Not long after she was forced to resign, writes Pete Morgan.
“It’s the biggest election victory since the Thatcher landslide in 1987”, commentators are telling us about the Johnson victory this week. “1987 was the second landslide of Margaret Thatcher, who led the Tory party into three successive electoral victories.”
That’s true, but then what happened? That’s what the commentators don’t tell you.
The Tories were cock-a-hoop and decided to launch a ‘bold and audacious’ policy called the ‘community charge’ – austerity, 1980’s style.
Just two years later Thatcher was forced to resign after the mass revolt of the Poll Tax along with Tory splits on Europe.
There is no way round it. The Johnson victory this week is a catastrophic result for Labour and will have major ramifications. The Tories have a big majority and working-class people, including many who voted for them, will pay the price.
We now know how many American’s felt after the election of Trump. The upshot? A revival of the women’s ‘Me Too’ movement, a revival of struggles in the car industry, among teachers and other public sector workers and a surge in support for Bernie Saunders.
We also now know what it means for the Aussies with the election of Scott Morrison. The upshot? The emergence of the climate change strikes led by the school students and the youth.
We must learn these lessons and prepare for the struggles ahead.
Do you honestly think this is the end of Johnson’s problems – over Brexit, over austerity or over climate change?
No, this is just the beginning.
Is there potential opposition to Johnson? Well just consider this:
Votes Cast
2019 Jeremy Corbyn 10.295,607
2017 Jeremy Corbyn 12,878,460
2015 Ed Miliband 9,347.273
2010 Gordon Brown 8,609,527
2005 Tony Blair 9,552.436
Reposted from Sweet Talkin’ No.91 by Pete Morgan – 14 December 2019
