SL E-Bulletin #76 - 5 April 2022

“Spineless political opportunism”
 
It seems the Labour Party needs a new slogan. For the course being steered by Captain Starmer and his crew – perhaps “For their benefit but not for you” would be a more appropriate one.
 
Local elections loom in May with Labour clinging on to 'power' courtesy of alliance with the Greens but it seems all is not well on deck at Sheffield Labour Group either.
 
Four comrades have been ousted or resigned as the Labour Group prepares its next push towards the ignominy of defeat to the Lib Dems.
 
Sheffield will not benefit from any national swing against the Tories – the Group will want the Tory vote to hold up if it is to stop a Lib Dem swing. So going along with Starmer’s right wing posturing will do Terry Fox and co no good at all.
 
The highest profile “casualty” of this purge is the resignation of Sophie Wilson from the Party. In her resignation statement, Sophie made clear that “spineless political opportunism” has taken centre stage and relegated the values of fairness and honesty to the dustbin of history.
 
“I am sad to say that now in 2022 I no longer recognise my party,” she said. It is a party which “might just as easily choose the side of the oppressor than the oppressed if it were more likely to lead it closer to a sniff of power”
 
And a sniff of power seems to be the only consistent motivation for the right completely ignoring the need to have policies, be a genuine opposition to the Tories and have enough members to knock on doors to get the vote out.
 
This last point also seems to be on a downward spiral. Expulsions continue apace with Lee Rock, Convenor of Sheffield Left, expelled by the discredited GLU for having the temerity to have once – well before there was ever a suggestion of proscription – have a conversation with someone from Labour Against the Witch hunt.
 
Lee’s expulsion was clearly forced by the outrageously democratic decision of Ecclesall Ward to select him as their candidate for the May elections. A seat that is not regarded as winnable, but the right still couldn’t stomach someone with socialist credentials representing the party.
 
Walkley has suffered the same fate as Ecclesall by selecting a candidate who didn’t fit the right-wing bill for him to be removed after he was selected. 
 
Meanwhile Labour councillor Neale Gibson has been suspended for six months for a contribution on twitter that questioned the Israelis treatment of Palestinians. Another no no for Starmer’s thought police.
 
As democracy slowly sinks without trace, Starmer’s titanic Labour Party has rearranged the deck chairs and to face to the right in a desperate attempt to woo the Sun reading Tory vote. He might care to look behind him and watch his traditional support sailing off on the good boat socialism.