When will Sunak call a General Election? He seems to be hanging on for as long as he can though God knows why, he’s just digging himself a deeper hole. Starmer isn’t trying very hard to WIN an election, he’s just waiting for Sunak to hand him the keys to No10.

I don’t think my vote will make any difference. I voted Green in the Selby by-election last year and Independent in the mayoral election and now have a Labour MP and Labour mayor. I think Keir Mathers is likely to retain his seat in what was previously considered a safe Conservative seat, unless Conservatives parachute in a high profile candidate and a higher turnout favours them. Here’s my analysis of the Selby By-election – The Results In Perspective https://thephilosophicalmuse.blog/2023/07/23/selby-by-election-the-results-in-perspective/

Keir Mathers, the youngest MP in parliament, appears to be an improvement on his nodding dog Tory predecessor. He answers emails personally rather than having an assistant use a template to do it for him, and he supports several of the causes that I campaign for. That doesn’t mean I’ll vote for him, he’s young and idealistic but I doubt if that will last long in Starmer’s ‘Labour Party’. Nothing will persuade me to vote for what has become a Zionist cult and, despite anything I can say in his favour, Young Keir has joined the cult

I think the Workers Party having a candidate in every constituency would be a mistaken strategy. If they get behind Andrew Feinstein Starmer could lose his seat, splitting the left vote ensures he’ll keep it! I’ve been reassured by Chris Williamson that they won’t be contesting seats in which Andrew Feinstein or Jeremy Corbyn are standing. Chris himself willing has been asked by local community members in South Derby to stand as their candidate instead of his former constituency of North Derby.

Claudia Webbe has been banned from standing as a Labour candidate in her current constituency so she’s standing as an independent, but the Workers Party are having talks with her and with other progressive independents. Emma Dent Coad is another ex-Labour MP who is standing as an independent in her former constituency.

It would be a pity if Labour were to win these seats because the left is divided, but the reassurance I’ve had from Chris means it’s less likely to happen. I know something about split votes. The only election campaign I was active in was in NSW, I was treasurer of our local branch and our candidate was secretary. We lost by the narrowest of my margins and we only needed to win that seat and another equally marginal constituency to have a Labor government in NSW.

Steve stood down as a candidate for the federal elections in favour of the independent candidate who very probably robbed us of victory (it’s PR there so he probably gave his 2nd preferences to Labor). I was furious! I actually thought of standing myself, I was better qualified as I’d been a member for over a year and hadn’t stood against a Labor candidate. But I answered myself with same question with which I’ve answered  a couple of comrades who’ve asked me if I considered standing: “What if I won?”

I’m not optimistic about the outcome of a General Election. Some socialists who have been expelled from the Labour Party, and certain union, will vote Labour in the mistaken belief that it’s better to “get the Tories out” and then hold Labour to account. The right time to hold Starmer’s feet to the fire is now!

It’s expected that, if Starmer retains his seat, he’ll win the election by default but with an insufficient majority to form a government. Worst case scenario is that he shows his true colours and goes into a coalition with Conservatives.

To prevent the duopoly becoming a monopoly we need to think and vote differently. Our individual votes don’t count for much under FPTP but the only way we’ll change that is to campaign for candidates who support Proportional Representation and do our utmost to get them elected!

I’m becoming known as an online activist by comrades who accept that limited mobility prevents me from participating in protest marches. I had planned on joining an FBU picket line but the dispute was settled without a strike. I’m trying to produce more original content (this blog is an example) but we all do what we can within our ability.

Getting back to where I started, politics is too important to be left to politicians. That’s why we need a grassroots movement such as we’re building here. Critics might say it’s all talk and we’re not actually doing anything, but every movement has to start with likeminded individuals talking about how things might be, not how they are. Those of us who are unable to be physically active can still inspire a younger generation. Even my non-political posts help by uplifting the spirits of comrades who are feeling dejected – and we all need a bit of that.