Animal Farm

This week has seen the 2005 Labour Party conference in Brighton, and a rare spectacle it has been for us all. Thugs and henchmen, volunteers to the cause, have created an insight behind the veil of New Labour. Just to take a few of the incidents which have come to light:

• An 82-year old delegate was forcibly removed from the building and had his entry pass cancelled for shouting out a word of dissent. He was held briefly by the police under the Terrorism Act when he tried to re-enter the building
• A similar fate applied to a younger man who intervened to question the action
• And even prominent Members of Parliament are not immune to the strongarm tactics: Austin Mitchell, MP, had the pictures in his digital camera deleted by one of the stewards.

It suddenly occurred to me that the whole development of New Labour has been unnervingly reminiscent of George Orwell's "Animal Farm":

• The landslide majority which brought the animals to power, among hopes and dreams of the populous
• The establishment of rules of engagement for the party, which have gradually been eroded, changed and now more or less forgotten
• The progression from noble aspiration to repression and abuse of power, caring ever less of the values and opinions of the supporters who brought them to power (the leadership lost five votes on major issues at this party conference; and five times the platform said that it would continue each policy regardless)
• And the protection squad, which eventually surrounded the pigs in leadership from their own supporters

For sure, the 82-year old got many public apologies, when it was realised a public relations disaster had occurred. How sincere were the apologies? Ian McCartney, party Chairman, was rolled out on Wednesday evening to give the first apology, and it was couched in justification on the grounds of "security". McCartney clearly shares the same confusion as the rest of the party leadership between security and oppression. And whilst we've had everyone up to the party leader apologising for the guy who became their PR disaster, we've not heard a word of apology for the other two victims of New Labour security.