UK
Poverty rises whilst companies post record profits – Brian Leishman MP
“Even when it is inconvenient, even when it comes at a personal cost, we must stand up for real Labour values.”
By Brian Leishman MP
Disagreements are inevitable in any movement worth its name.
The Labour Party has always been a broad church and that is exactly where its strength lies.
Our diversity of thought, range of experiences and willingness to argue passionately for what we believe in are the lifeblood of a truly democratic party.
The reality of politics is that we will never agree on every single policy or every vote.
Unity is not necessarily about uniformity – ours lies in our shared values of fairness, equality and the demand for social justice.
These are values larger than any one faction or any single personality – and larger than temporary disputes that often seem to dominate the headlines.
They are the very values which built the NHS, which fought for and delivered workers’ rights and which continue to inspire people across the UK to believe in a better future.
I make no apology for opposing austerity and welfare cuts which punish the disabled or those who need our help the most.
I make no apology for standing up for workers at the Grangemouth refinery or for speaking out against injustice at home and abroad.
Even when it is inconvenient, even when it comes at a personal cost, we must stand up for real Labour values. That is what it means to be part of a movement rooted in principle rather than calculation.
With the whip restored in the Parliamentary Labour Party, I will continue to fight for those values.
Nothing has changed my purpose in politics – I am not here to climb the ladders of public life or to gain favour with the powerful.
I came into politics to fight for the working-class, ordinary people who have been badly let down by Tory austerity and SNP mediocrity over the past decades.
Communities have too often been ignored, and governments have forgotten that compassion must be the light that guides everything they do.
We face stark challenges today. Poverty continues to rise while the largest companies are posting record profits to the satisfaction of greedy shareholders.
No longer is food security a fringe issue – it is a daily reality for many families who cannot afford to put a proper meal on the table.
Energy bills and housing costs are spiralling while wages stagnate.
These are all political failures, which must be fixed through political courage.
Change will not come easily, it requires us to reject failed dogmas, to invest in people and to realise that the capitalist markets will not deliver justice.
It will require us to remember that politics is not a game of numbers that must be balanced every budget, but a matter of human lives.
My commitment is to maintain that courage in Westminster, fighting for change rooted in compassion.
I will continue to stand with workers, families and communities who deserve better than managed decline.
I will continue to be a force that reminds colleagues that Labour’s purpose is not to simply win power, but to use that power to transform lives and deliver change in society.
- Brian Leishman is the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth. You can follow him on X/Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.
- If you support Labour Outlook’s work amplifying the voices of left movements and struggles here and internationally, please consider becoming a supporter on Patreon.
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