by Kevin Meagher
What will an average voter make of the Labour after watching tonight’s Dispatches on Channel Four or Panorama on BBC1, chronicling the party’s descent into internecine student-level factionalism and sloganizing?
That’s a question – perhaps the question everyone involved in democratic politics. need to constantly ask themselves: ‘What does the electorate think of you?’
Tonight’s programmes were an embarrassment for the Labour party.
The exact mirror opposite of a party political broadcast.
Here was Labour showing the electorate on prime time evening television why it isn’t fit to run the country.
Riven, incompetent and in the hands of either well-meaning fools or vicious entryists.
The only scintilla of dignity and poignancy on display was Neil Kinnock ruing that, at 74, he probably won’t live to see another Labour government in his lifetime, such is the state of the party.
Over in the Corbyn dreamscape, it was probably chalked up as a success because the word ‘socialism’ was mentioned on the telly.
Normal people aren’t bothered about how Labour chooses its shadow cabinet, or whether Momentum is packing the annual general meetings of constituency Labour parties.
But they do wonder why Labour seems to bang on about nothing else these days.
Neither are they bothered about socialism or any other ‘ism’. Or discussions thereof.
They are not looking for a walk-on part in the people’s uprising.
And they’re certainly not bothered which nutty far-left sects a constituency Labour party official in Brighton is or is not a member of and whether they contravene Labour’s official policy on membership of nutty far-left sects.
They just want to hear people in Labour politics address their concerns realistically.
To come up with workable proposals to improve their lives.
Not a wish list of uncosted, impossible promises.
Or an invitation to the ramparts.
I was left with that uncomfortable, squirming feeling that you have when you watch The Office.
David Brent’s complete lack of self-awareness or understanding of how others perceive him translates perfectly to the modern Labour party.
At this rate, Jeremy Corbyn is going to emulate Brent’s infamous ‘There’s good news and bad news…’ speech.
The bad news will be Labour is trounced in 2020.
The good news is it will be eight million votes for socialism.
Kevin Meagher is associate editor of Uncut