All I Want For Christmas Is An Opposition That Speaks For Me

 

I want an opposition that vociferously opposes Tory austerity, one that boldly exposes it for the failed political choice that it is. Austerity didn’t save a penny, and it has cost hundreds of thousands of precious irreplaceable lives. 

I want an opposition that will stand up to the dogmatic ideologues that have systematically destroyed the social fabric of this country, not stand next to them in silent acquiescence. This isn’t optional.

I want an opposition that unashamedly gives every minuscule drop of solidarity that they can muster up to the low-paid working classes that haven’t seen a proper pay rise for twice as long as Keir Starmer has been an MP. 

I want an opposition that doesn’t possess the words “difficult decisions” in its political vocabulary. The nurses pay rise would cost around 1/20th of what the British people coughed up for the ludicrously useless Serco test and trace system, and nearly £5 billion less than Sunak’s bank tax giveaways. 

I want an opposition that helps the people most in need by committing to absolutely obliterate the system that put so many of you, your family, and your friends in need in the first place, not an opposition that promises to prolong the shelf-life of a rotten and corrupt establishment. 

I want an opposition that sees the immoral profiteering of the huge corporations - at your expense - and unequivocally demands that record profits should see better wages for the workers, not obscene payouts for Chief Executives. 

I want an opposition that is bold enough to commit to putting basic resources like energy, water, rail, and mail back where they belong: in public hands. Half-measures change nothing. Give the people power over what resources they use.

I want an opposition that comes to power not because they are the apparent lesser of two evils but because they have put forward a set of ambitious proposals that promise to close the wealth gap, build social housing, return public health to public ownership, and for the love of god, tax the fucking rich to pay for it.

I want an opposition that doesn’t need the money of access and influence-seeking multi-millionaires that will undoubtedly expect a return on their investments. This confused opposition takes money from former Conservative donors, they’re not picky when it comes to selling the soul of the Labour Party to the highest bidder.

I want an opposition that is guided by inflexible principles. Not someone else’s principles, but a true embodiment of real Labour values. I want to vote for a party not for what it should be, but for what it is. I don’t want anything to do with a party that’s championed by Farage and Clarkson.

I want an opposition that truly believes in democratic socialism, not this wishy-washy centrist social democracy nonsense. Read the back of a Labour membership card and give me an example of the democratic socialism that Keir Starmer has to offer. I’ll wait. 

I want an opposition that is hellbent on evicting the Conservatives from government so they’re no longer an opposition party, not an opposition that spends more time punching inwards in an attempt to evict the left from the Labour Party. 

I want an opposition that is committed to growth through investment - one that has a credible plan to end the cost of living crisis - inaction is not an option. Labour created social security, but what are they offering to the poorest and most vulnerable, right now, that would make you any more secure than what you have been for the last 12 years? Not a sausage. 

I want an opposition that fearlessly stands up for human rights, not just in Tory Britain but across the world. The oppressive apartheid state of Israel continues to murder Palestinian children. The Labour Party has a historic duty to call out the brutal Israeli regime, but this appalling Labour Party leader denies the existence of apartheid. Human rights lawyer you say? And what about Julian Assange? Where are you, Keir Starmer?

I want an opposition that stands up to the powerful elite, an opposition that isn’t afraid of tearing up the mainstream media narrative and setting out an inspirational vision for the people of this country. Murdoch’s useful idiot, Starmer, writes for the S*n. This opposition are gatekeepers of the establishment and they’re as much of a threat to the status quo as a sheet of freshly-ironed Christmas wrapping paper.  

I want an opposition that doesn’t desperately compete for Tory votes when they have a big poll lead. The time to set out a progressive and ambitious vision is NOW, with real Labour policies, not a slightly-less-Tory way of doing things. 

I want an opposition that doesn’t leave millions of people politically homeless. The biggest winner in most elections is apathy, and unless you have something worth saying it will be the biggest winner in 2024. The number of non-voters in 2019 was greater than the sitting MP's majority in 551 out of 650 constituencies: that's more than 80%. 

I want an opposition with a bonafide backbone, and an opposition that doesn’t insist you are enabling the Tories if you refuse to support them. If they or anyone else wants to talk about ushering in Tory governments I’m here all day. I saw the sabotage close-up for 4 years.

You see, I don’t think my wish list is calling for anything particularly radical, do you? 

If you really think this is all “hard-left” lunacy I’m afraid that goes to show just how far to the right the Overton window has shifted in the last couple of years. 

Capitalism doesn’t work. Indeed, if I had a quid for every time capitalism worked I wouldn’t have a penny to my name, and coincidentally, if it did work, I’d still not have a penny to my name. 

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2023. 

Until next time, 

Rachael

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts, if you want to chip in towards improving my ongoing campaign, and it would cause you *no hardship*, you can do so here: