So Now Who Do We Vote For?

by John Harris

War in Iraq. Top-up fees. Blair in bed with Bush. Private companies continuing to buy into schools and hospitals. You wouldn't be alone in feeling unable to rush down to the polling station and vote Labour on election day. John Harris travels up and down the country to talk to MPs, health workers, teachers and policy-makers to find the answers to some key questions: Is there any chance of a swing back to a recognisable Labour Party? What does a Liberal Democrat actually believe in? Who on earth are the Respect Coalition? And can you risk a protest vote now that Michael Howard has restored some credibility to the Tories? With characteristic humour and an ability to cut through the double-speak of party politics, Harris has written a book for the thousands of people asking themselves: so now who we vote for?

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics

1 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Stevo B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the author’s disappointment with New Labour, it neatly sums up what many old Labour supporters felt in 2005 and beyond, why they could no longer support Tony Blair's vision which seemed to be a light form conservatism not socialism.

Like almost all young people growing up in the 1980s the author railed against Thatcher and the Tories ripping apart the country's industrial base and nurturing a selfish culture of avarice. The political dividing lines then were clear working class vote Labour, everyone else would vote Conservative or Liberal depending on their class or their liberal social consciousness. So in 1997 when Tony Blair’s party were elected many believed that "Things could only get better".

But then 911 happened and Blair backed Bush in a devastating war in Iraq (which everyone knew had nothing to do with 911 and everything to do with oil). A million protested against the war but it went ahead, without UN support, leading to chaos and instability that led to ISIS, the war in Syria and then the refugee crisis that followed.

This book asks were there any alternatives to New Labour or should left wing voters suck it all up and vote with the tribe.

The book is an interesting political history of the UK around 2005. The author records fascinating interviews with Charles Kennedy, Lembit Opik, Peter Kilfoyle, an anonymous ex-cabinet Minister (Robin Cook?), Hazel Blears, Roy Hattersley, Alex Salmon, and George Galloway. He sneers his way through many of the meetings and scythes through the muddled political ideas laid out for him by Kennedy and Blears. He lauds Salmon, Opik and Galloway. Whatever happened to those guys? Hilariously Opik is now chairman of some self-proclaimed space nation - I kid you not.

Still this is a fascinating read. His conclusion, that we need proportional representation, is truer now than it has ever been. We would never have had a Brexit referendum if we had had PR!!

[Neon Green Alien 👾👽 · Rating 3 out of 5]

While obviously out of date, it was still very interesting, especially regarding the section on the privatisation of the NHS and foundation hospitals. Some of it was admitably very boring and it did take me a while to read despite it being relatively short. I don't think i would particularly want to read more of his work and wouldn't be interested in an updated version to be honest. The ending was more interesting I have to admit though. It's definably a book for beginners in politics, and not for those who have studies it and have an active interest in politics, so that is probably my fault.

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Takeaways -

British politics was, and still is, a complete fucking shambles.

Lembit Opik was not only tipped to be Lib Dem leader, but PM in 2023. I chortled, then cackled, then nearly cried with mirth.