Hell yeah.
new “socialist alternative” before next election
An ever-expanding category, that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Socialist_parties_in_the_United_Kingdom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-Community_Labour_Alternative
Cross-Community Labour Alternative is a minor political party founded to contest the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election. It stood three candidates[3] in the East Belfast, South Belfast and East Antrim constituencies. It was initiated by the Socialist Party.[4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Party_(Ireland)
The Socialist Party (Irish: Páirtí Sóisialach) is a political party in Ireland, active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Internationally, it was affiliated to the Trotskyist International Socialist Alternative (previously the Committee for a Workers International) until 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Unity_(UK)
Left Unity is a left-wing political party in the United Kingdom founded in 2013 when film director and social campaigner Ken Loach appealed for a new party to replace the Labour Party (which according to him failed to oppose the United Kingdom government austerity programme and had shifted towards neoliberalism).[5][6][7] More than 10,000 people supported Loach’s appeal.[8]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Unionist_Party
The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) is a minor unionist[6] political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979. Linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Red Hand Commando (RHC), for a time it described itself as “the only left of centre unionist party” in Northern Ireland, with its main support base in the loyalist working class communities of Belfast.[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Justice_Party_(UK)
The Social Justice Party (SJP) is a left-wing minor political party in the United Kingdom.[2] It was launched in August 2023 at a conference in Whitby,[2] and was officially registered with the Electoral Commission on 2 February 2024.[3][4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transform_(political_party)
The Transform Party (also known as Transform Politics, or simply Transform) is a political party active in Great Britain. A merger of two political groups, the Breakthrough Party and the People’s Alliance of the Left, Transform aims to build a new left-wing political party to challenge both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. The party is also associated with the Liverpool Community Independents and Left Unity, who remain independent parties.[1][2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workers_Party_of_Britain
The Workers Party of Britain (WPB), also called the Workers Party of Great Britain (WPGB) or Workers Party GB,[16][17][18] is a socialist and socially conservative political party in the United Kingdom, strongly identified with its leader, former Labour and Respect MP George Galloway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Labour_Party_(UK)
The Socialist Labour Party (SLP) is a socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party was established in 1996 and was led by Arthur Scargill, a former Labour Party member and the former leader of the National Union of Mineworkers. The party’s name highlights its commitment to socialism and acknowledges Clause IV of the Labour Party’s former constitution, as fundamental to the party’s identity. As of 2024, it is led by Jim McDaid.[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Party_of_Great_Britain
The Socialist Party of Great Britain (SPGB) is a small socialist political party in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1904[2] as a split from the Social Democratic Federation (SDF), it advocates using the ballot box for revolutionary purposes and opposes both Leninism and reformism. It holds that countries which claimed to have established socialism had only established “state capitalism” and was one of the first to describe the Soviet Union as state capitalist. The party’s political position has been described as a form of impossibilism.
Splitters
I wonder why these parties don’t just merge to create a single socialist party. And now Corbyn is starting another one.
Because they want ideological purity to feel good about themselves more than actually be in power and enact change. A pretty typical leftist predicament.
In all seriousness where I currently live all the small far left parties ally into a metaparty/alliance called “Together: The Left” so there’s no vote splitting and they have better chances and name recognition.
I think this will fizzle out and go nowhere but: should this split the red vote who stands to gain? Tories (they’ve a long way to go to win back trust ), Lib Dems (something about Student Loans making them the only party in living history to have reneged on a manifesto promise), SNP (possibly in Scotland they could be back), Greens (they’re too right wing for Corbyn’s followers 😆)… That leaves: Reform. Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
I actually think a hung parliament under those circumstances. Great for confidence in the country.
If it starts splitting the vote I think it will force Labour to the left, which is where they should already be, to try and win people back.
Labour came into power on a promise of change. In most people’s eyes Reform are the only party who actually represent that at the moment though. The thing is, most normal people hate austerity and are finding it increasingly difficult to stomach the inequality that we have, so I think a socialist ‘insurgency’, like Corbyn’s new party will be a threat, not only to Labour but to Reform. Rightly so as well.
We’ll be able to measure their success in real-time by the level of hostility directed at them by billionaire-owned media
The British electorate have little taste for socialism. That’s why it’s Blair, Brown and Starmer who have been electable, while Kinnock and Corbyn haven’t.
I think you’d be surprised - for example most people are in favour of nationalising water and railways. And there is the NHS of course, which is regarded as a national treasure! Right-wing media only goes after softer targets like the poor, disabled, women and minorities. I think if most people were left to decide without manipulation or coercion they would choose socialism (although they might call it something else), which they have done in the past.
Except Starmer is considered a huge dissapointment and no better than a Tory at this point.
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Tories: Leader dependent. Austerity fatigue. Watered down reform. In a fundraising rut.
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Lib Dems: Memeable but no-one actually knows what they are about.
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SNP: Losing ground to Starmer’s Labour anyway.
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Greens: Still the impression of a single-issue party. A few bizarre policies too.
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Reform: Have the man, have the PR machine, have the whipping-boy. Weakness in candidate vetting may limit seats contested.
