Labour’s 2022 party conference began today (25th September). The first group act was a rendition of ‘God Save The King’ in front of a large backdrop featuring a photograph of recently deceased queen. In the conference hall there was near universal adherence to the order to sing the UK national anthem and to stand throughout its performance.
That act, a very rare event in the history of Labour Party conferences, was the epilogue of the party. It signalled the end of its existence as political representation opposite to conservatism. It reaffirmed the party’s intent to be an alternative conservative party, to be alternative representatives in parliament for establishment, for the corporate machine, for the wealthy, for the elite.
Royalty is incompatible with societal advancement. It acts as a reminder of knowing your place; it demands division between rulers and ruled. Politically and financially, it obstructs equality and enables exploitation. Keir Hardie understood the obstructive role of the monarchy:
“Despotism and monarchy are compatible; democracy and monarchy are an unthinkable connection. If we are for the queen we are not for her subjects. The throne represents the power of caste – class rule. In this country loyalty to the queen is used by the profit-mongers to blind the eyes of the people. We can have but one feeling in the matter – contempt for thrones and for all who bolster them up.”
To reach its current state the Labour Party systematically, with no regard to rules or justice, erased socialists from its ranks including its former leader, elected NEC members, elected councillors and members. Lies, intimidation and legal threats were exercised to force people out. Thousand of members chose to leave having realised that the party no longer acts as opposition to conservatism.
Large financial donations to Labour from disreputable wealthy individuals and from corporate entities come attached with directions that the party is eager to follow.
Labour has no alternative to conservative support for capitalist exploitation and does not pretend that it does. Its meek complaints and suggestions of different policies in response to Tory government’s extreme libertarianism are complaints and suggestions that quibble over minor points of financial probity. It has no intent to overturn Tories’ constructed cost of living crisis (particularly for food and for electricity and gas). Labour’s ideas to help people with exponentially rising bills are as useless and as dishonest as those from previous and current Chancellors Rishi Sunak and Kwasi Kwarteng.
Persistent conservative ideological positions on public services, NHS, welfare provision, workers’ rights, access to justice, right to protest, etc., all of which are being destroyed by rampant libertarianism forged in grotesque think-tanks like Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, Centre For Policy Studies and Institute Of Economic Affairs, are not opposed by Labour; they are supported.
Labour Party is the new Conservative Party. It is the Conservative Party if Theresa May or David Cameron was still the leader. It is entirely consistent that some Tory MPs are considering a switch to Labour.
Labour’s conference this week is of no importance. Hollow speeches adorned with platitudes and declarations of being more “grown-up” than Tories, of being more “responsible.” In other words, of being more conservative.
Electoral democracy in UK is dead. We need something else.
ducksoap 