Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Off the back of some of the discussion in the reform party thread -
Yes. This is always the litmus test for Reform or for any populist organisation. The tendency to autocracy has undermined successive efforts by the far right and right populists over the past 30 odd years. In each case the pattern is the same – popular support, a breakthrough, the breakthrough gives rise to tensions as the tops start to squabble over power, control and direction, a split, fallback, rapid collapse and then the eventual emergence of a new organisation and the reproduction of the same cycle.
It appears that Reform is inevitably going to follow the same path given that it is essentially a vehicle for Farage and assumes adherence to the cult of personality. It will therefore fail to become the organisation that delivers a real breakthrough for the right populists here.
But the FN was like that once too. In their case the emergence of a younger generation – Bardella types – bringing organisation, discipline and energy and a visible change in the class composition, age, gender, race of its leadership propelled its growth and stability. With all of that came presence and a structure with sustainability. There is no reason I am aware of to think that this could not also emerge here.
France, of course, in not Britain. But the conditions a) popular and widespread disdain for discredited elite liberalism b) a supposed left centrist government signed up to the management of the agenda of the rich c) divisive culture wars d) further cuts to public services and wages and e) the crumbling authority of the establishment parties inevitably means a large poliitcal space will remain ripe.
The absence of the left in the UK – and by that I mean any credible form of left, a pro working class left appears impossible – guarantees that as more and more people give up on Labour/Tories and look for alternatives there is only one place where they are going to go.
Once the ludicrous and groundless optimism of the commentariat and middle class centrist orgasm over Starmer has subsided (and that isn’t going to be far away) focus here needs to turn to realignment, electoral reform and ideas to engage the populist right.
Seems to me there's some mileage in working toward a big event/series of events around the centenary of the general strike
And maybe launching a campaign or organisation off the back of that
My great uncle Wally in Elephant and Castle got three months hard labour for his participation in the general strike:
From Nine days in May: the 1926 general strike in Southwark.
Yep, General Strike 100 would be great![]()
Think it'd be good to have a thread to talk about this, and see what people feel.
Reckon Camden trades council would be interested, and could get some seed money off trade union branches. Reckon mine might provide £250-300 without much difficulty. Be good to work with some of the radical historians to get pamphlets together and organise eg guided walks. The orgreave campaign might be a good ally too, I know some people involved in that (sure many others do too). I'm thinking something over say a month in '26, culminating in a conference on the contemporary situation and relevance of the gs now, and rally / demo in central London. But obvs just sketching out possibilities - think we could get the ball rolling this summer and autumn and launch early next year