Standing our ground in the Labour Party

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Today I attended the Annual General Meeting of Brighton Pavilion Constituency Labour Party (CLP) General Committee (GC) where my comrades did me the honour of electing me for a fourth year as Chair of the CLP. I will be pleased to serve alongside fellow socialists, our new Secretary Tim Wilkinson and re-elected Treasurer, Claire Wadey (as well as all the other elected officers).

Whilst the eyes of the media (and social media) are focused upon the leadership election, which is hardly an inspiring sight, Labour Party members and activists need to focus on building our Party, in every locality, as a campaigning force.

As important as it is to work to maximise the Labour vote in all forthcoming elections (including – in Sussex – the election for Police and Crime Commissioner in May), it is equally important that our Party is at the heart of local campaigns (such as the campaign to see that the Brighton General Hospital site is used for social housing and the benefit of local people).

I know that many good activists (many of them socialists) have, over many years, prioritised campaigning (whether about community issues, environmental issues, peace, anti-racism, women’s rights, liberation politics, international issues or generally in support of social progress) – such campaigns have won important victories (just as trade union struggle can win – and has sometimes won - such victories).

However, without a political party which can challenge for office (and even, perhaps, power) our movement can never hope to go toe-to-toe with the ruling class. Grassroots campaigning can be a line of defence against the onslaught of neoliberalism – but cannot become an offensive force capable of challenging the system, the victims of which it is defending.

There are those who might dream of some alternative political party of the left, which would be better than our complex, messy, argumentative Labour Party as a repository for their hopes and dreams. The evidence of decades of political experience is that this dream is just that – a dream, which all too often descends into a sectarian nightmare.

Good socialists should stand our ground in the Labour Party come what may, continue to argue for socialist policies within our Party, and campaign, as Labour Party members, in our communities to defend our people from the attacks from the Tory Government and to promote the interests of our class. I hope that we shall continue to do our little bit in the coming year in our corner of Brighton.