Letter: The Labour Party Has Been Taken Over by ‘Believers’

Published on: 22 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 22 Feb, 2019

Matthew Smith, author of the Labour opinion piece

From Ben Paton

In response to: Only Labour Can Provide Real Change in Guildford

The argument that one party has the “only” possible solution is inherently implausible. It is the language of religion, not secular politics. It is akin to stating that only one creed will get you a place in heaven.

In politics ultimately evidence matters. You can fool some of the people all of the time but seldom all of the people all of the time.

In this piece, we are told: “Labour is now the only viable alternative to the Tories,” and “a genuine difference will only come about if we elect more Labour Party councillors”.

The Labour party has a proud history as a party of patriots operating in the national interest. WW2 might not have been won if Clement Atlee and the Labour Party had not thrown its full weight behind Churchill and the government of national unity.

Today a narrow faction led by Jeremy Corbyn has taken over this national institution. He offers himself as a Messiah of Marxism. Unfortunately, the evidence (of the former Soviet Union for example) shows that his brand of Marxism does not provide sustainable solutions.

This is the problem with the Labour Party. It has been taken over by “believers” in Corbyn messianism who have few or no coherent practical solutions at a national or at a local level. Putting Clause IV back into the Labour Party Constitution will solve nothing.