Note from LeftEast editors: “Today is election day in the UK, but it’s implication resonate far beyond the island. Instead of imploding, first ideologically, then electorally, as social democratic parties in Greece and France have done, British Labour under the leadership of long-time socialist activist Jeremy Corbyn has fought a decidedly leftist, anti-austerity campaign. [Needless to say that] the recent resurgence of left-wing parties in electoral politics, from Syriza to Corbyn’s Labour, has elicited a lot of soul-searching among left-wing activists and beyond. Rather than a moralistic attitude, either uncritically supporting or cynically bewailing this shift, what is needed is a tactical, sociologically-minded analysis which could point out the opportunities and the possible dangers of such a move. With today’s elections in mind, we publish here a couple of incisive takes on the issue. While the concept of “ultra-leftism” is unfortunately vague enough for everyone to recognize herself in, the commentaries point out from different perspectives the long-term, structural consequences that the Labour campaign has had, and the new tactical vistas which it has opened. It also shows why today’s elections remain actually a giganctic chance to build up a “Britain for the many not the few.”
