Political Lecture

3 Lessons the U.S Democratic Party can learn from UK's Labour Party’s Recent Loss

The outcome of the 2016 Brexit Vote took the world by surprise. Against many predictions, the U.K. marginally voted to leave the European Union (EU)—a membership that had been held since 1973. People who voted to remain apart of the U.K.—also known as Remainers— and those who voted to end the partnership with the EU— naturally referred to as Brexiteers— did not vote along party lines but instead decisions were based on tribalism. In other words, the two majority parties (Labour and Conservatives) did not take a party position on whether to stay or remain in the U.K. People mostly aligned themselves with either camp according to socio-economics status or based on xenophobic and racist views. Following the vote, the unprepared ruling Conservative Party underwent various changes including party leadership from the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron to the takeover of Prime Minister Theresa May— whom in my opinion was just a patsy for the party’s faults—and under her leadership, the Conservative Party lost its majority status in Parliament and there were various cabinet turn-overs because of internal disagreements. Her inability to secure a Brexit Deal — the divorce settlement agreement with the E.U. outlining new and or changing policies in the wake of the U.K.’s exit— ultimately led to her untimely resignation. This ushered in Boris Johnson as the new Prime Minister.

Many like to make comparisons between Boris Johnson and the current U.S. President — because like Trump, Prime Minister Johnson comes from a wealthy background and his privilege propelled his career into politics, the extramarital affairs in his personal life, the number of falsehoods told to meet his agenda, his delivery of rash rhetoric and dog-whistle politics, not to mention; coincidently he was also born in New York City. Remind you of anyone America? In spite of these similarities, I would argue that unlike Trump, Johnson is far more politically savvy. Thus when he called for the impromptu general election this past December; he won by a landslide. This brought on concerns about politics in my birth country—the United States—and how the U.S. Democratic Party can take lessons from the failures of the U.K.’s Labour Party.

Top 3 Lessons

1. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel. Over the years, The Labour Party has struggled to define which direction the party is headed. Many felt that Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership went far too left of the party’s center-left political stance. The shift in the party’s views alienated many members which led to political apathy and change in voting Labour. As a result, Boris Johnson won big for the Conservative Party. Similarly in U.S. politics, the Democratic Party’s front-runners Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (Who’s not even a Democrat) are proposing policies that are too progressive and also far too left-leaning. As a moderate Democrat myself, I question whether the front-runners are also shifting voters like myself away from the party based on their new political visions. This is why President Obama (my forever President and arguably the best president in U.S. modern history) warned that the Democratic Party should not try to overhaul some of the hallmarks of the Party such as the Affordable Care Act and focus simply on the fundamental values which include expanding civil and political rights to address the economic and social issues divide in the country. Equivalently, the U.K. Labour Party should have steady their objectives coined by former Prime Minister Tony Blair which was to occupy the center and appeal to moderate voters across the political spectrum. Tony Blair remains the longest continuously-serving Labour Prime Minister. Seems to me, applying some of his tactics to the current political climate might have led to a different outcome of the election. While no one can replicate Blair’s or Obama’s leadership, their campaigns should be used as templates to win elections.

2. Choose a Winner. The Labour Party needed a leader who could beat Boris Johnson. Jeremy Corbyn has been a controversial leader and his politics alienated some long-standing members of the party. The Labour Party needed to choose a leader that was a sure winner. There were many signs that Corbyn was not. Similarly, the Democratic Party’s base want to know how the party leader is going to beat Trump, full stop. The Democratic Party need to end the friction among candidates and rally around the candidate who is most likely to beat Trump which at the moment seems to be Former Vice President Joe Biden. The Republican Party has become the Party of Trump and we can no longer rely on them to balance the power of the Executive Branch so long as Trump is in office. Therefore, this is the time that the Democratic Party stand up and return the U.S to a republic that is respected for upholding democratic values.

3. Deliver Strong Messaging. Go with a message that sticks and is easy to resonate with voters. In the Brexit climate, the Conservative messaging was on ‘getting Brexit’ done. Three years after the vote and so much back and forth on the exit strategy, the British people are exhausted of being in Brexit purgatory. Whether or not people agree with Brexit, there seems to be no plausible way of turning back. So at this point, people just want to know how their lives will be affected by the vote. The Labour Party’s message on reversing Brexit by holding a second referendum did not resonate as a realistic possibility. Not to mention Corbyn’s plan on nationalizing entities and raising taxes presented too many competing promises. The major issue facing Britain at the moment is Brexit, therefore Labour should have stuck to a message that delivered a deal that would not greatly destabilize the existing institutions and way of life. This is an important lesson for the U.S Democratic Party. The message should be maintaining liberties that the American people are afraid of losing under a second term with Trump. Appeal to the masses not the minority progressive wing of the party. Promise the American people security in their future—something Trump has wavered throughout his time in office.

Let’s be clear, the furthest right-wing politics on the U.K.’s political spectrum is closer to what Americans consider moderate by U.S. political standards. In other words, British Conservatives (Conservative Party) are not exactly aligned with U.S Conservatives (Republican Party). In fact, the U.K. Conservative Party would be classified closer to the U.S. Democratic Party when you break down policies. I’ve only made this comparison between the U.K. Labour Party and U.S Democratic Party to defend my recommendations and flag potential political pitfalls for the Democratic Party in the upcoming American elections. The main take away from this article is this:

Nothing more should have focused Labour than reassuring Britains about Brexit just like nothing more should focus Democrats than DEFEATING TRUMP IN 2020.

This message has been brought to you by the moderate wing of the Democrat Party #VOTEBLUENOMATTERWHO

---

~Signed Chantal Victoria — Writer, Publisher, and Academic.

---