Are you sick of being asked to donate to the Labour Party? Not only can most of us not afford the extras, but the "policies" don't reflect what the members want.
Here is a local activist's response.
I will donate when Ed Milliband promises to : (a) bring gas, electricity, water and the transport network back into public ownership – sod greedy, profit orientated share-holders. (b) Supports all the Public Sector and guarantees a return to school milk provision for school-children. (c) Fights to protect and reinforce the NHS, and returns schools to the Local Authorities and places restraints on the influence the CBI have on public bodies. (d) Abolishes the Police Federation and places the Police Force into a “Union” to defend the “Nation” not to support the “Establishment.” (e) Stands head-and- shoulders with the Trades Union Movement against profit-hungry privateers and Capitalist interests, and limits American ‘influence’in the British economy.
I want him to approve Full membership of the EU, that will ‘jack-up’ British pensions to a proper European Level/standard, - something Cameron has failed to tell the gullible public – and defend the NHS, giving it proper and sustainable funding so it can deliver. I want Labour to move 165’ to the Left in British politics, not remain in theCentre-Right.
It is no good “tinkering” with the Energy Companies. Re-nationalise them and the transport (rail) network and start investing in people not profit. He, (Milliband) must stop vacillating and be more firm and definitive in expressing what an in-coming Labour Government would do to rectify all the errors the Tories have committed since Thatcher’s time.
I do not want to see a Labour /Lib/Dem Coalition. I want to see a real, effectiveSocialist orientated Labour Party in control of Britain that puts people before profit. Only if I have these pre-requisites guaranteed , am I prepared to donate anything. I do not want a quasi-Tory Government replacing this set of wallies that have been in power for the last four years. When Labour shows me and demonstrates that it is a Socialist Party with Socialist Principles dating back to Keir Hardie and the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the movement (in Scotland, I hasten to add!) am I prepared to donate any monies to an “ uncommitted party”. Labour politicians MUST become “Conviction” politicians,NOT career politicians. Labour must look back to its roots, only then will they gain unequivocal support from the people. Under Blair they have grown too close to Conservatism and Tory ideals. They must uncouple this dangerous trend and re-locate with the Working/Under-classes, the jobless, the young unemployed and “Joe Bloggs”. Tony Blair ‘ain’t gorra clue’. He came from a Tory party family, became a career politician, and in the process – with Tory support, I have no doubt – set about undermining and destroying the labour Party. “New” Labour was the biggest con-trick of all time.
I want to see a re-born Socialist Labour Party that will tax the rich the most and the poor the least; set about preventing tax-havens for the rich abroad. Repeal the Health & Social Care Bill. Guillotine Iain Duncan Smith, or send him to a penal colony, - if there are any left – and make certain all the Public Services are never threatened with the private sector ever again and tell the Americans to “get their thieving hands off our Public Sector.” Restrain the CBI and limit the activities of the Corporate Giants. This can be done by taxing the rich the most, clamping down on tax-havens abroad and taxing the rich the most on a sliding-scale. We can do it. “Where there’s a Will, there’s a Way.”
However the Labour Party – whilst I am a committed member – must demonstrate that they have (a) The Will and (b) The Commitment to re-create a Socialist Britain,whose goal is to serve and provide for ALL the nation, not just the rich, privileged few.