It’s been fascinating to watch and listen to how the political world has reacted to Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour Party leader.
The left-wing of the Party, which at parliamentary level, is much strengthened since the General Election sees its opportunity to bring forward policies that have already failed, are designed for the world of the 1970s and 80s and are even more unsuited for the world of today than they were at that time. They are also determined to impose left-wing candidates in place of some sitting MPs thus risking the internecine warfare of the 1980s when Militant attempted to takeover local parties
To become a party of government rather than opposition you must have a wide range of policies covering every aspect of government responsibility but, most importantly, a coherent economic package that benefits all. At the moment Mr Corbyn is passing through the phase when he can offer platitudes; “we want to end poverty, more affordable housing, cheaper train fares, higher benefits.” Soon he will have to bring forward the policies that deliver these aspirations. The policies will have to be costed, realistic and deliverable and the Party are a million miles from being in that position.
If you don’t have that wide range of policies you can’t attract sufficient support to win an election you end up being a party of opposition, a party of protest. We all like to rail against the government, the council, the EU or whoever but at a General Election that’s not enough you only have to look at UKIP to appreciate this.
UKIP’s raison d’etre is to get Britain out of the EU but that’s not enough to attract sufficiednt votes to get over the finishing line and when it tried to widen its electoral base by offering a wide-ranging manifesto it struggled. Those who put membership of the EU as the single most important issue – more important than taxation, schools, the NHS etc are not there in the required numbers. If the recent splits in the local party are anything to go by the party’s days are numbered.
Only last Friday Nigel Farage was saying that the forthcoming EU referendum was the priority, seemingly suggesting that this was more important than winning elections, and there are lots of those coming up next year; in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the London Mayor and some local elections including to North East Lincolnshire Council. Although other UKIP spokesmen seem to be denying it Mr Farage is probably correct. He knows that UKIP has an overriding objective, and once that is achieved, or the electorate vote to stay in the EU, his Party is finished and those who want to use their vote to protest against the two main parties must find another party that seems to fit the bill. Perhaps that’s the opening for the LibDems to return to their traditional role as being neither Tory nor Labour.
Whilst all this goes on the job of the Government is to press ahead and ensure our economy continues to grow and that the benefits are spread out so that all can benefit; those in work must be better rewarded and those seeking work can find a job that suits them.
Despite all the goings-on at national level local events continue and last Thursday I attended the Immingham in Bloom awards night which once again highlighted what communities can achieve if they pull together. The winners richly deserved their awards but as the In Bloom chairman Stewart Swinburn pointed out it’s all who take part who contribute to improving their Town. They all deserve congratulating, not forgetting Stewart himself who does a splendid job; he puts so much into his role as chairman and has the satisfaction of seeing the benefits as he goes around the Town.