Nadia on... The Labour Party

Many constituents have written to me, stopped me in the street or in the pub, to express how deeply frustrated and let down they feel by the Labour government; be it the proposed cuts to disability benefits, enabling of a genocide in Gaza, rolling back trans rights, mimicking the far-right on immigration, cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance, maintaining the two-child limit, or more widely, failing to offer economic change at the scale and pace that the cost of living crisis demands. They weren’t expecting a decade and a half of austerity to be reversed overnight, but they are clear that Labour’s first ten months does not represent the change they voted for. They often say that they wholeheartedly support my work as our local MP, but in spite of my party, and some say that they could not bring themselves to vote Labour again. So, I want to use this month’s column to speak directly to those constituents, to show that I am listening and to share with you my perspective as candidly as possible. 

The Labour Party was founded by the trade union movement as a party of and for the working class, against the interests of capitalist bosses. Because the Labour Party has always been a broad coalition of different left and centre-left groups, its identity has always been contested, making the party itself a site of struggle.

That’s why I joined in the first place. I often joke to Ed Miliband that he “inspired” 16-year-old Nadia to become a member in 2013, because I was so angry that the Labour Party wasn’t promising to end austerity. Similarly, it is the responsibility of Labour left MPs to stay and fight for the politics in which we - and so many in our movement and country at large - believe, and which must always have a home in the Labour Party. Politics isn’t transactional; it’s not a product you buy but when the recipe changes you switch to a different brand - it’s a struggle. When I was first elected, Diane Abbott said to me, “they don’t call it the struggle for nothing”, and it has stuck with me ever since. Had she, John McDonnell, or Jeremy Corbyn, left during the Iraq War, it might have momentarily made them feel better, but they wouldn’t have gone on to represent a left resurgence in the Labour Party, culminating in them leading it for five years and bringing about the most left-wing policy platform since Atlee’s government. 

So where does this leave me? All I care about is serving our city and working together to advance the interests of working class people everywhere. Every decision I make is with this in mind. I have no interest in being an MP for the sake of it. I don’t have ambitions to be a Minister (it’s just as well!), nor to be leader at some point in the distant future. In fact, while representing our community remains the privilege of my life - and working with grassroots organisations, as well as my dedicated team, will always be a joy - if I’m completely honest, there are many things that come with being an MP that I do not enjoy.

My role is one of many in our wider struggle to build a better world; it’s no more important than any other, and all our roles are necessary and interdependent. I believe I am most useful - both to our city and the wider labour and trade union movement - as a backbench Labour MP, fighting on the issues that matter to us. Against austerity and the shameful and dangerous scapegoating of minorities - whether trans people, Muslims or migrants. For wealth taxes instead of benefit cuts; widespread anti-poverty measures, including scrapping the two-child limit; the restoration of funding to our council; climate action, and to end the UK’s complicity in genocide in Gaza. I was voted in as a Labour MP less than a year ago, and see it as my duty to do the best I can within the party, to ensure it delivers the change people voted for. 

While other progressive parties have an important role to play, I believe that speaking as a backbench Labour MP in a Labour government - both privately to colleagues, and publicly where necessary - will always be more impactful than doing so from opposition. For example, it is Labour MPs making the government squirm on its proposed disability benefit cuts, and it can only be a rebellion of Labour MPs (propelled by public pressure) that forces our government to drop them. Among Labour backbenchers, there are a range of views and political tendencies; sometimes discussing an issue helps us see it from another perspective, but often frustrations are shared across different factions in the party, and more voices speaking out on an issue increases pressure on the government to do the right thing.

I’m under no illusions. Change rarely comes from MPs asking Ministers to rethink; in fact it ultimately doesn’t come from MPs at all, or indeed strong leaders of any kind. History shows us that change is won by movements of ordinary people demanding and organising for it, building public pressure so great that it cannot be ignored by those in power. My job is to represent and be a conduit for those movements in Parliament, and to encourage other MPs to support them too.

To those within the Labour Party who may disagree with me writing this: I’ve never been into point-scoring and it is not my intention to undermine our elected leadership; I’ve always been a team-player. While I don’t enjoy criticising my party, especially publicly, it is my responsibility as both a backbench Labour MP and constituency representative to sound the alarm when I believe we’re going in the wrong direction.

Our new government has made positive steps on improving renters’ and workers’ rights, investing in green energy, and nationalising rail. However, the people who put their trust in us at the general election to deliver real change, feel strongly that these successes have been eclipsed by our government’s mistakes. That much is clear from the local election results, which saw voters abandon Labour over the scrapping of Winter Fuel Allowance and proposed cuts to disability benefits. To prevent a Reform-led government, we must be clear about the real causes of national decline - not minorities, but austerity, exploitative bosses, climate vandals and mega-landlords - and we must tackle them head on, showing people the difference a Labour government can make to their lives.

I’d be lying if I said I don’t feel disillusioned at times, but I feel genuine hope and connection when I engage with local activism, see powerful displays of solidarity here in Nottingham, and witness snapshots of the work done by constituents in the service of our community. These moments remind me that a better society, with different politics is possible and is already being fought for. Thank you for everything you do. Keep going, and I will keep listening and fighting alongside you.

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