Last week, I attended a London Young Labour reception . I was struck by the enthusiasm of new recruits to the party’s ranks, many of whom have joined because they were shocked and appalled by this Government and want to do something about it. This story is found in every part of the party – new enthusiasm to get out and campaign, a fresh feeling about the party’s future. Membership is up by 50,000 since the general election. Labour has established a 10-point opinion poll lead over the Conservatives and opened up a clear gap over several weeks. Underlying this is declining satisfaction with the Tory-led Government. Moreover, Labour has achieved growing support without following the advice of those hankering for the Tony Blair years, commentators who want a confrontation between the leader and the party to define his leadership. Instead a collegiate approach is paying dividends, with the party united and active.
The question is how to turn this growing opposition to the Government into political activity and ideas that can stop the Tories in their tracks, inflict a series of political defeats on them and make David Cameron a one-term Prime Minister. In London, these issues will be discussed on Saturday February 19 at a conference I will host, with speakers including Unite gleader Len McCluskey, Tribune editor Chris McLaughlin, Bonnie Greer, comedian Josie Long, Turner prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger, writers including Laurie Penny, a cross-party panel of London Assembly members, Hackney mayor Jules Pipe (Labour’s leader of London Councils), bloggers from Liberal Conspiracy and Left Foot Forward, Socialist Unity – and many others. The conference, “There is an alternative – protecting Londoners, opposing Tory cuts”, aims to look at the impact in the capital of the Government’s cuts programme, how it is hurting services and quality of life, and how we can unite for a fairer alternative. It will mobilise for the TUC’s March 26 demonstration.
The Tories deserve to be behind in the polls – even before the full scale of what they are planning has come on track. I have never known party lie so brazenly during a campaign. Cameron’s big idea is a Robin Hood in reverse. The majority is being forced to pay through fees, fares, VAT, cuts and reduced living standards, pay and conditions for an economic situation they did not create, while the bankers sit pretty. The Tories’ representative in London, Boris Johnson, was correctly described by the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Oakeshott as “rattling the begging bowl on behalf of the starving rich”. The so-called Big Society is drowning in its own contradictions. Cameron’s attempts to save his ill-defined concept are doomed to fail. The Big Society was always a Trojan horse for cuts; now, ironically, it is being derailed by cuts. All of this is in the context of an economy that shrunk in the last quarter, before the VAT increase had come on stream.
Wales and Scotland will soon be signposts on they road to the next general election. Next year London holds mayoral and Assembly elections, providing Labour with the chance to inflict a mid-term blow to the Toreies by sending them a message and removing their Mayor from office. My message to those young members I met was this. Joining the Labour Party was the most important thing I ever did. Whatever you do as a member – hold public office, become an activist, or a persuader among friends and family – committing yourself to a better society is the most rewarding thing you can do. Let’s use the enthusiasm of those new members as a reminder of that as we go into battle against this reckless, right-wing, reactionary and damaging agenda.
There is an alternative – Protecting London, Opposing Tory cuts is on Saturday February 19 at the TUC’s Congress House www.progressivelondon.org.uk
