Brown's government for the rich

Build a new workers' party

Demonstration against cuts in the NHS, 1 November 2006, photo Paul Mattsson

'TORY' BLAIR has gone at last. Good riddance! Unfortunately we are left with his legacy of cuts, privatisation, war and terrorism. Will Gordon Brown be different? He certainly wants us to think so. He used the word 'change' eight times in his Downing Street speech.

Alistair Tice

But as the 'iron chancellor', Brown supported all Blair's policies for ten years. And 'prudent' Gordon was himself the architect of the Private Finance Initiative, 100,000 civil service job cuts, the public sector pay freeze and attacks on pensions.

He has invited Lib-Dems to join or advise his government, including Shirley Williams, one of the 'Gang of Four' who led a right-wing split from the Labour Party in 1981 to set up the Social Democratic Party. Tory MP Quentin Davies has crossed the floor saying "I've not changed my policies over the last 20 years". Exactly, he hasn't, but the Labour Party has. It is a Tory Party mark two, a party for big business and the millionaires.

In fact, Brown has invited them into his government as well, like Digby Jones, former head of the bosses' CBI, who has been made a trade minister in the House of Lords. By your friends you will be known. Private equity boss Damon Buffini, Tesco boss Terry Leahy and Alan Sugar of "You're Fired" fame, have all been hired as business advisers. No wonder the right-wing Daily Mail thinks Brown "could become a truly great PM". For some.

Brown says his government will include all the talents. More like fat-cats, Colonel Blimps and past traitors! A government of national unity? How can you have national unity when there has never been such a great divide between rich and poor? Bosses like Adam Crozier of Royal Mail get Łmillions every year that would take postal workers a lifetime to earn.

Britain's richest 1,000 people have quadrupled their wealth under New Labour. Billionaires pay less tax than their cleaners. This Babylonian excess of wealth drips off the rich whilst 7.4 million people live in absolute poverty and child poverty increased by 100,000 last year. There are more unemployed 16-18 year olds than before the New Deal scheme and more domestic workers than there were servants in the 19th century.

None of the main political parties challenge this, because they all support the capitalist profit system. Brown has appointed a bosses' government. What more proof do the trade union leaders want? They must stop giving their members' money to New Labour who kick us in the teeth. They should support the launch of a new workers' party to represent the millions, the majority in society, those who do the work that creates the wealth that is stolen from us.

Such a party would oppose cuts, privatisation and war, support workers in struggle and counter the racist BNP. And it could re-popularise democratic socialism as the only viable alternative to the madness of the capitalist market.

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In The Socialist 5 July 2007:

Brown's government for the rich