03.10.1996

New Labour, More sleaze

Tory MP Neil Hamilton was not the only politician to hit the jackpot in the sleaze stakes this week

Revelations about Neil Hamilton as a run of the mill lying, hypocritical bourgeois politician are more laughable than shocking. Widespread cynicism not only of the Tory Party, but capitalist politicians as a whole runs deep. This is in its way positive if this bitterness can be channelled in a positive direction.

After all, the fact that the whole of Westminster is in hock not only to individual capitalists but to the whole system of exploitation and oppression should not come as any surprise to those at its butt end - the working class. The Guardian has made big play of exposing Hamilton and the business ‘donations’ made to MPs across the spectrum. But it is not just a case of individual misdemeanour but of corruption intrinsic to the system - the more this is uncovered, the better.

The Tories’ empire is collapsing in moral hypocrisy around them, with their lame campaign to make low taxes a ‘moral issue’ seen as little more than a sick joke. But much more worrying is the sleaze on show in Blackpool this week.

More worrying because New, New, New Labour as Blair never ceased to remind us in his conference speech is set to become the government of “Britain united. For all our people.” Blair’s words fly in the face of the reality of everyday life for millions of workers when he says “No more bosses versus workers. You are on the same side.” ‘Britain united’ is a capitalist and imperialist Britain and a vicious one at that, because behind all Blair’s vows is a programme to attempt to rescue ailing profits at huge expense to the working class.

A conference on a bandwagon to power lapped up the speech, but the broader reaction was less enthusiastic. There is no doubt that New Labour has largely won the argument now that it is a safe party for capitalism. But the void behind the rhetoric does not get past even bourgeois commentators well schooled in the art of cynicism.

For the working class however cynicism is not enough. Behind the smiley happy people clapping vigorously - Harriet Harman and (not so vigorously) Tony Benn - lies a steely-eyed party which has made little bones of the fact that it intends to batter workers from all directions.

Many traditional Labour supporters are only too well aware of this fact and those with the courage and determination to turn the tide on the offensive have already moved to create their own working class alternative by joining the Socialist Labour Party. Forging the Party of the class is an urgent necessity. Those who continue to support the anti-working class Labour Party, with whatever caveats, only hold back this task.

Linda Addison