The party has always been a broad church, and it must remain one if it is to form an effective opposition and government
Monday morning’s resignations by seven Labour MPs are a mistake, but they are also a warning. Like it or not, and a few on all wings have always disliked it, the Labour party is not a centralist party. It has always contained, and has been able to contain, a mix of political traditions. Most fundamentally of all, it has long been a coalition of organised labour and various mainstream socialist and social democratic traditions. Arguments have often been fierce, but they have mostly taken place within a large tent. After nearly 120 years of the party’s history, that is still, for the moment, the case.
At various times in this progress the party has tacked more decisively in one direction or another, putting that mix under pressure. Over the last century, Britain has also changed in fundamental ways that challenge the party – any party – to adapt or perish. Yet, by and large, Labour activists, interests and voters have managed to remain, if not united, then at least broadly agreed on a common purpose. That purpose is, overwhelmingly, the election of Labour governments that can redress the imbalance of economic, social and political power in Britain. That broad-church approach has served Labour well and has served Britain well too.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DPSFwU
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