Brian Leishman MP: Labour must return to core values to battle rise of far-right

Yet my calls fell on deaf ears as the Labour Government continues to alienate its supporters.

It is not just about the refinery, but also the winter fuel payment and the proposed cuts to welfare. These decisions are not the values of the Labour Party.

Following the by-election results in England, there can be no denying that the government has wasted during its first 10 months the momentum the movement enjoyed in the wake of the General Election.

This is the most important point in Labour Party history – a watershed moment leadership must take note of.

We have to return to the core principles the party members hold so dear, to create a fairer, more equal country and build a society that is caring and compassionate.

The far-right is on the rise because electors are still craving change – change which we promised when we asked people to place their trust in us, and change which we must deliver.

It means we, as the powers that be at Westminster, must change ourselves and return to our true values of equality, social justice and fairness in a bid to save the country and the party itself.

If we do not, then the Labour Party as we know it – or as we want it to be – could be lost forever. And so could the country.

People do not yet necessarily realise, but if we end up with a far-right Reform government then we are heading for inequality like we have never seen before.

It will see the erosion of services, even more so than under the current circumstances.

It will see the NHS changed forever and a small, super wealthy elite enjoying the fruits of everyone else’s hard work. It will see millions scrapping just to get by.

And, I fear, it would see millions die because of what they would do in power.

The sad thing is, we are rolling out the red carpet for Nigel Farage and his crowd with what we are currently doing.

It all started with the party wrongly removing of the winter fuel payment and continued with the betrayal of WASPI women.

Now, a vote on cutting support for some of the most vulnerable people is looming – just the thought makes my stomach churn, and it has already put many people under undue stress up and down the country.

Look at all that, the closure of Grangemouth, rising energy prices and the cost of living crisis still raging on. It is little wonder that people are turning away from mainstream politics.

We as a government will be, and are already being, judged on whether we can improve people’s living standards.

However, there is still an opportunity to turn the corner by listening to grassroots membership.

Otherwise, Labour can expect nothing good from the Scottish elections next year, never mind the next General Election.

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