British Labour party still plagued by Blairism

This video says about itself:

Aug 18, 2010

Bob Crow, head of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers speaks on his union’s experience with globalization and privatization in the UK.

By Luke James in Britain:

Working-class representation ‘in crisis’

Tuesday 25 June 2013

A councillor expelled from the Labour Party for opposing cuts warned today that Britain faces a “crisis of working-class representation.”

Keith Morrell told delegates at the Brighton conference of rail union RMT that he had been booted out of Labour after 30 years in the party.

He was elected along with councillor Don Thomas to represent a working-class ward in Southampton at the last elections and helped Labour take control of the council.

But he explained that local Labour leaders have cut £20 million from the city’s budget, closing all youth services, slashing Sure Start funding by £1m and carrying out a jobs cull.

He said: “We spoke out publicly against the cuts and the same day I received an email from Labour saying I was expelled.

“It was a dark place to be in after 30 years in Labour but we had support from unions, particularly the RMT. That gave us the strength to keep fighting for local services and jobs.

“We quickly found out that people across the city also supported us and were eager to have representatives who stand on principles.”

Mr Morrell is just one of a dozen Labour councillors suspended or expelled for refusing to comply with cuts.

He added: “We never expected to be in a position to talk about a crisis in working-class representation in Britain.

“But we have to fill the vacuum because the Labour Party can no longer do that.

“It won’t happen overnight but it can be done.”

Scotland’s Labour left called on the party’s leadership in Westminster today to stop meddling in local party affairs following interference in the Falkirk by-election selection process: here.

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