Letter from Steve McKenzie (Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley Unite Community)
There can be no doubt that the failures of the Labour government will pave the way for right wing populist reaction.
Maintaining the two child benefit cap condemned hundreds of thousands of children to continuing poverty and the cuts in the winter fuel allowance for pensioners will condemn hundreds of thousands to cold-related illness, as a result of being afraid to put the heating on.
When Keir Starmer says, in the wake of the Darzi report, that the NHS must ‘reform or die’ it shows the clear intention to keep privatising the service. This will continue to have devastating consequences.
Starmer, Reeves, Streeting, et al, who have usurped power in the Labour party, are proving themselves to be the tools of big business and the establishment, and politically inept into the bargain. But battles with the unions will inevitably take place and industrial battles could be maybe a few months down the road yet.
The priorities of activists
The two priorities for activists are clearly providing support for the Palestinian cause, and defending the NHS. Yet there are still some in our movement, who insist on wasting time and energy by harping on incessantly about the need for a ‘new’ party to the left of Labour.
The withdrawal of the whip from seven Labour MPs for voting against the government over the two-child benefit cap and the election of five Independent MPs seems to have exacerbated this fantasy, but it amounts to no more than tilting at windmills.
It is a subject is not worthy of serious debate unless and until there is serious backing for the idea from a substantial number of trade unions and that is not on the horizon. Activists have enough on their plate without having to worry about the perpetual fantasy of setting up a new party without trade union backing.
The next major events
The Labour party conference, the autumn budget and the promise to legislate on workers’ rights within the first hundred days in office are the next important milestones on the road and socialist activists have to prioritize their campaigning accordingly.
The overiding issue for socialists is reforming the corrupt Trade Unions all officials to be elected by members directly. no committes appointing officers , an immediate return to the Pre entry Closed shop as it was in the Print Industry ! You’re a member of a Union you dont attend meetings you’re expelled, you don’t vote in ballots, your expelled, time to follow the great practices of NATSOPA, THE LTS, ASLP, SLADE, proper democratic unions controllesd by their membership !!
Today unions like the GMB are totally corrupt; time to get the bother boots on !!
Yeah , good letter !! But we need to have a clear plan also for people who want to join a Trades Union, specifically the young. There are lots of people who are active in campaigns but also need to become aware of the TU movement