Political & global comment

Equality, democracy & choice

2005-03-05T23:49:00.000Z

Equality and democracy are the values of Compass, recently launched successor to the defunct Labour Coordinating Committee. The LCC were an underpinning of Neil Kinnock's soft-left leadership of the Labour Party.

Compass has now got over 500 members, so it is setting up democratic procedures. A draft constitution has been written, and an eight person management committee will be elected by April. It's different to the LCC in its emphasis on policy and flexible organisation using tools such as the net. It's an inside left umbrella group supported by think tanks and other critics of New Labour who are far from "hard left".

Gordon Brown was the keynote speaker at Compass' full-scale conference in October, but the group is not tied to any political figure. Once the election is under the bridge there will be another Comapss conference. Assuming a third Labour Government, Compass' influence can only grow, as it presses for greater democracy and social equality.

The area of greatest controversy for the inside left is the politics of choice in public service provision. Compass has held a seminar with the think tank Catalyst suggesting choice is a paradox - that more is less. Labour rising stars magazine Progress has just devoted a whole issue to the subject, where many contributors argue extending choice is compatible with social equity. Whoever wins this debate, there is likely to be consensus that any extension of choice must be effective for the many not the few.

UK gears up for tough election (for US readers)

2005-02-27T23:01:00.000Z

Britain is a matter of weeks from a general election and bitter recriminations are in full swing. The governing Labour Party has already had to withdraw attack posters dubbed anti-Semitic. The professionals behind the posters were alleged to be established Blair aides, rather than hired admen, so perhaps the overreaction was based on a deeper Labour fear.

That fear is that the strategy adopted by Karl Rove to re-elect Bush could work in the UK. Although Rove declared opposition Conservative (Tory) leader Michael Howard persona non-grata at the White House after he wobbled on Iraq, one of his main election planners, Liam Fox, met Rove before Christmas and borrowed Voter Vault, Rove’s software that now allegedly has personal information on every voter in Tory target seats.

If that isn’t terrifying enough for Labour, Howard has hired two Australian hard hitters, Mark Textor and Lynton Crosby.

Textor perfected wedge politics in the Australian Northern Territories by mainstreaming the aboriginal issue. Howard has tried to do wedge politics in the UK on immigration. Both Labour and the third placed Liberal Democrats have had to respond more robustly than they would really like to stay in the game.

As controversial a technique as wedge politics is push polling. Allegedly used by George W Bush to beat John McCain in South Carolina, this form of bogus polling has a strong pedigree in Australia. The Tories have denied they will use it in the UK, but if this pledge is ever broken, it will be a new innovation in UK politics.

It’s not all doom and gloom for Labour. The Tories are running from a low base after two landslide defeats in 1997 and 2001. Even better for Labour, there seems to be three way tension between the Australians, Fox and the veteran Lord Saatchi. The renowned adman ran Mrs Thatcher’s successful 1979 “Labour isn’t working” cinema ad campaign that saw her become premier, and is now back in the front line as joint campaign chairman with Fox.

The Tory campaign managers have to decide whether to increase their dismal tally of seats by concentrating resources or go all-out to form a government. Their deepest fear may make them cautious. What petrifies them is that the Liberal Democrats, who being third placed always concentrate resources, will “decapitate” several of their leading figures. Nearly all Tories were elected on less than 50% of the vote at the last election in 2001, so big Tory fish could be vulnerable to a concerted Liberal Democrat push in rural areas where they are now second placed. All that is needed is tactical switch voting to Liberal Democrat by local Labour supporters to end the political careers of some big name Conservatives.

Rove got Bush elected by increasing turn-out of core supporters. The Tories have a lot of work to do in this area, so they are likely to copy Rove. Labour assembled a majority at the last two elections by winning over cautious right-of-centre voters who have some concern about public services, especially education and health. Once the campaign gets under way, this segment will be keenly fought over. Without them the Tories cannot win, no matter how many core Conservative supporters come out to vote.

Pollsters

2005-01-26T23:03:00.000Z

Michael Howard has an Australian political guru, Lynton Crosby and Tony Blair has secured the services of American Mark Penn. Crosby aims to engergise the Tory base in key marginals - a miniaturized version of Bush guru Karl Rove's presidential election strategy. Penn will draw on the 1996 Clinton campaign to triangulate, transcend the difference between Labour and Tory, and get the right of centre votes Labour needs to win another landslide.

