There has been some confusion, over quite a long time on GN, by posters who suggest or state that the Labour Party has Communist policies
This is so incorrect, I decided to explain what Communism actual was both in theory and in the "Communist" states we have had/do have.
. My parents were Communists - and have also studied politics and economics at uni.
We haven’t ever had a ‘true” Communist society, but these are the features:
No one, no one at all, owns any private property, nor owns any businesses, nor own any land, nor the means of production, nor goods beyond their needs.
All run by the state, which in theory was post a workers revolution, and workers co-operatives.
In the original communist theory:
People are paid not according to their abilities, but their needs.
All health and education and similar services are run by the state, no private opportunities at all.
All receive a state pension/welfare is necessary however much they have paid in, ie, again, according to need, not savings and so on.
Of course, the societies called Communist did not reach this theoretical Communism, but there was certainly no private ownership or other kinds of ownership as described as above: and health, education and welfare all run by the state.
Note - meals were provided at work, and schools and all welfare places, but there was only a few years when meals were communally provided for those who wanted
Most people, as we do, wanted to eat at home except for lunch or other work breaks, where food was still supplied, and did so, once the turmoil of revolution ended
*But States we called Communist were was not run by Worker’s Co-operatives, they were run by supposedly free elections -
- hence the rise of those in power as we have known them, and the KGB et al*
I suggest we stop using the term Communist unless it is accurate.
It as happened so many times I decided to explain, and will again.
So.....hence this thread.
Casdon
I know, but if you can name a political thread that has ever been just chatting I’d be surprised, it’s just not the nature of them - wishing things were different won’t change it I don’t think.
Some chat, others don't want to and want serious in-depth discussion, but I don't think trying to order the threads to be one or the other would work.
No, I agree.
I am not a supporter of Labour but of course they are not communist, that's ridiculous. The one to watch was Corbyn.
Allira
Casdon
I know, but if you can name a political thread that has ever been just chatting I’d be surprised, it’s just not the nature of them - wishing things were different won’t change it I don’t think.
Some chat, others don't want to and want serious in-depth discussion, but I don't think trying to order the threads to be one or the other would work.
The issue I raised wasn't that offering opinions that mustn't be disagreed with (chat) shouldn't happen, but that we had just seen yet another onslaught on those who wanted to participate in a debate. We also see people getting upset because they are asked for evidence when they post. Personally, I thought the way the OP was written suggested a debate but others took swift umbridge at any attempt to make it that.
The easiest way might be to use N & P for both but preface the title with either "Chat" or Debate". For example:
Debate: Do the Labour Party have Communist policies?
Chat: Do the Labour Party have Communist policies?
Did anyone actually say / think the British Labour Party are communist ? I’d be surprised if if they did. I can’t prove that. Individual members, perhaps, would like to be. I can’t prove that . To be a Marxist means something different. I can’t prove that.
It seems you have problems researching nanna8. I'm sorry about that but I'm not sure how your post is supposed to be helpful.
Going right back to the Zinoviev letter in 1924 and the Daily Mails reporting of what turned out to be a fake, the accusations about the Labour Party and Communism have raised their heads regularly.
Various individuals such as Corbyn and Bernie Sanders have been the object of similar right-wing attempts to paint Labour as Communist in the past. Every so often there is another attempt at this - it really is quite easy to find if you want to.
But you don't want to, do you "Nanna8*?
No I have a life to live. I also only read The Times because we have plenty of our own papers . I certainly wouldn’t be described as right wing ,just saying. My studying days are over now, too many years of it.
It seems you have problems researching nanna8 I'm sorry about that but I'm not sure how your post is supposed to be helpful.
How patronising 😟
A poster’s opinion is just that and she has every right to express it without “teacher” grading her researching ability.
Voltaire probably never actually said the following words attributed to him, but they encapsulate his attitude to free speech and say it so well when much of his writing attacked the Catholic Church’s attempts to restrict people’s liberty at the time.
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it
Some people would do well to think on.
Indeed.
I also like the saying those with no guilt should caste the first stones.
I like biblical quotes the best of all Whitewavemark2 so thanks for that 🥂
Don’t mention it nanna8 (oh, you didn’t) 
Unfortunately, today's Labour Party is a million miles from the party Keir Hardie founded and he would disown the lot if he were still alive.
Champagne socialists, the lying traitors.
