BYL Debated! What does it mean to be English?

By Warwick Everett-Rimmer -

What should Labour’s relationship with Englishness be?

Those were the questions BYL posed itself in the first our Bristol Young Labour Debates series. This turned out to be a positive event, with open and amicable debate around one of the most contemporary issues for Labour in England which succeeded in bringing diverse views together.

The debates took some interesting turns, discussing the role (and failings) of the state and institutions such as schools in framing, educating and creating what a shared identity as a community could be. There were the usual questions raised over whether Englishness can ever be anything but blind nationalism, mimicking the tune of the far right. Or whether the hatred of Englishness comes from a place of metropolitan, middle-class affluence, which seeks to both represent and dictate to “the working class”.

Positive patriotism was floated as a concept which may take us beyond race and potentially allow us to recover national pride, without the prejudice. Many were unconvinced.

The importance of a shared sense of community and the destruction of this, that has arisen out of the fast pace of change and the neo-liberalising of our society, was clear. The question is whether this can be solved exclusively through class-based politics, especially in an era where our vote is increasingly coming from outside traditional working class areas. I remain unconvinced.

For my part, I see Englishness as a powerful motivator, the pride you feel, whether in your home town, your country or even Europe builds bonds that can shake the very fabric of society. These bonds can give shape to a shared purpose, legitimising those who we see speaking for “our people”. In an age of Trump, economic nationalism is on the ascendance, re-emerging as a powerful force in politics.

In the absence of a progressive Labour voice, this emerging force will come to once again be wielded by the far right as a weapon of violence, wrapping their racism in the union jack, legitimising and convincing others of their hate. I do not believe for a minute that “class-consciousness” will erode the desire for a sense of pride, or prevent the spread of hatred that those who usually manipulate this sentiment seek.

So, where does that leave us?

One of the most poignant questions raised in the debate was to ask what tangible action we should take. I do not hold all the answers, none of us do. However, for me, the solution comes from the ground up. It begins with ending the elevation of “servants”.

Labour needs to regain a voice, grounded in the communities which it operates. Labour should be represented by people who are, of and from the communities who we seek to serve. For too long the Labour Party has rewarded loyalty to leaders over all else, it was one of the biggest crimes of the Blair years, and it continues to this day.

I believe that as the selectorate, we need to remind ourselves that there are more important things than factionalism, ideology and perceived battles. Competence and a genuine love for, and desire to serve, our community are far more important. Our representatives should walk down every street, stand on every corner and be able to tell you a story. A story of what that place means to them and how those streets, those people have shaped their politics.

Until we end the elevation of servants we will inflict upon communities a voice that doesn’t speak for them. If Labour wants to remain a legitimate voice for working communities, the voice for the many not the few, it needs to once again discover the love and the pride of belonging.

BYL Debates will continue in the New Year. We are seeking suggestions for debate topics, if you have something you would like to suggest please get in touch.