Why I’ll choose division over supporting Labour

Don't blame me, I voted for kodos






Don't blame me, I voted for kodos











Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos.

Author: Latentexistence


16 thoughts on “Why I’ll choose division over supporting Labour”

  1. Wholeheartedly agree with you on every count …. having always been a staunch Labour supporter (what I would refer to as real Labour unlike the Blair New Labour etc) I feel totally disenfranchised by the lack of any real alternative.
    Well said !

  2. Really empathise with your viewpoint. I haven’t voted Labour since John Smith died and found Labour’s time of rule with the nanny state, Iraq war and the erosion of civil rights outrageous. I’d like to think they’re learning from their mistakes, but if they’re not giving credit or co-operation to the grassroots movement that began the bedroom tax revolt, isn’t suggesting they really have as yet.
    Young Ed doesn’t fill me with hope either. Like many of his colleagues, he hasn’t exactly lived a life outside the Westminster box, therefore everything happening to people is fairly academically understood – which is a million miles away from experienced understanding.
    The LibDems will never get my vote again unless they make a radical move to pull the plug on the Tories. Traitorous power-grubbers.
    It all leads back to the fact that power corrupts, especially under the current system. I’ve been around long enough to see this in action even in so-called anarchist groups. There’s always a small dominant group within who will attempt to impose their ideology onto the rest.
    I keep thinking surely there is an alternative? Some way of creating a new political force which is more co-operative based in nature, that works in a way that ensures that no small self-interested group can push their agenda to the detriment to the others? Surely we are in a time when a new approach has a real chance of working?
    However, realistically even if that came together, it would take time to make it work – and we need to prevent the Tories wreaking more havoc on the vulnerable.
    In the meantime its only right to keep pushing home to Labour that they need to change and they need to listen – now. The one thing Ed has going for him, is that he does appear to be a leader looking for a direction to be pointed in. It’s not a lot, but perhaps that’s a glimmer of opportunity in a very dark tunnel.

  3. I was at Liverpool on Saturday. It felt like some people had come just to have a go at Labour rather than fighting the bedroom tax. I completely understand why grass roots feel so angry, and betrayed and let down, but at the end of the day, a national political party is a good ally, and I accept them as an ally, all be it grudgingly. I’m under no illusions that come the next labour gov’t I’l be on twitter just the same, adding my voice to campaigns against unfairness and injustice perpetrated by those in power. The labour party on this issue are a big and powerful ally, its like cutting off your nose to spite your face when hyou are fighting them fighting the bedroom tax.

    1. There is a very real anger and a deep sense of betrayal over Labour’s past and now Labour activists are quite happy to tread all over others instead of working with them. You should ask who was actually being divisive over the bedroom tax protests.



      1. I don’t know those involved in organising the rally in Liverpool. I absolutely agree that Labour should have been involved earlier and certainly it is their responsibility to work with grass roots, not the other way around. However the organisers did point out that the protest was intended to be non-partisan, the banner read ‘Liverpool against Bedroom Tax’, it was intended to bring all those against it together. I’m just disappointed that we able to do that I suppose, whoever’s fault it was.

      2. One of the speakers was a lady who had lost her son. She was in tears on the podium and I was listening to her. I just think the ‘Labour, Tory same old story’ chants could have waited for another day. I’m sure they’ll be lots more opportunities for chants like that in the future. I’m certainly not defending Labour, I just think for one day people cld have put their axes down.

        1. Obviously it’s not your fault, or the lady on the podium, but the Labour organisers caused great offence and obviously didn’t care about the other people. You have no right to police their anger in response to that.

          1. Oh, sorry. It’s just that on the “Labour Against The Bedroom Tax” Facebook page it says “Big day of action tomorrow – and we will be joining Labour Left events in around 50 towns and cities to stand together and say NO to the bedroom tax.”

            I note the words Labour in there too. If Labour didn’t organise it then why are they claiming it? Oh wait, we’ve gone full circle.

          2. The protest was organised by Claire Chapple and Debra Power. The facebook page is Liverpool Bedroom Tax Protest. Several times during the protest, Claire spoke and stated the protest was non-partisan. The banner they commissioned stated ‘Liverpool against bedroom tax’ and was covered by a banner slating Labour. As I say, some people seemed more interested in attacking Labour than fighting the bedroom tax. I geninuely believe the only agenda of those ladies was to fight the bedroom tax.

          3. Then you have to ask why (a) Labour members claimed ownership of the protests elsewhere, and (b) whether the anger at this might reflect the larger betrayal that the bulk of my blog post was about.

          4. Do you know what, I absolutely agree with everything your blog says. I just think in Liverpool agression towards Labour went too far. The microphone was unplugged and banners covered or pulled down. I haven’t seen anywhere that Labour have claimed ownership, but I take your word for it, and that is wrong, it wasn’t their rally. Labour councillors and MPs spoke, and they were heckled, which is absolutely fair enough, I just think some people were there to be disruptive, and not to listen. I think Labour speakers were there to support us in our protest not to ask for support -imagine the upset if they hadn’t turned up at all. They spoke as locally elected representatives, along with some people personally affected and members of the crowd (including a young boy). I think local groups should have been invited to speak also, but thats a decision the organisers took and I have no idea why.

          5. Yep, Labour are rubbish, no two ways about it, but at least they came, and as I said earlier, I will take them as allies, albeit reluctantly. That doesn’t mean I’m allied to them though.

  4. I think you missed out “Labour scrapped the 10p tax band, increasing income tax disproportionately for the poorest in society”…

    Increasing tax for high earners only weeks before the end of their 13 year term, and then failing to oppose a reduction in that tax, is also something I bet you dislike…

    Truth is, income tax policy is the most basic indicator of where a party’s heart lies. The modern Labour party hates poor people and loves rich people.

    You could argue that there were more benefits and tax credits available from Labour, so they took with one hand, but gave back with another. However, these were introduced with the cynical knowledge that up to 25% of the most needy never manage to claim all the benefits they’re due to – the Labour government even budgeted with the assumption that some of the most needy would never claim – and so didn’t even have the money to pay them!

    I bet we see more spoilt ballot papers next time, but I don’t think it does any good. The only big change that sometimes works is a strong local independent candidate. I hope we’ll see a few more of those get into parliament.

Comments are closed.