UK: The New Labour Governments’ Minimum Programme
By Laurence Humphries, RCIT Britain, 28th July 2024
On 17th July at the state opening of Parliament Keir Starmer the new Prime Minister of a new Labour government set out his reformist programme for the coming year. He said there would be 39 bills introduced including the nationalisation of the railways and energy.
“Sir Keir Starmer has said his plan for government would "take the brakes off Britain" and put the country on the "path of national renewal". Speaking after the King's Speech which set out 39 bills the government hopes to pass; the new prime minister said there would be "no quick fix" and warned against the "snake oil charm of populism". At the heart of his plan to boost the country's economic growth are changes to the planning system, aimed at making it easier to build houses and infrastructure. Proposals to give local leaders more powers bring the railways into public ownership and increase workers' rights were also included. Some proposed pieces of legislation, first introduced by the last government, have been revived including Rishi Sunak's gradual smoking ban and the introduction of a football regulator”. [1]
Nationalisation of the railways and energy
Starmer insisted in his opening address that the new nationalised corporate railway system would be called ‘Great British Railways’. It was proposed that the new railway franchise would be again a state capitalist venture. There would be no workers control and the capitalist owners would be heavily compensated. At no time did Starmer announce the repealing of the vicious Tory 2016 anti-trade union laws which attempts to prohibit strikes proving once again this is a pro-capitalist reformist government.
His decision to nationalise the Railways and British energy pleased sections of the trade union bureaucracy and was merely a sop to them to get them on his side. The new nationalised energy company will be called ‘Great British Energy’. The private energy companies exploit many poor and exploited families through their enormous price hikes. Starmer mentioned nothing about these loafers who make millions of pounds out of poor families. According to the Prime Minister they are going to be left intact.
The Prime Minister when discussing his proposals for ending poverty pay especially amongst the young, never responded to an SNP MP’s question about removing the two child benefit caps which relates to payment to families for only two children even if they have more children. Left-wing members in the Labour party criticised Starmer for not giving a clear position amongst them Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader.
The new government will bring a bill in this parliament to end Zero-Hour Contracts which have been a figleaf for a hire and re-hire policy by employers. It also wants to bring public services, including buses, back into the public sector. There was no commitment on the NHS, no finance or use of public monies for the NHS – a damning indictment of both the Tory and Labour administrations.
Rachel Reeves the new Labour Chancellor has indicated that there may be an increase in public sector pay. “The chancellor has hinted that she may give public sector workers above-inflation pay rises this summer. Rachel Reeves' comments come after it is understood independent pay review bodies recommended an increase of 5.5% for teachers and some NHS workers. In her first interview from No 11 Downing Street, she said: "I really value public service workers, in our schools, in our hospitals, in our police as well... "There is a cost to not settling, a cost of further industrial action, and a cost in terms of the challenge we face recruiting." But Ms Reeves told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that "we will do it in a proper way and make sure the sums add up" - emphasising that her spending rules are "non-negotiable". The new chancellor promised a decision on public pay this month, saying "people won’t have long to wait". [2]
Education, housing and migration policies
The Prime Minister announced in the Kings speech that education would be reformed but generally this reformist government has no intention of turning private academy schools back into the state sector. Private Independent Fee Paying Schools would not be touched. They would carry on as usual. He had some good proposals for private renters and would introduce a private renter bill and make sure of no-fault evictions. On mental health and equalities, the new Labour government has made some amendments to the Mental Health Act trying to reduce the number of children and young peopled sectioned under the act. People on the autistic continuum will no longer be admitted to mental health institutions. The government has also made it impossible for hereditary peers or Lords to continue to sit in the House of Lords.
Yvette Cooper, the new Home Secretary, proposed later in the Parliament to introduce some of the most racist immigration laws continuing the policies of the former Tory government. Cooper who stood against Jeremy Corbyn and lost when he first contested the leadership is a law-and-order fanatic holding up the policies of racism and Islamophobia. She intends to introduce a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration bill and establish a new security command in order to prevent any legitimate refugee or migrant, who are forced to flee from imperialist conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, from entering Britain. These proposals are very close to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party with its racist immigration and Islamophobic propaganda. Such a bill must be opposed by all socialists!
Keir Starmer Suspends 7 Labour Parliamentarians
On 23rd July Keir Starmer suspended 7 Labour MP’s from the parliamentary party for opposing the government’s decision to accept the two child benefit cap which was introduced by Rishi Sunak, the previous incumbent as Prime Minister. Two of the seven Labour MP’s were prominent left wingers Zarah Sultana and John McDonnell, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn who is now an independent.
Starmer is a ruthless capitalist politician who will brook no opposition to his plans for government. He is utterly single-minded and when necessary, will purge and move against any form of opposition that he does not accept. He showed prior to his victory in the election that he will purge sections of the party so that it remains on course as a pro-capitalist bourgeois government. With a massive majority over all other parties, he can afford to deal with a few recalcitrant MP’s.
