"There is a whiff of The Last Days of Pompeii in the atmosphere." Samuel Brittan in the Financial Times.
As the Reverend Tony Blair heads off for a new career making millions from publishing royalties and sermons, the North Korean-style "coronation" of Brown as Labour leader has been met with widespread disappointment and anger. Thanks to the sabotage of some 300-odd members of the Parliamentary Labour Party, ordinary Labour Party members and affiliates, who were expecting a leadership election, ended up with no election and a "one member, no vote" imposed candidate.
In addition to this kick in the teeth, Gordon Brown displayed his true contempt for the rank and file and their views by stating: "The party has been unwilling to give candidates of the far left any space to put forward their views, because they simply don't have support in the Labour Party" (Gordon Brown, The Guardian, 18 May 2007).
Of course, it was not the "party" but the tiny parliamentary Establishment that sabotaged a leadership challenge. This had nothing to do with lack of support for the left. On the contrary, the election was blocked precisely because this parliamentary cabal were terrified at John McDonnell's growing support. Clearly the membership could not be relied upon to vote the right way. In such circumstances, party democracy must be immediately ditched in favour of a papal imposition from on high.
The Brown camp believes they have now sewn up the leadership and the party good and proper. But they are sadly mistaken. As reformist politicians, they cannot see further than their own nose. This manoeuvre will inevitably blow up in their faces. Their undemocratic veto is producing even greater discontent. Brown, despite any new image he wants to cultivate, is set to continue with the deeply unpopular Blairite policies of the past. He has already given assurances to this effect to the bosses' trade union, the Confederation of British Industry. On this basis, Brown's support will fall below even that of Tony Blair.
Labour's depressing results in the local elections, as well as the elections in Scotland and Wales were a reflection of deep-seated disillusionment with the last ten years of Blair and Brown. Over that period, under the Blair/Brown stewardship, some five million voters deserted the Labour Party. Under Brown, Labour's support is set to fall even further.
The call by John McDonnell for his tens of thousands of supporters to continue the fight for left policies in the Labour and trade union movement is absolutely correct. While John's failure to get on the ballot is a setback, it will only be of a temporary nature. In the coming period left policies will become a point of reference for millions of workers.
John has put down a clear marker for a future leftwing challenge, when things go pear shaped for Brown and his entourage. In quoting Joe Hill, "Don't mourn, organize!" John has served to point the correct way forward.
Sectarians
As always, there are sectarian groups on the fringes of the labour movement who are rubbing their hands in glee at the failure of John McDonnell to get on the ballot - as proof that the Labour Party can never be changed. "See, the left can't even get on the ballot, let alone change the party. They are wasting their time", comes the usual defeatist refrain. They fail to see that their advice simply plays into the hands of the Blairites, who also want the left to leave the party and want to break the Labour-trade union links.
As with all sectarians, they foolishly believe that history begins with them. However, history is littered with the corpses of ultra-left groups who have set themselves up as the "alternative to Labour". The latest are the Scottish Socialist Party and Solidarity in Scotland who have been wiped out in the recent elections. The working class does not turn its back lightly on its traditional organisations, like a man changing his shirt. If only life was so simple, then every sectarian windbag would be a great strategist and leader!
So in the real world, where do we go from here? John McDonnell has put down a marker over the last ten months that cannot be wiped away. The left needs to build upon this, particularly inside the unions. It is especially regrettable that the bulk of trade union leaders refused openly to back McDonnell. The likes of the TGWU, Amicus and Unison could have exerted pressure on trade union-sponsored MPs to have at least allowed an election. Moreover, they could have demanded that they support a candidate who backs union policies. Is this too much to ask for? Unfortunately, many of these "leaders" are wedded to the idea of a "sweetheart deal" with Brown and are relieved they will not be put in the "embarrassing" position of having to publicly support McDonnell in an election.
We must demand answers from our elected representatives. We must demand that they be accountable to the rank and file of the Labour movement. The imposition of Gordon Brown and the danger of a Tory victory at the next election cannot be brushed aside. The trade union movement created the Labour Party to represent the interests of working people in Parliament. The Brown entourage believe that they can simply carry on where the Blair camp left off. Such a road leads to disaster for working people.
It has precisely been the imposition of pro-capitalist policies over the last decade that has brought us to this historic low point. The mass of people opposed Tory policies in 1997, resulting in Labour's landslide victory. Under the guise of "New Labour", they were treated to more of the same. Hence the historic low-point of Labour's support.
The trade unions must take back the Labour Party for the working class, for the millions ground down by capitalism. This means clearing out the Tory carpet-baggers from the Labour Party and fighting for real socialist policies that will take over the commanding heights of the economy under workers' control and management. Only then can we plan the economy democratically to provide for the needs of the majority not the interests of a tiny minority of millionaire parasites. Nothing less will guarantee success.