The LunchBox # 1
In the same week that Gordon Brown ditched his pretensions to socialism by glad-handing Lady Thatcher at 10 Downing Street, I became aware of the existence of a group called the Socialist Health Association.
According to their website, the SHA exists to: ‘promote health and well-being, social justice, and the eradication of inequalities, through the application of socialist principles to society and government.’
And to which end it: ‘is affiliated to the Labour Party, the only political organisation which is prepared to entertain this agenda, and which has any prospect of delivering it.’
The SHA is currently involved in an attempt to re-model Clause 4 of the Labour Party’s constitution, in order to stress the party’s (cough!) ‘democratic socialism’.
This, presumably, is the same ‘democratic’ party that holds a majority in the UK government, despite the fact that about two-thirds of the electorate did not vote for them.
And the same ’socialist’ party that takes donations from venture capitalists, participates in imperial wars of aggression, sells arms to dictatorial monarchies, pushes NHS privatisation, and is presiding over an ever-increasing gap between rich and poor.
The SHA would appear to be living in a fantasy land if they believe the UK Labour Party can be described as ‘democratic’ or ’socialist’.
Despite their worthy aims (and they are indeed worthy), the SHA – like the Trade Unions – is doing more harm than good to the cause it espouses by its continued affiliation with the morally bankrupt and increasingly Thatcherite Labour Party.
If the SHA placed any real value on its professed ’socialist principles’, it would have disassociated itself from the Labour Party a long time ago – like most socialists already have.
What price a principle?
Posted by freeluncher @ Talking Liberties
If you liked this story, you could buy us a coffee --------------------------------------------------------------------September 29th, 2007
