Labour’s recent WhatsApp scandal is more than just embarrassing – it shows that a harmful, aggressive attitude still exists within the party.
Voters will be shocked to learn that someone Sir Keir Starmer thought was suitable to be a health minister made a joke about wishing death on a 72-year-old who doesn’t support Labour.
Older people, who were already upset when Labour cut winter fuel payments, might now wonder: “Do they really think this way about us? Is this how they talk about us in private?”
This scandal also makes Labour’s other decisions look worse, like refusing to compensate the Waspi women and forcing more pensioners to pay income tax by freezing tax allowances.
The nasty tone of the WhatsApp messages will remind people of the bullying and bad behavior that has troubled Labour for years. While many may not agree with the policies of Angela Rayner and Diane Abbott, the cruel jokes in the messages reveal a culture of talking badly about colleagues behind their backs.
This won’t surprise those who have seen Labour at its worst. The party’s own investigation into its activities in Liverpool in 2021 found evidence of “bullying, infighting, sexism, and dysfunction.”
Even during the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown era, the party was known for fierce and damaging rivalries. Former Chancellor Alistair Darling once said that when he warned about economic dangers, “the forces of hell were unleashed” against him.
The anti-Semitism scandals during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership threw the party into chaos. In 2018, Frank Field resigned, complaining about “thuggish behavior” and a “culture of intolerance, nastiness, and intimidation.”
Sir Keir Starmer did a great job rebuilding Labour’s reputation and leading the party to a big win last summer. But that success could disappear if voters feel that Labour sees anyone who isn’t a loyal supporter as an easy target for higher taxes.
Now, farmers worry they’ll lose land they’ve worked on for generations due to new inheritance taxes. Parents who saved to send their children to private schools are being hit with new taxes. Experts warn that plans to raise National Insurance for employers could cost jobs and make it harder for people to find work.
Farmers, business owners, parents, and pensioners will notice that the government was quick to give pay raises to calm down unions. They’ll wonder why they aren’t shown the same kindness and respect.
It’s one thing for a government to argue that its toughest policies are necessary for the country’s future. But it’s a disaster if the government seems uncaring and out of touch.
