Kshama Sawant’s* recent article, “Fight the Rich”, (Internationalist Standpoint, 02.02.25) gave a stirring insight into the direction of struggle for the masses in the US. It clearly identified the rich as the barrier to progress for the vast majority of people and the need to build new forces to challenge the status quo that allows this circumstance to persist.
In the UK, the Labour Party under Keir Starmer has shown itself to be in the vanguard of the fight to keep the rich in a position of power and not to erode their wealth or control of the forces the state.
Trends
In a recent survey, a Channel 4 report “Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust”, showed that 47% of British youth between the ages of 13 and 27 think that, “The entire way our society is organised must be radically changed through revolution.” This is a clear reflection of intense levels of frustration and alienation experienced by young people. Perhaps of equal note however was the finding that 33% of the age group 45 to 65 want a revolution as well.
The erosion of confidence in the forces of the state was apparent by the low turn-out in last year’s general election (below 60%) and the fall in support for the Labour Party, the party that traditionally was supposed to champion the rights of minorities and the working class.
In the most recent polls carried out by Politico – Poll of Polls, the trends are clear. Since the general election in July last year support for Labour has fallen by 9% from 34% to 25% with support for Reform (the far-right party led by Nigel Farage) rising by 11% from 14% to 25%. Support for the other main parties has remained roughly the same. This shows that Reform is now making inroads into the Labour voter, whereas previously Reform was taking votes mainly from the Conservative Party. This is not surprising when one considers the general trend towards support for so-called anti-establishment political figures such as Nigel Farage and Donald Trump and away from previously established mainstream figures and parties. The fact that Farage and Trump are loyal servants of capitalism is concealed behind nationalist rhetoric and appeals to patriotism as well as other means.
Labour loosing support
The Labour Party’s record since coming into power has shown consistent support for the forces of capitalism and the first budget that retained the two-child benefit cap as well as scrapping winter fuel allowances to most pensioners, showed a callous disregard for the poor. As predicted on this website previously, “Approaching 100 days of Labour government” (02.10.24) and in another article focussing on the 2024 October Budget (03.11.24) support for Labour could quickly evaporate. “So, the struggle continues and the resentment towards the Starmer government will grow as the front-loading of the increases in spending see further problems for the NHS and the nation as a whole become more and more apparent.”
The fall in electoral support for Labour and the move to the right in voting intentions is particularly concerning. It does not reflect so much an increase in racism, after all Labour’s immigration policy has a different twist but is fundamentally racist. Labour advocates setting up a new bureaucracy to manage migration more efficiently and in its first few months in office speeded up deportations. According to GB News on 16.11.24, all forms of deportations were up in comparison to November 2023. Forced deportations were up by 19% and deportation of national offenders up by 14%. Deportation flights were also being sent to new destinations such as, Timor-Leste with the largest ever returns to Ghana and Nigeria. Labour’s position on the question of Palestine has also taken it away from the more liberal and compassionate approach that might have been expected previously, but which it rarely delivered. In the past, Labour might have claimed to represent the interests of minorities, but now they are proud to speak of patriotism and toughness.
This pushes more and more people into the arms of reaction. The exaggeration of the problems around migration and the savage sentences imposed on protesters arrested under new laws proves that the Labour government sides with the powerful against its people.
Slavish subservience to capital
In terms of the economy, Labour’s fawning towards the new Trump administration will only secure trade deals that suit the USA. Every pronouncement they make, such as the increase in the use of nuclear energy or the building of a third runway at Heathrow airport, shows a slavish subservience to capital rather than an imaginative way forward for the economy or the planet (as they advocate). Local authorities are being committed to austerity budgets and Labour has pledged more money to the private sector from the NHS budget. It is almost impossible to cite an example of Labour giving a helping hand to ordinary workers and it looks set on a collision course with the public sector in the near future. Falling living standards are a massive issue, particularly in the public sector and the NEU (National Education Union) is moving towards strike ballots. Nurses, civil servants and other public sector workers are likely to follow.
The Left remains in a state of shock. The collapse of the Corbyn surge has not been replaced by a surge in support for a new force or forces. The Collective, which continues to meet and build is attacked by some elements on the Left as not being transparent enough. However, TUSC, Transform and other groups are in discussions with it. Corbyn and other left Labour figures wait in the wings for Collective to build. Collective needs to build quickly but carefully and with clear socialist principles. Its politics need to be really transparent. They need to be a party that fights the rich and in so doing fights to give power to the many not the few. Those who thirst for revolution need to come together and work collectively for a conscious challenge to capitalism, not just in the UK but globally. This is a mighty project, which needs to start somewhere. Maybe events in Serbia, where students have been on the march, could provide inspiration to those who are tired of worn-out excuses made by those who cannot imagine and don’t want to see a better world for the many.
*Kshama Sawant is a revolutionary socialist, a founding member of Workers Strike Back, and a former Seattle City Councilmember.
