The problem with Labour and a few politicians in Scotland (cough, cough) is they no longer seem to have the courage of their convictions. Labour, rather than standing up against the Tories are constantly scurrying around checking what their ‘focus groups’ think about things. As a consequence, policies which they say they believe in get dropped.
This is why we have Labour apparently relying upon’ through the looking glass’ political policy. They oppose nuclear weapons, but voted for more of them in the form of trident. Too afraid to literally argue their case and stand up for what they say they believe in, the merely pretend to still believe in things like nuclear disarmament, whilst voting for more nukes.
They then jump through hoops trying to somehow legitimise their contorted thinking.
And, so we have the sh*tefest that is brexit. Labour should be fighting tooth and nail to keep the UK in the EU simply because brexit as anybody can see, is quite literally stupidity on stilts. It will make ALL workers in the UK much, much poorer. But rather than stand up for what they ostensibly believe in ‘internationalism’ and ‘solidarity with workers’, they bend this way and that, actually voting WITH the Tories on brexit.
That is what becomes of a political party, when it pays too much heed to polling instead of actually making the case and arguing for what they supposedly believe in – their so-called ‘founding principles’. They should be pointing the direction and actually LEADING, shaping opinion rather than meekly following, bending in the political wind, this way and that.. That is what has become of Labour. And as a result, nobody takes Jeremy Corbyn seriously.
Looking at the demise of Labour, it is easy to be smug. But, I think the temptation to politically bend this way and that, exists for ALL political parties. Founding principles placed on the back burner of convenience, waiting for opinion to drift the right way, rather than shaping it. It can happen to any political party over time – EVEN HERE IN SCOTLAND.