Labour seeks the middle ground of commitment to a stable economy and public services, Tory the common ground of concern about crime and immigration.

Penn versus Crosby will be a fascinating test of the two hottest theories in the political market place - energise the base in the places where it matters vs triangulate. Watch this space.

Symbols

2005-01-22T01:38:00.000Z

Walk along a busy street and your mind will be hit by corporate logos hanging from the side of shops. The signs stimulate the mind to buy and re-enforce brand loyalty.

Global brands are well known, but the symbols of politics are not. In the UK, most people would not recognize the Labour Rose, the Tory Torch, or the Liberal Democrat bird, let alone identify them with that particular Party.

The signs that do sell in politics are the individual props and foibles of top politicians - Churchill's V, Wilson's pipe, Thatcher's handbag, Blair's smile, and George W Bush's endearing inability to string a sentence together. The political image makers, not having the brand building budget of the big corporations, are stickers for the cult of personality.

Language

2005-01-12T09:00:00.000Z

An early criticism of Blairism was that it sought to change the discourse of politics but not politics itself. Communitariaism, Etzioni's theory was all the rage. At extreme it suggested no significant change to social structures was necessary, only a new way of treating ones fellow citizen. But Blairism was right not to underestimate the challenge of globalization. Going back to the politics of the 1970s and trying to build a just society in one country seems to be a non starter. To its credit the new Labour government has provided a dented shield for ordinary people against chill global forces, but very little more, except for the bottom 20% who have more benefits. Apart from limited gains, why can't we have industrial democracy and change the structure of our society instead of talking so much in the challenging language of this chill new world and doing less than we can.

The question on eveybody's lips

2005-01-09T23:14:00.000Z

Blair or Brown? Who would be best for Labour & best for Britain? For Labour the answer would seem to be Brown because of his record of delivering the goods and belief in a more equal society. For Britain the need is to have the strongest non-Conservative Prime Minister and government leader possible. The jury is still out - Brown can point to his substantial domestic achivements, and Blair his leadership skills. The danger of a Blair premiership extending itself beyond its natural life is that Labour could be cannibilized by the Tories in 2009, instead of winning a 4th term by striking out in a bold direction. Over to you Tony. Please time it right.

Another Historic Compromise

2004-12-21T23:57:00.000Z

Enrico Berlinguer very nearly took the Italian Communist Party into government. The basis of his party's political advance was the "historic compromise" with Italian capitalism. Tony Blair led the British Labour Party to a historic compromise with neo-liberalism/conservatism and Labour was rewarded with office. Having achieved that office, and some creditable reforms, as well as macro-economic stability, after 7 years of government, the question remains, was too much sacrificed for an acceptable performance, when instead a blow could have been struck for social justice and equality?

The real alternative

2004-12-08T23:21:00.000Z

Another defensible view of society, opposed to the mildly collectivist, slightly old fashioned, views I hold, is that effort should be rewarded, in contrast to Marx' view "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". Practical socialists have argued that talents are unevenly distributed, so the state should act to redress the uneven results. This overlooks the unsentimental fact that two people of broadly equal talent with equal opportunities might not apply themselves equally hard. The condundrum is how to create a fair society that rewards effort. The socialist response is that though true, the objection is trivial, as inequality in society is so great, and not primariliy caused by laziness.

Dixon of Dock Green

2004-12-06T23:40:00.000Z

Having heard what the politicians have to say the question remains - what is the good society? No one theory can sum it up - at the heart of a good society must lie community and order - Dixon of Dock Green, a monochrome society with solid values, liberty with community, is what we should aspire to. Materialism has gone too far. It has created lawlessness and lack of respect for others. The past does seem better than the present - in community we live, move and have our being.

Tony Blair tried to recapture this lost sense when he was elected in 1997. The attempt has failed, foundering on the hard realities of globalisation. Despite the difficulties, for the sake of our children, we must try again.

The inside left

2004-11-29T16:02:00.000Z

Compass, an "in new Labour but not of new Labour" pressure group, are consulting their membership and other sympathisers about policies that should be in the next Labour manifesto. If enough of a head of steam is built up, perhaps there will be a real intellectual alternative to Blarism. The PM's supporters argue that by moving to the centre and stealing many of the Tories' clothes, and working with George Bush, they have made any alternative unlelectable. Compass supporters have argued that Blair is cannibalising the Labour movement and that Labour will in due course implode, just as the Tories did, unless a more principled approach is adopted. Labour Party membership is low and falling, so a difficult strategic decision has to be made. Whether to play for Labour's social democratic future, giving the Tories space, or simply to win at any price just to keep the Tories out. At very least the Labour leadership must be on the side of ordinary people, or there is no point having a Labour Party.

