Sunday 13 April 2014

New Script Please! Bored Now....

I spent last night at UNISON's Stomp Against Austerity event in Bristol.  Too often, protests involve trudging along a time-honoured route, like a sponsored walk with flags, stopping at the end to hear the preachers tell you the words of the gospel.  This was a social event. To meet, talk and plan, but also to sing and chat and remind ourselves that we're not alone.  

We started though, with a panel debate.  I was really pleased to be one of the panel, not least because I was at last well enough to take part, but also because I love talking.  And listening.  On the panel was Ken Loach, film director, Kit Leary from the TUC and Thangam Debonnaire, candidate for Labour in Bristol West.  I've done quite a few panel debates - it's one of the things we do a lot and I was at least heartened when Ken Loach said we needed to discuss what we were going to do, not just have another talking shop.  

You see, if I was writing the film script for this evening, it would go like this.  In the warmth of comradely debate, different groups would realise that even though they have different positions on capitalism, on austerity, on tactics - that we could still have those positions and still work together against common enemies.  The SWP could stand up and declare even though they were still wedded to permanent revolution, they realised the destructive impact of constantly attacking leaderships of any organisation from unions to the Labour Party wasn't actually that worthwhile, and perhaps even that they realised they had spent possibly a little too much time defending alleged rapists and hounding anyone who didn't cheer Hurrah For Rape Apology! People could have positive discussions about what we have in common and where we want to be as a movement and how we get there. We would go home full of ideas and new perspectives.  

But unfortunately, I wasn't writing the script. Because in too many people's minds, there already is a script.  A trade union puts on a debate and what ever we call it, they will see its theme as Come and Have a Whine about Why Labour Aren't Left Wing Enough.  Because in their world, this is The. Only. Answer. Working people are apparently craning their necks out of the window desperately searching for a revolutionary socialist alternative and once it arrives, they will flock from their houses, like the children of Hamelin following the piper, to vote for this New Dawn of Socialism.  

How I bloody wish.  I really do.  Because if that was the case, we would now be ruled by a TUSC/Respect Coalition and while Galloway makes me want to stick needles in my eyes, at least he wouldn't be scrapping benefits and slashing services.  But it isn't the case.  We're not even close.  But recognising that is hard.  And a little scary.  Every year I read a survey of our union members views. What paper do most read?  The Mail or the Sun.  Are they all reading this and simultaneously thinking "I only read this shit due to the absence of a revolutionary vanguard advocating the seizure of state power and workers control of production, but until they arrive I'll keep up to date on Kate's battle against post baby weight or read about how feminism causes cancer."?  Are they?  Really?  Well according to many people last night, that's exactly how it is.  If only Labour would commit to a full socialist programme far in excess of anything seen in 1945, that would be enough to see them returned to power, in final scenes consisting of them being carried aloft by horny handed sons of toil, into Westminster palace, while those not fortunate enough to carry the new leaders throw their cloth caps into the air.  

Sorry Ken, sorry people from various factions last night who think that life is like a film.  Actually, I'm not sorry, because if your version of deciding what we do about it means repeated whinging about Labour and jeering and hectoring a black woman who decided to fight for the right to represent her own community in Parliament, then I don't want to be in your film, not even as an extra.  Thangam described the process of having spoken to 6000 people across her constituency about what life was like and yet her views and theirs didn't count because they didn't fit your script, did they?  You had no interest in listening and learning because that might have meant you didn't get up to have your little rant about Labour and how much better your views were to theirs.  And the thing is, I agree with many of your views about the need for an alternative, but the problem is a lack of demand, not supply.  Anyone seeking a socialist alternative can find several parties, many long standing with proud traditions, such as the CPB, many less so (see also SWP, rape apology).  What is missing is thehuge generational political education programme that we need to deliver not just the supply of an alternative, but the demand for one.  A massive task and a really difficult one.  How much easier it is to stick to the script we already have, go out, blame Labour, shout at a woman trying to do the right thing then go home feeling smug.  But I'm bored with this approach, I've seen it a million times and it always ends the same way - in acrimony, self absorption and too many workers being treated as expendable extras on someone else's movie.