Soon after the Clause IV debate the Blair leadership began plotting to unseat many of the Euro MPs who publicly opposed plans to get rid of the old clause. The opposition of many MEPs to the Government’s benefit cuts has reinforced the leadership’s determination to chop them by foul means or fair.
Ordinary Party members and local Party organisations will have little real input into the important decisions on Labour’s slates for the elections. The next Euro elections will be fought on a Proportional Representation system. The Labour leadership have used this to bring in a “closed list” PR system, giving maximum control to Party headquarters and minimising the electorate’s choices.
Many forms of PR could have allowed greater options, giving voters a choice between a Eurosceptic or Clarke/Heseltine Tory or a left wing or Blairite Labour candidate. Under the “closed list” system the candidates and more importantly their order will be decided by the Party machines. The leadership may let some left-wingers stand but will place them at the bottom of the list — tokenism as Labour candidates outside the first three or four places will stand no chance of election.
During the second reading of the Euro-PR bill Jack Straw, under pressure, promised to reconsider the closed list system — he has now gone back on this promise. At the time MEPs who voiced dissatisfaction with this form of PR faced suspension and came close to more serious disciplinary action. The undemocratic and over-centralised control of the lists raises serious doubts whether it will be legitimate to describe the Labour candidates in the elections as the political representatives of the broader labour movement — if not, the movement owes them little loyalty.
Any serious campaign by independent Labour/left candidates depends on their challenge being understood by the broader electorate. Benefit cuts and the future of the welfare state will give Coates and Kerr a clear political message to explain to the electorate why they are standing independently of Labour.
Some comrades may have legitimate criticism of Kerr and Coates’ tactics. However we should not let secondary disagreements cloud the main issue — the responsibility for this regrettable split rests squarely with the Blair leadership. Even in expelling the two MEPs, Party officials have displayed their trademark arrogance by totally disregarding disciplinary procedures.
Many Party members will fully understand if they decide to stand as independent Labour candidates. Many Party members are likely to vote for them in the elections. However this should not lead left-wing Party activists to decide to leave the Party. We are entering a period of sharper conflict inside the Party between the leadership and the left-wing. There is widespread disquiet and opposition within the Party to many of the Government’s policies. The moves to ban dissent within the Party and centralise power are advanced but they are not final. The fight inside the Party is not over.