I think it is very important to point out that “Old” Labour and “New” Labour are cut of the exact same cloth. I always feel compelled to make sure people do not romanticise “Old” Labour, as I think that leads down a blind political alley of trying to reform the Labour Party from within, which I think has fruitlessly consumed a lot of political energy.
I highlight the opportunistic role of the Labour Party and far left groups in England. Of course I am not saying that every single member of these parties/groups etc is a conniving opportunist - for example, there are some perfectly decent people in the Labour Party and in the far left parties/groups I mention - what I want to highlight is the divisive role they play at an organisational level - which is why I agree that unity is important and try to make the point whenever possible; I quote myself, “As write this, the tanks and soldiers of Zionist murderers roll into Palestine; instead of using our privileged freedoms sniping and sneering from the galleries with unsophisticated Communist bashing, true progressives should be building a bottom up, grass roots movement to fight racism and fight imperialism. Banal bleating... is of no help to the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people. "
However, even if we are to believe what some people obviously believe about an “old” Labour in the 1920's or even early 1980's - the fact is we are now in 2010. Labour does not claim to be Socialist any more, it does not even bother to pretend to represent the working-class – and even if it once did, claiming to be something does not mean that you are what you claim to be. America claims to be the defender of the free world; a free and democratic country where anyone can grow up to be President – but none of those claims are true.
To quote a communist activists that I know, "[building a progressive anti-imperioalist movement is] ...about the need for democracy in the movement, the need to oppose efforts to limit or restrain the militancy of actions, and the need for a complete break with the Labour Party. We need to unite in action on these issues rather than tarring whole sections of the left with the actions of particular groups or individuals…”
I agree. However, I am not attempting to tar whole sections of the left in the sense that I was claiming that every single individual in the various parties or groups on the left all share the same analysis - how can they when for example, the SWP is a mass recruitment organisation? I was trying to highlight the roles that these parties or groups can and do ultimately play at an organisational level - if that is tarring them, then so be it.
I cannot understand how people that might consider themselves as Socialist’s/Communist’s would be members of a political organisation such as the Labour Party without having developed an analysis that would leave them in no doubt that the Labour Party plays nothing more that a regressive role and is an enemy of the working-class. The fact is, Labour is not a Socialist/Communist party. It never has been. It might be a party with people who consider themselves to be Communist - but that does not change the concrete fact that the Labour Party is opportunistic - it is at best Social Democratic rather than Socialist; reformist rather than revolutionary and has never played a progressive role in advancing the interests of the broader section of the working class; it is capitalist, imperialist, Zionist, racist, oppressive and anti working-class.
This quote is taken from 'Ireland: The key to the British Revolution', (1984), although we could easily use the same with today's 'Marxist' groups, "...so quick to rally to the defence of the hated Labour Party rather than fight against its racism and attacks against the working classes of the world. The fight against such opportunistic trends is surely interlinked with the fight against Imperialism and the Labour Party itself." And because they do not do this, what do we surmise? That they are willing, conscious imperialist agents. The rank and file is another matter, I suspect many are simply duped but the leadership of these opportunistic groups, their ideological guru's?
Therefore, I have no qualms in attacking the role of the Labour Party, the police and certain groups on the left. I think it is important to understand and recognise the role these opportunistic creatures play and if naming certain individuals on occasion, particularly when addressing their specific points in a discussion helps to drive the point home, then so be it.
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