alternatehistory.com

For those who don't know, Respect was a leftist party that grew out of opposition to the Iraq War in 2004. Last month it formally deregistered as a political party with the electoral commission. It didn't ever poll particularly highly on a national level, yet it was able to secure some relatively good results in its early existence. Its most prominent member, former Labour MP George Galloway, was elected to parliament twice for different constituencies under the party banner, and they also secured some pretty strong results elsewhere, almost winning an MEP in London in 2004, and securing a few second place results in Labour strongholds at the 2005 election. Looking at it, it has several of the features needed for a relatively successful anti establishment insurgency:

-Being perceived to be on the 'right side' of public opinion on several important issues in the time it was at its strongest, first the Iraq War, then the financial crisis

-Having a strong movement (in the opposition to the Iraq War) to provide a base for support

-Having a well focused vote (particularly in areas with large muslim population) to partially overcome the inequalities of FPTP

All it would need would be a charismatic and well known public figurehead. Galloway seems like a bit of a crackpot to most people. But this was a time when Ken Livingstone was a relatively popular Mayor of London. If he could be persuaded to join, which doesn't sound totally ASB as he only stopped being an independent and rejoined Labour earlier in the same month that Respect was founded, they could have the figurehead they need.

So my question to mark the party's demise, is how far could they go, if everything that could plausibly go right for them does?
Top