Tony Blair MP
Leader of the Labour Party
150 Walworth Road
London SE17 1JT
Dear Tony Blair,
With the changing world, the Labour Party had
to change. In a way I am glad that you have taken over the task
of bringing this change, but the direction of this change is yet
very unclear. I am not even fully convinced that the Labour Party
has the capability to form the next government.
In spite of the fact that you have spent an enormous
amount of energy and effort in bringing this change but the structural
weakness within the Party still remains. I find most Labour MPs
dull, boring, unimaginative and inarticulate. These MPs are supposed,
not only, to shape the Party but also to run a government. The new
government is expected to give a new direction to the history of
this country and, in turn, to the history of the world. I wonder
how many MPs have clear vision of the world or its future?
I am sure, you know that the real reason for
the fall of the Soviet Union was not the communism, but its leaders’
total belief that their interpretation of communism was the only
interpretation. They became so sure, jealous, and even protective
of the whole thing that they tried to plug any possible breathing
point of the system. That is what made the system explode. (See
enclosed copy of my piece in The Guardian.)
It seems the Party apparatus developed by the
history of the Labour Party is also the victim of similar thinking.
And that is the reason why the most articulate, imaginative men
and women in this country, in spite of their sympathies with the
Labour’s aims, are not part of the Labour Party.
Idea of Democracy and Labour Party:
Few years ago I took Labour Party membership
and attended few local meetings. I must say that I spent these evenings
in the most absurd do-nothing inactivity in dealing with the most
boring resolutions for nothing. I was left wondering where was the
space for a dialogue within the Party. Is this all centred around
the Walworth Road office?
If the Party apparatus doesn’t develop
a dialogue with its membership or creates a space for it, how do
you expect that any real thinkers would join the Party or would
remain in it for long? If this is the only way before reaching a
position where one could have any input in the thinking and policy-making
of the Party, the mere process of attending these meeting will strip
them of any enthusiasm or any new ideas.
You and many others in the Party would call it
democracy. But, democracy is not only to give people the choice
to raise hands to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, but
also to engage them in a dialogue for developing processes, policies,
and strategies for change.
The Labour Party, if it really wants to be a
Party of the next century, it needs to develop a system, a ‘dialogue
forum’ where people with ideas can come together, first at
the local level, and then to give them a space where their ideas
can be further developed into policies. This forum should be free
from bureaucracy and stifling hierarchy. I am only interested in
this forum.
This ‘Dialogue Forum’ should be open
even to non-party members. Once one finds an echo of his/her own
thinking in the group, one would love to take up membership. This
would set a basis for an ever evolving/developing Party.
Once the ‘Dialogue Forum’ is developed locally, the
selection procedure for MPs will automatically be improved. Selection
should be based on ideas and ability not on the length of membership.
The Party should actively enrol talented people.
Candidate MPs should be leading members of the
local ‘Dialogue Forum’ for developing a wider discussion,
not only with Labour members but with the general public as well.
If one can’t stand up and engage/inspire the local peoples,
one is not fit for the job of an MP.
Mr. Blair, this is only one suggestion, if your
office and you personally are open to new ideas to change, that
you have been advocating, I shall be happy to engage in further
dialogue.
I shall simply wait to see how seriously my letter
is taken.
Yours sincerely,
Avtarjeet S. Dhanjal
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