England needs a new party of the left

[Graham]

It is for the English to say, but I agree.. Labour have essentially turned Center right these Days. Would rather here English opinion than my own.
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England needs a new party of the left, says Plaid Cymru's leader
Leanne Wood believes England is crying out for a progressive voice similar to that which Plaid Cymru offers Wales

Steven Morris
guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 July 2013 17.45 BST



The leader of the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru has ventured across the border to suggest that a new party of the left is needed for England.

Speaking in Manchester on Monday, Leanne Wood claimed England lacked the progressive voice that her party provided in Wales.

She said she often gets messages from English people who wish Plaid operated on their side of the border and suggested that the film-maker Ken Loach's proposal for a new party of the left could be a launch pad for a new movement.

"England outside the overheating centre needs a voice, and the left needs a party," Wood said. "In Wales we do have an alternative voice, we have a fourth party that vies for power with Labour and, at the very least, keeps it honest."

Wood said Plaid would like to work with activists in England who wanted to redress the balance of power.

The speech will cause some raised eyebrows. It is relatively rare for a Plaid leader to make a speech in England – and the party's ultimate aim is an independent Wales.

But at an event hosted by the Institute of Public Policy Research North in Manchester, Wood, a former probation officer, said: "I get comments regularly on Facebook and Twitter saying 'I wish Plaid stood in England'.

"Plaid Cymru genuinely wants to support those of you in England who want to rebalance political and economic power. We are not sectarian by nature. We are not consumed by any antipathy to … England."

[rob211080]

That's the last thing we need,we need more right wing parties if anything,labour and the lib dems are virtually commies now and it doesn't get any more left than that.

[Jackson]

In the name of having an actual decent left wing party, i agree. Although of course as a right winger i don't want them in power. But at least politics would be a bit more conviction based if there was one.

[Loki]

It is for the English to say, but I agree.. Labour have essentially turned Center right these Days. Would rather here English opinion than my own.

Absolutely agreed. New Labour is not left-wing enough anymore. They have betrayed their roots, sadly.

[Smaug]

Indeed, a better organized left would be interesting, but I doubt they would be in power at some point.

[Germanicus]

Left wing policies are out of date in UK politics at the moment, New Labour are floundering in recent polls, the leadership by Milliband is under question.
A new Left wing Party that would unite old and new lefties? I do not think so. UKIP certainly will attract the dissatisfied former left wing voter..but assuredly UKIP are Right wing.

[Loki]

UKIP certainly will attract the dissatisfied former left wing voter..but assuredly UKIP are Right wing.

Why would a left-winger vote for the UKIP?

[YeshAtid]

Why would a left-winger vote for the UKIP?

A lot of left wingers are surprisingly eurosceptic.

[Germanicus]

Why would a left-winger vote for the UKIP?

Traditionally left wingers are of working class stock, they vote usually for things that hopefully the party will bring in to benefit the masses/ themselves.
UKIP will attract them, immigration, unemployment, and economic stability are the main things that UKIP will advertise, immigration will be the vote winner for them as the conservatives and New Labour have proven to be..wishey washey?

[Albion]

That's the last thing we need,we need more right wing parties if anything,labour and the lib dems are virtually commies now and it doesn't get any more left than that.

This. Typical leftists have failed to realize that if that the fundamental problem here is that a slight majority of the English (probably 60% or more) are right wing, it's the most right wing country in the union.
If the English wanted a left wing government they'd have voted for the Lib Dems, but the Tory vote consistently holds up in England. David Cameron even said in a documentary on Scottish independence the other day that if Scotland left the union then the UK would be perpetually Tory.

Last general election - parties that came second:


Southerners really don't like Labour. It is bad if they'd rather vote Lib Dems. Also interesting is how Tory rural Scotland is.


Labour essentially formed from Liberal defectors whilst the Tories have held steady. Labour is shifting back to the left, I wouldn't worry about creating some unelectable "new party of the left". The Welsh can barely govern themselves and their situation is totally different, we don't need advice from them.