Can Labour Learn from It’s Mistakes from the Past?

Mr Atlee, winning in '45

After winning election in July 45, Clement Attlee told a celebratory crowd that Labour had a ‘socialist principle of place the welfare of the nation before that of any section and of dealing with every problem in a practical and business-like manner.’

His deputy, and grandfather of Peter Mandelson, Herbert Morrison supervised the part’s program of nationalisation.  First the Bank of England was nationalised followed by civic aviation.  The NHS was created as was the National Coal Board, which created 90% of the UK’s energy supply.  By 1951 the iron, steel and gas industries were brought into public ownership as were there railway, electricity sector, canals and road haulage sector.

As well as this period of nationalisation, the Atlee Government also embarked on a house building program that we have not seen the likes of since.

The party fulfilled their promises of 45. They deal with political problems with enthusiasm and common sense while retaining their socialist values.

Aneurin Bevan visiting a young patient in the newly created NHS

Times have changed, politics has changed and the Labour party has changed.  It is no longer a socialist party, rejecting its own ‘public ownership’ and becoming a democratic socialist party.

It could be argued that the issues facing the present Labour Party are greater that the issues faced by the Labour party in 45.  The country is ‘penniless’, politics is ruled by apathy and the Labour party is tarnished and tainted due to its actions of the past.

Labour triumphed into power in 1997, finally taking over a country which had been ruined by Thatcherism.  The manufacturing sector was in ruins, the public sector on life support due to lack of funding while whole generations were ‘lost’ due to the policies of successive Tory Governments.

Mrs Thatcher reaped devastation within working class communities 

For all the positives that Labour achieved they also made serious errors which remain in our memory.  Policies such as allowing the UK to a lapdog for the USA, the lies that justified UK troops invading Iraq, refusing to repeal anti-union laws and bringing in ATOS to assess our sick and disable, all forced labour voters and members away from the party.

And it is more that specific policies.  The parliamentary Labour party was no longer reflective to their voters.  The party created by trade unionist no longer appeared to represent the labour movement. The party of the workers has been manipulated so that it now appeared that they are the party of big business.  Socialism was replaced by Democratic Socialism that was replaced by neoliberalism.

A failed election campaign where the highlight for the Labour party was Gordon Brown telling an elderly woman that she was a ‘bigot’ and Tory-led Government that is on par with Thatcher’s for its nastiness and vindictiveness has forced the Labour party to reassess it’s values and ethos.  Finally in 2013, the ‘s’ would was mentioned by a Labour Leader. Ed Miliband proclaimed that he was bring socialism back to British politics. 

Gordon Brown minutes before his infamous 'bigot' comment

So is this a new dawn for the Labour movement and party?  Has Labour learned their lesson?  Will they put people before profit, people before power or are they grandstanding to willing crowd, demoralised by constant Tory attacks?  Will the follow through with their vision of a modern socialist Britain or will their turn their backs on their voters and members again?

This is a pivotal moment in the history of the Labour party.  I believe that they will win the 2015 general election and the onus will be on them to prove, by actions not words, that the Labour party will proud stand up for their values and beliefs.  If they do, they will welcome in a new era of British politics.  If they don’t, then the Labour party will end as we know it and a new party that does represent our views will be formed.

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