William Clouston

The news that over 50,000 migrants have arrived on small boats since Labour took office last year is of no surprise. If things don’t change soon another 50,000 are sure to follow and then another. The causes of the Channel migrant crisis are quite clear. Yet public frustration is at fever pitch partly because none of our political elites – red, blue or turquoise – have any idea how to solve the problem. Labour’s frontbench is comprised of post-national progressive politicians whose concern is global welfare rather than the particular interests of British citizens Both establishment parties reacted to the migrant crisis in the same way – not with substantial change but with slogans and ineffective schemes.

To read this long-overdue and welcome biography of Peter Shore is to undergo a journey from Labour’s eurosceptic heights in the 1960s to its demise as a party of the nation state in the 1990s. Titled Labour’s Forgotten Patriot, patriotism is a theme which constantly recurs and, to a considerable extent, defined Shore’s political life. Peter Shore has been a rather neglected figure. This is odd since he had considerable influence over Labour politics for two decades and was probably the staunchest defender of Britain’s independence.

A paralysed prime minister holed up in Downing Street, a deadlocked Parliament out of touch with public sentiment and political discourse descending into rancour and abuse. Millions of British people can be forgiven for looking at this situation with total despair. What caused this situation? An unreformed political system well past its sell by date combined with political parties which have lost their way. Can we do better? Of course. The solution lies in a ‘red & blue’ political reformation.  For many years, those holding a traditional, communitarian or patriotic outlook have been gradually marginalised.