Fight Blair’s rotten policies

Build a new workers' party

THE LAST week has been a nightmare for Blair. For the second time in 12 months he’s had to sack his best mate David Blunkett. Blair’s statement that he left office “without a stain on his character” left most people thoroughly unconvinced.

Bill Mullins

A few days later Blair, with a majority of over 60 seats in parliament, only managed to scrape through an important part of his terrorism bill by one vote, before suffering one of the biggest defeats for a serving prime minister since 1945. It’s clear that he is only hanging on to power by his finger nails.

Blair is now primarily obsessed with what history will say about him once he goes. But he will mainly be remembered for the destruction of much of the public sector and his foreign ‘adventures’ in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The bookies have reduced the odds on Blair going this year and that is where the ‘smart money’ seems to be. But who will replace him? Blair would probably prefer would-be Tory leader David Cameron who has been praising his public sector ‘reforms’.

But millions of workers are hoping against hope that if Brown replaces Blair then things might at last change. But unfortunately it will be more a case of Tweedledum and Tweedledee politics with no fundamental change in policies.

To bring about a change in direction requires not a change at the top of the Labour Party or government but a completely different party that will represent the aspirations of working people.

The working class’s voice in the Labour Party has long ago been drowned out by the raucous din of the fat cats as they bay for policies that will increase their profits and drive down the living standards of working-class people.

The Socialist Party therefore welcomes the decision by the rail union RMT to organise a conference early in the New Year to “discuss the crisis of political representation for the working-class”.

We believe that this crisis can only be resolved by the creation of a trade union-based new mass workers’ party, and this weekend at Socialism 2005 we will be launching a campaign for such a party to be established, including gathering support for a representative conference in the spring, which could build on the RMT’s initiative.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.