Following on from the last article this is another Guest Blog, this time from Davy Jones. It was first published by Labour Briefing LINK I am no longer a member of the Brent Green Party Committee but need to make it clear that this is not to be seen as representing the views of Brent Green. It is a contribution to a discussion which is also happening elsewhere (see Michael Calderbank's Facebook discussion of a Progress report by Danny Dorling.
JEREMY
CORBYN’S AMAZING VICTORY in the Labour leadership election has rightly revived
the question of how Greens and other progressives can work together with
Labour. This was not easy during the recent General Election, when Labour
nationally was supporting austerity and was well to the right of the SNP, Plaid
and the Greens. Potentially, all that has now changed.
“There could be
Labour Green candidates in many areas to avoid splitting the anti-Tory vote.”
As
someone who stood for the Greens against a left Labour candidate in Brighton
Kemptown, I am acutely aware of the need for us to avoid dividing ourselves
against the most reactionary government in my lifetime. The Tories received the
support of less than 25% of the electorate.
They
are also trying to hold onto power permanently by redrawing the boundaries and
hastening individual voter registration. We therefore have to “think the
unthinkable” to topple the Tories.
The
historic link of the Labour Party to the trade unions has entrenched the notion
of it being the sole party on the left. Most other European countries can boast
significant alternative left parties. Almost uniquely, the UK still retains the
First Past the Post system for national elections, which is deeply undemocratic
and reinforces the two-party domination of elections.
It
is vital that Labour under Jeremy unequivocally comes out in support of
proportional representation. This would at a stroke make it far more likely
that joint work and electoral pacts might be considered across the left. But it
would also signal that Labour understood that it risks never being elected and
forming a government under the current electoral rules.
Above
all, members of Labour, the Greens, the SNP, Plaid and other left currents need
to come together in campaigning work – against austerity, tackling climate
change, defending the NHS, bringing railways back into public ownership. This
will help to overcome accumulated sectarianism, lack of goodwill and trust.
Only then will electoral alliances or other bold steps feel realistic and
essential.
Out
of such collaboration, it would be logical to identify the key areas of policy
agreement of Corbyn’s Labour, the Greens, SNP and Plaid – and to discuss in a
constructive way where differences remain on other key issues.
From
such discussions a Progressive Policy Platform could be developed across the
parties of the left. There could be negotiations over whether an agreed single
candidate could be found to stand on that platform to take on the Tories, with
other parties considering whether they would stand down or run merely a token
local campaign.
Possible
Issues for Collaboration and a Progressive Policy Platform:
- Tackling climate change – supporting renewable energy, opposing fracking and nuclear energy; removing subsidies from fossil fuels
- War & Peace – opposing military interventions in the Middle East; no to replacing Trident; ending the global arms trade
- Europe – for a progressive democratic Europe of social justice and solidarity
- Austerity and cuts to public services – supporting those fighting against the cuts, especially the attacks on local council services and democracy, and for increased investment in public services; closing tax havens and loopholes, forcing big companies to pay taxes and reforming the banking sector
- Privatisation – opposing it in the NHS and elsewhere, and for bringing other key services, such as rail, energy, academies, back into public ownership
- Housing – opposing Right to Buy, supporting private sector rent controls, and a massive capital programme of house- building including making existing homes energy efficient
- Democratic rights – Opposing the Trade Union bill; support for proportional representation; opposing the Immigration Bill and supporting refugees; for a fully elected second chamber.
“An even more radical
option, namely that the Green Party affiliates to the Labour Party in the same
way as the Co-operative Party...”
Others
on the left have suggested an even more radical option, though many Green and
Labour members will be aghast at the suggestion, namely that the Green Party
affiliates to the Labour Party in the same way as the Co-operative Party is
affiliated. Labour claims to be the broad church of progressive
politics, it is argued – so why not invite the Greens (and maybe also the SNP
and Plaid) to a affiliate if they wish to do so?
The
parties would remain independent, but through affiliation, members would stand
for election as Labour or Labour Greens, just as people currently stand as
Labour or Labour and Co-operative Party members. So there could be Labour Green
candidates in many areas to avoid splitting the anti-Tory vote.
Clearly,
this would be a non-starter unless and until Jeremy Corbyn is able to ensure
the Labour Party nationally adopts consistently anti-austerity and
pro-environmental sustainability policies, as well as a thorough
democratisation of the Labour Party itself.
No
doubt, opponents will come up with lots of reasons why serious collaboration
between Labour and the Greens will not work. But one thing is clear: the
current situation of division across the left is not an option – unless we are
prepared to put up with the most reactionary Tory Government for 100 years
continuing in power, with its neo-liberal policies of trashing the planet and
the economy. “Just one more push” simply does not offer any solution.
