THE TUSSLE between former Labour MP Gaurav Sharma and the Labour Party hierarchy has only served to highlight the complete absence of anything resembling political debate within the ranks of the Labour Government. This has been a dispute that has revolved around allegations of bullying and got Sharma expelled for not abiding by caucus rules. But this is a far cry from the heady days when a political and ideological struggle within Labour resulted in Jim Anderton walking away from the party in 1989 to form NewLabour and the subsequent formation of the Alliance.
Its highly unlikely that anything similar could happen today because there's little to fight over. These days people pick over the carcass that was once Labour's social democratic politics. Despite being a government of 64 MP's there is a remarkable uniformity of thought. The loyalty to the 'beloved leader' and Labour's neoliberal outlook and policies remains almost totalitarian in nature. It seems that to become a Labour Party candidate you have to leave your critical faculties at the door and pledge your loyalty to its top brass. Certainly the Labour Government doesn't encourage dissent from within its ranks, in opposition to the neoliberal orthodoxy. It doesn't even encourage critical disagreements between MP's.
Its not an exaggeration to say that the Labour Government is solely represented by Jacinda Ardern and a handful of her most trusted cabinet colleagues. They dictate the policy direction of Labour and they hog the media headlines. The backbench MP's are there to make up the numbers and do what they're told. They are very obedient. Indeed the troublesome Sharma doesn't appear to have had any difficulties with Labour's political direction. He looks very pally with Jacinda Ardern in some of those old photos. Things only turned messy after he had a bust up with former whip Kieran McAnulty and present whip Duncan Webb.
Of course being another AOC or Sultana means believing in something other than more of the same. It means believing that politics means something more than just getting elected and picking up the big, fat salary plus expenses. This is the politics of centrism but centrism won't defeat economic inequality or climate change. This is, as AOC observes, a politics that shrugs its shoulders and says 'meh'.
But, this way, the status quo continues to win and we are left with the spectacle of Gaurav Sharma engaged in a tussle with his Labour bosses. In the long run, it don't mean a thing.
There is something creepier being exposed within the purported left right now Something that begs for a true working class uprising.
ReplyDeleteThese managers are dangerously delusional. This is a faux-left mutual admiration society that doesn't know anyone outside of itself. Would shower and change its clothes if it ever accidentally found itself in the same building as someone from the working class. That is so insufferably self-congratulatory it imagines itself existing on a moral high-ground - while occupying a moral and intellectual subterranean cave.
But sycophantic definitely. Somehow it goes with the territory.
What is even stranger is that this class seems to have reached a self-imploding extreme internationally. They can't see themselves or understand why they are not appreciated the way they appreciate themselves.
In the absence of a viable left political force, the crises hurtling towards us are going to lead to civil unrest - sooner rather than later. This revolution may be televised (with enormous bias), but it won't be led by any of the posers who like to imagine themselves in such a role.
The backbenchers do play a role. They are employed to ask patsy questions of Ministers during Question Time.
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