“Solidarity” will keep Labour together through tough times, says Chuka Umunna

New Labour should have done more to challenge the right wing assumptions about the world, according to Chuka Umunna. In a speech to the Policy Network in Amsterdam this evening, the Shadow Business Secretary will also say that the Labour value of solidarity will hold the party together no matter who wins the leadership contest.

Umunna has been accused of organising a “resistance” group in the Parliamentary Labour Party to fight against Jeremy Corbyn, should the Islington North MP be elected leader next week. However, he last week dismissed the speculation as “ridiculous”. Now he says that Labour must “support our new leader” in order to return to Government, and is “optimistic” about the future:

“Solidarity is key which is why we must accept the result of our contest when it comes and support our new leader in developing an agenda that can return Labour to office. 

“The task of Social Democracy in our time is to fashion a politics of hope that can bring together divided populations around justice, peace and prosperity so that we can govern ourselves democratically. We have seen worse than this and weathered the storm. I am looking forward, with great optimism to be being part of a generation that renews our relevance and popularity in the years to come.”

The Streatham MP also says he welcomes the hundreds of thousands new members and supporters who have signed up over the past few months, which is at odds with the fortunes of centre-left parties across Europe:

“Over half a million people are now members, supporters or affiliated supporters of our party, with hundreds of thousands joining in the last few weeks.  Some have joined in order to thwart the pursuit of Labour values but many more have joined to further the pursuit of those values, including lots of young people. At a time when so many are walking away from centre-left parties across the Western world and many young people do not vote let alone join a party, this is surely something to celebrate.”

“It is vital that we now embrace our new joiners and harness the energy they can bring to renewing Labour’s connection with the people. First, we must help as many them as possible to become doorstep activists for our politics.  Second, I have long argued UK Labour should campaign and organise not only to win elections but to affect tangible change through local community campaigns. 

He also criticises New Labour on its failure to open up politics outside of already existing centralised structures:

“One of the huge weaknesses of New Labour was in its reliance on mobilisation from the centre rather than organising. It therefore allowed itself to be characterised as an elite project with wide popular support but it did not build a base for its support within the party across the country, and it did not develop leaders from the communities it represented. It was strong on policy but weak on strengthening democratic politics, particularly Labour politics.”