The Left-Wing James Purnell... Just So Nu Labour

James Purnell seems to be having something of a meltdown. Having quit the Cabinet, he is now trying to lurch to the left like Tony Benn in the 1970's. He's written an article on LabourList detailing his beliefs and explaining what he believes. The problem is that article not only fails to make the case for left-wing beliefs, but it ends up not only revealing just how right-wing Purnell is and and therefore how opportunistic his "conversion" to the left is. 

I'm not going to fisk the whole thing; instead, let's take a look at some of the "highlights" of the piece. 

Purnell on Labour Success

Britain is a fundamentally better place than it was in 1997 and Labour has lots to be proud of over the last 12 years.

Yeah. Like rapidly diminishing civil liberties. Like a ruined economy, and near bankrupt government. Or how about the War in Afghanistan, where troops are dying because the government won’t give them decent equipment? And what about the political class – corpulent, corrupt and odious? Yes, yes there’s lots to be proud of, Purnell. You twat. 

But even if you are proud of the shitty and shameful legacy of the first 12 years of Nu Labour rule, why the hell did you resign from the Cabinet? Yeah, I know that Purnell had issues with Brown, but if you are going to credit Nu Labour with anything other than failure then you have to give Brown some of the glory. So if Labour has so much to be proud of, why did Purnell resign from the Cabinet and nearly sink the premiership of someone who has been at the heart of the Nu Labour project for so long?

Purnell names his contributors

You can read the views of a number of high profile left wing figures, including Jon Cruddas, Billy Bragg, Polly Toynbee and Peter Hyman

Why on earth would you want to announce a lurch to the left using those faux class warriors and champagne socialists? I mean, Polly Toynbee? Polly fucking Toynbee? Someone who has jumped on the bandwagon of every half-baked Social Democratic leader since David Owen? The fangirl of Gordon Brown and David Miliband? You want her to help to launch your lurch to the left? Good God, man. You're fucked from the start. 

Purnell on the first distinction between right and left

First, the Right tolerates inequalities that the Left hates. I’m on the Left because I worry about inequalities of capability - some people have it very easy in our society, others far too hard. The goal of policy should be to correct these inequalities in power. This is partly but not only about redistribution of income.

Ahhh, and there we have it. Good, old-fashioned socialism. Redistribution of income. Equality of outcome (which is what “inequalities of capability” actually seems to mean). Exactly the sort of views that strangle society, and create equality through dragging everyone down with punitive taxation and a culture of dependence on the government. The Right doesn’t "tolerate inequality" – rather, it sees it as part of a free society.

Purnell on the second distinction between right and left

Second, I believe that governments succeed more often than they fail. People on the Right are more sceptical of government’s effectiveness. The Right also worry that more government crowds out society, whereas we think that government helps communities be more active and individuals more powerful.

Government – when it is being interventionist and trying to graft concepts of community and equality on to the people – seizes power from the citizens. It suffocates community and emasculates individuals. Government has to be minimal, in order to maximize freedom. It is only then that they are truly effective.

Purnell on the third distinction between right and left

Third, I’m utopian. People on the Left tend to have a vision of what society could be like, and believe it’s the role of democracy to try to make that a reality. People on the Right are more likely to value the status quo, believing it represents the tested wisdom of previous generations.

Well, the point of democracy if to reflect the views of the citizens in that democracy. So, democracy can only make that blueprint a reality if the voters want it. And I hate to point this out, but they have consistently rejected socialism since 1979.

And if people on the Right do reject utopias, it may not be for the classically conservative reasons detailed by Purnell. It could be that some people just don’t think it is possible to build a utopian society. And such people can point to the Soviet Union and the attempts to build an agrarian utopia in Cambodia under the Khymer Rouge as proof of just how badly utopia building can go.

Purnell on education 1

So, I would be in favour of having profit-making companies running state schools – as long as it increased equality of capability

Amazing. Actually amazing. Purnell's pitch for a lurch to the left includes a policy that would be to the right of the incumbent Tory leadership. The effective privatisation of the schools? That is the start of your lurch to the left, James Purnell? Jesus Christ, you'll be lucky if you don't end with genuine left-wingers burning you in effigy over that gem. 

Purnell in education 2

What makes me most angry about Britain today is that some children’s chances in life are restricted by their circumstances of birth. That’s why I would say the change that would do most to transform our society for the better would be ending child poverty and every child being well taught.

What makes me most angry about Labour today is when they belly-ache about the problems of this country despite the fact that they have had 12 fucking years to sort those fucking problems out! Honest to God, if you haven’t sorted those problems by now then the chances are you never fucking will.

Purnell on his inspirations

When I consider the future of the British Left I think we should take inspiration from the Swedish social democrats. They combined pragmatism and idealism over a long period to shift the political reality in their country, entrenching social democracy as both morally right and electorally irreversible.

I worry about some of those phrases. How can you make something "morally right" other than to subvert existing morals? It sounds a lot like trying to control the moral codes of private citizens. Which is a lot like trying to control their thoughts. And “electorally irreversible”? That isn’t democratic. It may be that people reject policies that have gone before. By making something “electorally irreversible”, you take away their democratic right to reject something that has gone before. Which leads me to conclude that when Purnell calls earlier in the article for “effective democracy” what he actually means a limited democracy that rubber stamps what he deems to be right...

Anyhow, Purnell's bid to be the leader of the new left is undermined by a few key points:

1. He doesn't understand what it means to be left-wing. All he can do is spout a few easy to refute platitudes.
2. He is actually far too right-wing for his own party, let alone the left of it. Privatising schools? Jesus. Even the Tories at the height of their privatisation lust stopped short of that!
3. There is nothing other than naked opportunism in his lurch to the left. He thinks that if Labour moves to the left, then it will be more popular. And he thinks that if he positions himself on the left, then he'll set himself out as a future leader for his party. There is no genuine belief in his article, mere naked lust for power. It is the pathetic political positioning of someone who regrets leaving Cabinet. 

The irony is that Purnell would have more luck in becoming an influential politician if he lurched to the right rather than the left. His article - a desperate attempt to suck up to left of his party - is going to convince precisely no-one. He would do better being honest and pushing himself to the right of Gordon Brown. Or swallowing his pride, and crossing the floor of the Commons and joining the Tories. 

Regardless of what you think about Purnell's views, he's the consummate Nu Labour politician. He will literally say anything to win power, and his bitter cynicism means that political beliefs are just a stepping stone for his own personal gain.