#308_01 cover 20/12/2020 22:48 Page 1 CHARTIST For democratic socialism #308 January/February 2021 £2 Tories broken Britain Prem Sikka COVID CRONYISM Paul Garver Glyn Ford US ELECTIONS Mark Cocker COUNTRYSIDE THREAT Ann Black LABOUR DIRECTION Sandy Martin Don Flynn LABOUR NEW DEMOCRACY Plus Book reviews and regulars ISSN - 0968 7866 ISSUE www.chartist.org.uk #308_01 cover 20/12/2020 22:48 Page 2 Contributions and letters deadline for Editorial Policy CHARTIST #309 The editorial policy of CHARTIST is to promote debate amongst people active in 10 February 2021 radical politics about the contemporary Chartist welcomes articles of 800 or 1500 words, and relevance of democratic socialism across letters in electronic format only to: [email protected] the spectrum of politics, economics, science, philosophy, art, interpersonal Receive Chartist’s online newsletter: send your email address to [email protected] relations – in short, the whole realm of social life. 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This issue was PO Box 52751 London EC2P 2XF in socialism, some of whom are active the produced by an Editorial Board consisting tel: 0845 456 4977 Labour Party and the trade union move - of Duncan Bowie (Reviews), Andrew ment. It is concerned to deepen and Coates, Peter Chalk, Patricia d’Ardenne, Printed by People For Print Ltd, Unit 10, Riverside Park, extend a dialogue with all other socialists Mike Davis (Editor), Nigel Doggett, Don Sheaf Gardens, Sheffield S2 4BB – Tel 0114 272 0915. and with activists from other movements Flynn, Roger Gillham, Hassan Hoque, Email: [email protected] involved in the struggle to find democrat - Peter Kenyon, Dave Lister, Patrick ic alternatives to the oppression, exploita - Mulcahy, Sheila Osmanovic, Marina Website: www.chartist.org.uk tion and injustices of capitalism and Prentoulis, Robbie Scott, Steve Carver Email: [email protected] class society (Website Editor), Mary Southcott and Twitter: @Chartist48 John Sunderland. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of Newsletter online: to join, email the EB Production: Ferdousur Rehman [email protected] Printer ad #308_01 cover 20/12/2020 22:48 Page 3 CONTENTS FEATURES CRONY COVID CONTRACTS Prem Sikka uncovers the millions awarded to 8 and wasted by Tory chums on PPE contracts LABOUR’S MISSED MOMENTS Corbyn represented a lost opportunity to 9 transform Labour says Nick Matthews ECONOMIC CRISIS Bryn Jones on the limitations of Sunak’s 10 magic money tree COVID-19 OPPORTUNITY Robin Hambleton finds a focus on locality 11 and care provide a new way Liz Truss and crony contracts – Page 8 Cover by Martin Rowson BIDEN-HARRIS OUST TRUMP Paul Garver on the triumphs and tests 12 facing the Democrat left CHARTIST WINDRUSH SCANDAL CONTINUES FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM Don Flynn on the plight of migrants in the Number 308 January/February 2021 14 hostile environment REGULARS CLIMATE COUNTDOWN Nigel Doggett on steps to avert ecological disaster OUR HISTORY 94 15 4 Crick and Blunkett’s Aims and Values COUNTRYSIDE THREATS ANOTHER EUROPE IS POSSIBLE Mark Cocker and Keith Savage look at the 4 Post-Brexit strategy 16 Brexit threat to our green and pleasant land EDITORIAL 5 Tory Britain isn’t working BIDEN AND UK Glyn Ford asks if the ‘special’ will survive in POINTS & CROSSINGS 18 UK-US relations 6 Paul Salveson on new northernism Challenge for US Democratic Socialists – Page 12 BELARUS IN REVOLT GREENWATCH 7 Dave Toke on heat pumps v blue Alan Flowers and Mikalaj Packajeu examine the hydrogen 19 protests and politics FILM REVIEW CAN LABOUR REFORM? 25 Patrick Mulcahy on Nomadland Ann Black reports from Labour’s NEC BOOK REVIEWS 20 26 Denis MacShane on Twilight of democracy; Don Flynn on Marxists on ELECTORAL REFORM ROADMAP fascism; Duncan Bowie on class and Sandy Martin sets out a plan for making World War One, Cromwell and votes matter Lilburne; Mike Davis on Black 21 Spartacus; Ben Francis on Dictatorship Syndrome; Glyn Ford on JBS Haldane LABOUR FOR A NEW DEMOCRACY Don Flynn on a new initiative to transform VIEW FROM WESTMINSTER 22 Britain’s broken state 32 Sam Tarry on radical federalism for UK Subscribe to CHARTIST : NEGOTIATING THE RAPIDS £18 ordinary subscription Andrew Coates looks for lessons in £35 supporter subscription Starmer’s early political milieu (6 issues) Belarus people v autocracy – Page 19 24 Visit www.chartist.org.uk/subscribe for