Where have all the Left gone?
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This has already been mentioned on the thread on our Greater London election campaign, but seems to be of wider significance. In these elections, there are no TUSC or Left Unity candidates or from the smaller Trotskyist texts except the Communist League. In fact, if Respect is not counted as claiming to be "socialist", we are the only group contesting that calls itself socialist. We are certainly the only group using the word on the ballot paper. This hasn't happened since the late 60s/early 70s.
It would seem to be a consequence of Corbyn's election to the leadership of the Labour Party. Nearly all the Trotskyist groups are back in, or backing, the Labour Party. This is probably where as, left reformists, they should be. Or they could just be pretending and biding their time while waiting for Corbyn to be deposed in the hope of winning over some of his supporters to their vanguard party.
In any event, this is a change in the political landscape, at least for the time being.
Left-wing Labour are in a better position to deliver on the reforms that non-socialist 'socialists' campaign for. This means even on the non-socialist 'socialists' terms, the non-socialist 'socialists' serve no political purpose except to 'push Labour left' when the Labour party have a right-wing Labour leadership. A Corbyn leadership is a stellar demonstration of these non-socialist 'socialists' futility. Still going on a demonstration gets you a bit of fresh air in your lungs I suppose.
Out leafletting this morning in Isleworth in West London I came across two leaflets promoting Sadiq Khan as the Labour candidate for mayor of London.In one of them he promises to be
Quote:The most pro-business Mayor ever.He said the same thing in last Friday's Evening Standard which reported it under the headline:
Quote:100 business leaders back Mayor contender Khan to be their 'friend at City Hall'.. He was reported as saying:
Quote:I will be the most pro-business Mayor London has ever had. I am delighted to receive the backing today of some of our city's most influential business figures. Before entering politics I helped to manage my own business, so I understand the challenges that our business leaders face.By which he presumably means the "challenge" of how to make a profit.And this is the party and candidate that the Left have bitten their tongue to support, and some of them to go out canvassing for.In case you're wondering what business he ran this is revealed in the other leaflet:
Quote:Sadiq knows what it's like to run a small business. He helped run a law firm employing 50 people, before he became an MP.A lawyers' firm. Hardly what most people would regard as a business, though his experience here should allow him to give his business friends a few tips on how to fleece people.
Why do candidates court business if business owners only represent a small proportion of the electorate?
jondwhite wrote:Why do candidates court business if business owners only represent a small proportion of the electorate?Cos it all helps to provide jobs for the rest of us… and that surely must be a good thing
This is the old "crumbs-from-the-rich-man's-table" argument. The poor can't become less poor until the rich get richer.
Which the Labour Party now openly accepts, in other words, capitalism. We knew that of course but these days they are not even ashamed to admit it themselves.
There's a full page interview with George Galloway as one of the London mayor candidates in this week's Richmond and Twickenham Times in which he comments on Khan's pro-business stance:
Quote:Mr Galloway highlighted Sadiq Khan's pledges to be "the most pro-business Mayor ever", and said this is the last thing London needs. He said: "Big business doesn't need a Mayor, it's the people who work for businesses who do. Landlords don't need a Mayor, the tenants do. It is not the Mayor's duty to tell the banks what to do. I will be the most pro-worker, the most pro-tenant".So it seems I'm wrong. There is a candidate using traditional leftwing (but not socialist) language.
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