Would the Labour party have a wider appeal if it was not linked with the unions?

[modeller]

The Labour was founded by the Unions but has the time come for them to be truly independent. Many people possibly the majority are not strongly left or right and they don't have a party who represents them.

[Gromit]

I realise the point of your post was just an opportunity for Union bashing. Just because you present the hoop does not mean I have to jump through it.
If you do not want to be reminded of how different political are funded, then it is not wise to post on the subject.

[Gromit]

// Try to examine what could be done to make Labour more acceptable to the majority. //

At the risk of repeating myself, Blair sidelined the Unions, took Labour rightwards and made them soft Tories and won 3 elections in 10 years. I don't think many people would be happy to repeat that again though.

[emmie]

possibly however how would they get funding, as the Unions have given millions to the party, so they would have to find other sources of revenue. I would never vote for them no matter the money.

[modeller]

Kromovaracun. You are right when reading their manifestoes or when you hear their speeches they all sound very reasonable. They are designed to appeal to the middle ground. You get a better picture when listening to their conference speakers and the way they interact with organisations.

#I really don't think Labour could be described as particularly left-wing. #

I suppose it depends on how you describe left wing, but Labour does have a core of hard left wingers especially from the union reps. I've listened to them at the Labour and Union conferences and they are communists in all but name. I know some of Socialist Worker members who are also in the Labour Party. I know they are in the minority but they are bound to influence policy.

[AB Editor]

"Many people possibly the majority are not strongly left or right and they don't have a party who represents them."

&

"It seems to me that all of the main political parties are primarily concerned with occupying (or appearing to occupy) the 'centre ground.'"

I think Modeller makes a fair point Krom. For example:

I could happily vote Conservative, or would have, if they didn't seem quite so fixated on taking the NHS apart and didn't appoint an anti-abortion/pro-homoeopathy nutter to be health minister.

I would happily vote Lib-Dem if their taxation policy didn't reflect, as far as I'm concerned, a terrible encouragement not to save for the next generation.

I probably couldn't vote Labour to be honest, but if I did find some of their policy appealing I would still feel put-off by their connection with the unions. I mean, would my vote really count? Or would they be back in the pocket of the unions as soon as they'd courted my favour?

I do understand that democracy is the process of choosing the lesser evil - but it is a shame that there is nothing that slots into my (fairly centrist) world view snugly.

[LazyGun]

There are political narratives that will not go away. As Labour is perceived as being in thrall to the Unions, the Tories are seen as the party of inherited wealth, of privilege, of bankers etc.

Lib Dems are usually just regarded as being pretty much an afterthought :)Well meaning, kind of meandering from right to left as they cruise down the highway.

Whilst the large donations are mostly responsible for party funding, these narratives will not go away.The only real alternative would be state funding, not a particularly pleasant prospect..

[emmie]

they would all go bankrupt.

[dave50]

Maybe it was ok in the 70's and 80's for the Labour party to be linked to the unions because in those days the unions represented a cross section of the working population. Now they only seem to represent the public sector which is paid for by the rest of us. So they are not truly representative of the whole of the UK workforce.

[modeller]

It certainly doesn't help the party when the belligerent union bosses come on to TV with their latest threat to disrupt the NHS put lives in danger , and make life difficult for the travelling public especially at holiday times.

[Kromovaracun]

Modeller/Ab Editor: [I won't quote extensively as there's no need]

Yes, those are all good points. I guess I'm basing my opinion of the parties more on their (highly stage-managed) public image rather than how grassroots members actually behave or think. You're both right - it wasn't long ago that the parties openly represented strongly differing viewpoints, and those people won't have gone anywhere.

Plus, on reflection, I shamefully made the rookie error of assuming that manifestoes are a reliable indication of what a party's values or intentions are. :P