John Rentoul is of course quite right that the Attlee Government paid for its trigger-happy foreign policy by imposing austerity at home. But that is a mark against the Attlee Government both morally and, since it was removed from office by the voters, electorally. "Because of Attlee" is not an argument that New Labour has ever accepted in relation to public ownership. Or, indeed, the National Health Service, which in 1997 it began the process of privatising, although only in England.
With Wes Streeting as Shadow Health Secretary, Labour is once again fanatically committed to NHS privatisation, although only in England, unlike the Conservatives whether in the Blair years or today. So much for Attlee there. The point that all parties supported the creation of the Welfare State is well made, but it is Labour that is furthest from that tradition now, as it was when it was last in government.
Still, at least Progressive Britain has brought matters out into the open. In undeniable keeping with Labour's history, Keir Starmer wants permanent austerity at home in order to fund forever war abroad. That was how the Attlee Government ended up, that was what the last Labour Government was like, and that is what a Starmer Government would be like. Do not vote for Starmer's Labour Party. Vote against it. Here in North West Durham, vote for me.
Excellent.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
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