Goodbye Labour, Hello Lib Dems

Lib Dem Fightback starts here....

I was around 7 years old when Labour came to power in 1997. I didn't know it then but it would be a hugely formative next decade in my political beliefs.

When I moved to secondary school, the school was able to build a brand new, modern home which would have been aided by money made available by Labour in government. I have no doubt this helped me achieve good grades and reach university. I have equally little doubt that the fact Conservatives came to power when I was 20 and jobs suddenly were lost or found to be less reliable is a reason why I found it hard to gain employment after graduating.

I disclose this background information because it has formed my political views today. My view that Labour in power helps far more people, nay the entire country, than any Conservative government. My view that the Blair years were nothing but positive and enabled huge change and positive growth in the country. I'm more than aware there were mistakes made and opportunities missed but it was a generally positive period of mine, and the country's, history.

Having said all of this, I am dismayed that the Labour Party of today all but disowns the brilliant achievements of the only Labour government in the past 40 years. In the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn yesterday, it was confirmed that my political beliefs had no home in the wildly transformed Labour Party of 2016.

It is for this reason I decided to join the Liberal Democrats. When Tim Farron, leader of the Lib Dems lest we forget, can be more positive about Labour's 13 years in power than Labour's own leader and members, you know it is time to part ways. It is not without sadness, having voted Labour in the two general elections I've been eligible to be part of but it has become inevitable.

It has become clear to me that the following beliefs are no longer commonplace in the modern Labour Party;

• Firstly I want the party to actively fight and scrutinise Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn has consistently voted against the EU and has not asked a single question on the subject. I want the process to be monitored and fought at each step. 
• Secondly I want a sensible, reasonable economic strategy. I want investment in the country but I want it to be funded and reasonable. I still believe in clearing the deficit but at a much slower rate. £500bn is frankly unfunded, plucked from thin air and risks the economy overall. 
• Thirdly I don't honestly believe in uncapped immigration, which is Jeremy Corbyn's stated position. I certainly do not believe in the tens of thousands that the Conservatives state but I would probably aim to keep it between 200 and 300 thousand net per year and support for those coming in to learn the language and feel at home in the country.
• I also believe in comprehensive schooling. I don't want grammar schools, free schools or even academies. I would like comprehensive schools across the board and I think secondaries should be able to specialise in particular skills which would lead in to jobs. 
• Finally I also want defence spending to be at least maintained if not marginally increased. I would like to see troops given improved resources as well as support for members of the military when they leave service. I certainly want the UK to remain a member of NATO, which is again not necessarily a Corbyn stance.

Four of those five main beliefs of mine felt no longer at home in the Labour Party and so I took the decision to move my allegiance to the Liberal Democrats. I have received a very warm and friendly welcome from the party members which is in stark contrast to the arguing and criticising of my beliefs I found from some Labour members.

I would encourage anyone who may agree with some or all of my beliefs to switch to the Liberal Democrats. I certainly do not see those moderate beliefs being fought for or put forward in the Labour Party for the foreseeable future. I therefore joined the party that founded the welfare state, introduced national insurance, pensions and is the party of Keynes, of Lloyd George, Paddy Ashdown and Charles Kennedy.

Read In The Event of a Corbyn Victory

Labour's identity crisis

It is almost exactly two weeks until the Labour leadership contest is over. The party will either have a new leader or re-elect a leader that has lost the confidence of his MPs. Polling suggests that Jeremy Corbyn will be voted back in as leader although there are reports to the contrary from parts of the opposing side. If Corbyn is re-elected, it will be a major moment for the party and for me personally.

I have never been convinced of the Corbyn effect, even after attending a rally in his first leadership election, which is why I have strongly backed his challenger Owen Smith. Labour under Corbyn has never led in the polls, Labour under Corbyn endured the worst council elections for an opposition in 30 years and Labour under Corbyn has moved away from myself (and judging by the polls a large number of electorate) in some key policy areas. This is why I have backed Owen Smith and the wider PLP in their lack of confidence in, and challenge to, the current leader.

