IF left-winger Jeremy Corbyn fails to win the Labour leadership contest he and his supporters should quit the party and set up a new party with a clear, anti-cuts socialist programme.
That’s the view of Warrington councillor Keven Bennett, who himself quit Labour earlier this year and fought the Warrington South seat in the Genral Election representing the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC).
If Mr Corbyn won the contest, however, he would face an “open revolt” by right-wing members of the Parliamentary Labour Party who would trigger a second leadership contest to get him out before Christmas.
In these circumstances, says Cllr Bennett, Mr Corbyn should call a conference of all those who supported him, plus trade unions which support his programme, to maximise support from across the workers’ movement.
“I believe that TUSC would be happy to participate in such a conference and would encourage other supporters to do the same,” said Cllr Bennett.
He said those signing up to vote for Jeremy Corbyn in the leadership election were overwhelmingly young people and trade unionists encouraged by seeing an anti-austerity candidate standing for the leadership of Labour.
Cllr Bennett said Labour had turned the leadership contest into a kind of US-style primary where anyone could vote for £3.
They had aimed to further marginalise the trade unions and the left in the party, but they had accidentally let in the voice of the many people who were totally disillusioned by Labour’s endless “austerity-lite mantra”.
TUSC, along with the transport workers’ union, the RMT and many other socialists and trade unionist had put up more than 700 candidates in the election on May 7, aiming to create the basis for a new, 100 per cent anti-austerity party of the working class.
He added: “We are not encouraging TUSC supporters to join the Labour Party, but rather to continue to build TUSC..
“In the face of endless austerity we urgently need a party that is prepared to oppose it.”
Call for a new anti-austerity party
66 Comments
6 Comments
This man is a clown.
Revert to abuse when you disagree with someone. Shows a lack of ideas.
Not abuse, statement of fact.
This man is a self publicist, only interested in furthering himself, not his constituents.
I agree Ed Balls is a clown – where is he these days bye-the-way?
When the current Government will spend £742 billion this year and has an income of £673 billion, is that austerity? The national debt is currently in the order of £1.5 trillion and will continue to increase whilst there is an annual deficit, and it is unlikely that the national debt will ever be paid off. Debt interest payments will be in the order of £36 billion this year.
Well said Councillor Bennett. The Labour hierarchy will not allow Jeremy Corbyn to win. Their democracy is only skin deep. And if it was the real Ed Balls commenting above…you have too much time on your hands mate