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| Volume 49 Number 23, December 7, 2019 | ARCHIVE | HOME | JBCENTRE | SUBSCRIBE |
The Necessity for Change:

The polls are showing that the gap between the Conservatives and Labour is narrowing, but predict that the Conservative Party will win an overall majority and be able to form a government. But given the fact that in the 2017 general election the polls seriously miscalculated, or that the pollsters were unable to form public opinion in favour of Theresa May, then this is not a foregone conclusion. And the movement to reject the status quo is growing.
It is crucial that the people go all out to make sure that the status quo cannot continue. The status quo means business as usual for pursuing the neo-liberal agenda of privatisation, austerity, war production and allying with those forces abroad that also pursue that same agenda.

The number one priority when casting a vote on Thursday, December 12, is to ensure that the status quo cannot continue with the government claiming a mandate for the continuation of the anti-social offensive against the working class and people. To be sure, resistance struggles will continue for working people if the result goes against them. But the people want space to pursue their own agenda of bringing about a society where the welfare of all is put at the centre of its organisation with the economy in their service, and establishing this as the paramount aim.
The electorate therefore must go all out to unite as one to reject the factions of the ruling elites vying for power which seek to block the change in the direction of the economy and society which is required.
There is another factor which is a consideration in the election. That is that the working people should view it as a vital step in the fight for real change, change which involves the complete renewal of the institutions and processes which are said to be democratic, but which keep the people themselves out of political power. This is a change which has a broad perspective for the benefit of the whole of society. How can the factions of the ruling elite which represent the rich claim to be representatives of working people who make up the majority of society? Particularly from the time of the invasion of Iraq in 2002, the deleterious consequences of which are still being experienced, the people have declared that the actions of a pro-austerity, pro-rich, pro-war government are Not In Our Name!
This underlines a fundamental principle in democratic renewal, that the people must speak in their own name, that they must be vested with the decision-making power, that the political processes and institutions must serve them, not the rich and the financial oligarchy, not the forces who benefit from the present way society is organised and the political agenda is set.
The conclusion is clear: defeat Boris Johnson and his cabal; make certain that factions representing the status quo are rejected. This will benefit the movement to change the fundamental relationship between electors and elected, between people and Parliament.
All Out to Prevent a Conservative Majority! All Out for Democratic Renewal!