Why the working class dumped Labour and voted BNP

Neil Clark: How the far-right stole the working classes

The middle class hijack of Labour has led it to become liberal on immigration and law and order: issues the working class care about the most

FIRST POSTED JUNE 8, 2009

With global capitalism in crisis and Europe in the midst of its worst economic depression for 70 years, one might think that it would be the parties of the Left who would have reaped the electoral dividend in last week's European elections. But with one or two exceptions, they fared badly across the continent.

Candidates of the centre-Left who enthusiastically embraced globalisation, free markets and privatisation were annihilated - the British Labour Party polled its lowest share of the vote for a century and the German Social Democrats slumped to their worst ever showing. While parties espousing more traditional socialist policies did better, even they did not make as much progress as they ought to have done, given the severity of the economic crisis. What went wrong?

The BNP gained votes not from the Conservatives, but from LabourIt's clear that a large percentage of working-class protest votes across Europe have gone to populist parties of the 'far-Right', who combine traditional left-wing anti-capitalist and anti-globalist economic policies, with unequivocal opposition to mass immigration and an uncompromising stance on law and order.

In Britain, the BNP gained votes not from the Conservatives, whose share of the vote was virtually unchanged from five years ago, but from Labour. In the Labour stronghold of Barnsley, for instance, the BNP won as much as 16 per cent.

In Hungary, Jobbik 'The Movement for a Better Hungary', which is denounced as 'neo-fascist' by its opponents, became the country's third largest party. It had attacked finance-driven globalisation and the 'unpatriotic' pro-globalist elite, in a way which clearly resonated with ordinary people. In Austria, far-right parties polled an unprecedented 17.7 per cent of the vote.

If the European Left is to claw back working-class votes from the far-Right, it not only needs to oppose the neo-liberal model of globalisation, but to jettison its politically correct approach to issues like immigration and law and order and adopt policies which are popular with its core constituency - the working class.

Since the 1960s, as European Left parties have gradually become more middle class, they have gradually lost their link with their indigenous working-class voters. Just how out of touch the British middle classes are with working-class opinion can be seen by their utter bewilderment at the rise of the BNP.

For years, working-class concerns about immigration levels have been denounced as 'racist'. Working-class displays of patriotism - such as flying national flags -are

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I am 78 years old. I remember talking with my Grandfather just before the 1939 war. He asked me did I know the difference between a Communist and a Fascist. At 8 years of age I could think of no answer. Well replied Grandfather " they are both socialist parties the difference being the first is an International Socialist and the second a National Socialist. The National Socialist is supposed to put the well being of his country and countryman in front of any demands to the contrary. Maybe, someone has excavated this point of view and started to think that some party lines have big gaps in them. Hence the swing in Labour voting

Posted by John Stanton at 10:53am on June 9, 2009

Anyone who saw Margaret Hodge's hysterical indignation in a Channel 4 News interview on Monday, which included newly-elected BNP MEP Brons, would agree with you. She made Brons appear plausible and reasonable. The interview did not suggest that she had any grasp at all of why her Party's recent policies and attitudes have provided the BNP, now all suits and smiles, with a whole class of prospective voters.

Posted by Ian Campbell at 11:01am on June 9, 2009

Some good points which the political class would be advised to study and take on board. I've been railing against the doctrine of multiculturalism for years, and warning of just this situation where, disaffected by the politically correct liberal luvvies, the working class turns from its traditional support for the Labour Party - which turned into middle class NewLabour with Blair-Brown - and supports the only people opposed to allowing an open door policy to anyone wanting to immigrate into what is a tiny island. Multiculturalism has never worked, India is sporadically riven by inter-cultural violence for instance, and many countries which have tried to exist with different cultural communities living side by side have experienced the same. To assure people they can come and live here but don't have to become British, or even learn English, is a recipe for disaster. This is the chink the fascists have been waiting for, and for years now former Labour voters have been turning to the BNP, mostly out of frustration with the arrogant political class which 'knows best' and constantly lectures them on how they should behave. Supporting people like Abu Hamsa, who openly stir hatred against the UK while helping themselves to every benefit going, makes people mad, and that's not just the indiginous white working class, but also previous immigrants who did all the could to integrate and become worthy citizens. Multiculturalism is a stupid doctrine born of the inherent racism of the middle-class liberals who dreamed it up, suffering still from the white guilt of the end of Empire, but not having to live side by side with non-English speaking anti British occupiers. The working class are not by and large racist, most intermarriage happens in this class and mixed neighbourhoods are enjoyed by all. It's the immigrant ghettoes, particularly Muslim, which are the problem, created by NewLabour eagerness to appear broad minded. A type of apartheid. But it's not about patriotism and flags, that's just a statement born out of being ignored and patronised.

