The chairman of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, John McDonnell, throws down the gauntlet to Tony Blair in an article this week:
After the election, the Prime Minister said that he would listen and learn from what the electorate were saying. Soon afterwards, though, he announced that the third term would be ‘unremittingly New Labour’ and appointed right-winger David Blunkett, ex-Tory Sean Woodward and ex-SDP Andrew Adonis as ministers.
Nevertheless a majority of 67 means the government must come to terms with a resurgent democracy within the party at all levels, including the parliamentary Labour Party. Unless what is left of the New Labour leadership clique, who have dominated our party for the last decade, understands that the new climate requires a new form of consensual politics, the government will disintegrate in disarray.
The left also faces a challenge. For the first time in almost 25 years we have the opportunity of exercising real power and influence. We have to get serious. This requires creativity, strategic sense, discipline and solidarity. (Socialist Campaign Group News)
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