Sat 14 Dec 2019, 13:36 PM | Posted by editor
LETTER from Tom Smith, Newport West Labour Party
During the 2017 elections I met two campaigners for Brexit. They were older types, possibly in their fifties. They admitted that the NHS was in crisis, that kids were going to school hungry and that education was on its knees. Even social care was a botched-up affair by Theresa May. It did not matter to them. Getting out of Europe was the top priority and these other matters can be sorted out later. Voting Tory, they said
In 2019 I found that same attitude prevailed. I met a lot of workers with this same attitude. You may remember a note I sent on the polls. I was worried even then as to an election outcome. I classified the campaign as one of the Tory Brexit position verses the class position of Corbyn. Of course the press, television channels, religious leaders, etc played their part, as well as Labour’s right-wing in demonising Corbyn and this must not be underestimated. However, in all honesty, these were not factors mentioned to me on the doorstep. What was clear was the contempt workers had for politicians in general and a feeling that Europe treated the UK with contempt.
I remember this attitude during the Falklands war. I also looked at 1931 and indeed how the Tories won under John Major after the poll tax battle. These are only notes and we need more in-depth analysis than my effort.
However, I want to make a few more points. The right wing will attempt to take power back in the Labour Party, purge and destroy the left wing in the same way as it did with Militant. The government will be one of crisis, with global warming and the threat of world recession.
France is an indicator of what might happen, along with Latin America and a whole array of countries . I hold up the people of Baghdad as an example of outstanding courage. We are in exciting times, but we face dreadful experiences that no purges can crush. I am angry at the situation but I am prepared for whole scale attacks with in Labour.
