Why I’ve rejoined the Labour Party

By Lewis Coakley

Joining Leeds Metropolitan University in 2005 to read politics, I decided to leave the Labour Party because I felt that I should be more open-minded and being honest with myself, there were certain policies the party pursued which I could not agree with. As time progressed I would say to friends “I judge every policy on its merits” which seems like a fair statement to make but it is completely divorced from any political philosophy – something I now realise is fundamentally important.

Only a few days into a Liberal-Conservative government, I was one of thousands who re-joined the Labour Party. Upon reflection, I’ve realised that Clause 4 of the Constitution of the Labour Party is what I absolutely believe and always have, whether I’ve articulated that or not.

Whether personally I agree with every party policy or not is immaterial, the important thing is that as a party we all sign up to the principle codified in Clause 4 which states that we believe “that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect”.

Now, more than ever, I believe we need principled politics, not just politics of opportunity. That’s why I’ve re-joined the Labour Party.