Can I begin by sharing something I wrote for social media: Imagine a world without music, art, books, performing arts, creativity, humour, love, caresses, joy. None of these things come from government, all these things are for us, by us, great and small, so it is worth pausing to consider their and our incredible power…
The loss of the general election is unfathomable. I am 68 and we’ve lost the most important election in our lifetime. Our humanity is under attack and we are now in the greatest danger since WWII.
As the leader of our party and having poured your life and soul into campaigning for a better world, it was very clear what effect all this has had on you. It was a devastating blow, made all the worse by a hostile media and more dirty tricks than I’ve had hot meals.
But, here’s a thing, the system may have won, but the door that you’ve opened is still wide open because the future belongs to us, including the many people who struggle daily to make ends meet in the Tory war on the poor, battling against the violence of poverty.
Socialism is less an ideology than a way of life and it works best with informed and energised people and our opportunities may be restricted by Tory policies and cuts, but that just means we have to carry on doing what we’ve been doing all our lives, fighting against injustice for a more equal, fair and compassionate society and world.
If you’ll pardon me for the extreme simplification of your manifesto, the way forward is people power. I don’t need to cost that or describe the method, just the means. Every town in Britain could come up with a different method, the constant means is motivated and energised people.
In the years I wrote a Letter a Day to Number 10, the light at the end of the tunnel was extinguished until you became Labour leader and inspired us and reinvigorated the socialism which gave us the NHS, the welfare state and homes for heroes. The door has been reopened and it is not going to close any time soon.
I am fortunate to live a few miles away from Frome in Somerset, which has become a model for social justice and inclusion. So successful is it that it has gained global renown for its groundbreaking initiatives.
I do not know what your plans are now but we need a grass roots movement more than ever, even more so because we lost the election in the most venal and corrupt way, not least from an almost entirely corrupt and hostile media. May I suggest that focusing on grass root activism is probably the most media bullet-proof way forward and can I commend the Frome project to you, though you may well know of it anyway, and consider putting your foot firmly in the door and promoting it across the country.
I have written a piece about Frome here: ‘We are the people’ – https://fearandloathingingreatbritain.wordpress.com/2019/12/17/we-are-the-people/
Thank you for everything you do and my very best wishes to you and your family for 2020.
Yours sincerely,
Keith
Unfettered by media and party chains Jeremy,will SOAR !
