We are reposting this article by Ricky from his Council Estate blog, which examines the real nature of the Labour Party. Although written from an English/British perspective, which ignores the likely impact of a Starmer-led Labour government in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, it clearly sees that such a  government would represent ‘Boris-Lite’ (or perhaps ‘not so Lite’) continuity. Meanwhile the out-of-office Tories would prepare the ground for fascist clampdown.

 

PEOPLE WHO CALL FOR TACTICAL VOTING ARE PISSING INTO THE WIND

Starmer wouldn’t even repeal the Tories’ authoritarian laws. There is a single fact that every British person must understand.

The reason laws are being introduced by the Tories to clamp down on dissent that Labour would not repeal is that we are entering a period of atrocious living standards and neither party has any answer. Indeed, the establishment is the problem, and these draconian laws are the only way the establishment can maintain control. Civil unrest would bring the whole thing crashing down and so they are resorting to the tactics they accuse other countries of whenever they want to drone bomb children to steal oil.

Ask yourself the following question:

When in history have those who clamped down on the right to protest ever been the good guys?

It’s not enough to condemn the Tories for introducing these laws – we fully understand the Tories are terrible. We must use our leverage to ensure we get a government that would repeal these laws because that is our only hope. Any party that wouldn’t repeal authoritarian laws in government would be authoritarian in government.

Most politicians in both major parties want to be bought, that’s why they’re in politics. But they are not just selling themselves, they are selling your democracy, and if you do not call out those on your team, you are an enabler of corruption.

We on the left have a moral duty to hold our so-called representatives to account when they’re not being who they pretend to be. It’s not even about representation at this point, it’s about fundamental human rights and basic living standards.

Imagine seeing the decline of living standards in the UK and thinking a man as thoroughly decent as Mick Lynch was the enemy. We’ve even seen Wes Streeting sneer at run-of-the-mill social democrat Bernie Sanders, for God’s sake, and the Labour right are supposed to be social democrats!

At this point, they’re not even liberals. Calling them conservatives would be generous. They are moving in a hard-right direction in broad daylight. They are the new UKIP and the Tories are the BNP.

Just look at how Labour is abstaining as the House of Lords tries to stop the illegal migration bill which would put refugees on prison ships. If Labour can’t stand up for basic human rights, if it can’t repeal the anti-protest bill or challenge the spy cops bill, what the hell is it for?

Centrists went into meltdown as they savagely attacked the left for criticising Labour’s refusal to repeal the anti-protest bill. They went into complete denial and insisted Labour would, of course, repeal this bill, despite Labour’s insistence otherwise!

James O’Brien went on a spectacular tirade, calling us all “weirdos” and “clowns”. Oz Katerji agreed what we were saying would be terrible, if it were true, but we were talking rubbish so everything was fine. Starmer went and embarrassed them by confirming the left were correct all along! Supertanskiii owes Stats for Lefties an apology…

Labour are now throwing centrists under a bus, and mark my words, they will throw the conservatives they are wooing under a bus too.

No one is safe from either party, but at least if we call out Labour, we have a chance of rallying the left to fight back. Tory voters are a lost cause, meaning it’s down to us to speak out. The alternative is we throw in the towel and say goodbye to our democratic rights.

Anyone who accepts they should only have human rights with the approval of the state is a damn fool. Anyone who thinks the British state wouldn’t actively participate in our oppression has no idea of the tactics they’ve used to crush trade unions – and that was when police had less power than they do today.

The sad truth is a new Labour leader would make no more difference than a new Tory leader, not that I wouldn’t celebrate the demise of Sunak or Starmer. The Labour Party is not just letting us down, it’s actively participating in our oppression.

We live in a time when the poor are forced to forage for wild fruit and you are at risk of getting tasered by police while walking your dog. We are told to expect more post-Brexit food shortages in October, yet neither party will entertain the idea of a customs union. We can’t do what’s right for our people because the establishment has spoken. Starmer knows civil unrest is going to continue under his leadership and this is why he can’t repeal fascist laws.

When Starmer refuses to back progressive causes, it’s not because he is playing a clever game of chess, it’s because the establishment won’t allow him to. This is an important clarification because it’s central to every disappointing decision he makes.

The tragedy is I love what the Labour Party is supposed to stand for and I respect that people who’ve dedicated their lives to the cause still feel attached. I certainly sympathise with the argument Labour needs a new leader, and I would support it, if I thought other Labour MPs weren’t bought and paid for.

This is not our Labour Party anymore. Starmer won’t rule out a coalition with same Lib Dems who went into coalition with the Tories, but the truth is these parties are in a three-way coalition, and the only reason they haven’t formally merged is to create the illusion of choice. Anyone who talks about tactical voting is pissing into the wind.

I feel genuinely sorry for people who are going to be ecstatic when the Tories lose the next election, and they will lose because the establishment has decided it’s time, but nothing is going to change.

They have so much hope for a better Britain, but the hope is not real, and it can only become real if we are prepared to create it ourselves. I don’t think enough people grasp they will be drones tolerated by law enforcement, only if they remain compliant, no matter how hard things get. If they lose their home, tough shit, a corporate landlord will gain a new asset.

Our living standards are in decline and there is no reason why they have to decline, other than this is what the elite wants. We could have an economic model where we give food to people who need to be fed and house people who need to be homed. If we did these things, nothing bad would happen, I promise.

We are not growing less capable in time, we are growing more capable. The human species has the technology to be more productive than it’s ever been, but the elite are greedier than they’ve ever been. They are the reason your living standards are declining, not teenagers with blue hair who use neo-pronouns that scare you. The most technological period in our history looks set for Victorian-level poverty and it’s no accident.

Welcome to hell, the cranks tried to warn you.

10.5.23

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also see:

Starmer’s Labour is not a force for good – Owen Wright, Heckle