And The Times...

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Keir Starmer's speech to The Labour Party conference today was measured, intelligent, and I'm sure heartfelt. The Labour agenda seems to me to be a re-affirmation of the post-war Attlee government's aims to engage in a social contract between business and the people who actually make business work: the people employed by business, and to leaven it with the socialist ideals of free education and healthcare for all. Over the last forty-odd years, there has been a deliberate and cynical disconnection created between the acquisition of wealth and the source of that wealth - the workers - by the neoliberal Right and their supporters/beneficiaries, very much in the spirit of the landed gentry and inheritance of times [mostly] past. The Tory Party have wreaked absolute havoc on society and the economy for nearly half a century, broken only briefly by New Labour aping their tropes and foibles for a few intervening years.

This Labour Party feels different, however. For instance, Starmer's speech cleverly distanced the party from the polarization of Israel/Palestine and the toxic - utterly false, in my opinion - accusations of deep-rooted antisemitism within the party, by simply agreeing that a two nation approach to the issue is both desirable and needed. Pragmatism over ideology. He made commitments to partial re-nationalisation of certain utilities, without promising a New Jerusalem of outright state control overall. He has re-welcomed the business community into the debate over the absolute necessity of a social contract to ensure both the success of business and the long-term growth of the economy: dependent on workers getting the share of the pie they deserve as the true wealth-creators: an economy without earners and spenders is moribund, by definition, after all.

House-building, new towns and a revivified NHS featured heavily in his speech: all to be funded by judicious tax reform and - one hopes - a sensible and controlled relationship with business, unlike the free-for-all Klondike mentality of the current Tory Party/government, who really have completely gone down the rabbit hole of greed for its own sake. Most business realizes that commerce is a two-way street and relies on complex symbiotic relations between enablers, capital and workers/consumers to actually function, let alone keep society from imploding into chaos, as we always seem to get perilously close to under Tory administrations. Time for change, and I feel pretty positive about the one that is about to happen over the next twelve-month, even considering I'm a sceptical old bugger. Bring it on and let's see what happens...

Comments

  1. Anonymous11 October 2023 at 19:01

    Sadly I think that Keir Starmer lacks charisma and on many occasions has sounded confused when faced with difficult questions. This may prove to be detrimental when it comes to garnering support from the target electorate when the time comes. I share your view that the Tories look like a spent force but they have proved in times past that they are slippery buggers and can pull rabbits from hats where they shouldn't exist!
    Labour do have some very strong, charismatic characters in their ranks that hopefully will carry the day, in particular the likes of Rachael Reeves, who always impresses me.
    Generating the necessary swing at the next election is a big ask but please let's all hope that there is enough momentum to make it happen.
    Steve

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 October 2023 at 19:24

      I have to say that I agree that he is lacking in the charisma department, but his speech to conference did show that he is making good progress in that department. I also think that the party's nascent manifesto is knocking on the right doors, and that it's courting of business - successful thus far, if you read the right sources - and focus on the economy and housing as the basics of reconstructing the social contract, is politically sound, and should garner a good few wavering voters of either stripe. I'm optimistic, our kid [but then I've always been glass-half-full, anyway ;0)]

      Delete
  2. Anonymous11 October 2023 at 19:36

    There WILL be a Labour government next time around even if it's a Buggins turn AND even the 40%ish who DO bother to vote can NOT be fooled AGAIN by the Tories. It's the 60% we need to engage with!!
    ATB
    Joe

    ReplyDelete

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