim and democratise the Party. This would not be because they necessarily approve of what the Government is doing, but because they wish to see Labour fight for progressive policies once again.
7. We believe that the Party must be one in which there is a genuine participation between ordinary members and the Parliamentary Leadership together with recognition of the importance of the trade union link. No party member or trade unionist wishes to see a split between the Party and the Government. However the Partnership in Power system has proved to be one in which policies are decided by an unaccountable elite. The Labour Party will not survive as democratic socialist party if this continues. Save the Labour Party has therefore been formed to challenge the shift to the right by "New Labour" and to recreate an active role for members.
8. Save the Labour Party will address the core reasons why members are tearing up their Party cards and trade unions are questioning their continued levels of affiliation. Party members should make Party policy. We will challenge the manipulation of internal Party candidate selections and the growing sense that internal Party forums have become useless talking shops.
9. The return of the Tories to power would be a disaster and is something that we must all work to avoid. But the answer is not "New Labour". Alas the chances of "New Labour" inadvertently assisting the return of a Tory government are increasing. The success of the Labour Party is dependent upon an active, vibrant, participatory membership that is able to make its voice loud and clear on policy issues that matter to it.
10. The trade union link is vital to the Party. The state funding of political parties, advocated by many within "New Labour", is designed to destroy that link. Save the Labour Party will work to strengthen and democratise that link at every level. People join the Labour Party and/or pay the political levy, through their trade union, because they wish to help determine the sort of society they want to live in- not because they desire to be part of a glorified supporter's club. It is crucial to the future of the Labour Party that the trades unions take their policies into the Party at all levels.
11. The values of democratic socialism, internationalism and the need for a successful Labour Party are as relevant to day as they always have been. All party members whether from right, left or centre are invited to join us in a sustained campaign to rebuild the Labour Party as an effective force for internationalism and democratic socialism.
If you agree with this statement and wish to work with us to help Save the Labour Party please e-mail: MarkJames994@aol.com
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