Brutality of thirst for political power

The complaints of opportunism are meaningless made by those fearing the outcome only.

Any Prime Minister facing the least credible and divided opposition in my memory and the challenges that are coming in Brexit negotiations, would seek their own enhanced mandate. Labour have been previously arguing that Mrs May has no mandate well now they will have their chance to deny her one.

High minded rhetoric and ideological commitments are irrelevant to this game, it’s all about power. The problem for our democracy is it is far too one sided. The Labour Party is in danger of political oblivion not something that worries or upsets me personally, but nonetheless democracy is not best served by an absence of choice.

The Labour Party has lost the ability to speak to its traditional core support. The decision to continually portray Britain as a Dickensian hell is not cutting through and the mess the party made over Brexit policy has wounded its credibility. The continuing disunity and attempts to replace the leader have also taken their inevitable toll. It is not feasible to approach this election from a Labour standpoint with anything but deep foreboding.

They have put themselves there and now must live with it. Labour will try to run the election on domestic issues ignoring the elephant of Brexit, it will not wash and I suspect many know it. Look out for Labour candidates making the argument that people should vote on local issues and personalities ignoring the national party, a sign of sheer desperation as the ship sinks beneath the waterline.

The one bright note for Labour is they will have the opportunity post carnage to heed the messages of the electorate. They have not removed Corbyn or got behind him and his agenda in choosing neither clear option Labour is dead for now and probably, at least one further General Election. For me Labour can’t win from the left but if is going to try then it has to be united behind the program.

For now they are caught in the ruthless game of politics having done neither. Mrs May has called them out purely and simply because she knows she will beat them and do so heavily. It’s not the high minded rhetoric of mandate that matters it’s the brutality of the thirst for political power. The Tories have survived 300 years plus in this game perhaps others may wish to look at why?

Martin Bristow, Wolverhampton