Its worth looking at the roots of how those who claim "the Labour Party is communist get their information from" rather than focusing just on GN posters who claim this.
We find labels of “Communism” from Right Wing politicans and the press, in cultural references.
I'll just jump in with examples
The Express reported in 2019 that
“Nigel Farage was flabbergasted at the Labour Party's proposed plans to abolish private schools, branding the action “Communism”.
(This sort of remark was widespread in my search, but I thought it more interesting to see "what is behind it".)
John Anderson Media has for example produced videos which outline whole right wing theories on it - eg in 2024
“Keir Starmer & The Communist Roots Of 'New Labour' “Peter Hitchens describes the ideological roots of Keir Starmer's government.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q4n7l0SwTw&t=15s
That discussion is with Peter Hitchens but behind it lies John Anderson media, part of a whole structure of Right Wing think tanks that actively claim Communism or ideas that they consider related to it in newspapers, GB news, other media outlets.
The ideologies are what you’d expect
In newspapers (I'm not giving references as they are all behind paywalls)
“I Was Never Comfortable With Multiculturalism" John Howard”
"There Has Been A War On Our Culture for 50 years"
"The Idea That Every Culture Is Equal Is Nonsense”
and
“Religious Freedom: The New Blasphemy”
(Both as in the war on multiculturalism and Islam)
Daily Mail headlines
“The Communist Toffs taking over the left of the Labour Party”
“John McDonnell hails Marxism as a 'big influence on Labour'
“Labour's 'communist' plan for free, state-run broadband was condemned by the telecoms industry”
GB news is full of similar headlines:
“ Jeremy Clarkson, 65, fumes 'it's communism as he rips into SNP plans…”
“Hope Not Hate researcher accused of plugging Far-Left extremism by endorsing Communist Red Army“…..(hit a paywall)
I would give references, but of course hit paywalls
My general point, is obviously that all of us get our opinions from what we read, what we talk about, but information if constantly fed to us
But we have the chance to be discerning and accept the obvious - that this can only be one sets of POV's
Nice try, Wyllow but the truth is that opinions trump facts any day.
Ask what has formed that opinion and you’re out in the cold…
I would find most of the earlier points you mentioned really important areas to think about, culture, religion, etc, I think the right are sometimes more willing to discuss these issues than the progressives.
Surely Jeremy Corbyn is a Communist, and this is the main reason why he was so unpopular.
Communism sounds good in theory, but there has to be people in control, so it doesn't work in practise.
Galaxy
I would find most of the earlier points you mentioned really important areas to think about, culture, religion, etc, I think the right are sometimes more willing to discuss these issues than the progressives.
I think people are sometimes more willing to give their views than they are to discuss these issues in detail with others who have different viewpoints.
MaizieD
Nice try, Wyllow but the truth is that opinions trump facts any day.
Ask what has formed that opinion and you’re out in the cold…
To create peace and harmony on GN I would suggest we put up this video as an answer.
www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-1044262120-nodding-dog-on-dashboard-car-shaking-head
Quote windmill1 Sun 13-Jul-25 07:36:04
Unfortunately, today's Labour Party is a million miles from the party Keir Hardie founded and he would disown the lot if he were still alive.
Champagne socialists, the lying traitors.
There isn’t trouble in mill now, no miners to have their deaths
honoured in parliament now
If "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," defines a 'communist' then I am a communist .
I call myself socialist , not communist, because Marx's famous slogan is never going to be absolutely actualised due to human greed.
Voltaire might well have said I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it, but I don't think it ever stopped him disagreeing with 'what you say' and saying why he disagreed.
Caleo
If "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," defines a 'communist' then I am a communist .
I call myself socialist , not communist, because Marx's famous slogan is never going to be absolutely actualised due to human greed.
I’m with you Caleo 👏👏👏
Where are all these posters who you claim are confusing the Labour Party with Communism Wyllow3 as I haven’t seen any at all.
Petra 😁I don’t think there’s much danger of nodding dogs on here.
mum2three
Surely Jeremy Corbyn is a Communist, and this is the main reason why he was so unpopular.
Communism sounds good in theory, but there has to be people in control, so it doesn't work in practise.
No Corbyn isn’t a communist
He is a socialist.
The difference is enormous.
First he is operating in a capitalist economy and second he has never ever talked about anything other than a mixed economy.
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