Background Details

I have been asked a few times through social media about what I might do after a Corbyn victory and I wanted to write about what I think I will do and explain my reasoning. First, I want to produce a little background to this and state that having been raised in a pro Labour household (and currently pro Corbyn household) I have been a lifelong supporter of the party. I have been eligable to vote in two general elections and in both I gave my vote to Labour. I thought I would always vote Labour. Corbyn has changed that.

Corbyn's stance on the economy, immigration, the EU and his poor leadership of a party means that should Labour enter a general election with Corbyn as leader I could not in good conscience vote for the party I used to feel represented me best. I say, used to, because the policies and beliefs that Corbyn has shown in the EU referendum and in the following leadership election have moved the party away from my views and my views have in fact been shouted down by other supporters of the party. This has led me to feel that I am no longer represented by Labour.

My Reasoning

Fight for your right to Brexit

I would like to stay in the EU or at the least the single market, I fear what would happen if we do not. It has become clear Corbyn does not feel the same. He is not fighting, or examining, the exit from the EU nearly enough.

I am pro-immigration but in reasonable numbers, I would be happy with the numbers remaining around 200,000 or 300,000 as they are now. What Corbyn has stated is that he would place no upper limit on immigration, which will alienate a large number of even Labour’s voters.

I am pro investment in the economy, I don’t for one second believe austerity is the answer. I do however believe in clearing the deficit, albeit at a slower pace over a decade or two. Corbyn announced an unfunded £500bn investment plan during the leadership campaign which is great but would massively increase the deficit. It also wilfully ignores that Labour did not gain the trust of the public over the economy in 2015 running on a much more sensible budget. 

Corbyn has left his cabinet unsupported and without instruction for much of his tenure, see multiple accounts from former and currently serving cabinet members., even the London mayor. His opposition to the government has been weak, his performances at PMQ’s poor and will not count out deselections. The fact he loses confidence of 80% of his own party, the people needed to form effective government and sell the party to the public, and does not resign is disrespectful to the party. I couldn’t honestly say I trust Corbyn to be Prime Minister of this country.

I am also a realist. I, like many others in the electorate I am sure, want to see reasonable, realistic and funded ideas. Some of Corbyn’s goals and ‘policies’ have been frankly pie in the sky. Talking about world peace and how Britain will inspire many other countries to give up nuclear weapons is not realistic. Revealing a £500bn figure without details of where the money will come from or where it will go. Explaining that the abuse the Labour Party has suffered will end because he ‘doesn’t condone it’ is not good enough. I have attended an Owen Smith press conference and heard concrete details, a plan and funded policies, which is what I expect from my politicians.

What Next?

For all the above reasons and a couple more, I don’t feel represented by Labour any longer and is why I couldn’t rightfully call myself a supporter of the party after his re-election. I also would not feel comfortable challenging some of these views with some supporters of the party as I would be shouted down and called names or told to leave. It has been difficult facing up to this because as I mentioned already I have always felt well represented by Labour and thought myself likely to always vote for the party.

It also makes it difficult to admit that I will consider other parties that now more closely represent my views. The Liberal Democrats strong stance on the EU is very appealing, as is their centre left stance on some issues. It would in all honesty be a reluctant change but in the light of a Corbyn victory it is a change that I have to consider. I fear for the party that I have always supported, as shown in Thursday’s by-election in Sheffield, the extra members and the rallies are not translating to any kind of support outside the party.

It has been a difficult few weeks, having felt well represented by the Labour Party for the entirety of my political life and seeing that eroded away. I am sure there are those on the opposite to me who have never felt so connected to a mainstream party however Labour has, for the most part, always been a centre left, democratic socialist party but that identity feels like it is being lost to me.  

I will be hoping for a surprise when the election results are revealed and that Owen Smith will give Labour a bounce in the polls that it much needs. I hope also that I won’t be left without a party properly representing me. I fear that neither will come true and fear that many others, like me, will not back a Corbyn led Labour at the next general election.