We must now ensure that the working class, in all its diversity, is the driving force within our party
We are living in highly volatile times. Two-and-a-half years ago, in the first general election I contested as Labour leader, our party increased its share of the popular vote by 10 percentage points. On Thursday, on a desperately disappointing night, we fell back eight points.
I have called for a period of reflection in the party, and there is no shortage of things to consider. I dont believe these two contrasting election results can be understood in isolation.
The last few years have seen a series of political upheavals: the Scottish independence campaign, Labours transformation, Brexit, the Labour electoral surge, and now Johnsons Get Brexit Done victory. None of that is a coincidence.
The political system is volatile because it is failing to generate stable support for the status quo following the financial crash of 2008. As Labour leader Ive made a point of travelling to all parts of our country and listening to people, and Ive been continually struck how far trust has broken down in politics.
The gap between the richest and the rest has widened. Everyone can see that the economic and political system is not fair, does not deliver justice, and is stacked against the majority.
That has provided an opening for a more radical and hopeful politics that insists it doesnt have to be like this, and that another world is possible. But it has also fuelled cynicism among many people who know things arent working for them, but dont believe that can change.
I saw that most clearly in the former industrial areas of England and Wales where the wilful destruction of jobs and communities over 40 years has taken a heavy toll. It is no wonder that these areas provided the strongest backlash in the 2016 referendum and, regrettably for Labour, in the general election on Thursday.
In towns where the steelworks have closed, politics as a whole wasnt trusted, but Boris Johnsons promise to get Brexit done sold as a blow to the system was. Sadly that slogan will soon be exposed for the falsehood it is, shattering trust even further.
Despite our best efforts, and our attempts to make clear this would be a turning point for the whole direction of our country, the election became mainly about Brexit.
A Conservative party prepared to exploit divisions capitalised on the frustration created by its own failure to deliver on the referendum result to the cost of a Labour party seeking to bring our country together to face the future.
The polarisation in the country over Brexit made it more difficult for a party with strong electoral support on both sides. I believe we paid a price for being seen by some as trying to straddle that divide or re-run the referendum.
Original Article : HERE ;
from MetNews https://metnews.pw/we-won-the-argument-but-i-regret-we-didnt-convert-that-into-a-majority-for-change-jeremy-corbyn/
No comments:
Post a Comment