29.02.1996

Workers and the state of the nation

The result in the Hemsworth by-election showed the emergence of the SLP as a political party. It also confirmed the now long standing trend towards disillusionment with elections. The majority did not vote for any of the candidates standing. The general and increasing electoral trend is part of a wider political shift, in which issues of political reform have emerged onto the mainstream agenda.

Electoral reform, a bill of rights, restoration of the powers of the Commons, reform of the House of Lords, devolution in Scotland and Wales, a Freedom of Information Act and a written constitution form the main planks of a widely discussed agenda of reform. The received opinion is that these issues only concern the ‘chattering classes’. This view received a severe blow from a recent survey which showed that political and constitutional reforms were most supported by the young, women and the working class.

The 1991 ‘State of the Nation’ survey showed widespread support across the electorate for parliament even after the poll tax and Thatcher’s demise. A majority, 59%, thought parliament worked well - up from 54% in 1973. But there was already substantial evidence of underlying decay. Only 33% thought the system of government worked well - a fall from 48% in 1973.

These figures provide the background to the more detailed 1995 JRRT/Mori survey which found a sharp decline in support for all political institutions, including parliament. Dissatisfaction with government and parliament is combined with a growing frustration at the lack of power and control. Of those surveyed 75% concluded that they should have a ‘great deal’ or a ‘fair’ amount of power between elections, whilst only 9% believe they have such power. A minority of 43% now believe parliament works well with 50% believing that “the system of government in Britain is out of date”. Interest in mainstream politics has also fallen. In 1991 60% were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ interested in politics; this figure fell to 53% in 1995. It is also accompanied by reduced readership of national papers and falling viewing and listening figures for current affairs and news programmes.

There is clear majority for constitutional change, including devolution to Scotland and Wales and also to English regions. By more than four to one the poll shows support for referenda, including the right to force a referendum by collecting over one million signatures. The other elements of the package of constitutional reform receive support: 3:1 for fixed-term parliaments; 2:1 for replacing the Lords with an elected chamber; 13:1 for a written constitution, and almost the same for a Freedom of Information Act; finally 10:1 support for a bill of rights.

At the time the Scott Report is finally made public, views about controls on MPs generally are encouraging. The survey shows support for independent scrutiny removing control from both the prime minister and the Commons. Even a majority of Tory voters and 75% of those surveyed want public disclosure of the identities of financial donors to political parties. There is massive support for clamping down on a variety of outside interests, including lobbying but also including trade union sponsorship. By 2:1 the survey respondents would ban any paid job outside parliament.

Tony Blair’s speech promising reform of the Lords is a straw in the wind. Constitutional reform is on the political agenda and revolutionaries will take heart from the spread of interest in the young, women and the working class.

The phenomena identified by the survey is not peculiar to Britain. As the long recession continues, so faith in political parties and institutions has fallen in all major capitalist states. In the USA third party support has grown and maverick bourgeois politicians are having a major impact in this year’s primaries in the same way Ross Perot did in 1992. Italy’s long drawn out constitutional crisis has shown the same feature in the rise and fall of Berlusconi. It also showed the potential influence and development for both the revolutionary left and the fascist right. The crisis of political institutions is both an opportunity and a warning.

At present disillusionment is feeding a mood for reform in the UK. The same feeling of impotence in the political system can fuel the call for strong national leadership. The desire for referenda could easily slip into dictatorship and plebiscite.

Revolutionaries need to take seriously the need to fight for political reform. It is in the struggle to obtain reform that the desire for revolution can emerge.

Chris Jones