details January/February 2021 CHARTIST 3 #308_01 cover 20/12/2020 22:48 Page 4 OUR HISTORY OUR HISTORY 94 David Blunkett and Bernard Crick: The Labour Party’s Aims and Values 1988 We wish by democratic means to transform slowly but surely our n 1985 the Labour Party National Executive Committee present economically and socially divided society into a truly commissioned a statement of ‘Principles and Beliefs’. The democratic community that treats all people as equal, women and working party appointed to draft the document apparently men, black and white. Such a society would maximise popular par- met only once and then lapsed. Blunkett and Crick however ticipation and would stimulate the altruism in people not only the believed that despite disputes over policy and strategy with - self-interest, aiming to reinforce the best in us all. Labour seeks Iin the party, there was nevertheless widely shared common not to do good to people by the state but to use the state to enable ground and that democratic socialism in Britain had a people to help themselves and those around them.” clear and distinctive doctrine. Their ‘unofficial’ state - “The Labour Party from its origins rejected revolu- ment was published as a pamphlet by Spokesman. tionary socialism. But Labour’s founders had ideals Blunkett had been elected to parliament in 1987, hav - which if applied through free and democratic process- ing for the previous seven years been leader of es, example and discussion, applied step by step, Sheffield Council. He was later to serve as Education patiently but with determination, would create a secretary, Home secretary and Work and Pensions sec - uniquely civilised society with a revolutionary retary between 1997 and 2005 and is currently a mem - change in social attitudes and values.” ber of the House of Lords. Crick was professor of politi - “To get workable and acceptable policies is the cal science at Birkbeck College, University of London, great task of any political party. But policies must be having previously taught at Sheffield University. He informed by values and a sense of direction not mere- published some thirty books including In Defence of ly by short-term practicality and expediency. Politics, originally published in 1962. He also wrote a Otherwise policy dwindles into mere pragmatism, Fabian pamphlet Socialist Values and Time, published always reacting to events, never trying to shape in 1984. Crick died in 2008. them. Policy must never mean staying in office for “The Labour Party is proud to be a democratic the sake of staying in office or trying to win elections simply by socialist party. It is egalitarian, that is it believes in the equal reading the momentary popularity of issues on opinion polls. worth of every human being; that we should treat each other Rather we should try to persuade honestly and by the example of always, whether friends or strangers, with equal consideration. working models on a local level of what we democratic socialists But Labour also aims to be libertarian, open-minded and tolerant. see to be a free, more just and ultimately attainable good society.” Another Europe is Possible Where do we go from here? The UK’s departure from the European Union, on terms set by the nationalist right, will mean an attack on the rights and prosperity of ordinary people, including future generations. The Tories’ Brexit agenda is not a policy but a project. It is anti-worker but not anti-state. It puts up new barriers to trade with Europe, but seeks deregulation and marketisation ‘at home’. This is pushing Britain towards a new, authoritarian, ‘crony capitalism’. As this becomes unpopular, the other aspects of the Tory agenda – the migrant bashing culture wars and ethnic nationalism – will become more and more important to sustain their political support. The bare bones deal being negotiated between Brussels and London protects very little in terms of rights and protections, and the economic fallout of Brexit will also be grave. There are three broad planks to our strategy: 1. A push to stop the worst aspects of the Brexit agenda Despite the shift in parliament, there are some aspects of the Tories’ agenda that we could seek to influence by running public campaigns aimed at pressuring MPs. We identify two such areas, and more may arise in the course of 2021: ● On Settled Status, we continue to fight for a ‘right to stay’ for EU migrants.