Sarkozy vs Chirac

2004-11-29T16:00:00.000Z

It will be fascinating to watch the star player Chirac destroy, at least temporarily, the political career of Nicolas Sarkozy. Chriac destroyed Lionel Jospin with ease. It now remains to be seen how Chirac will deal with this attempt at an inside job. Most likely Sarkozy will lose, but stand for the French Presidency after Chirac retires. His opponent will probably be Laurent Fabius if he wins his struggle in the PS over the European constitution. In that election, either man could win.

Westminster in the Rain

2004-11-22T22:05:00.000Z

Passing by an art shop at the weekend I noticed a painting of the Houses of Parliament on a hazy, rainy day, selling for £2500 (E4000). Many might think the price excessive, considering the uselessness of the legislature compared to the executive. Yet the recent vote on hunting, though symbolic, is a triumph for common people over the power of a Labour executive that does the establishment's bidding on key matters, and the House of Lords, who never side with the people. Despite the many faults of our system of government, there are times when the common will does filter through a system designed to dilute it. With the Tories reduced to a country party, and the hunting battle won at Westminster, the people should demand other rights from landowners, especially the right to wander where they wish through the countryside, provided crops are not damaged and the privacy of residential gardens is respected.

Co-habitation

2004-11-21T22:35:00.000Z

The hardest test for a politician is to have to share power with a member of an opposing party. In such situations only you or the opponent will emerge triumphant - the co-habitation phase reflects a temporary deadlock and one side or the other will win through.

It happened to Chinton when Newt Gingrich got control of Congress, to Mitterrand when Chirac became his Prime Minister, and in turn to Chirac when the socialist Jospin was PM. The secret is to be gracious in public but work behind the scenes to outmanoevre the opponent. Clinton went so far as to have a choreographed picnic for members of the public to quiz him and Gingrich. The result - Clinton re-elected and who remembers Gingrich and his "Contract for America" now?

Chirac visit to London

2004-11-20T06:46:00.000Z

The visit shows Chirac's ease as a statesman in comparison to Blair, who has lost his poise since Iraq. It shows his incisiveness in warning of a new colonialism by Britain and the US. Finally it shows his ability as a diplomat.

The real ally of France is Germany, not Britain. The strategic objective of French foreign policy is to create a European block to rival the US. While Chirac cannot hope to willingly co-opt Britain, he can neutralize her through making Britain's role in the world unclear by forcing the UK to face two ways at once and eventually subsuming the UK into a deeper European Union.

If Franco-German policy were to prevail there would be a new Ostpolitik. Investment would flow eastwards to Russia. The opponents of such a scheme, and Britain's allies, are the "New Europe" of former Communist states who have just joined the EU.

How a European can understand Africa

2004-11-20T06:28:00.000Z

The movers and shakers in African politics are the African governments. The UN and African Union rarely reach agreement on the way forward. Little is expected from Tony Blair's Commission for Africa - the expectation is that there will be promises but no delivery.

For the ordinary people of Africa, it's possible to move around the continent without a passport, except in the CFA Franc zones, the former French colonies. In these countries there are strict ID rules, and anyone without a passport will be arrested.

Africans see themselves on three different levels depending on who you are talking to- part of a tribe, part of a nation, or as an African.

The best news sites are www.allafrica.com and www.irinnews.org

Motivation to stay active in politics

2004-11-20T00:10:00.000Z

The British political scene is flat. All three major parties subscribe to neoliberal orthodoxy. Any politician stepping out of these parties has little chance of election, let alone power.

Despite this sterility, thousands of political activists traipse the streets night after night, knocking on doors and delivering leaflets. They attend council meetings, school governing bodies, and other public boards. The parties still compete with each other, sometimes it gets personal, and our polity survives through the illusion of choice.

It wasn't always this way. When Mrs Thatcher was in power there were clear differences between the parties. For the sake of democracy it's worth remaining active in politics, in case your Party returns to its true philosophy and offers the voter a genuine alternative.