Down with New Labour's war - for regime change in Britain

With their invasion of Iraq, London and Washington will launch an era of pre-emptive, unprovoked wars against nations that do not meet criteria laid down by the New Labour and Bush governments. Make no mistake, Iraq is only the first on a long list scheduled for ‘regime change’.

In the name of ‘civilisation’ the US and British regimes will unleash barbarism in the shape of ‘smart’ missiles and bombs that will slaughter innocent Iraqis. The objective is to install a pliant regime that will open up Iraq to the oil and other transnational corporations that dominate global economic and political life.

The crisis in the global economy seen in the collapse of share prices and a slump in sales and profits has left the corporations desperate for new markets and investment areas. Iraq and similar states stand in the way of this globalisation project.

That’s where Bush and Blair come in. Their job is to make the world safe for corporate interests, both at home and abroad. In Britain it takes the form of imposing business-type regimes in the fire and other public services, while in Iraq it is naked military force.

Forget all the talk about ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’. The British and US governments are themselves authoritarian and unrepresentative and are hardly an example to other nations. Bush and Blair are even prepared to wreck what remains of the authority of the United Nations and ignore international law to have their way. They decided on war months ago, with the issue of weapons of mass destruction merely a pretext. 

This attack on Iraq is a New Labour project through and through and has nothing to do with Bush dragging an unwilling Blair to war. The cabinet, with a single exception, has united behind Blair. New Labour is a capitalist regime that  has one aim – to facilitate corporate interests. That is why it is immune to protest and pressure.

There is no future for humanity along this road. All that the Bush and Blair regimes offer is endless war, terrorist retaliation, global crisis alongside a collapsing economy and a slide to dictatorial rule at home. No amount of demonstrations, protests or strikes can by themselves alter this course.

To succeed they must have a strategic objective which goes beyond putting pressure on New Labour to change course or limits the demand for Blair himself to resign, as the Stop the War Coalition does. Our target is the whole of the New Labour government itself.

The March 12 People’s Assembly in London showed a way forward. Similar Assemblies could become a focus for making the question of who rules Britain the main issue. Clearly the majority do not. Nor does parliament. Real power lies with the corporations and is administered on their behalf by New Labour. This is what we must end through a transfer of power to new, democratic, representative bodies.

The Movement for a Socialist Future calls for unconditional support to the Iraqi people in whatever military action they take against the invading US-British armies in defence of their country. The Iraqi people have to determine their own future and deal with the Saddam Hussein dictatorship themselves. Our real enemy is at home and that is why we call for the removal of the New Labour government by strikes and mass protests.

To those who say there is no viable alternative to New Labour, there is now no other choice but to go beyond what passes for politics and democracy in Britain. That is the moment of truth for opponents of this war.

If you want to take part in the project for a regime change in Britain, come to the Voices for the Future/Beyond New Labour conference on April 12. The conference will discuss the shape of an alternative to New Labour and what its objectives should be. All different points of view are welcome.

Movement for a Socialist Future
18 March 2003