Why am I always beating up on Labour....?

I just got another email asking why I am always beating up on Labour. Well, here it is. Whatever the soundbites might be leading people to believe, the Labour manifesto was a hairs breadth from the Conservative's. In the weeks preceding the election, the IFS published the difference between what all parties promised in the election and what they would need to do to deliver those promises. The gap between what the Conservatives said, and what Labour said was pretty much the same. Labour would just have used a different phrase to 'Labour did it'.

The Browne Review- commissioned by Labour. The Big Society? Labours much vaunted expansion of Third Sector. Marketisation of services and privatisation? Same under Labour, different names. Welfare cuts? Labour are committed to achieving 20% cuts across departments by focusing on welfare. Same as the coalition. Housing benefit? Bar the extra ten percent, Labour's manifesto-identical to Conservative statements on housing benefit. ESA? LAbour. It goes on and on and on...with very little actual evidence of difference apart from speed and scale.

The problems we are facing are those of political consensus. Labour didn't become my best hope by virtue of not wearing blue ties.

In addition to not opposing the cuts, and pretending that they are- Labour are currently the biggest impediment to opposing them. Because Labour are now portrayed as the opposition, any criticism of their policies is a faux pas, and will result in Labour activists heckling you for pointing out the reality of situation. Labour sponsored blogs and activists are doing everything they can to marginalise those who actually oppose the cuts in a way that doesn't involve voting Labour and hoping for the best..

The tribalism being whipped up to hide the similarity in Labour and Coalition promises is more effective than I ever could have imagined in preventing real discussion about the situation we are in.

And when the coalition fall, Labour have no reason to do any different.

For those who believe I should lobby the party from within, and not be openly critical outside that- you cant lobby a party to change if you cant even discuss how much they need to change. For those who feel that Labour have some divine right to be treated as the most effective political vehicle for opposition to the cuts- that would actually require them doing so. And they are not.

I am of the opinion that the coalition are pushing through so much, so quickly because they know their time in Government will be short. In my mind, Labour pose a much longer term threat.

I am a Labour party member, they get my dues each month. But I have never seen blind faith to be that helpful in a democracy which now demands that people ask questions of their parties before it is too late to do so. My question to you would be: why are you so incensed by someone being critical of a democratic party and lobbying me instead of them?