In a detailed statement on social media, the UEA Labour Society informed its followers that it would be breaking its formal ties with The Labour Party.  

Committee members collectively stated, “after careful consideration, we have decided to dedicate our society to the labour movement, not the Labour Party.” The action comes alongside several grassroots organisations affiliated with the political party that have criticised how the Labour Party’s leadership has dealt with issues such as alleged “antisemitism” and other ideological differences between members over recent months.   

The statement goes on to describe how “[members] all joined as a result of the pride we felt in the common sense, intuitiveness, and compassion found in the Labour Party” but adds, “over recent years, we have seen much less of these qualities within the party.”  

While still encouraging its members to campaign for a Labour government—describing how the party still has “some amazing activists”—the group claims that “Under Keir Starmer, the Labour Party dictate that MPs and councillors follow the ideology set out by the party’s leadership”. Furthermore, if “a foot stepped to the left of this ideology,” the statement describes Labour politicians allegedly risking suspension or being barred from political selection. 

In October 2023, the Labour MP for Middlesborough, Andy MacDonald, was suspended from the party as a result of “deeply offensive” comments he made during a pro-Palestinian rally against the current Israel-Gaza conflict. In a speech to attendees, the former shadow minister under Jeremy Corbyn (also no longer a Labour MP) said, “We will not rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea, can live in peaceful liberty.” The phrase “from the river to the sea” refers to the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean and is used as part of a chant that the Labour leadership claims is “antisemitic”. 

This was followed by ten shadow cabinet members voting against orders from the party leadership and in favour of the SNP’s amendment calling for an “immediate ceasefire” (in Gaza) in November; these members lost their cabinet positions as a result. Similar incidents have occurred recently at a council level, with four Labour members of Lambeth Borough Council being suspended in the last week of February for voting in favour of the council calling for an “immediate ceasefire”. 

More specifically, the Labour Soc’s statement detailed how “Politicians have so far been suspended for joining workers on picket lines, criticising the Israeli state for its actions against Palestine, or for simply no reason at all”. Also highlighted were the party’s supposed inaction in supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community and accusations that members have “[turned] a blind eye to Keir Starmer’s U-turns on almost all of his eco-socialist policies”. 

Speaking exclusively to Concrete, the Labour soc explained why they thought this action mattered to the wider community:”The labour movement is why we have vital workers’ rights like two-day weekends, minimum wage, paid holidays, equality laws, shorter working days and many more which were once considered radical. Under the Conservative Party, we have seen no progress in this labour movement – the current Labour Party leadership have turned a blind eye to thousands of Palestinian civilians being murdered, and show very little promise of leading the country any better. We made the difficult decision to switch from the Labour Party to the labour movement to say, show more compassion; represent us better”. 

You can read the Society’s statement in full here on their Instagram profile @uealabour 

Image: Concrete/Innes Henry