If you rummage through this site’s archives in the sections on Respect, TUSC and sectarian stupidity, you’ll see that there was extensive coverage of the various approximations of attempts to create a left of Labour alternative. Now, sure as the turning of the Earth, a lot of those discussions are starting to become relevant again.  

These days standing for election as a Labour candidate is an implicit acknowledgement that your personal ambition trumps your views on the morality of supporting a genocide, allowing an estimated 4000 pensioners to die of cold (by your own party’s figures) and keeping schtum about Farage-lite rhetoric on immigration. So, it’s hardly surprising that more class-conscious voters are increasingly showing an enthusiasm for alternatives. 

Three council by elections on September 12^th  in London show that this trend, which became apparent in the general election, looks set to continue. 

In Bow East in Tower Hamlets Labour held the seat but the Greens’ vote shot up from 6% to 30%. 

In London Fields in Hackney Labour also held the seat but an independent socialist candidate won 31% of the vote. 

In Stoke Newington, also in Hackney, the Greens took the seat with 50% of the vote.  

Part of this process is also an upcoming series of meetings which look like a serious attempt to explore what is feasible. It’s interesting that none of them seem to involve egomaniacal Scottish Stalinists and his Praetorian Guard who gave an impression of believing that Beria was a misunderstood idealist.  

The first “What’s Left? Is this moment of national decline a political opportunity?” seems to be a serious attempt to set the political context and presumably begin the exploration of a programme. 

The second “What is to be Done? Organisational forms and the prospect of a new party.” offers a chance to learn from the mistakes of the Bolshevik tribute act horrors that were such a big part of the collapse of formations like the Socialist Alliance and Respect.  

While it would have been impossible to have built anything new from the shattered remnants of the Corbyn movement, the massive, sustained and global protests in support of the people of Palestine have energised a new political generation which can experience nothing but revulsion when it looks at Labour’s unflinching support for the eradication of a people.  

The interesting and unaddressed question is how any new broader organisation that may emerge will relate to the Green Party. On questions of economics, climate and internationalism they will be largely pitching similar messages to the same people, and my experience is that the Green Party has shown a reluctance to collaborate with other currents. Other than a perfunctory press release, it hasn’t even had much to say about the vicious jail sentences given to the Just Stop Oil protesters in recent weeks.  

Starmer seems hell-bent on giving people reasons not to vote Labour and it is starting to look like his plan is working. Farage has shown that he is able to capitalise on the ensuing demoralisation. These straws in the wind as winter sets in may just offer some hope that an internationalist new left can rise to the challenge.