Ralph Miliband on Labour in 1960 - very apposite for today
Posted by johnhol on February 20, 2021, 9:29 pm
Extract:
Because of that choice, the Labour Party has given the distinct impression that it was less and less sure, not about its ultimate purposes, but that it had any ultimate purpose at all. Because of that choice, it has, both in the country and in Parliament, been hesitant, fumbling, petulant—and boring. The rhetoric of its leaders has not carried conviction because its leaders have appeared to lack the conviction of their rhetoric. Increasingly, they have treated the voters not as potential comrades but as possible clients. The less substantial their programme and policies, the more frantic has been the effort to give them gloss and polish. Neither on issues of home affairs, nor in relation to the H-Bomb, NATO and foreign affairs generally, have the Labour leaders appeared as a clear alternative to the Tories. The reason for this is not that they were unable—somehow—to put over their case. The reason is that they were not such an alternative.
The Milibands are in a horrible tradition of fail-sons and fail-daughters of more illustrious parents: Hillary Benn, Chelsea Clinton, Meghan McCain, Caroline Kennedy, Martin Amis, George W. Bush, and perhaps the most obnoxious of all of them, Justin Trudeau...
on February 20, 2021, 9:29 pm