Where are my fighters and believers?

By Chris Hughes / @chrisdhughes

On Thursday I watched, in complete horror, BBC Question Time.

On paper, this should have been a massive walkover for the left, including the Labour representative, but no. Indeed it was a win for the left, but we we’re not on the winning side. John Denham tear-jerkingly took the side of the worker-oppressing Tories on an issue that screams out for Labour Party support.

Earlier that day, teachers and other public sector workers defiantly walked out in protest over draconian pension cuts. Thousands of members of the NUT, ATL and PCS unions took to the picket lines and proudly stood up for their rights. Then it happened…

Ed Miliband publically condemned the strikes. At this point in the day, I was crestfallen; the man I admired so much had betrayed those who put him where he is.

Over the Summer of 2010, I campaigned my heart out for Ed, Without hesitation, I gave up the whole of my Summer to make phone calls and help run campaign events. The man I had defended throughout all of his shaky leadership had just turned around and slapped hard working public sector workers in the face.

I don’t know how, if at all, he’ll recover from this. But more importantly, where has my Labour Party gone?

Where are my fighters? My believers? Where is the centre left force that stands up for those who cannot help themselves? Where is the party of passion, the party of change?

I know those who I campaign for believe in those core Labour Party values, therefore I’ll campaign as hard as ever to make sure the people I and others want to represent someday are assured that we, the fights and believers, are still here.

Ed, as someone who admired everything you stood for during your leadership campaign, I beg you, change your ways. Embrace your trade union support, fight for those who can’t fight for themselves, and once again make us a party of fighters and believers.

That’s all I ask.