Words: Cameron Welsh (he/him)
How is it that a Marxist found himself in the same political party as his third-way sons?
‘The people’s flag is deepest red, it shrouded oft our martyred dead’
Having read this, I doubt you’d expect an article discussing the Labour Party. You might be anticipating a piece on “Soviet collectivism”, or “Yugoslavian fraternalism”, after all, these words have nothing to do with Keir Starmer…right? Wrong. The excerpt comes from The Red Flag, a socialist ballad which remains the official anthem of the Labour Party. The thought of Starmer and his cult of centrists singing such a song, which they are obliged to do to mark the end of the annual party conference, feels more like a Private Eye sketch than reality. The lyrics appear Marxist in nature, not “Starmerist”, and reflect a bygone era of Labour socialism. What happened to the party of unapologetic leftism, and how have the centrists ascended to the top?
The “de-purification” of the Labour Party from its socialist roots can be illustrated by looking at two generations of the Miliband family. Father Ralph was a prominent Marxist sociologist during the 20th century, whose writings on socialism and British left-wing politics were amongst the most acclaimed of his generation. He first joined the Labour Party in 1951, before leaving during the mid-1960s after he became disillusioned with the party’s loosening commitment to the socialist cause. In his 1961 book Parliamentary Socialism, Miliband critiqued the party’s turn towards the centre, arguing that its upper echelons played a ‘major role in the management of discontent’. This is an accusation that Miliband Sr would certainly level at the current government, despite his younger son occupying the position of Energy Secretary. How is it that a Marxist found himself in the same political party as his third-way sons? And, more importantly, is the de-purification of Labour a result of changing times, or is it something more sinister?
Though the Labour Party of the 60s which Ralph was attacking was relatively comfortable with its socialist forebearers, it had already begun to distance itself from its leftist roots. By the 60s, the party had transformed from staunchly socialist to social democratic. Despite this, it was still proud of its legacy, something one cannot say for the party today. Slowly but surely, the party’s ideology has been revised again and again; Labour’s current positions and leanings have become “de-purified”, scrubbed clean of its socialist history.
The consequences of this are profound for the British Left, which has been in a state of near-constant confusion since Thatcher. In Scotland, the left has mostly attached itself to nationalist politics, evident in the rise of the SNP during the 90s. A similar story has played out in Wales with support shifting towards Plaid Cymru. Leftism, however, is back on the political main stage. A surge in support for Polanski’s Greens in England has left Labour in an identity crisis. A party which once recognised the importance of cross-society solidarity, exemplified by its support for Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, is now happy to welcome the private sector into our NHS, label retired geography teachers as terrorists, and adopt immigration policies Enoch Powell would admire. Put simply, Labour is no longer the party of the left.
Critics of this characterisation of the party might point to the fact that in the last 40 years, Labour has only formed a government when they have been more comfortable with a de-purified, or charitably, a broader-church, party. This, however, is only part of the problem. In abandoning its founding principles, Labour seeks power for the sake of power. The careerists at the top of the party seem interested only in cushy ministerial jobs, rather than implementing socialist policy. Compromising on principle is acceptable when the coveted rise to the peerage awaits. When you win a massive majority from 33.7% of the vote, and fail to please anyone, it should be no surprise that Labour are being flanked from their left. The politics of Zack Polanski may be seen as radical by many in the PLP, but, to most, they just seem like a “re-purification” of old Labour.
As world politics became increasingly volatile, the 2024 election which catapulted a Miliband back into government should have been a powerful moment for the UK. It should have represented the country taking a stand against far-right insurgency. However, just like the Labour Party, the politics of the Miliband family have become de-purified. For some time now it has been clear that Labour is no longer a party which stands for the principles it once held dear, with great consequence for the country. This Labour government panders to the right, directly complicit in enabling the rise of Reform. The de-purists of Labour must look to its historical, leftist roots, if they want to keep their jobs, and their integrity.
