As I sit here mulling over the week, after being ill for most of it. I can’t help wonder what happened to the Labour Party? I wondered if it was the side effects of the anti biotics or painkillers, but no, Reform really did win 100’s of council seats. The Labour party was seemingly going further and faster, one of their favourites sayings it seems, in reverse.
Further and faster, yet going in reverse
As a working class man I simply don’t recognise the Labour party anymore. It has no identity or moral compass, given some its its priorities the last 10 months. Sitting here as I write this in my little council house. I often think back to what worked so well for myself and wider family. Had Labour forgotten the great work I read about many years earlier. The work I refer too, was by the then Prime Minister Clement Atlee, who built large numbers of council homes. Perhaps the one I sit it, was built around that time in the 1950’s after the war. Knowing what I know now with lived experience and as a tenant myself. Its understandable therefore, that poverty was lower in the 1960’s, due to this large building programme.
the First Steps For Change
The Prime Minister set out his first steps for change and it was clear many did want change. The Conservative party had gone stale, like a piece of fruit fallen from the blue tree onto the ground. The Labour party promised much and we all hoped things would get better, remembering an old campaign in 1997. This time felt different for me and it was not just grey hairs and a few less teeth. I was wondering about the Labour party itself and its leader. Did they have any teeth, or more to the point, did they have an identity?
- Winter Fuel Payment Cuts – I thought it was fair to look at the issue, but questioned the timing in the first Winter. Why so soon and why not make sure those that need help, can apply first, then make changes, perhaps the net Spring I remember thinking.
- Assisted Dying – Without going off topic too much, this has been an area of concern for me for some time. Why? you may ask. Well that’s is because of the burden we feel after diagnosis. Its very difficult to explain and suffice to say, had doubts about this too, again why so soon?
- Pathways To Work: Reforming Benefits – This left many of us wondering what we did to deserve this? why target the most vulnerable in society?
- Rents & Housing – I certainly welcomed the housing targets, but was left puzzled as to why they are not tackling private rents. Boris Johnson the former Prime Minister, talked about the 10’s of Billions going to buy to let landlords.
What Does The Labour Party Stand For?
Thinking about what I talked about at the start, social housing. Then add in private rents and the strain this is putting on so many, as homelessness rises further. Then you add in the disability reforms, which are they widely referred too and many other issues. It was not a great recipe to go into the local election with was it? Were they even listening? or where they too busy trying to reinvent the wheel and rebrand Labour?
For me all the slogans and PR with going further and faster and so on. That has driven people further and faster away from Labour and backing other parties. Now those of us that already had doubts about them from last year, were left thinking, you did this to yourselves. Gone was any mention of the working class in general election speeches. Those of us with disabilities and other vulnerable groups were suddenly a target, when most of the money a claimant receives, will be going to a landlord. Not making this about landlords or targeting them myself, just wise enough to know that private rents are simply not sustainable.
Workers like myself who would typically earn min or low wages, would be renting. No longer do they have the protection of a secure home with fair rent, as they struggle to keep the roof over their head. The measures coming on rental reform will help, but it does not solve the problem that many workers will have with disposable income. Where the wage simply does not cover the rent and the bills each month. Why the homeless numbers are rising, more children are in temporary housing and more food bank use.
Political Choices
The political choices that have been made, along with ignoring the working class, are a self inflicted wound for Labour. As they set themselves up as ‘party for working people’ it quite literally means nothing to those of us working class, or no longer working. We are proud people, we might not have much in life, but we worked hard and made the best of it, as I did for 30 yrs. I might not be able to do what I used to be able to do, because of that work and decades of very strong medication. But I will never forget what I have been through, you never do because you know how how tough it can be sometimes, just getting by each month.
Its no surprise to me how angry many are with Labour, as they have forgotten their history. Labour under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer, have ignored the work carried out by former Labour Prime Ministers. Where that fair rent and social housing was the stepping stone for so many, including politicians. Those that did well, would end up buying a home. Those that earned a wage or did a different job that still needed doing, we just went another way. But that was ok too, it always was. Why then are Labour pushing more one size fits all it seems?
I think its fair to assume most aspire to own a home. However, 30-40 yrs of pushing one size fits all, has caused a housing crisis. A crisis where the poorest in society and those earning low wages, the working class, are left behind. Even the political party that once stood up for them, has abandoned them. Thrown away for a new political agenda, by those that pretend to understand, but don’t see what we see, because its alien to them. Same as so many commentators on TV shows, reading out words written by others. People don’t see because its alien to them, balance has been lost in society.
Also left behind, those of us with disabilities, faced with being abandoned by a Labour leadership so out of touch, it has caused great anxiety. Of course you need to address various different issues, but this is about political choices. The Labour party made these political choices, under a leadership that simply does not live in the real world, in my view. I realise many don’t see what we see, to be honest I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But if you are not willing to listen as a leader, its up to Labour MPs to listen, and do what needs to be done. The Labour party must find itself again and realise we are not all the same and that’s ok. If all political parties offer the same, the poorest & most vulnerable get left behind.
