Politically Speaking column by Jon Trickett MP: Labour must change
The local election results in Wakefield and across the country sent a clear message. Many people who once supported Labour no longer feel that the party is speaking for them.
In our area, good Labour councillors lost their seats despite years of hard work under extremely difficult circumstances. I know these councillors personally. They are friends. They fought every day for our area which has endured painful cuts to public services. They do not deserve the blame for what happened.
I have no problem speaking the truth. The responsibility lies with the Labour leadership in Westminster.
At the 2024 general election, people voted for change. After 14 years of Conservative failure, they desperately wanted a government that would improve their lives. Yet, too many families told me that they have not experienced the changes they hoped for. Too many still feel they are struggling to stay afloat. Living standards remain stagnant, bills and housing costs are high, public services are still stretched to breaking point. There is a growing sense that politics is no longer working for ordinary people.
That feeling was visible in these election results. Across the country, voters turned away from both Labour and the Conservatives. In places like Wakefield, Reform UK benefited from anger and frustration that has been building for years. I get it. I know why people feel alienated from politics, but we should also be honest about why Labour has lost support.
The Starmer plan to occupy the ‘moderate’ political centre has simply not delivered change on the scale that is required. Only bold and radical action can revive the living standards of working people. We need a PM who is brave enough to break with the status quo, but instead he’s tried to keep things safe and stable.
People who know me, will be fully aware that I have kept firm with my promise at the time of the election that I would stand up for our area and be independent-minded. When the PM chose to cut the pensioners fuel allowance I was the only sitting Labour MP who voted against. I stuck with my principles and was glad when the government changed its stance last year.
Labour needs a serious change of direction. That means policies which genuinely improve people’s lives: a break with economic orthodoxy; investment in towns like ours; fair taxation to address inequality; secure jobs; affordable housing; and properly funded public services. It means standing up to powerful vested interests instead of accommodating them.
In my view, this can only be achieved with a change of leadership at the top of government. That is why I told the BBC after the results came in that it was “curtains for Keir”. I think most people in our area agree that it’s time for the PM to go.
What does that mean for Labour? Some will argue that Reform’s success means we should move even further to the right. I profoundly disagree. I am a proud socialist and always will be. It is the working class that creates the wealth of this country and that is why I see my job as standing by them through thick and thin.
Reform UK presents itself as anti-establishment, but it is heavily backed by wealthy interests. In my opinion they do not have our community’s best interests at heart. Don’t forget that loads of ex-Tories have been allowed to join them. I do not forget seeing that photo of Nigel Farage with his coffee cup and a picture of Mrs Thatcher. We will see how the new Reform Council performs in Wakefield. But you can take it for granted that I will fight for our area to the best of my ability.