THE FORMATION of the Labour Party after a struggle in the unions to end support for the Liberal Party was a significant step forward for the British workers moveHowever, unlike uther social democratic parties in Europe, the Labour Party was never a socialist party. The break with the Liberal Party was primarily an organisational one, rather th in political and ideological.
This gives the British Labour Party some characteristics all of its own.
It has a mass base among the organ. ised working class, expressed in the union link. But it has always been committed to the maintenance of the capiLabour governments, even the most radical ones, have all worked on the basis of defending capitalism. They have delivered important reforms to the working class, but their prime allelance has been to the continuance of private property relations and, therefore, the exploitation of la. DOUT Because the existence of a class-based party represents a gain over those countries like the U.S.A. where there is only a choice between different bourgeois parties, it Is imgortant to defend the Labour Party-ana in particular the union link-from attack from the bosses, the Tory government and those inside the party who are trying to pull it further rightwards. We have never believed that the Labour Party can be transformed into The millions of workers who support Labour will not be convinced by us simply planting a flag for revolution and denouncing all around lead the fisht for socialism-a revolutionary socialist party. The way it is organised, the almost exclusive emphasis on elections, the weight of the bureaucratic leadership which has different interests to the working class as a whole, and its accepcance of capitalist ideology, all mitigate against this.
The Labour Party must be superseded by a party committed to the throw of capitalism. replace it is only half the story. Doing it is anoter matter. The sort of party we need cannot be brought about by simply by declaring ourselves as the The millions of workers who sup port the Labour Party will not be convinced by us simply planting, a flag for as sell-outs.
By fighting alongside to force the leaders of the labour movement to working class, at the same time as pointing out the nature of the party. we have a better chance of winning people to an alternative than by shouting from the sidelines.
Socialist Outbok is therefore committed to continuing the fight in the Labour Party, and linking it up with struggles of all kinds.
At election time we do not simply call for a passive Labour vote in elections but raise together the need for a vote against the parties of the bour geoisie and the need to fight for workers' interests.
Socialist Outlook 100 • April 6, 1996. Socialist SUPPORTING the struggle of opthe struggle for national liberation