Love’s Labour’s Lost
Today’s announcement of a ‘u-turn’ (I think that’s a euphemism for betrayal) of the WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) woman has drawn condemnation from all sides, including Scottish Labour’s own Brian Leishman MP.
Previous support for the WASPI case was across the board from Scottish Labour, including Glasgow’s Pam Duncan-Glancy MP, Richard Leonard and Scottish Labour Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Jackie Ballie:
Wee video for your viewing pleasure.
‘‘I am delighted to support the work of the @WASPI_Campaign in West Dunbartonshire & across the country.’’ Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie. #WASPI
— James Campbell (@J4m35c4mpb3ll) December 17, 2024
Now that the parliamentary ombudsman has recommended that the WASPI women are recompensed, Labour have abandoned them and rejected the idea of payments. The airwaves are full of Labour politicians either explaining that there’s no money left … or backtracking furiously and explaining that when they meant justice they didn;t mean that sort of justice.
The problem is not just the betrayal of these women, who were promised explicitly, and cynically, the support of an incoming Labour government. The problem goes deeper than that as it speaks to the growing disenchantment not just with this Labour government, but the entire idea of any alternative political project in the UK having any viability at all.
This isn’t just Labour’s problem, it’s all of ours. I don’t mean that we should try and pretend that there is an alternative when there isn’t, I mean that the likely beneficiaries of widespread immiseration, cynicism and despair are not, a popular left but a populist right, for which see the predictable results across the pond. Already the billionaire’s dark money is circling promising to propel Farage into power, and, if you think that’s improbable. [what a remarkable likeness to Donald Trump in the background – Ed]
This becomes circular. As Joe Guinan writes: “Starmer breaking records for unpopularity, as many of us said he would. Not sure this is recoverable, especially since they have no plans to do anything that would actually really change anything. The last gasp of an exhausted political establishment at the edge of the abyss.”
This decline is mirrored by, and connected to, the meteoric rise of Reform UK.
As the pollster Keiran Pedley notes:
New @IpsosUK Keir Starmer net satisfaction (-34) worst of any PM after 5 months in Ipsos history.
Keir Starmer
Satisfied 27%
Dissatisfied 61%
Net = -34https://t.co/IB69pGAOto pic.twitter.com/Pj9q8BPQfy— Keiran Pedley (@keiranpedley) December 16, 2024
This is not, if it ever was, about ‘electability’ or triangulation, the grubby inheritance from Blairism, but a different political project altogether.
The WASPI abandonment isn’t an outlier. Starmer/Reeves & Co are now out in the open regarding their abandonment of virtually all the policies on which they sought and won the party. Starmer is now publicly reneging on his commitment to the ‘ten pledges’ that underpinned his leadership campaign, and everywhere, from Gaza to immigration we see a further move to the right. It’s not so much a lurch as a slide.
As Zoe Gardner spoke to BBC Five Live saying:
Let’s stop being coy about how Italy has reduced migrant arrivals.
Starmer is cosying up to Meloni to learn her secrets – what’s the problem?
I went on a rant on BBC5Live about it this week. ENOUGH head scratching.
It’s torture
Slavery
Dumping people in the desert to die. pic.twitter.com/GBeXyOjBQd— Zoe Gardner (@ZoeJardiniere) December 17, 2024
What is Starmer scared of?
Well, he’s scared of the institutionalised racism that is hard-wired into the fabric of English political debate after decades of framing and blaming by the far-right media. He’s scared that a humane and decent stance on Israel-Palestine – supported by the ICJ and dozens of countries throughout the world, would lay him open to the accusation of anti-semitism, such is the outrageous narrative that, again, has been perpetuated by the MSM and the aggressive lobbying of MPs. He’s scared that any resistance to the perpetual merry-go-round of privatisation would open him to the accusation of ‘extremism’ despite the proven track record of failed private utilities and monopolies, and despite this being mainstream (and popular) common sense throughout Europe.
