10.08.1995

Blair rules OK

John Prescott: “Quite happy now”

LOCAL democracy is all very well as long as Labour Party centre is firmly in control.

First the suspension of the Labour group on Monklands Council and local parties in Birmingham; now the suspension of Walsall district. Just in case you thought that corruption, nepotism, cuts and sackings are limited to the Tory Party.

Council workers have long been aware of the reality of Labour in power. Even workers in Sheffield took action against council cuts in Labour’s one-time ‘red’ base.

But Tony Blair is pulling all into line. Corruption is not the real issue here. Councils in Nottinghamshire, South Glamorgan and Lambeth have also been criticised. In Walsall the accusations of intimidation and breaching of rules are all a bit vague to the outsider.

Labour’s devolution plans and supposed commitment to ridding Wales of quangos have been hitting the headlines. So the furore over neighbourhood committees in Walsall may seem a little odd.

Blair’s major priority is to rid Labour of any ‘loony left’ hangovers. He is pursuing the task with vigour. John Prescott (the candidate of the left!) has not been slow in jumping into line either. Once “not happy” with changing clause four, he told the Independent, “I am quite happy on the wording now” (August 8). He is also the champion of the idea of injecting private sector finance into British Rail. Perhaps it is time that the left reviewed its ‘lesser of two evils’ approach?

Perhaps it is time also that the left realised that the rule of Blair’s Labour is doing very well, thank you. Rather than offering him leftwing advice, we need to challenge his rule with our own organisation.

Helen Ellis