Should the left give up on Labour?
The influence of the left in the Labour Party has been diminishing for more than two decades, culminating in its failure even to stand a candidate against Gordon Brown in the 2007 leadership election. So what is the future for the left in the party?
In What became of the Labour left? Alex Nunns inquires into whether there is still life in the Labour left. And in Why stay? former Labour national executive committee member Liz Davies opens up our debate by asking why anyone on the left stays in the party.
Further contributions:
Defeated Labour deputy leadership candidate Jon Cruddas
Former Labour minister Clare Short
Lord Chris Smith of Finsbury
Neal Lawson, chair of Compass
‘If we don’t ensure that the successors to the current generation of [trade union] general secretaries are from the moderate wing of the party, we’ll end up in a decade’s time with Brown’s successor in a contested election being from the left’ – New Labour blogger Luke Akehurst
‘The weakness of the left is seen in the extent to which the party machine has become involved in virtually every selection of neutered parliamentary candidates, mainly to ensure that left candidates are excluded or defeated’ – Alan Simpson MP, Campaign Group
‘There’s much more life in the party than I thought’ – Jon Cruddas MP, Labour deputy leadership challenger
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Also in this section:
- Socialism by stealth? by Dave Osler
- Red questions seeking green answers by Mary Mellor
- Green is the new red by Peter Tatchell
- Whatever does it take? by John Nicholson
- A new politics of pluralism by Mark Perryman
- The Short answer by Clare Short
- The good, the bad and the future by Chris Smith
- Still life by Jon Cruddas
- Inside and outside left by Neal Lawson
- Why stay? by Liz Davies
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