Progressives Should Unite Behind Labour to Defeat Fascists

THE recent European and local elections brought the usual mix of excitement, with jubilation in some quarters and dejection in others.

As a Labour councillor, my overall feeling was inevitably one of disappointment, although the European results in Derby itself were actually more encouraging.

Aside from the Tory strongholds of Allestree and Spondon, Labour bucked the national trend topping the poll in other parts of the city.

But whichever way you voted, whatever allegiance you have, there was something unpleasant lurking for everyone to worry about that night.

And the cause for alarm was the BNP.

This far right party secured two European seats, in the North West and Yorkshire and Humberside regions.

The two individuals who were elected that night are part of a movement that says people with minority ethnic backgrounds can never be considered to be British.

As someone who feels passionately about politics at every level, this ideology makes me feel almost physically sick.

Thankfully the BNP were kept at bay in the Derbyshire County Council elections, but the number of votes they garnered in defeat is still cause for concern.

I am really worried that the fragmentation and proliferation of political parties does not secure the outcomes that people desire.

It’s surely no coincidence that Labour’s demise nationally has coincided with the increase in votes for minor parties with very similar agendas.

That’s fair enough, but ultimately it is the segregation of votes that creates openings which parties like the BNP can exploit.

There’s no doubt that there’s a growing tendency for people to vote for minority parties.

Not just extremists like the BNP, but also perfectly respectable alternatives such as the Green Party.

Of course, people have every right to vote whichever way they please, but I can’t help feeling that the mainstream parties still provide a better alternative.

For example, when Labour controlled Derby City Council we put environmental issues at the top of our agenda with plans to cut carbon emissions, generate clean energy and build eco friendly housing.

So could Labour have been a viable alternative for people who voted Green?

The answer is almost certainly yes, but there is an insane irony in that a vote for a minority party can ultimately help a party with entirely opposing policies to win instead.

That’s why I would like to see what I would describe as a “coalition of progressives” coming together in Derby to achive radical reforms in our city.

I’ve voted Labour all my life and it goes without saying that I should declare an interest at this point.

But the reality is to bring about change you need to achieve political power. If we can persuade a “coalition of Derby’s progressives” to rally behind Labour’s banner we can make the radical changes they want to see that will take our city forward..

Electoral systems in some countries work in stages, with the party achieving the lowest tally dropping out at each stage and the votes being redistributed to second, third and sometimes fourth choice alternatives.

The system gradually removes those parties that stand no chance of winning to ensure that nobody’s vote is wasted – or ineffective.

Perhaps if we had that system, the results at the recent local elections might have been quite different.

Gordon Brown’s announcement that the government intends to look at democratic reform is therefore particularly timely.

But until such a change is made, it is our responsibility as politicians to do all we can to ensure people know exactly what we stand for.

And it is every person’s responsibility to make sure their vote counts.