The Greens also have a terrible name, they’re a left wing party that don’t particularly care about environmental issues. Meanwhile the Lib Dems just stand for whatever the government doesn’t, which changes depending on who’s in power.
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Sorry. But if you plan to vote labour next election. You are not a red voter.
I mean I love your confidence 😜, but parties like Labour and the Tories are too broad a churches to make that sweeping generalisation.
Labour plp and the leadership. Who is at the end of it who you vote for.
Is not in any way left wing anymore. The shit their doing is more blue then red.
The members may be broad. But the party no longer pay any attention to them.
Farage could not have asked for better news than this. Ugh.
E: do the downvoters think that vote splitting is not a thing? This is the best news for Farage in a long time.
I mean, pushing with the neoliberals only puts Britain on the same path as America, and we’ve seen how that worked out.
Putting everyone in the “neoliberal” group as if they’re the same isn’t productive IMO. Labour, Lib Dems, SNP, Tories, and Reform aren’t all the same.
People also need to be realistic about what the electorate overall wants.
Of course they’re not the same; Tories are conservatives and Reform are fascists, but that has nothing to do with what I’m talking about. There’s still no hope in “unity” with Labor or any of their ilk; they’re simply not going to allow the things that need to be done to be done. We’ve literally just seen this happen in America, and nothing makes me believe Labor is different enough from the Democrats to produce a different result.
People also need to be realistic about what the electorate overall wants.
The electorate can be made to want new things; they’re simply not thinking about leftwing politics and ideas seriously enough for the status quo to be final, and why would they? The people who should be championing those ideas actively avoid acting on them not to alienate the neoliberals, so of course leftwing politics will have zero credibility with the electorate. You need to promote and make a good faith effort to enact your ideas before you can expect others to believe in them.
You keep saying Labor, are you from the UK?
And tbh, while Labour is far from socialist, they’re doing some left wing things:
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Nationalising rail. Seems left wing to me.
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Nationalising steel. Seems left wing to me.
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Nationalising parts of our energy sector. Seems left wing to me.
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They’re increasing workers rights in a bunch of different ways. Seems left wing to me.
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They’ve significantly hiked minimum wage. Seems left wing to me.
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They’ve implemented a windfall tax targeting profiteering energy firms. Left wing.
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Placing VAT on private schooling. Left wing.
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Means testing WFA. Left wing.
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Placing taxes on non-doms. Left wing.
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Invested a great deal more in infrastructure. Left wing.
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Capped public transport costs. Left wing.
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Implementing stricter rules for landlords. Left wing.
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Essentially restarting SureStart in all but name. Left wing.
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Changing inheritance tax to squash loopholes surrounding buying up farmland. Left wing.
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Ending the use of offshore trusts as a way to avoid inheritance tax. Left wing.
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Bringing the NHS back under direct public control. Left wing.
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Expanding green energy. Left wing.
There’s probably more I’ve not thought of, too.
Some of those yep. But the majority are questionable. Looking at them with any sceptical thinking.
Nationalising rail. Seems left wing to me.
Yep
Nationalising steel. Seems left wing to me.
Temp national control. No actual plans to leave it nationalised. Much like the Tories did to failing rail franchises. Not left wing. Just desperation. More like Tory temp rail nationalisation of franchises to avoid bankruptcy / loss of survice. Then actual attempts to move left.
Nationalising parts of our energy sector. Seems left wing to me.
Nationalising part to avoid the whole. This is more a way of using gov money to support private investment in green energy. Then for the gov to control the market or essential inferstructure.
They’re increasing workers rights in a bunch of different ways. Seems left wing to me.
Leftish. But more a move towards less extreme right of Tories. The right they are returning were added during the thatcher etc period.
They’ve significantly hiked minimum wage. Seems left wing to me.
Sounds exactly like Tory policies to me. The Tories spent years claiming they wanted work to pay. And significantly increased min wage.
They’ve implemented a windfall tax targeting profiteering energy firms. Left wing.
As did the Tories.
Placing VAT on private schooling. Left wing.
Yep def left.
Means testing WFA. Left wing.
Given the method of means testing leaves only the very desperate covered. While pensioners on blow living wage income still cannot cover rising bills. Not to mention it is very openly declared as a cost saving measure to avoid taxing the wealthy.
No it is just more right wing then even the Tories were willing to be.
Placing taxes on non-doms. Left wing.
Yep
Invested a great deal more in infrastructure. Left wing.
Promised to. While openly stating they have 0 ways to fund it. But will not tax the huge increase in wealth disparity created over the Tory gov.
No it’s just the same 40 hospitals, North investment, we will build more houses. That the Tories roll out every time their polls look bad.
Capped public transport costs. Left wing.
So the Tories are left wing.
This was a Tory policy policy. Literally labour limited the rise in cost to 50%. Because they knew they did not have the support to cancel it.
Implementing stricter rules for landlords. Left wing.
Yes
Essentially restarting SureStart in all but name. Left wing.
Promises promises. But I’ll wait to see some real funding before assuming it’s not more desperation. Remember this and the investment in inferstructure only happened when polling indicated disaster.
