Time for ‘Real Labour’ to stand up? Another new small party?

This post was triggered by news that Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has hosted another meeting of the long-suffering, politically sidelined organophosphate-affected victims, experts and campaigners in London. He is calling for more information on how farmers may have been affected by using sheep dip in the 1970s and ’80s when twice-yearly dipping in Britain was compulsory.

The news focussed the mind on a perceived need for the few remaining democratic socialist MPs to re-form and collaborate to add to the convincing alternatives to the two mainstream parties so long entrenched in misgovernment.

As recently reported here, Lianne Wood put forward the idea that a small parties’ coalition could work together – this could include the SNP, Plaid Cymru, Greens (plus Mebyon Kernow in Cornwall) and NHAP.

It seems feasible after looking at A Greenprint for the Valleys (2011), which included a job creation programme aimed at regenerating the former valleys coalfield areas, a Green Construction Skills College; an integrated transport plan, a land bank for renewable energy and food production, renovating heritage buildings, providing financial support for home energy efficiency measures and setting up green co-operatives.

Plus ‘Real Labour’?

Such measures might well be enthusiastically supported by the other small parties. If truly socialist MPs such as Andy Burnham, Jeremy Corbyn, George Galloway and Glenda Jackson could bring themselves to add another small party by forming ‘Real Labour’ – plus former Stroud MP David Drew, who is likely to be re-elected next year – we might at last see a truly honest and public-spirited government in action. As the leader of the Green Party said recently:

“Voters are desperate for alternatives to the three business-as-usual parties. They understand our current model is broken, our economy and society are failing to meet our needs. The coalition has governed for those who think prestige and personal wealth is more important than fairness and a decent life for everyone.

“This government has allowed giant, tax-dodging, low-paying, exploitative multinational companies to act at the direct expense of individual workers and communities.”

–

NB: the writer is well aware that  few of the politicians named support policies which she personally does not. But on balance such a coalition might well work in the public interest – an unfashionable stance in mainstream political circles.

–