The problem is not that this is soul-destroying for those people who, despite endless warnings, had hope that Labour would mean CHANGE, the problem is that this will lead to a political backfiring that will leave the door open to the far right.
This point was made by Naomi Klein before the election:
“Labour is sending lots of messages that very little is going to change… [it] will set the table for a far right comeback”
This was @NaomiAKlein just before the election. She was spot on. pic.twitter.com/6bGNCkua8d
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) December 18, 2024
Of course, Labour and the Conservatives in Scotland have a choice, a choice recently rejected by the Scottish Tories in electing Russell Findlay. That choice would be to gain their own political independence and operate as a Scottish political party focused on Holyrood. This would release Anas Sarwar from the Faustian pact he has with Keir Starmer, as it would have released Ruth Davidson from the absurd dance she had to perform to distance herself from her own party. But none of them will do this, despite the obvious advantages, because to do so would be to accept a key argument of independence: that political decisions about Scotland should be made in Scotland. But also it exposes the key fact that the commitment to the Union isn’t an afterthought or an add-on, it is in the DNA of these parties and these individuals, with one eye on career advancement and the train south.
What we are witnessing is not just the crumbling of the Conservative Party under the incapable hands of Bad Enoch, but the collapse of any meaningful Labour alternative. This is the complete realignment of British politics and may lead to its complete capture by the far right in our lifetimes.
As Alex Niven predicted at the start of this year (‘Grey Labour‘): “By the end of 2024, Britain will very likely be governed by a right-wing Labour clique whose basic instinct is to manoeuvre itself into an ideological ambiguity bordering on total opacity, to define itself by stating what it is not rather than what it is, and to promise that it will maintain a holding pattern over national decline rather than doing anything substantive to renew a faltering, increasingly outmoded society and economy. And that is without even mentioning its leading light Keir Starmer’s murky, abrogating approach to climate change and avoiding environmental disaster.”
Labour’s cynicism is breathtaking but at least it’s out in the open now. No one can have any excuses for believing in them as a party of change anymore. The consequences of Labour’s collapse may have short-term advantages to the SNP in Scotland, and it may even have a positive effect on the cause of independence. But the lesson learned here is that you need a positive genuine (and radical) alternative, not just to be scared. That’s the lesson we in Scotland need to learn.
We are supported only by our readers. We don't have corporate backers and we don't take advertising, so we rely entirely on your support.
Help to support independent Scottish journalism
Agreed!
If pushed to edge people will jump hoping there is a boat at the bottom of cliff..doesnt really matter who has the oars
Not in the least bit surpised at the hopscorch betrayals and turnarounds..
Hope really does spring eternal in human hearts,sadly…..
Thats where the edge of the cliff appears
In the prescence of such ,dare i say,diabolicaldouble toungeing to gain power.
“sorry we not going to do that”!?…well well..said with such “integrity”
As disappointing as it was predictable.
I note that Anas Sarwar (Scottish Labour MSP) has criticised decision not to pay out to WASPI women while Michael Shanks (Scottish Labour MP) was on to at lunchtime supporting government decision.
Scottish Labour cannot even agree amongst themselves.
Same as Scottish Labour MP’s voting for means testing WFA at Westminster while Scottish Labour MSP’s demand in is reinstated at Holyrood.
Scottish Labour is a campaigning slogan not a meaningful political organisation.
And why is Libya a failed state? (and why does this kind of thing keep happening?)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_purpose_of_a_system_is_what_it_does
the only way you are going to achieve any kind of contentment is to ignore these bampots, let them get on with it, they can answer for their crimes at a later date
Aye. ‘Radical’ is no longer radical. It’s necessary. Any realistic fix for this mess must be radical.
Looks like Labour are in the position where they know that only bad news, harmful policies, can hold whatever crazy position they think they have, so…‘let’s get all the bad stuff out now, all at once, the people will get used to it and accept it as necessary…’
What a f*****g mess! All the way from Thatcher onwards…governments that have been clueless and a voting public that have been monumentally gullible.