The so-called left-wing opposition in the Labour party shows how weak they are with only mustering seven MP’s. “Seven Labour MPs have had the whip suspended for six months after voting against the government on an amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell was among the Labour MPs who voted for an SNP motion calling for an end to the policy, which prevents almost all parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children. Mr McDonnell backed the SNP motion alongside Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana. MPs rejected the SNP amendment by 363 votes to 103, in the first major test of the new Labour government’s authority.” [3]
Labour’s pro-imperialist position on Palestine and the Gaza War
Since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7th the leadership of the Labour party has adopted – similar to other imperialist states – a position of unconditional support for the racist Apartheid state Israel. Such support for the Zionist monster continues despite the horrible genocide, numerous war crimes and other unmentioned atrocities which Israel has committed against the Palestinians in Gaza. The latest death toll is 39,000 people, most of them women, children and elder. Even representatives of imperialist-led institutions like the United Nations, the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice accuse Israel of genocide and war crimes!
At the beginning of the war when Israel cut of the water and electricity supplies, Keir Starmer – an avowed Zionist – even said that “Israel does have that right”, albeit he was later forced to retract this remark.
However, such an outright Zionist stance has come under massive pressure as a gigantic pro-Palestine solidarity movement has emerged – in Britain as well as globally – which equals the popular opposition to the Iraq War when Tony Blair was in government two decades ago. Many Muslim members of the Labour party have resigned and left and the group around Jeremy Corbyn won 5 seats in parliament, largely defeating prospective labour candidates. After the Kings speech has concluded amendments can be made.
“But Willits (a bourgeois commentator, Ed.) said Starmer risks his reputation if he fails to address the widening rift. “Some may think it’s easy with a huge Labour majority in parliament to now dismiss Palestine as an irrelevant, fringe, and fifth column issue,” he said. “If Keir Starmer doesn’t only want to be haunted by and remembered as the one who said Israel had the right to cut off electricity and water in Gaza, then he needs to administer this policy reset on Palestine. This will be a major test for this government. Labour’s manifesto pledged to ultimately recognise Palestinian statehood as part of a “renewed peace process” towards a two-state solution.
But since the Conservatives in January suggested the UK could recognise a Palestinian state before the end of a peace process, Labour’s promise is not interpreted by analysts as revolutionary. Spain, Norway and Ireland recognised the State of Palestine this year, irritating Israel. “It is very unlikely that the new Labour government would do this,” said Glen Rangwala, associate professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. “Their manifesto commitment … makes recognition conditional upon the resumption of a negotiating process … in effect, this enables stalling on the issue of recognising Palestinian statehood.” [4]
Zarah Sultana, a left-wing MP for Coventry, intends to move an amendment at the conclusion of the Kings speech calling on the new Labour Government to cease selling arms to Israel.
“In an opinion piece for the Guardian on Wednesday, Sultana said British made parts are used in Israeli F35 warplanes, which have been used to target Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. This is just one example of Israel’s use of British-made arms in its assault on Gaza. But after almost 10 months and 38,000 Palestinians killed, to their eternal shame the Conservatives left office refusing to suspend arms sales," she wrote, adding: "This responsibility now falls to Labour."
With tens of thousands dead and much of Gaza laid to waste, Israel is now subject of two major international court cases. Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after South Africa filed a case in December, which is backed by dozens of states, including Spain, Ireland, Turkey and Colombia, amongst others.
Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC), meanwhile, have also applied for arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes. The warrants have yet to be granted by the court. Sultana's column makes reference to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy's own comments on the necessity of upholding international law. "The law is clear. British arms licences cannot be granted if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law, Lammy said”. [5]
For a new Workers Party
The RCIT Britain said recently that the task for the masses and super-exploited in Britain is the formation of a new, proper Workers Party which can be turned into a revolutionary instrument for the taking of power in Britain. We reiterate our transitional demands for workers and the oppressed.
* Boycott the Israeli Apartheid state! Victory to the Palestinian resistance! Solidarity with the Arab Revolution! For a Free Red Palestine from the river to the sea!
* No to Islamophobia and racism! For open borders, no to immigration controls or deportation to other countries!
* Call on the Labour government to repeal all anti-union laws!
* Organise mass struggles for higher wages, full employment and democratic rights!
* Expropriate the super-rich! Open the employers’ books! Cancel the debt.
* Nationalise the key sectors of the economy under workers’ control!
* For a workers government based on popular councils and militias!
* Neither EU nor UK imperialism! For international class struggle and the United Socialist States of Europe!
* Against all imperialist powers (NATO, Russia, China)!
Footnotes
1) King's Speech: Keir Starmer pledges growth but warns of 'no quick fix' - BBC News
2) Chancellor Rachel Reeves hints at above-inflation public sector pay rise - BBC News
3) Labour suspends seven rebel MPs over two-child benefit cap - BBC News
5) UK: Labour MP Zarah Sultana tables amendment calling for end of Israel arm sales | Middle East Eye