European and local elections 2004
Blair Takes A Battering
Build A New Workers’ Party
MOST PEOPLE who went out to vote last week, mainly to
punish Blair and New Labour, had no illusions that the outcome of the
elections would improve their lives.
Jane James
Immediately after the election results
interest rates were hiked up, hitting anyone forced to borrow money – for
mortgages as well as basic essentials.
Throughout Europe a pattern emerged of people using
their vote to protest at the policies of the parties in power.
In fact, the higher turnout in the elections in Britain
and the battering given to Labour would indicate an even greater anger
against this government than many in Europe.
Of course most people – around 60% – did not vote
at-all, believing that all politicians are a waste of time and cannot be
trusted. They saw no party standing that was worth going to the polling
station for.
From a party originally set up to give working class
people a political vote, the Labour Party has managed to dissuade millions
from voting at all.
The European and local elections were an opportunity to
protest against Labour’s policies, including the war against Iraq, the state
of the health service, the education crisis, tuition fees, the dire lack of
affordable housing, low pay and ever increasing working hours and
privatisation.
The TUC demonstration this weekend will highlight the
great pension robbery.
While people know what they are against, none of the
established parties can offer an alternative. The worsening conditions that
we find ourselves in are caused by big business and their drive for profits
– the capitalist system.
The socialist alternative, put forward by Socialist
Party members in the elections, received a favourable response in many
areas.
We achieved very good election results and strengthened
our base in many communities. By speaking to thousands of people on the
doors and streets we recruited new members and spread the ideas of
socialism.
There is the basis in England and Wales for the creation
of a new political alternative – a mass party of the working class.
There are over seven and a half million trade unionists
in Britain today, with many more potential members. The majority of the
unions they belong to pay millions of pounds of their members’ money to a
party that encourages low pay and attacks on workers’ conditions.
The Socialist Party will continue our campaign for the
unions to break from Labour and to begin the process of building a new party
which will represent the interests of working class people and not big
business and their cronies.