This will not end well, for any of us. No good will come of it.
All too true. The majority of our people do not follow the ins and outs of UK politics, they take in the messages that they are fed by the media. The screaming headlines of the tabloid press, the slanted debates on what purports to be “independent” broadcasters. Why is Nigel Farage the most seen speaker on TV.
Why has the massacre in Gaza almost disappeared from the news. Why is the only focus on how to prevent refugees fleeing oppression, and coming here, in the only possible way open to them? We are led by a zenophobic oligarchy that holds the news strings that can monster any potential leader that does not dance to their tune.
DAN’S XMAS MESSAGE #3
Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you so much for your consideration at this difficult time. I am feeling a little more myself this evening although I have noticed the beginnings of a rash around the big toe of my left foot. Would it be remiss of me to ask if any provision or consideration might be made by the Department for Work & Pensions regarding the early onset of Nay Toe. I only ask because it was this particular ailment that led to the far too early demise of my aforementioned friend. As I’m sure you can appreciate, this was a great shock to me considering the usual lifespan of his progenitors which I would have thought might have given some indication of how long he would have been expected to live were it not for the fatal effects of the aforementioned Nay Toe. As I’m sure you will agree, being like myself a person that will have at least an inkling of what proceedings have taken place behind closed curtains over the last few decades, the pervading evidence based conclusion is that at least since the 1960s there has remained like a malignant tumour a progressively more coordinated ever more concentrated effort on the behalf of the invidious collective enemies of the hard working heterosexual man to exterminate as many of his indigenous pals as possible in order that the evil hordes of petty bourgeois spoilt brats can further indulge their fascistic tendencies, swell their ranks & bring their colonial project that little bit closer towards completion, Kindest regards, Dan.
What we need to learn in Scotland is that voting is a complete waste of time particularly if you happen to be born Scottish and continue to live here. Unless you vote for the Greens who are unlikely to start a war (but are often in the smug odious mould of Pat Harvie) all you are doing in dutifully going to the polling station is giving your tacit endorsement to further warmongering on the behalf of the UK’s continued imperial objectives overseas as a fully committed member of NATO. Since 2012 the SNP/Scottish Government has also pledged it’s allegiance (as though that was ever really in doubt being as they are no different to any other career orientated sack of windbags that normally join the first political party they think might help them get their law exams passed). My advice to the right thinking person/undergrad/whoever is withdraw your support completely, believe nothing these idiots say, know that all that really differentiates these parties is the colour of their respective posters & in this they are no different than the teams you had whilst at primary school prior to sports day, as I recall you did not have a choice then which team you were to be part of & guess what things have not changed, unless you decide to rise above & treat these eejits like the childish muppets they are until such time as they inevitably fall from grace & receive their final judgement hopefully in our lifetime but if not do not be alarmed what is for them shall not go by them.
‘the likely beneficiaries of widespread immiseration, cynicism and despair are not a popular left but a populist right’,
This is probably correct but it is not only true ‘across the pond.’ It is true across the Channel and the North Sea. A list of countries where the populist right has eaten into support for the popular left would include Germany, France and Italy – to name only the largest countries.
In Scotland, who might claim to represent the ‘popular left ?’ Surely not SLAB or the SNP ? Is Scotland not a country where the left has given up on electoral politics.
One very clear cut factor in the success of the populist right is the effort they put into winning elections. They know where power lies.
I didn’t say the SNP or SLAB were the popular left?
You were not explicit. I thought it was very unlikely that you would regard them as being part of the ‘popular left.’.
Quite a lot of people in both parties would.
Following on from this, is there anything that can meaningfully be called the ‘popular left’ in Scotland ?
I would say, no.
What there’s people in the Labour party who would consider themselves part of the popular left?
Huge if true.
