To be proud or not - That’s the question.
So, I recently rejoined the Labour party after militantly cancelling my direct debit a couple of years ago.
Most people I know would ask why I would do that? (Or maybe even who?)
As it is, I’m actually much more interested in local rather than national politics, and as far as alternative opportunities for this sort of thing go round here (for the slightly middle class socialists with a social conscience among us), things are a bit thin on the ground these days. I was raised with good Sheffield politics and vague memories of shouting at policeman during the miners strike but I’ve tried being seriously left and decided, all things considered, it’s probably not for me.
Going to the first ward meeting in nearly 10 years this week, the thing that shone out most was that I was the youngest participant by a mile back then and nothings changed now. These days the firebrand socialist activists of old seem to have nice houses in pleasant, crime-free areas. Heeley isn’t a posh suburb of Sheffield by any stretch of the imagination, but it is very different to how I remember it as a kid. We had real problems round here once. We probably will again. For now though I can see why no-one really gets very bothered about politics or changing stuff. The thing is of course, you can’t argue with the fact that someone has made a difference round here in the last 10 years or so.
But anyway, one thing that has changed now is that all party members get to go to the CLP (Constituency Labour Party) meetings, which (apart from hurling abuse from afar) is the opportunity for us to hold the local MP accountable. Given how useless she is (And I will never, ever, forgive her pro-war stance and piss poor answers to my questions on the subject for a start) it’s one dull meeting I’m quite relishing.
Ian
