Did ‘Owenism’ eventually win the day in the Labour Party?
Dr. David Owen will probably be best remembered as one of the ‘Gang of Four’ who left the Labour Party to form the SDP in 1981. He was, at least to many Liberals (during the SDP/Liberal Alliance), the most right-wing of the Four and the most difficult, by a long chalk, for Liberals to get along with. Indeed, he was oft referred to as Dr. Death by Liberals who felt he’d probably destroy the SDP and the Liberals along with it.
Labour’s problems are many and deep, not least because its working-class right-wingers have shipped out to Reform, it’s progressives are moving to the Lib Dems and its socialists have made a new home in the Greens whilst Jeremy Corbin’s new Party will obviously attract many a socialist too. An Owenite-like centre-right rump could, if things continue to go badly for Labour, be all that’s left!
As a Social Liberal of the left I always felt that Bill Rodgers, Roy Jenkins and the wonderful Shirley Williams were far more akin to the free thinking of Liberalism. Owen was, at least to me, difficult, uncompromising and stubborn. Although our warped electoral system had a big hand in killing off the SDP my feeling has always been that Owen’s personality as well as his politics were also a significant factor.
I see the approach of our present Labour government being akin to what I think DavidOwen stood for and Starmer has what seems to be a similar stubborn streak to him too. Yes, he’s U-turned over Pensioner’s Fuel Allowance and some Welfare cuts but only because centre-left and socialist Labour back benchers held a gun to his head. I suppose the big question now is how many of those rebelling Labour MP’s will jump ship to Corbyn’s new party?
* The logo above is, I understand, that of the Continuing SDP i.e. the party that remained after the merger between the original SDP and the Liberal Party. David Owen being the first Leader of the Continuing SDP.
I don't fundamentally disagree Tony, despite basically being an Owenite since 1981. The problem Starmer hasn't solved (but needs to) is that the welfare and pensions spend is on an unsustainable trajectory. I guess you and the soft left would raise taxes which might hold the fort for a bit but I don't believe enough could be raised in the longer term. The fuel allowance and cuts to future benefit increases were needed but badly planned and executed. I know you think Starmer/Reeves are tories but they aren't any good at it. Mind the last tory government wasn't any good at being tory either. Maybe part of the reason for the unpopularity of Lab & Con is that they have both forgotten what they are supposed to stand for
ReplyDelete