Inventing terms and then seeing who might fit them is rather a pointless exercise isn’t it? What is meant by ‘popular left’? It looks like a completely empty term to me.
maybe the greens, tho’ I have to say personality wise I prefer the likes of caroline lucas or carla denyer to the ones we have this side of the border, not sure why the UK consistently votes in the worst possible candidates, it may be that culturally we’ve become so inured to the lunatics running the asylum that if we do vote at all we plump for whoever we think might give us the best laugh, bit dark like, & not all that ethically sound, sensible or responsible either
I keep saying this. We either need a new political party, or a radical transformation of an existing one (which isn’t going to happen). I and a growing number of other people simply cannot vote for any existing party anymore. Whatever of the consequences. Because the lesser of two evils is still evil.
Trump got elected in America, and Starmer in the UK, because people hated the alternatives even more. And that is saying something. And it is how Musk and his mates are steering the UK into voting for Farage. I won’t for for him, but if the only alternative is as corrupt and fascist as he is, if less obviously so, I won’t for that either. If we continue to allow ourselves to be manipulated like this, democracy is well and truly dead. In America people surely said they might as well have the devil out there in plain sight where they can oppose him, as hiding behind lies and hypocrisy.
It is useless trying to bring together the existing independence supporting parties because the SNP only care about capturing the Yes vote for themselves exclusively as a means to (supposed) power. Like the Westminster (and US) parties they betray us and serve only the self-interest of the US robber barons. Even ‘shareholder value’ has now become ‘stakeholder value’ – and the public are not stakeholders in the ‘new normal’ at all. people and planet alike seem now to exist only as ‘resources’ to be exploited and wrecked to please the super-rich. And they have nothing whatsoever to offer us in return except utter destruction and misery. Any one of them could use their money to create peace and goodwill to all over Christmas but they are all too addicted to doing the exact opposite. It will destroy them too.
So as far as I’m concerned it has to be a new party, one with a strong and genuinely ethical vision. Of course that will be laughed at because few people seem to believe such a thing is even possible anymore. But the Labour Party, the SNP, the Greens, all started with nothing and they initially did well until the became co-opted and castrated by the establishment.
I propose new party to be called the Planet and People Together (Scotland) party. The basic philosophy of this party is that people and planet are essentially one ecosystem which thrives or dies together. It rejects technocracy and the idea that the world is a sort of computer that can be reset to suit the powerful. The planetary ecosystem is ultimately sovereign and belongs to no-one but itself.
In Scotland that means the people and the land are sovereign. The Claim of Right, the internationally recognised right to self-determination, therefore applies, absolutely. That includes independence from the World Economic Forum, the Atlantic Council, the Bilderberg group and the rest of them. Their so-called investments bring us no real benefits at all. All future policy making is for Scotland to decide, once we have kicked out the parcel of rogues who buy and sell us for corporate gold.
It’s what I believe and if any candidate, of any party, wants my vote in future they need to sign up to that. And be held to it. In the last local elections and the General Election, I spoiled my ballot in protest. Because none of them represent me, or, as far as I can see people and planet. It’s now called private affluence and public squalor. It used to be called corruption.
@John Wood, well, yes:
“a strong and genuinely ethical vision…The basic philosophy of this party is that people and planet are essentially one ecosystem which thrives or dies together…The planetary ecosystem is ultimately sovereign and belongs to no-one but itself”
This is a ‘good life’ philosophy, which some other polities have tried incorporating into their political constitutions.
There are some competing views, of course, but I think your outline is the only reasonable and realistic one. And this should definitely happen. We will need a connected Earth, so technology will play its part. And for all the harm humans have done, evolution has no foresight, and species like humans have a potential role, a mission should we accept it, in planning future health (starting with curing our own disease).
Maybe the whole point is to usher in the far -right, after all
Unfortunately, Lorna, I think they’re already sitting in the swivel chairs with their feet up on the desks. Ushering them all back out will take centuries.