Posted by Peter Simmons at 11:07am on June 9, 2009

In what way are the BNP "far-right"? What exactly do their policies have in common with conservatism of any-kind? Have you ever read their manifesto its straight socialist economically.

Posted by Andrew at 3:18pm on June 9, 2009

'It needs to oppose the free movement of both capital and labour'. Rubbish. Free movement of capital and labour helps to create wealth.

Posted by The Anti-Pawn at 5:27pm on June 9, 2009

You're spot on Neil....ordinary people are actually proud of many of the things the political elite have learned to become embarrassed about, patriotism for example...people no longer appear afraid or embarrassed about voting for the BNP and that is dangerous but, how can mainstream parties especially those of the Left who have very strong commitments made to and by the liberal special interests within them, change...they cannot take a strong line that embraces issues that disgust them and are contrary to their ideology, for example they cannot take a position hostile to Islam which is popular with those voting for the BNP, because to do so would mean the loss of Muslim votes and so it goes on...in the early 1930's the Left and Liberal elite was in the same position and the fascists either won by default as in Germany or were a significant and divisive presence elsewhere.....if Labour wants some credibility back, how about building council houses and making sure the 'white working class' feels its getting its fare share of them....that is not how its perceived at the moment...it can still progress a liberal agenda but when it talks of 'social inclusion' and 'social cohesion' it forgets that it needs to do things the 'white working class' likes and wants to.

Posted by nabraham at 6:45pm on June 9, 2009

Let us not be deluded, there has been no big swing either to left or right;what has happened is that the Labour vote has simply stayed at home in dumb protest at all the recent rubbish in the media, where the self-styled experts have been telling us just what we are thinking! Having said which, there is no doubting that there is a growing tide of resentment on the issue of race, and a perception that there are people in the migrant population who have no intention of attempting to adopt to the host culture, but are instead endeavouring (with some success) to change our culture to theirs. The most urgent task to be undertaken by any party with any guts whatsover is to bring about the complete secularisation of all the functions of the state, especially education. I am still reeling from this business of the supply of halal (or kosher) meat to schools. We must not allow ourselves to be dragged backwards to mediaeval barbarism. I am appalled that such cruelty to animals has been allowed without protest.

Posted by dennis parkes at 8:12pm on June 9, 2009

Yesterday there was a demonstration in my home city, proclaiming the 'electorate's' unwillingness to accept Nick Griffin as a local MEP. The demonstrators were to a man, members of 'the great unwashed', and any reasonable person passing would conclude that if they were against this man, I should be for him. I personally hold no truck with racism as such, though I reserve the right to dislike anyone of any race regardless of that race, but I wonder if this demo was orchestrated by the very party that they were protesting against.

Posted by Andrew Paxton at 9:59pm on June 9, 2009

Britain, England especially, has one of the highest intermarriage rates in the world. Racism is an unexplored and unchallenged libel against the white working class. The reason the B.N.P. thugs-in-suits have advanced is solely because of Islam. No other group in the U.K. is so determinedly separatist. The many examples of this separation from minor issues like headscarves to more serious rejectionism have fuelled the B.N.P.'s programme. Thanks to placards calling for beheadings and returning soldiers "Baby Killers", the 'expired convictions' leadership of this bargain basement fascist front can pose as democrats. The white suburban liberal intelligensia who have only a limited aquaintance with the in-your-face Islamism of the ghettos needs to re-think their cherished concept of multi-culturalism; the B.B.C. for one could try to represent England occasionally on its news reporting where an absurdly over-balanced cross section gives the impression that forty per cent or more of the U.K. population are immigrants or their decendents. The only ray of sunshine I can see at present is that, given the provocations, it is remarkable that the B.N.P. has not made bigger advances. Thankfully, these can be reversed, but firstly the powers that be in all walks of life have got to understand there is difference between equality and parity.

