There is an alternative
Labour Leader Ed Miliband has today launched the Labour Party campaign for the General Election with a promise to lead a “crusade to change the country”.
In recent years we’ve learned not to put much faith in pre-election promises (Obama and Guantanamo Bay; Clegg and Tuition Fees; Cameron and ‘The Greenest Government Ever’; just about everyone (except Caroline Lucas) and dealing with Climate Change).
The last five years have seen the virtual completion of Margaret Thatcher’s grand vision of the corporate capture of government at all levels within the UK. Even at local government level, the needs of business take precedence over the needs of the community almost without fail. And Labour has been complicit in this from the day Tony Blair was elected as Leader of the party.
Even if Ed Miliband is sincere in his promise, so long as his party and their policies prioritise the needs of capital over the needs of ordinary people and communities, there is very little hope for any real change.
The financial deficit is not the real problem – the real problem we face is the political and democratic deficit.
History teaches us that change does not come from politician’s promises but “by the dynamic force of real events alone.” (Ferdinand Lassalle in a letter to Karl Marx; 1854)
If we want change then it is going to be up to us to make change happen. Labour will not change unless they are forced to change; and we have to create the force for change by doing something different at the coming election – and persuading our friends and neighbours to do likewise.
There is an alternative to the old, grey parties of the Centre Right. All we have to do is choose it!
Plaid in Wales; Green in England; SNP in Scotland.
Mr KRoss 