"The Labour Party […] is a centralised, bureaucratic organisation that plays a key role in UK democracy whether or not the Labour Party is in government. The right [of the party] never truly ceded control over the Labour Party machine, even when Corbyn was in power. As observers from across the political spectrum have documented, key players on the Labour right worked behind the scenes to undermine him throughout his tenure."
Burnham "has flip-flopped enough times for the Labour machine’s apparatchiks to accept he is no threat to their project.
"Perhaps more importantly, Burnham lacks a coherent base that might hold him to account were he to tack to the right once in office. He doesn’t have strong links with the unions or any social movements. He is relatively popular among the Labour membership, but the Party has been so centralised under Starmer that members now play a much-diminished role – and Burnham is unlikely to change this.
"In short, as with Starmer, there will be no one to challenge him if he reneges on commitments. Equally, there will be no one to defend him if the Labour machine turns on him.
"The challenge Burnham faces is unresolvable within the current political settlement. For as long as Labour exists as a cartel, divorced from a mass base, it will remain a playground for lobbyists and consultants. These interests will fight tirelessly for their preferred policies – policies that directly contradict the interests of the majority of people in the UK. And any leader who attempts to democratise the Labour Party and take on these vested interests will be eliminated by the Labour machine.
"The only way to square this circle is to build power outside the Labour Party".
Grace Blakeley:
https://graceblakeley.substack.com/p/the-labour-machine-always-wins
#triangulation #cooperation #cartel #lobbying #promotion #parties #acceptance #ThirdWay #TonyBlair #Starmer #Burnham #UKPol #UKPolitics #LabourParty