Posted by Barry Larking at 9:55am on June 10, 2009

So Labour should dig out the 1983 manifesto?

Posted by Fred Smith at 11:36am on June 10, 2009

The real issue is the very low voter turn out. Many of these would be traditional centre left voters who feel disenfranchised by the choices on offer. This has accentuated the support for parties like the BNP who actually gained their two seats on a lower vote than previously. The left embracing a right-wing immigration policy will certainly not entice voters like me back to the polling booth.......the spectre of thugs like the BNP gaining more seats almost certainly will!

Posted by chezpayne at 6:22pm on June 10, 2009

There is no doubt that Labour's pandering to certain ethnic group (s) will turn some people off. I voted Lib Dems for the first time last week. Unlikely to do so at the general elections as we are quite pleased with our caring listening Conservative MP Yolande M. Agble London

Posted by Yolande Agble at 9:00pm on June 15, 2009

As usual, the BNP polling more votes than we would like has sparked off a round of attacks on 'multiculturalism', not all of which show any great understanding of what it is. Some of the prescriptions I read here are real counsels of despair, essentially telling the left to become like the racist right in order to defeat it. But why would people vote for a Labour Party with Nick Griffin's policies when they can vote for the real thing? I think what a lot of people are really saying here is that the white working class is mostly not racist, it only objects to people (mainly Muslims) who refuse to 'integrate', eg by insisting on headscarves or demonstrating about what they think British soldiers do in Iraq or Afghanistan. There's probably something in this: I've never come across much working-class racism anyway. What should Labour do then? For a start, if its economic and social policies looked after the working class better, as they used to, then immediately more working-class voters would turn out and support it instead of staying at home. (For example, build more houses, as one earlier post suggested.) That would dish the BNP by itself. I do want to put in a good word for multiculturalism as well, though, if that word means allowing (a certain number of sensibly-selected) people to settle here, and - more relevantly - their children to remain here, without insisting that they become black and brown copies of white Englishmen. That's not 'white guilt', which is a bit of a sneering kind of comment anyway, it's simply being in favour of freedom and diversity.

Posted by Paul Atkinson at 1:04pm on June 17, 2009

Paul Atkinson: You criticise others for not showing any great understanding of what it is ... and then don't say what you think it is, other than 'if that word means allowing (a certain number of sensibly-selected) people to settle here, and - more relevantly - their children to remain here, without insisting that they become black and brown copies of white Englishmen.' Well, to take this as your idea of multiculturalism, it hasn't happened. It didn't take the BNP gains to make me criticise multiculturalism, I've been opposed to it since the eighties. If separation wasn't and isn't central to it, why then multicultural rather than multiracial? Britain was already a multiracial society, why was it thought necessary to change to multicultural oter than white guilt and a desire to be seen to 'respect' others' cultures as much as ours? The whole thing hinges on this idea that many cultures can exist side by side and there can still be social cohesion, yet partition of India by the British Raj was precisely because Muslims had shown they didn't want to coexist with other 'cultures'. And still there is inter-cultural strife in India between Hindus and Muslims with temples and mosques burned from time to time. I too am in favour of freedom and diversity, but I think you'll find that many Muslims are totally opposed to both. Unless multiculturalism is repudiated by those who espouse it, all major parties, the BNP and others will continue to gain since they are the only people giving voice to what the vast majority of people know instinctively; that for social cohesion there must be shared values, culture, ideals and history. This country has welcomed and integrated immigrants for centuries, only now are we experiencing this level of dislocation and hatred. When those who oppose racism and intolerance to exhibit a knee-jerk reaction to any criticism of multiculturalism as racism, more people are driven towards the right, and this is not a purely white phenomenon; less recent immigrants who have integrated and are now British through and through [without being 'copies of white Englishmen'] are just as opposed to arrogant, intolerant and aggressive Muslims. And no, I'm not saying all Muslims are like this, but enough are to pose a serious problem to social cohesion.

Posted by Peter Simmons at 12:13pm on September 15, 2009