By Drew Walton
In Broxtowe, a former mining community in Nottinghamshire, 20 former Labour councillors have torn up their membership cards, forming a new Broxtowe Independent Group. Their anger was rightly directed at Labour’s refusal to reverse the two-child benefit cap, axing the Winter Fuel Allowance, supporting the war in Gaza and a betrayal over WASPI pensions.
Labour offered “change” from the Tories in this last election, but this was slammed by the leader of the breakaway group, Councillor Milan Radulovic: “What we didn’t realise was that what they meant was change for the worse. What we have seen since July is the abandonment of the working classes.”
One councillor, Greg Marshall, a Corbyn supporter, was blocked from standing as a Labour MP in the last general election. In spite of attempts by Labour’s right wing to silence dissent and stifle local democracy, July’s election saw Corbyn re-elected in Islington, alongside a small number of Independent MPs, on a programme of opposition to war. This shows the huge potential for a new left party to develop.
Wherever the Labour Party bureaucracy stifles dissent and protest, local people need to begin the urgent process of building a political force to represent their interests. Without a credible left alternative, rooted in local communities and a fighting track record, a real danger of a resurgent far right exists.
Our pamphlet, The New Party We Need, explains how we can begin to build the mass, democratic, left party of struggle that is urgently needed to represent the interests of workers and young people. Get your copy today!
