Tuesday 16th May

Labour has always been a broad church of the left and has been riven by more internal struggles than most parties – from Gaitskell and Wilson to Tony Benn and Denis Healey, and now the ‘Blairites’ and the left.  And Labour doesn’t argue in private, it washes its’ dirty laundry in public.  And the public are confused or at best, content to hope things will improve in the future.  Labour members are far more interested in having their ‘brand’ of Socialism, or Social Democracy win the internal argument than in winning the hearts and minds of the public.  They think that because their policies are so obviously ‘right’ that the public will automatically vote for them.

They are also a prisoner of their History, the dominance of the Unions – which many people see as insidious, and the perceived economic failures; devaluation of the pound and the Global Economic Recession of 2008 are all laid at the feet of an economically incompetent Labour Party.  Tony Blair successfully detoxified the party in the nineties and won three elections, largely by moving to and occupying the centre ground.  And despite some good measures he is still unforgiven by most Labour members for the invasion of Iraq.

And we now have one member, one vote – and as the membership of Labour is far more left-wing than the general public – has elected Jeremy Corbyn as leader.  And may well do so again, or someone perceived as just as left-wing next time.  The opinion polls though dire, in that they indicate a huge victory for the Tories, are deceptive.  Labour may end up polling the same percentage as under Milliband and the Tories will mop up many UKIP voters who don’t actually like the Tories but see Mrs. May as far stronger to negotiate Brexit.  Labour could be in for another long spell of Opposition, and until they find a way of reconciling their internal disputes and choosing a Leader which most voters will think electable they will still be in trouble.