With this de-selection it's the right that have inflicted yet another defeat on the remaining left inside New Labour. But this defeat can be turned around if it's used to rally the forces of the left to fight back.
Bob Wareing's decision to stand as an independent should be supported by all socialists. He is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, an opponent of New Labour and the war on Iraq.
Whilst it was an enforced decision, it could potentially be a very signifficant one. His independent candidacy could become a rallying point for the left on Merseyside and even nationally, for trade unionists, socialists, anti-war activists and others. His election as an independent socialist MP in the next general election would be a huge victory against the right-wing New Labour machine who have de-selected him.
As Bob himself commented "The party I joined 60 years ago is not the same party I have now resigned from."
Yet the need for a genuine Labour Party, in the sense of a party for the working class, remains as strong today.
Therefore, having drawn this conclusion, and having been effectively thrown out of the new Labour Party, Bob Wareing could potentially play a major role is helping to launch a much needed new party of the left.
Discussions could be opened up immediately, not only with those on Merseyside, but nationally with figures such as Bob Crow of the RMT, Mark Serwotka of the PCS, Matt Wrack of the FBU and other leading left-wing trade unionists, with socialist groups, with the anti-war movement and with former and current left-wing Labour members. These discussions could potentially lead to collaboration in order to lay the basis for a new party of the left.
Undoubtedly if a left wing MP, together with other prominent individuals from the trade union movement (or even entire trade unions) were to issue a joint call for a new party it would be greeted with enthusiasm by many thousands of workers, socialists, ex-Labour Party members and others on the left who currently have no political home.
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your spot-on about ppl needing a new 'political home', as long as i been alive and even before that, i have always seen labour as another party that just tries to reform capitalism to be a bit kinder,etc, which is impossible as class stratification is an integral part of capitalism.
And new labour has gone even further, opening supporting business, and doing nothing for the working ppl. plus all the repressive leglislation they bought in, esp updates to terrorism law stuff, and esp s.o.c.p.a.
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