All of this looked like an attempt to avoid the 120 welfare objectors pushing for a no confidence vote,
Changing inheritance tax to squash loopholes surrounding buying up farmland. Left wing.
Yep.
Ending the use of offshore trusts as a way to avoid inheritance tax. Left wing.
Yep. But also a little we will catch tax avoiders. Something the Tories keep claiming every election. But yes some action is good.
Bringing the NHS back under direct public control. Left wing.
Yep
Expanding green energy. Left wing
Promises. And also an open Tory policy pre them heading more right wing around Bojo time. Both the left and right have a history of pushing green.
Pre Bojo it green was no longer a left wing policy but one seen as required by all parties. Funding methods was the only diff. And labour are using private investment.
This is more the moving overton window pushing post election Tory party away from it. Then labour being left.
No, the majority are not questionable. Every single one of those are unambiguously left wing moves.
People are falling victim to the anything to the right of me [socialist] is right wing.
Labour are objectively a centre-left party, and I just gave evidence of that. Saying “well all of that is left wing… but it doesn’t count!” isn’t a legitimate argument.
Labour are objectively a centre-left party,
Fucking bullshit.
They are supporting genocide.
They are arresting people for expressing support for things they disagree with. 80yo priest for signs opposing genacide and supporting Palestine Action. What ever your views on the action of Palestine Action. Arresting folks who support it is fascism.
Cutting benefits to disabled people. Purely to avoid raising taxes on the wealthy.
You are just ignoring right wing actions. And many out right evil action. In a vain attempt to support your own flawed views about the parties leadership.
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EDIT: sorry to up voters. I tend to take time to edit to get my ideas down. So much may have been reworded as you read it. I’m finished now and will only fix typos is pointed out. I’m severely visually impaired so typos are common. Also can spell for shit.
The idea farage can gain by splitting the Tory vote. But a new left party cannot gain when the left vote is already split to hell. With a huge % out right not voting.
Is just not logical anymore.
I assume most down voters are starting to recognise that now.
Labour has lost the hope of such a huge % of the left wing voters. They won the last election more due to Tory non voting then labour voters.
And that was before attacks on disabled. Authoritarian arrest of Gaza anti genacide supporters. And totally refusing to address the huge wealth gap creating the cost of living crisis.
They have lost a huge % of polling post the election.
So the logic that not voting Labour will lead to reform. Also a vote splitting party. Rather then coalescing the left of centre vote around a new party that actually listens to left voters. Makes no sense.
Consider these facts, Reforms percieved risk is because reform is seen to be listening to Right Wing voters post the Tory failed election. The very new anti Tory right of centre voters Starmer attempted to appeal to in the election. While literally dragging along a small % Left of centre voters who fear Tories.
Labours polling shows a huge loss of trust in even the small % of left wing voters. As the Starmer government has continued the worst of Tory policies. While: increasing attacks on disabled, Censoring opposition to the Gaza genacide (imprisoning protesters for supporting an idea not their activities), showing huge curruption in accepting gifts etc (exactly like the Tory govs).
Add to that the very insistence in refusing to raise taxes on those that have gained the most wealth over the last 2 decades. IE capital gains and non PAYE based ttaxes.Basically refusing to challenge the tory press arguments of any tax rise is breaking their promise. (Clearly a Tory press lie.)
Over all ATM polling indicates. Without a huge leadership change and reverse in direction. Their is absolutely no hope of Labour winning the election. And not much hope of a coalition with any Left of centre party currently existing.
Worth adding. With the current PLP while a leadership change is possible. A dramatic change in direction is not. Labour atm has a functional majority of Right of centers MPs. As shown by the recent fight over the PIP bill. And how much of a non change it took to win most over.
The most likely result in 2029 ATM is a Tory reform coalition. And let’s face it. Unlike the 2010 Lib Dems. Reform will not be changing their perceived ideals post coalition. The Tories will be moving closer to reform policy. Not the other way around.
Labours current actions make this more likely not less. All they are doing is trying to split reforms support. While pushing more centre right in that direction.
The only hope of a true Left of centre change. Is a left wing party willing to listen to and form the most broadly acceptable Left of centre policies. Actually forming a party (or changing an existing one but I don’t see that happening). That can win the majority of left support. Amd start to push the overton window back.
The only true negative I see. Is Lack of a leader that can win the respect of both far left and left of centre voters.
Authoritarian arrest?! They broke into an RAF base and crippled multiple planes, FFS.
Why do you want Farage to win so badly? He’d be awful for the country. Do you not see the damage he’s already done?
No. Not arresting them. Arresting people for holding signs supporting them. That is extremely authoritarian. And has fuck all value but as a form of censorship. Arresting people for supporting an idea out right fascism.
FPTP is going to give us a Farage reich with less than a third of the vote.
The voting system desperately needs changing. The left needs this more than the right as it’s always more split. It’s more idealistic, less comprising. Reform/UKIP/Brexit has been the right’s split from the Conservatives, but Labour has LibDem, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Greens and now more.
