Defining moment

2014, was the year that anti-politics burst out from political theory and onto our streets.

Scotland gave us the 45-ers by which to remember the referendum and the vibrant political debate that sprung to life in the communities of that nation. This spark goes undimmed even as the weeks as the vote recede and Salmond makes way for Sturgeon.

Sadly, 2014 also, with the assistance of Tory ship-jumpers, let Ukip into the Commons. An outfit that dallies with some of the most appalling far-right parties on the continent to advance a regressive agenda, Ukip is no friend of working people.

But while this party’s success may perplex the Westminster village – tragically, the last place to clock the growing gulf between the people and the power-holders – we have long warned that angry voters would exact revenge on the mainstream parties.

Cameron plays right into Farage’s arms. By ‘banging on about Europe’, the PM’s bluster over the bills in Brussels, followed by his Chancellor’s shabby efforts to save super-rich bankers from paying the dues on their bonuses, Ukip rejoices in Tory self-harm.

Cameron vowed to ‘throw the kitchen sink at Rochester’ only to fail to duck when Rochester threw it right back at him. For the time-being at least, the mighty Tory election machine sits battered and busted inCrosby’s garage.

Of course Labour should be making hayout of Tory failure but just as Cameron and co were in a head-on crash with electoral rejection up tweeted Emily Thornberry to commit the greatest political sin, sneering at the voters.

No wonder Ed Miliband is reportedly furious. Labour knows it must do more, work harder, show that it gets what the people are saying – or it will not deserve a hearing among a hacked-off electorate.

The public has lost faith in Westminster. It is not just that MPs look and sound like creatures from another planet. It is not just the expenses scandal or illegal wars.  It is that when the global economy crashed, political decisions meant the debris fell firmly onto the shoulders of the people who did not cause the collapse.

After four years of mindless austerity, food bank queues and government borrowing are the only things growing under the coalition. Yet as the banking elite still skips freely around the casino, the voters face years more of vicious cuts and sliding living standards.

And they will spurn parties that offer simply more of the same. Unless Labour can convince that they have the courage to do things differently, it will be into the arms of Ukip voters turn. Keeping quiet about the rebooted turbo-Thatcherism they have planned for the people, Ukip is only too happy to offer a harbour for the disconnected.

Solid Labour pledges to address the housing crisis, to take on the energy giants, to drive out the zero hours cancer can begin to attract back jaded voters.

But let’s have more passion in standing up for what Labour believes. Let’s hear more about how this is the one and only party founded by and for working people – and that differs from all the other parties because its mission is to advance the people, not privilege.

What the public wants is a party that is pro-housing, pro-services, pro-decent jobs, pro-our NHS – one it can look at and recognise as fully and firmly on their side.

So if Labour’s austerity straight-jacket is stopping them from talking about how the sixth wealthiest nation on the planet can offer all our people a stake in a decent society, then don’t kick the poor or the migrants – take off the straight-jacket.

This tumultuous political year ends with an outbreak of Klass war. A run-in with a celebrity sparks a discussion about fair taxation. In doing so it shone a light on how in modern Britain, the odds are stacked in favour of the fortunate at the expense of the less so.

This is where Labour must define itself as different, ready to take on vested interests, determined to be the people’s champion. This is Labour ground.  Let 2015 be the year that the party occupies it with pride.

This article first appeared in Tribune, Friday November 28