Labour’s defence of authoritarianism – a danger to us all
JVL Introduction
Why does Labour have no plans to repeal the draconian anti protest laws introduced by the Tory government? We know that Labour’s failure to offer any meaningful ways to improve the living conditions and security for working class – and middle class – people in this country is leaving the path clear for the far right as we have seen happening in other countries. But, argues Monbiot, if the Faragists do win the next election, the authoritarian structures they would want will already be in place.
We have seen people jailed for 5 years for a zoom call and possible sentences for up to 14 years under anti terror legislation, which in Tony Greenstein’s case was for a tweet interpreted as support for Hamas but merely said that he supported the Palestinians resistance of which Hamas was part .
We now have “among the most draconian anti-protest measures in any country with democratic features. They are also the most extreme measures in common use in the UK for the past 150 years. The longest sentence received by any of the suffragettes, who engaged in far spikier actions than today’s climate protesters, was three months”
LL
This article was originally published by The Guardian on Sat 22 Feb 2025. Read the original here.
Extremists would not need to create an authoritarian state in Britain: Starmer is doing that for them
The PM and his ministers are supporting illiberal laws that hard-right authoritarians could apply with zeal
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The problem is that Starmer and his front bench are already far right, these
laws suit them perfectly. The Labour Party are Labour in name only and the fact that Farage is looming in the shadows seems to be totally lost on Starmer. Unfortunately, as many people have lost any confidence they had with the Tories and Labour are losing supporters at an unprecedented rate, Reform are going to be the obvious choice for many people at the next election. As a seventy one year old I have never seen the UK in such a perilous situation and there doesn’t appear to be very much that we can do about it.
The only conclusion I can draw is that the Starmer regime are laying the ground willingly for such as reform to win the next election or throwing the dice hoping it lands on their number.
Like Starmer was the Elites man to stop a True Socialist Party from becoming the Government, knowing the Tories were certain to lose the 2019 GE. Knowing Starmer was going to carry on with Rightwing Policies, which will lose Labour the next GE, they are supporting Farage, knowing he will keep their Gravy Train rolling.
The Rightwing Press that is owned by Billionaires are supporting Farage, the BBC, gives him plenty of airtime.
They are all blaming the numbers of immigrants coming into the UK, for all the issues the Working Class are suffering, Housing, Health, Pay, plus ongoing Austerity and sadly it’s working, some friends are already telling me they are voting for Reform at the next GE. Of course I’m telling them what’s happening but there’s only been a couple that are thinking about what I’m saying.
I’ve heard that a new Party may be formed with Left Politicians still in the LP, possibly Corbyn will be part of the group plus some ex LP MPs.
I certainly hope that this does happen.