John McDonnell leadership challenge

Can the Left reclaim Labour?

THE WEAKNESS of the Left in the Labour Party, and the changed
character of the Labour Party has been graphically revealed by the fact
that Left MP John McDonnell could not get the support of one-fifth of
Labour MPs (about 71) to mount a ‘stalking horse’ challenge against
Blair. This is despite the depth of Labour’s current crisis and
disenchantment with Blair.

Indeed, it may not be possible even for McDonnell to get the 40-plus
MPs he needs to bring a challenge to stop a Brown ‘coronation’.

However, whether John McDonnell or another ‘Left’ challenger to
Brown emerges – Michael Meacher and Frank Dobson are touted as
possibilities – a key question needing to be addressed by the Labour
Representation Conference meeting this weekend is whether a ‘Left’
challenge for the forces of ‘True Labour’ can realistically have any
chance of reclaiming the Labour Party. Or should they channel the
energies of the Labour movement towards building a new mass political
alternative to represent working-class people?

If there is to be a serious attempt to reclaim the Labour Party by
the LRC, which has the backing of many leading trade union leaders, the
Left would need to inspire workers and trade unionists that there was
something there worth fighting for and advancing a radical, socialist
programme that workers thought had a serious chance of overturning the
decades of neo-liberal privatisation and attacks on working people.

Even if such a programme is put forward by the Left, they would still
have to attain a credibility in workers’ eyes that they can achieve
such a radical transformation of the Labour Party.

Whilst workers may wish John McDonnell good luck with his challenge
most would conclude at this stage that the chances of reclaiming Labour
to being a party that advances working-class interests have less chance
of success than a central heating salesman in the current heatwave.