Saturday 18 April 2015

But In Its Soul

Rod Liddle writes:

Missing from my column this week, for reasons of space etc, was this simple point: I am a Socialist. I am not a liberal. Liberalism, or what it has become, makes me heave; I loathe it.

More often than not, liberalism is economic self-interest cloaked in faux concern. I do not mean the economic liberalism of Margaret Thatcher (although I’m not keen on that either. Her foreign policies, yes. Her domestic agenda, no.)

I mean the totalitarian political correctness and acquired victimhood of the London pretend-left. Yes, that idiotic Thornberry woman and Harman and maybe Ed Miliband included. But that doesn’t quite negate Labour as a party for me.

I think societies work better when there is a greater degree of equality (and yes, the last Labour government did not offer much redress on that point).

I think we are happier as a country and a people when there is a communitarian spirit and ethos – which is one of the reasons I loathe the creed of multiculturalism.

Shared values and a shared pride in our heritage. A respect for work and for the financial benefits that hard work brings. A belief in virtue for virtue’s sake.

I accept all the stuff you might throw at me which suggests that the current Labour Party is a long way from that mindset. I have a lot of sympathy for those who intend to vote Ukip – I’m not far from that position myself – and even for those who vote Tory in order to stop Miliband – who I believe is inept and in a sense the epitome of what I dislike about the modern Labour Party – getting in.

But in its soul, I think the Labour Party is closer to what I want for my country than any of the other parties. I’m not sure I’m right about that. It’s just a hunch.

For a more detailed run down of roughly where I stand, if you give a monkey’s, please check out this book on Blue Labour.

Meanwhile, I apologise to those who I might have offended by stating my voting intentions.

And if you believe that last line.

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