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A Letter to the Left: An Op-Ed

Writer's picture: Joshua FosterJoshua Foster

I'm sorry. I owe you an apology. To those of you who warned me, to those who pleaded with me to see what was coming, and to those who stood their ground when I faltered: I’m sorry. I stayed in the Labour Party. I campaigned for them at the 2024 General Election. And I did it in the hope—misplaced, as I now see—that this would be enough to get the Tories out of government.


For years, I clung to the belief that Labour, despite its compromises and betrayals, was still the best vehicle for change in this country. I told myself that the stakes were too high to risk splitting the left vote; that solidarity meant staying and fighting for a party I no longer believed in. I told myself—and others—that anything was better than another Tory government, that incremental change was better than none at all. I was wrong.

Image credit: Keir Starmer via Flickr

The 2024 General Election: A Bitter Victory


The Tories lost. But what did we win?


The Labour government that emerged in 2024 did not bring hope or transformation. Instead, it brought continuity—a diluted version of Conservative policies wrapped in red rosettes. Labour pledged fiscal responsibility, embraced market solutions, and spoke of a “fairer capitalism,” as though such a thing were possible. Starmer’s leadership may have stabilised the party electorally, but it came at the cost of its soul.


We were promised a government for the many, but what we got was more of the same. Austerity wasn’t reversed, public services continued to crumble under privatisation, and the climate crisis remained an afterthought. Yes, they were better than the Tories in some respects—but being marginally better than a government that decimated the welfare state and oversaw staggering inequality is not a victory.


By staying in Labour, I lent credibility to this betrayal. I helped to perpetuate the illusion that they were the left-wing option, that they could be trusted to deliver real change. For that, I am truly sorry.


Why I Stayed


I stayed because I was scared. I was scared that leaving Labour would mean handing another election to the Tories, with all the horrors that entails. I was scared that smaller, more radical projects couldn’t succeed, that they would be dismissed as fringe movements with no chance of gaining power.


I stayed because it felt easier to compromise than to confront the truth: that Labour has abandoned the working class, the marginalised, and the planet. I told myself that change from within was still possible, even as evidence to the contrary mounted.

I stayed because I wanted to believe that we could vote our way out of this mess.


Leaving Labour, Embracing the Future


But now I see that staying in Labour wasn’t the solution—it was part of the problem. By focusing all our energy on propping up a party that doesn’t represent us, we neglected the real work of building a truly transformative left.


Since leaving Labour, I’ve found hope and inspiration in grassroots movements and independent left-wing projects. These are the spaces where real change is happening—where people are organising for public ownership, workers’ rights, climate justice, and a society that puts people over profit.


Yes, the road ahead is hard. Building an alternative to Labour will take time, effort, and immense courage. But it’s also necessary. The Labour Party has shown us, time and again, that it will prioritise power over principles, even if that means abandoning the very people it was created to serve.

Image credit: Joanna Penn via Flickr

To Those Who Stayed


I know how difficult this decision is. I understand the fear, the doubt, and the frustration. I don’t write this to condemn those who remain in Labour, hoping against hope that the party can be salvaged. But I urge you to ask yourselves: How many more betrayals will it take?


The Tories are not the only obstacle to change. Labour, as it exists today, is part of the machinery that sustains the status quo. Breaking free from that machinery is the first step toward building something better.


Moving Forward


If we are to create a society that truly works for everyone, we cannot rely on a party that has repeatedly chosen compromise over conviction. We must invest in the grassroots, in unions, in community organising, and in political movements that aren’t afraid to challenge the system at its core.


I regret my decision to stay in Labour, but regret alone isn’t enough. I am committing myself to the work of building a truly left-wing alternative. I hope you will join me.


For too long, I put my faith in a party that no longer represents us. Now, I’m putting my faith in people—ordinary people with extraordinary potential to change the world.

It’s not too late to turn things around. But it starts with leaving behind what no longer serves us.


I’m sorry. And I’m ready to fight for something better.

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