© 2016 by Socialist Students. Socialist Students is a campaigning organisation, organised in colleges and universities across Britain. If you agree with what you read on this site - join us! Contact: 0208 988 8761, email socialistudents@gmail.com, write to Socialist Students, PO BOX 858, London, E11 1YG

Lansman and Momentum fail to point the way forward in the battle against Labour's right wing

December 17, 2018

|

Connor Rosoman, University of Sussex Socialist Students

 Last week Jon Lansman, leader of Momentum, came to the University of Sussex. He spoke on Momentum's role in supporting Jeremy Corbyn's campaign as leader of the Labour Party, before taking questions from the audience.

 

Socialist Students members questioned Lansman on Momentum's role in fighting the Blairite right-wing of the Labour Party. Since Corbyn' election as leader in 2015, the Blairites have acted as a fifth column within Labour - trying to stab him in the back at every turn. We stressed that the Blairites, who comprise the majority of Labour Parliamentary and council representatives - are not looking for unity or a "broad church". They have even openly discussed splitting the party to stop Corbyn's programme from being enacted should Labour win a general election.

So far, Momentum have capitulated on a number of key issues.  Nothing demonstrates this more clearly than Lansman and Momentum’s continued retreats over the question of the introduction of mandatory reselection back into the Labour Party. The Blairites do not represent Corbyn's anti-austerity, pro-worker and pro-student programme, which has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to join the party.

 

Mandatory reselection would have been a huge step towards democratising the Labour Party and kicking out the saboteurs. The lack of fight demonstrated by Momentum and Lansman lead to the adoption of ‘open selection’ at Labour conference. A much more watered down policy compared to mandatory reselection,  open selection totally fails to challenge the power of the Blairites in the Labour Party and fails to put all those working class and young people who joined Labour to support Corbyn in democratic control of the LP.

However Lansman said there are "not many" such Blairites and did not mention their power within the party, or Momentum's capitulation on mandatory reselection. Overall, the talk demonstrated the lack of confidence by Lansman and certain sections of the Labour leadership in challenging the capitalist class and their representatives in the Labour Party. Socialist Students campaigns to organise such a force to defend Corbyn’s anti-austerity programme and to transform the Labour Party into a democratic, mass working class party.

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Please reload

Featured Posts

Theresa May admits tuition fees system is broken - organise to kick out the rest of the Tories!

June 2, 2019

What is Communism?

October 2, 2018

NO TO BORIS, GENERAL ELECTION NOW!

September 26, 2019

1/10
Please reload

Recent Posts

Socialist Students conference: Students and workers united in struggle

December 5, 2019

Students back UCU strike at Leeds Uni

November 26, 2019

Bolton University fire - fight for affordable and safe student housing!

November 21, 2019

Socialist Students exclusive: Resist attacks against free speech on campus - fight for democratic students' unions!

November 20, 2019

Come to the Socialist Students election rally - Birmingham, Saturday November 30

November 15, 2019

UCU strike dates announced - students prepare to strike back alongside campus staff

November 5, 2019

University staff striking back

October 11, 2019

Rees Mogg visit at Leeds University cancelled

October 1, 2019

NO TO BORIS, GENERAL ELECTION NOW!

September 26, 2019

Young workers protest in Dundee against greedy bosses

August 5, 2019

Please reload

Archive

December 2019 (1)

November 2019 (5)

October 2019 (2)

September 2019 (1)

August 2019 (1)

June 2019 (1)

May 2019 (2)

April 2019 (2)

March 2019 (3)

February 2019 (1)

January 2019 (5)

December 2018 (2)

November 2018 (6)

October 2018 (8)

September 2018 (1)

July 2018 (5)

June 2018 (1)