Articles
Friday, January 31, 2020
In Scotland, where a majority voted Remain, the SNP managed to pull in much of that vote whilst also getting the support of Leave voting nationalists who value independence more than Brexit. The other parties suffered. Labour lost all the seats it had gained at the previous election, the Tories also lost seats and the Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson lost her seat.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
In contrast to the rest of England there was little change in London and the South of, however that was still disappointing for Labour which would have hoped to make gains.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The issue of Brexit reinforced the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland at this election. It voted Remain, but a majority of those voting to stay in the EU came from the nationalist community, while a majority voting Leave came from the unionist side. Although the two main parties lost votes, the election still polarised the electorate along sectarian lines.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Wales also voted Leave in the EU referendum. Labour were punished in Leave voting Constituencies here in the same way they were in England and for the same reason - failing to respect the vote to leave the EU in 2016.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Labour went into the 2019 general election with an ambitious programme to tackle climate change. If Labour had won there would have been challenges delivering the Green New Deal, however Labour lost so the task facing the movement is even greater. Market forces left to their own devices have failed to respond to climate change in any meaningful way The issue is pressing and we cannot afford to wait till the next election to get change. We need to promote the technologies which will mitigate climate change and use the leverage that we have in local government, through community groups, trade unions and other bodies to begin to make change happen now.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
The Conservative victory at the 2019 general election was a negative blow in the battle to save our planet from the effects of global warming and climate change. Given the urgency of the issue activists cannot afford to give up. We can learn from other successful grassroots campaigns in the past in winning commitment and forcing action
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
The Brexit crisis has come to a head with Prime Minister Johnson's confrontational tactics, which have served to unite the Remainer majority in Parliament. It is now intent on stopping a No Deal Brexit. Johnson has turned on his own MPs who dare to dissent, expelling recent former ministers and Tory grandees. A general election is now inevitable, but Labour would find one fought solely on Brexit difficult as it has shifted further in the direction of Remain, but still needs the support of Leave voters. It will need once again to focus on policies beyond Brexit, unifying people round an anti-austerity platform and its positive vision for Britain.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
To combat the climate crisis we need state intervention and planning. this is an opportunity for the left to argue for collective solutions to the planet's problems. Change must not be at the expense of individuals and the working class. Labour's Green Industrial Revolution policies, with their focus on climate justice, can unify all those who are interested in and affected by climate change, creating a broad movement.