So, after a long speech from a woman who I can only assume was the overall organiser for Barnet Momentum because she began by saying ‘You all know me in here…’ (I didn’t), I was thrown to discover that the first guest speaker at a Labour Party pressure group was a member of the Socialist Workers Party. Now there’s a reason that Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and all of the others further to the left in the party have stayed in the party for all of these years, and that’s because they realise that no matter where we are, Labour is still the best vehicle to deliver Socialism in the UK. The SWP, unfortunately, do not seem to share this belief. I though that Momentum was a Labour pressure group, like a left wing version of Progress, so it was interesting to learn that it does not require it’s members to be Labour Party members.

I asked it. They weren’t angry but I’m pretty sure they were dissapointed. I began by talking about the campaigning I and others in the party did leading up to the 7th of May, I spoke about how gutting it was to watch the results come in that same night, and then I spoke about how it was a complete slap in the face to have a conversation with some members of the SWP at an event a few weeks later only to find out that they didn’t vote at all. This was when people started to turn and look at me, a few people muttered and I think one person even booed a little bit. I then asked them (and I made clear that it was inquisitive, not accusatory) why non-Labour members are part of Momentum, when groups like the SWP do not share either our means or our aims?

I wish I could say that I got an answer that cleared it right up, but I did not. The Labour councillor on the panel began by denouncing me saying that if it wasn’t for the SWP speaker of the panel campaigning for him he wouldn’t have been elected (not what I asked), and then the SWP speaker on the panel telling me that she was a part of Momentum because she agreed with the current position of the party. I was unfortunately not handed back the microphone to ask follow up questions and I didn’t feel like shouting, so I’ll post them here instead.

Do you agree with the current position? The SWP is revolutionary as is stated on your website, whereas the position of the Labour Party, and Jeremy Corbyn, is reformist, to bring about Socialism in the UK by democratically taking control of the state. So how exactly do these positions align?

If it is true that you are in line with the Labour Party now, why not join? Why not pay your subs like the rest of us and put some money towards the massive uphill struggle we have ahead of us?

What if Jeremy resigns? What if someone less left-wing takes over? Will you leave? Will you abandon your comrades who manage to stick it out through leaders they agree with and leaders they agree with less?

Like I said, I wasn’t able to ask these follow up questions, and after the meeting I couldn’t seem to find her to ask her, so we’ll have to leave it at that. Oh well.

So this was the first moment that I became angry at this meeting. I understand that there are perhaps Labour MPs that Momentum do not exactly see eye to eye with, but to openly mock them and call them ‘problems’ in front of hundreds of people is a bit much. More to the point, Stella Creasy is an unbelievably hardworking, campaigning MP who was personally responsible for curbing the power of the pay-day lenders and bringing thousands of working-class people out of debt, and she is currently working on tackling the problem of the dodgy US border controls when it comes to Muslims. Stella is an amazing MP who gets stuff done, which leads me nicely on to my final point…

You can talk about things forever, and don’t get me wrong talking is an incredibly important part of politics, but talking will never change the world, action will. One thing that stood out for me at this meeting was the amount of times that someone said ‘and that’s why I’m proud we ran that campaign. Though unfortunately we did not win…’ Right. It’s great that you’re campaigning, but if you never win them then nothing is changing. You are helping nobody.

You can hate Tony Blair all you want, but he still won three elections, lifted millions out of poverty, saved the NHS, brought about the Irish peace process and invested heavily in education, infrastructure and welfare improving the standard of living for millions of people. You can call Stella Creasy a problem, but at least she is out there making real changes to people’s lives, rather than sat in a room arguing over what the Labour Party should call itself. (Yes, that discussion did actually happen. No one seemed to realise that it already has a name.) Talking is wonderful, and so is handing out free newspapers that no one will read, but until you’re actually doing someone to positively impact people’s lives you have no right to criticise those who do, and for that reason I learnt my last lesson of the night.

Momentum is not for me. I like my soft-left, let’s all be friendly and get something done stance in the Labour Party. I dislike the coldness of the centre and the inaction of the left, which puts me somewhere in between, and I’m okay with that. So to all of those at that Momentum meeting; thank you for giving me that experience. Thank you for showing me how you work and I’m sorry but it’s not quite my thing. Best of luck, and I look forward to seeing you all out on the #LabourDoorstep very soon.