John Mcdonnell laid out the plans for a Post Brexit Labour government. His speech carried the audience towards a vision of a democratic workplace where workers would share and the reap the fruits of your labor. The shadow secretary quoted clause IV that was first introduced into the Labour party in 1918 but removed under the Blairite take over.
There are echoes in history how the right of the Party have always wanted to remove clause iv.
In the 1950’s Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell thought clause IV was outdated but his attempts to get it reformed were crushed by a left-wing rebellion. It was then more or less ignored for about 4 decades.
What was it in 1918?
Here’s a quote from the original Clause IV:
“To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service.”
What did Blair change it to in 1995?
Here’s a quote from the new Clause IV:
“A dynamic economy, serving the public interest, in which the enterprise of the market and the rigour of competition are joined with the forces of partnership and co-operation to produce the wealth the nation needs.”
To many this was seen has a capitulation to capitalism and a move from the Left.
McDonnell without having to reintroduce Clause IV will manage to bring it into the workplace when Labour regains power.
Clause IV in this sense should be embraced by corporations it will become a motivator in terms of productivity and create a true stakeholder society.
He talked about Brexit, that unlike previous Shadow chancellors who have used Brexit as a tool of fear, he would use it as a tool to rebuild Britain saying.
The greater the mess we inherit the more radical we have to be!
It was an excellent speech by John McDonnell setting an inspirational outlook to a 21st century Model with Labour rebuilding Britain a reality for the many not the few.
PLEASE HELP US KEEP GOING AD-FREE
This is a "Pay as You Feel" website.
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. If you've enjoyed reading the articles on Labour Heartlands so far, We would be incredibly grateful if you could consider making a small donation. Labour Heathlands is not your typical news outlet. We are not here to simply regurgitate the daily news cycle, that's for the rest of them. Our focus is on delving deeper, uncovering the untold stories and shedding light on the issues that the mainstream media chooses to ignore.
Our unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity means that we are not influenced by any external forces. We are not beholden to PR companies, advertisers or press barons, and we refuse to let anyone dictate what we report on. Our editorial independence is sacrosanct, and our only allegiance is to the truth.
While we do not align ourselves with any particular political party, we stand firmly against corruption, injustice and the erosion of truth and the rule of law. We believe that accurate information is the lifeblood of a democracy and that facts are not up for debate.
Once again, thank you for your support – We truly couldn't do this without you!