This year's Labour Party Conference was an unashamed exercise in image-building. The whole affair was stage-managed by professionals from the world of advertising to project the Labour leaders as fit to govern.
We must admit to being convinced by the show. Yes, the present Labour leaders are quite fitted for running the affairs of British capitalism. They have convinced us that they will not waste government money on increasing pensions and other benefits and that they will restrain the unions and stamp on excessive wage demands. They have convinced us that they will maintain the armed forces at a sufficient level to further the overseas business and commercial interests of British capitalism — and that they will be prepared to go to war in the Gulf in pursuit of these interests. The City and Big Business need have no worries on these scores.
We only wonder whether the image-builders may not have gone a little too far. Most people, we suspect, will have gained the impression that the Labour leaders were ready to sacrifice everything — principles, policies, traditions, even their own dignity and self-respect — just to get their hands on the reins of office.
We wonder too why the delegates bothered to turn up. They must like being film extras. They certainly didn't go to Blackpool to make policy. That had already been decided by the leaders of the party in Parliament in the light of what market research had suggested would attract the floating voters.
The leaders stated in advance that they were not going to take the slightest notice of what the delegates might decide. And so it was. When the delegates voted to spend an extra £6 billion on pensions, the leaders explained that a future Labour government could not possibly be committed to such extravagance. When the delegates voted to cut military spending by the same amount, the leaders explained that a Labour government could not possibly be so irresponsible. There was a time — a long while ago now, it is true — when the Labour Party would have promised to cut military spending to increase pensions. Of course when they were elected they never did. But now they openly declare, even before they get into office, that they will put maintaining the military might of British capitalism before the needs of pensioners on the poverty line.
We don't want to exaggerate. It wasn't some great sea change that took place at this year's Labour Conference. The Labour Party has always supported capitalism. It always was the parliamentary leaders not the Conference who determined party policy. When in office Labour always has done what has been necessary to further the interests of British capitalism, not hesitating to break strikes, impose wage freezes, cut benefits and equip the armed forces with the most destructive weapons of war available. Nothing has changed in these respects.
What has changed is the image the Labour leaders want to convey. They now no longer wish to be seen as a party committed, however vaguely, to transforming society in the interest of workers. Instead they wish to be seen as prudent and efficient managers of capitalism.
"Don’t dream of what may be", Kinnock told the delegates, "Work for what can be." In other words, don't think of achieving some new system of society even by gradual means. Accept society as it is — a profit-governed market economy where a tiny handful own and control the means of production as their private property — and work within it, according to its criteria of what can be.
At least this clears the air. All workers, and not just socialists, now know exactly what to expect from the Labour Party.
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