Who would have thought that Margaret Thatcher and her values would have become central to the debate for this coming General Election? It is even more surprising that the person putting Lady Thatcher into the debate is the Labour shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP. It is almost shocking that, rather than disparaging her, the Labour economics champion is using the former Conservative Prime Minister as a role model for how she would lead and the context of what she believes the United Kingdom needs.
When so little is known about Labour’s ambition for the country is after the General Election, assuming they scrape over the line, it is odd that they have chosen Margaret Thatcher as their source of inspiration.
Sir Keir Starmer was the most loyal member of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet but has been seen to dramatically shift to the right to follow Tony Blair only to now channel their team’s inner Thatcherism.
My concern is not so much that Labour may pursue a healthy political agenda but that no one really knows what they stand for. Far left, far right, centrist, libertarian or authoritarian could all mark any future Labour government a dreadful dysfunctional mix.
If we look at their policy agenda, we are no better informed of a future Labour government. They have ditched their £28bn a year green investment plan for wind turbines and solar panels but not for a good reason.
Much of that money would go to manufacturers in China who will produce those products in factories powered by lignite coal power stations but this is not why they have cancelled their plan. They have done it because spending money is all about taxation and debt. They cannot create the productivity gains they want overnight but they will start spend, spend, spending immediately. Therefore, it is about taxes and its deferred version of debt which is just another way of saying taxes you will be paying for at a later date.
We know that many workers want and need a pay rise – not just public sector workers but private sector workers too. The trade unions are becoming increasingly frustrated with Labour because of the lack of clarity over what they will do following a General Election win.
One leading union leader said: “Labour needs to be focused on delivering good jobs, public services and dignity in retirement, not more rhetoric about abstract economic concepts”. “It’s time Labour came up with a plan for the real economy rather than the big business lobby.”
With no commitment to working class people and only a commitment to following existing fiscal constraints, people are increasingly wondering ‘what is the point of the current Labour Party’?
By committing to nothing, they are hoping to take the easy route of being all things to all men. They are brewing a recipe for disaster.
This article was originally published in the Wigan Observer on 30th March 2024: https://www.wigantoday.net/news/politics/chris-green-mp-labour-brewing-…
