14th April 2002

For those who believe in Peace, Justice and Democracy this has been a difficult week with the prime minister in America demanding peace in Palestine and simultaneously threatening another war against Iraq, while the media have been busy trying to brainwash us all into believing that the Monarchy is the symbol of our national identity and a massive new cruise liner has been moored in the Thames full of multimillionaires who are travelling the world in luxury to avoid paying income tax - and all these events are interconnected.

Mr Blair appears to have persuaded himself that he is at the very centre of a new Empire, albeit American and not British, but still allowing him to speak as if the mighty military machine in the Pentagon responds to his commands as when he speaks of 'our decisions' that will be announced 'when we are ready' while the truth is that he has practically no influence whatever on President Bush

His legal authority to commit British forces to military operations does not derive from his majority in the Commons because the right to take Britain to war is a Crown Prerogative belonging to the Queen but exercised by him and in this way he can avoid having to seek the support of MPs, which is why he is so interested in maintaining the monarchy as the source of his power.

And like all imperialists he knows that all empires have always fought wars to safeguard their own economic interests and gain control of resources - like oil - which they need for their power, which is why New Labour enjoys the backing of all the rich and powerful people here and worldwide, some of whom were on that cruise liner.

The coverage of the funeral of the Queen Mother and the impending Jubilee should act as a reminder of the methods that are used to control us since the very existence of the monarchy protects all privilege and its continuation is essential for the British establishment which will go to any lengths to safeguard it, even to the point of getting rid of a King for that purpose as happened when Edward V111 was sacked in 1936 on the grounds that his marriage to an American divorcee might undermine popular backing for the Crown.

The return of Imperialism, the acceptance of exploitation in the name of globalization and the preparation for war means that almost everything the Labour Party was established to end has deprived New Labour of any moral authority or right to claim the loyalty of those who voted for it and this has led to widespread despair and public pessimism about the future of democratic politics as a route to any meaningful programme of social improvement.

Indeed what is under attack is democracy itself and the right of people to have any say in how they are governed, offering us bread and circuses in the form of traditional rituals like Royal weddings, Coronations, Jubilees and Funerals to keep us on our knees as mere spectators of the activities of the powerful, to divert us from talking about the real world in which we live or seeking to improve it.

But outside this wholly artificial and extremely dangerous world that fills our TV screens and press headlines there are literally millions of good people working for progress whose courage and persistence should give us the hope and confidence we need to carry on with the work we have to do.

Next week there is a Peace march on Washington and the internet is full of reports on demonstrations in America against the war policy of President Bush while in Israel there are many courageous soldiers who refuse to fight on the West Bank, and in this country the Stop the War Coalition is strong in almost every major city and town.

And even in the House of Commons over 120 MPs have signed a motion opposing the prime minister's plan to launch another war encouraged by the recent Guardian poll which suggests that they have majority support in taking that view.

The Left has won the first round of the elections in Hungary, a million marched in Rome against Berlusconi, and at Port Allegra conference tens of thousands met to proclaim that 'Another world is possible' against those who try to enforce their will by telling us that 'There is no alternative'.

And here too there have been victories as in Birmingham where the expensive campaign to persuade council tenants to vote for the handover of their homes from the local authority to a new company has been defeated, while the privatization plans announced by ministers have met growing opposition.

In every nation there are progressive people writing and campaigning for exactly the same causes which bind us together in the labour, trade union and peace movements here, and we are told very little about them because the people at the top are becoming anxious at the growing rejection of their system and the brutality it uses to enforce its will to maintain its power and privileges.

I am an optimist because I do not believe for a moment that such injustice and horror can go on for much longer without it being challenged and overturned since it is only able to persist because we have been told we must accept it and once that acceptance is withdrawn and replaced by determination to build something better it will all crumble.

That is the hope that has kept the Left alive over the centuries and we need it more than ever now.