Ex Welsh Labour council leader urges formation of new party

Martin Shipton

A former Welsh Labour council leader has urged the formation of a new left wing party aimed at countering right wing populism.

Hedley McCarthy, who led Blaenau Gwent council from 2012 to 2015, said he had lost all faith in the Labour Party under Keir Starmer’s leadership and that the rise of Reform UK needed to be combatted from a democratic socialist perspective.

Right wing populism

He told Nation.Cymru: “I believe the time has come to form a new party, a Unity Party that will be strong enough to counter right wing populism.

“Keir Starmer and his cronies have moved the fulcrum of British politics to the right and is partly responsible for the shift that has led to Reform’s surge in popularity.

“The Labour Party is no longer a democratic socialist party , Starmer and his friends have purged socialists from all levels of the party on trumped up charges or for daring to defend Labour values. Seven socialist MPs were suspended for opposing the two child benefit cap, Rachel Reeves cut the Winter Fuel Allowance from pensioners. Labour has betrayed the WASPI women. The UK Government has watched the genocide happening in Gaza, shedding just a few crocodile tears.

“Labour is led by an establishment stooge with very little political experience and the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) with a few honourable exceptions, is full of careerists who have next to nothing in common with the constituencies they represent. They are placemen like Luke Akehurst, a privately educated Zionist apologist who has variously stood for election in Bristol, Castle Point, Aldershot and Hackney. He is married to an Oxford councillor, and seems a bit of a square peg as MP for North Durham. “Imogen Walker, the MP for Hamilton and Clyde Valley, is married to Morgan McSweeney, the chief of staff to Starmer.

“Here in Wales Cardiff West is represented by Alex Barros-Curtis. Anger was expressed by Labour Party members that Barros-Curtis lived in London, had no connection to the area and had been ‘parachuted’ onto the constituency. In Swansea West Torsten Bell is the MP, having been selected as the Labour candidate In May 2024 for the July general election. His imposition raised criticism from local members for his having no connection to the area and no Welsh connection.

“At the same time Beth Winter, a conscientious socialist MP for the Cynon Valley ended up deselected. In England, of course, Jeremy Corbyn, Sam Tarry and Lloyd Russell-Moyle suffered similar treatment to make room for compliant replacements. Is cronyism and nepotism to be the new Clause 4 [the commitment to public ownership of industry that was scrapped during Tony Blair’s time as party leader]?

“What was once the party of the working classes is now virtually devoid of that representation, having been replaced by the SpAd class of assistants, advisers, researchers and office boys. Consequently what exists now is a PLP lacking in commitment, conscience and courage which can’t even spot the issue, let alone be progressive enough to oppose populism.

“Here in Wales we have a First Minister who is also a member of the House of Lords. Looking at the Senedd’s legislation it is as a rule authoritarian, and does things to people not for people. It is expanding its membership of paid Senedd Members without any recourse to the electorate.

“What we need now is a party of Unity that can build bridges with like minded progressives. One that embraces democratic socialists inside and outside of the Labour Party and across other parties and those in no party, among trade unionists, pensioners, students and others. A party that can work with progressive elements within the Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru and progressive Independents. A party that respects diversity and equality irrespective of race, creed, colour or gender united in common policy arrived at democratically by open debate.”

Interest

He added: “I have noticed a great deal of interest on Facebook in the idea of setting up a new party along the lines of what I am suggesting, and believe it’s time to take the idea forward.”

Mr McCarthy was expelled from the Labour Party in 2022 following complaints that he had “liked” allegedly anti-semitic comments posted on a Facebook group page. Mr McCarthy admits the comments were anti-Zionist, but vehemently denies they were antisemitic, insisting that he has “a proven track record of opposing racism of all forms, including antisemitism’.

A Labour party spokesperson said after his expulsion: “Hedley McCarthy was expelled from the Labour Party in January 2022 following the conclusion of an internal disciplinary investigation into antisemitic social media activity.”

Mr McCarthy has asked those interested in setting up a network as a precursor to founding a new party to email him at [email protected]