✍️ What’s next for the left in the UK? Navigating Labour’s shift to the right
Labour's rightward shift under Starmer has left progressives feeling abandoned and seeking alternative means to fight for social justice
By Brian McDaid
Labour's rightward shift under Starmer has left progressives feeling abandoned and seeking alternative means to fight for social justice
By Brian McDaid
Comments
Invading the space of the Conservatives and forcing the opposite further right.
Leaving a vacuum in the centre and left.
Thank you for the correction about Denyer, I hadn’t seen that follow up from her.
The rest stands.
Winter Fuel Payments isn't a left right issue, it's a Labour Leadership versus every person with a functioning brain issue
Same for freebiegate or air miles gate
Winter Fuel Allowance is now targeted as it should be
Freebies is just the right wing media attacking Labour for something all politicians were doing, Labour to a lesser extent.
Starmer has been competent, resolute & a breath of fresh air
I understand wanting to target the WFA more but the means testing they're using is way too stringent and dependent on a benefit that requires a large amount of paperwork to get
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Or they are Capitalists ….true believers .
Continue neo - lib policies , continue RW free ports , SEZs
Inequality continues , dissatisfaction continues .
2029 RW return as saviours
The Left does not benefit from the moral bankruptcy of Centrism.
Nor do those the Left seeks to support.
https://PoliticalCompass.org had Blair parked quite near the Conservatives.
I would guess Starmer is right of old style Conservatism, but not as far over as the Tufton St stooges.
Social just, universalism, nationalised utilities, tackling inequality, workers rights, wealth redistribution and not supporting genocide aren't far left polices.
Crack downs on benefits claimants, anti social behaviour and petty crime.
Opening up the NHS (🏴) to yet more private providers.
abandoning universalism in favour of means testing
I mean come on man.
Who own dangerous dogs, support teams like Millwall and think their GSTQ tatto would be changed to a K free of charge on the NHS if it weren't for them forrins and mooslums.
Instead of reducing outsourcing and the role of the private market in the NHS they are increasing the level of privatisation.
Trying to improve public services by injecting more of the private market into them is not centre-left, it's centre-right.
The old ideologies of capitalism and socialism are both out of date in a global and AI economy. Things change.
Labour will always look 'right' if you're a die hard socialist, they'll look like 'wokie lefties' to Reform.
Just be fair?
Bottom line is we need to step towards being fairer to each other and stop judging every policy and action in monetary terms. Having the most money just makes you the biggest arse in my book.
Is it judged on single issues, all issues? Your spectrum, his?
No one is ever happy, all the 21st century seems to do is judge.
It's not a perfectly objective measure for comparing political and economic systems, but it's also far less subjective than you are making it out to be going by the dictionary definitions.
The point I'm really trying to make is that most electorates don't really want either but our systems tend to skew towards one or the other so we can make uneducated choices
Most electorates do want left-wing policies when they are blind polled, evidence which directly contradicts your point.
We can have a better politics and good economic management without craven adherence to 19C ideas. We can pick the things we know work from across the spectrum.
@brianamcdaid.bsky.social ?
Global economy is Capitalist , Social Democrats try and alleviate its worst outcomes .
It's still exploitation but not at the level that the real greedy fuckers want, the Musks of this world.
We need to start thinking of better ideas than 19th century ideas
Incrementalism doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere when the Tories are in power far more often than Labour are, and they are willing to take bigger backwards steps.
I want proper journalism based on well-reseached facts. Not biased claptrap - whichever side of the divide it's from.
They represent what Labour should be doing. Why not get behind them?
Please be realistic.
Maybe so. But people like me still want and need a left wing alternative.
One day people will realise right wing politicians are impoverishing them and killing the planet.
People are waking up to this, slowly, having tried the right repeatedly.
Taxed private schools
Nationalised Rail
Strengthened workers' rights
Ended strikes
Increased wages
Building social homes
Removing hereditary Peers
Increasing renters' rights
What part of that is "right -wing"?
Give me those scraps anyday.
https://www.libdems.org/join
Sounds like they want to 'seek' their way into becoming the new Popular Front of Judea.
That’s not veering to the right?
Corbyn and Owen Jones don't own a monopoly on Leftwing politics.
One who can fire people up and get them moving. I truly believe the majority of people are generous and want the best for everyone.
We need a firebrand!!
I'm a passionate Remainer, but even I have the common sense to know this isn't the time.
Yes Corbyn got more votes but he was comprehensively beaten.
The right is on the march across the world, so until it fails or a socialist movement with the appeal of Reform arrives, this is the best we're going to get.
Evidently the money from unions, party membership fees and registered supporters wasn't enough to win it when Labour was the largest party in Western Europe.
Starmer had to move right on tax to get some donors back.
You're right. It could be a lot worse!