We are only a few months away from a general election at which every Labour Party member knows the choices are stark. The Conservatives, having largely dropped David Cameron’s cuddly mask, are promising Thatcherism mark two.
Tory policy is that those not responsible for causing the financial crisis should pay for it. Those on average incomes, the least well-off, the unemployed, teachers, health workers and others must suffer a savage attack on social and public spending.
Bankers, who were responsible for the crisis, and those with large sums of money to pass on as inheritances, should be protected and even rewarded. These are open class-war policies – with a vengeance.
The Tories also propose to squander money in an ideological campaign against unmarried people who have chosen to live together, or those who separate or divorce, through “recognition of marriage in the tax system”. Further cuts would be implemented to pay for this policy.
A meaningful fight against climate change would be abandoned.
Such Tory policies threaten to halt economic recovery by reining back the stimulus to demand created by public spending. They would do nothing to address the real need of the economy, which requires investment to promote growth, and will do huge social and environmental damage.
Any supporter of coherent economic policy and social justice, and anyone who cares about the future of the planet has to be opposed to such policies.
Nor are they popular. Despite flat-out campaigning for the Conservatives by almost all the print media and large parts of the electronic media, and despite Labour being in office in the worst economic crisis for 70 years, the Tories have scarcely succeeded in raising their level of support above 40 per cent. Labour’s problem is not the high level of support for the Tories, but the low level of support for itself.
It is not hard to find the reasons for this. Most people cast their votes for their own interests. In dealing with the financial crisis, Government policies have excessively favoured the banks, while those on middle and lower incomes have suffered most.
The key issue for Labour is not that it should narrow itself to its core supporters – as those who aided the Tories by trying to open the issue of party leadership on the eve of a general election claim was happening.
Labour should aim particularly to benefit the worst-off in our society. But it cannot win only with their support. Labour has won – and can only win – when it has the support of both those on “middle incomes” and the less advantaged.
As together these constitute a large majority in society, their combined support has been– and will always continue to be – sufficient to ensure Labour victories.
Concentration on those earning middle incomes and the less well-off is, however, very different to concentrating on attempting to win over the best-off. Indeed, focusing on the latter – “champagne socialism” – is damaging, as it means less resources are available to the majority of the electorate.
By contrast, the 50 per cent tax band and the taxes on bankers’ bonuses, transfer resources from a small and privileged minority to people on middle incomes and the least privileged – which is why they are popular.
The key terrain on which Labour has to be fighting the election is that it protects those on middle incomes and the least advantaged against the Tories who would transfer resources from the average elector to the better-off.
So it is vital that Labour hammers out its own policies and engages in dialogue and united action with those who support a progressive agenda but who, for various reasons, are not Labour supporters.
Naturally, at a general election, each party will seek to maximise its support. But this must not cut across co-operation and debate among those who seek to implement a progressive agenda and stop the coming to office of a viciously right-wing Tory administration.
To this aim, Progressive London is organising a conference on January 30 on “A Progressive Agenda to Stop the Right in 2010”.
Among the speakers will be leading Labour politicians, including Harriet Harman, Ed Miliband, Jon Cruddas and Diane Abbott, and Liberal Democrats such as Lembit Opik, Greens including Jenny Jones, George Galloway from Respect, and figures from the media and entertainment including Bonnie Greer, Johann Hari, Kevin Maguire and Speech Debelle.
The aim is to debate a progressive agenda in London and more widely. It is something urgently required in the run up to a vital general election.
The Progressive London Conference is on January 30 at Congress House, Great Russell Street WC1H, 10am-5pm. To register in advance go to www.progressivelondon.org.uk
