YP comment: Labour lunges toward chaos

HOW the Labour Party could do with a leader of Alan Johnson’s calibre. Here is a figure who is respected by voters and opponents in equal measure. A politician with common sense and dignity born of his beginnings amid abject poverty, circumstances from which he pulled himself through resilience and sheer hard work.

His quiet dignity and common sense stands in stark contrast to the chaotic and unseemly squabbling within the ranks of the party he serves. The Hull West and Hessle MP today tells The Yorkshire Post that he doesn’t recognise Labour at the moment – and he will not be alone.

Nor do you have to be a supporter of the party to feel wholly dissatisfied with its current precarious state. A strong democracy demands a strong Opposition and at present Labour seems as ill-equipped to provide it as ever in its 116-year history.

The handling of the row over anti-Semitism – sparked by the naivete of Bradford West MP Naz Shah and then compounded by the catastrophic intervention of Ken Livingstone – has been breathtaking in its incompetency.

For all those local councillors who have worked hard at grassroots level and are today seeking to win the votes to secure their re-election, the fog of confusion that has settled over the party at national level is nothing less than a betrayal.

The fact that the Labour leadership are adamant that the party’s apparently rudderless course will not translate into disappointment at the ballot box indicates that they are in a state of denial – or, more worrying still – are oblivious to the damage their in-fighting is inflicting.

Mr Johnson may not support calls for Jeremy Corbyn to be ousted, but it is difficult to see how the party can possibly form anything resembling a credible Opposition under leadership which has been marked by such controversy and division.

Trump’s warning

Lessons to be learned from his rise

TWELVE months ago the prospect of outspoken billionaire Donald Trump becoming the next president of the United States seemed little more than a bad joke.

It was a notion reinforced by his first speech he delivered in the race for the Republican nomination in which he called Mexican illegal immigrants “rapists” and “drug dealers”.

Yet with its rallying cry of “Make America Great Again”, his campaign has struck a chord with blue collar Americans. Political commentators are adamant that Hillary Clinton would defeat him in a race for the presidency, but his success so far shows nothing can be taken for granted.

The potential repercussions if Trump does pull off the unthinkable are the stuff of nightmares. In a tinder box world, the presence in the White House of a man who appears to delight in stirring up religious and racial hatred would be a recipe for global calamity.

However, it would be a grave mistake to ignore the reasons behind his popularity. Those who dismiss him as a bigot overlook his ability to articulate the concerns and frustrations of many ordinary voters – both in America and the UK.

Trump reserves particular scorn for the destructive free-trade deals our leaders have struck and those companies that have moved their production overseas, causing lasting harm to the domestic jobs market and the lives of millions.

And while the language and posturing he adopts when discussing terrorism and immigration are abhorrent, they are a by-product of muddled foreign policy and understandable concerns over mass migration. It is easy to deride Donald Trump, but the lessons from his unnerving rise to prominence demand to be heeded.

Art of the matter

Gallery thriving after revamp

WE already know that Yorkshire is home to some of the best art galleries in the land – and now the rest of the country is starting to cotton on.

These are exciting times for culture in Yorkshire with Leeds bidding to become European Capital of Culture in 2023 and Hull hosting the prestigious Turner Prize as part of its year as UK City of Culture 2017.

The success of York Art Gallery, recently shortlisted for the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year prize, is further confirmation of the region’s growing cultural prowess. It’s less than a year since the gallery opened following an £8m renovation and despite the introduction of controversial entrance fees, monthly visitors have risen by almost 5,000.

What makes this all the more impressive is it comes at a time when public funding is being squeezed. It’s a reminder that art is not only good for our wellbeing, it boosts the economy, too.