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Like lots of people in and around political twitter, I’ve just read #LeftOut, the new book on Labour Party between 2017-2020. Unsurprisingly, it’s well sourced, funny, a bit painful, and engaging.
But ... (bit of a thread)
But ... (bit of a thread)
(Some context) - I co-founded @FFSake_ the youth wing of the People's Vote campaign. I was also lucky enough to be the campaigns Political Secretary, predominantly liaising with Labour MPs.
I reference this only because I was lucky enough to be intrinsically involved in a number of the things that happen in the book, not just with the PV campaign but also around Labour Party Conference & the build up to ultimately changing Labours Brexit policy.
So that's how I know that some of the things in the book are just wrong, and it would have been **so** easy to research & report these things correctly - some of which are stated in the book to be “key” events & turning points.
Easy example - crediting Patrick Heneghan with leading PV's CLP efforts for Lab Conf 2018, clearly briefed by a supportive “someone” (
) who wants to help build a narrative around PH as not all bad, still “influential”.
The problem: Patrick didn’t even work for PV at this time.
) who wants to help build a narrative around PH as not all bad, still “influential”.The problem: Patrick didn’t even work for PV at this time.
Some of the events are wrongly attributed to people - for instance saying that Alastair C (who I'm sure won't mind me saying this) ‘choreographed’ the Parliament Square event in Sept 2019. He did not, a (wonderful) woman called Rachel Kinnock did.
Which leads me on to my main point about the book. The real lack of women and non-binary people and people of colour throughout it, and the lack of agency assigned to them when they do appear. Similarly, the writing out of history of young campaigners.
A couple of examples - despite Diane Abbott being a key influencer in Labour's top team around Brexit, her role is almost totally relegated to being annoyed about her role in GE 2017.
The billboard stunt in Corbyns constituency, & widely shared picture, was something FFS did with Led By Donkeys. The ‘face’ of this stunt was a young non-binary person, Kira Lewis. They aren't mentioned, and nor is FFS, who were just as pivotal to the stunts success as LBD.
There are several more examples I could use, but this thread is already longer than intended...
Maybe the book was rushed, maybe they spoke to the wrong people or there ‘wasn't enough space’ - but that's just the point isn't it. It's never white men who fall through the cracks.
Maybe the book was rushed, maybe they spoke to the wrong people or there ‘wasn't enough space’ - but that's just the point isn't it. It's never white men who fall through the cracks.
Sure, you could argue that 'no one came out of the book well' - but at least the men in the book have the agency assigned to them to be heroes or mavericks.
And if you weren’t *deeply* involved, why would you know to question the details that build into a definitive narrative?
And if you weren’t *deeply* involved, why would you know to question the details that build into a definitive narrative?
So I guess my main point about the book is this; it will never cease to amaze me that people who write books and articles can get so blinded by writing about the arguments of old white men, to the point where they don't seem to be doing basic diligence.
And the end point is always the same; women, trans and non-binary people, people of colour and working class people get almost completely written out of history.
Sure - politics has always been dominated by old white men, but that puts even more responsibility onto those who chronicle it to make sure they do properly recognise the women, PoC, young people etc who have a huge impact - writing them out of history benefits no one in the end.
The PV campaign & FFS, & the key “debates” that happened in Labour at the time (antisemitism, Brexit, leadership contests etc) were shaped & led by amazing women, people of colour, working class people, often young campaigners.
I spose, to coin a phrase, they were Left Out.
I spose, to coin a phrase, they were Left Out.
