Transform Politics is the name of a new group looking to form a fresh left-wing party in the UK. It’s made up of individuals and pre-existing parties – and it’s launched its campaign with a flurry of interest on social media, as well as some criticism.
Let’s get electoral reform first, yeah?
The optimist in me would point to how much impact UKIP had on British politics without ever winning a seat…
However I’m not deluded enough to think these guys have anything as emotive as Brexit to push policy or even pressure the governing parties.
Still, if we ever get that sweet electoral reform I’d be happy to take another look.
UKIP had impact way beyond their support because the Conservative Party will always prioritise retaining power over doing the right thing.
Yeah, I don’t think that really works unless you’ve got a strong wedge issue that can be used to threaten the main party.
I think you’re absolutely right, we need electoral reform precisely so that more diverse views can be represented in government.
For now, though, the priority has to be ejecting the Tories.
No left leaning party can do what UKIP did because UKIP threatened Labour as well as Tory seats. They were a single issue party and could run as MEPs which gave them another soapbox to shout from. There just isn’t an issue that has the same kind of cross-partisan reach yet.
I think abolition of the monarchy will be that issue in 10-15 years time. Once the older Christian conservative voters die off there will be a stronger push to move to a republic. It’s something that a single issue party could run on and steal votes from the dominant parties.
I’m not sure what the path to electoral reform looks like. Starmer is hostile to the idea. Labour have had electoral reform in their manifesto before and happily ignored it when in power.
Perhaps a hung parliament will get us there. I don’t know what the realistic vote for Electoral reform is. Maybe a Lab-Lib government does it but Libs have been steamrolled in a coalition before.
I’m almost a single issue voter for Electoral reform at this point.
Starmer is hostile to anything that could be used to drive a wedge between him and winning, which doesn’t seem a terrible strategy for the country. Would rather have 5 years of centre left government than another term of Tory leadership. Let the Overington window move slowly, but it’s easier to advocate for left wing policies if the right of labour is in charge (through party conferences) than from the outside.
I wonder at what point this becomes the wedge that will get between him and winning. I don’t think is margins are as secure as the polls lead us to believe. Too many don’t knows and won’t says lurking around.
So I think he’s being foolish to take his base for granted. They’re not going to vote Tory, but they might struggle to turn up on the day. That could be the difference between a commanding majority and a thin/non-existant one.
Would rather have 5 years of centre left government than another term of Tory leadership.
We won’t, though. Starmer has rejected centre left policy and allowed Labour to be pulled right, he won’t even commit to public spending reform.
Let the Overington window move slowly, but it’s easier to advocate for left wing policies if the right of labour is in charge
Who is left in the party, with any power or influence at all, to advocate for left wing policy? Who in the party leadership will actually listen to left wing voices at party conferences? Why will the incredibly mercenary Labour right take left wing policy on board after spending the last 6+ years actively working against the Labour left?
The strongest centre left candidates at the moment are the Greens. As far as electoralism goes, it would be better to stand behind a party that actually has a membership than split further into parties which frankly look the same as countless other “like the left flank of Labour but better” parties.
At least something like the Northern Independence Party could raise the priority of the North. I’m not sure what this offers that, say, the Breakthrough Party doesn’t apart from further vote splitting.
Feels like it will offer a similar level of political success and distinction as when you are trying to look up CPB vs CPB-ML vs CPGB-ML vs NCP vs RCPB-ML vs… except with everyone having platitudinal tech marketing guru’s branding like Transform, Change, Breakthrough etc.
Yep, the MPs on the left of Labour have so much in common with the Greens. The Greens are the only party that seem to have logical solutions to the problems we face as a country.
“a flurry of interest on social media”.
You don’t win votes or elections on social media. Otherwise Ed Milliband would have won in 2015, Remain would have won a landslide in the referendum, Hillary Clinton would have been US President and Corbyn would have been PM in 2017.
Splitters!
How did ChangeUK get on?
