Who runs the Labour Party | British Labour Party | Politics | TV Eye | 1980

TV EYE debates the future of the Labour Party with two M.P.’s in the forefront of the argument: Eric Heffer, member of the National Executive, well-known for hi left wing views; and William Rodgers, shadow spokesman for defence, arguably the strongest spokesman in parliament for the right-wing of the Party.
PRESENTER: Denis Tuohy
REPORTER: Llew Gardner
First shown: 26/06/1980
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Quote: VT23012

[@kevinlongman007]

The power struggle between the left and the right of the party is still going on today.

[@zeddeka]

The only thing that keeps them together is first past the post. They are two parties glued together only by the electoral system.

[@kevinlongman007]

@Sultan King Don't bet on it! Thatcher won by a landslide in 1983 at the time of a deep recession and the economy was very weak in 1992 when John Major won.

[@briandelaney9710]

Different issues today

[@TheSuperLegoMan100]

it would be two separate parties under a system of proportional representation

[@NicholasKinich]

Wrong

[@MrGranfield]

Bill Rogers will be 93 on October 28th 2021. Eric Heffer died in 1991.

[@davidbanks4168]

What a well done programme.

[@zeddeka]

The stupidity of Eric Heffer's position has perhaps been most clearly illustrated by the Conservatives Party in recent year. We've had a number of Tory Prime Ministers chosen by a few thousand Conservative Party members.

[@jacobite2353]

I mean imagine if PMs were chosen only by MPs though, no one would ever feel represented including the hard right that voted for Boris Johnson and loons that voted for Liz Truss or the hard left that voted for Jeremy Corbyn. Representation matters.

[@robdewey317]

Do you want me to tell them? 17 years before they return to power. Had a good run....Then Milliband and the Corbynated Chicken.

[@tris7]

WOW history repeating!

[@oliverdesvaux]

It’s true isn’t it? Add clause 4 to that, wide-scale re-nationalisation of utilites/train companies. That’s my concern with Corbyn & McDonnell- no new ideas that really address the challenges of the future. But why would there be when they’re men in their sixties!

[@PixelatedMaestro]

@@oliverdesvaux how on earth have you reached that conclusion

[@oliverdesvaux]

Because it’s the SAME arguments they’re having now, that they were having 40 years ago! Classic case of the left eating the left again- as usual! Fight the Tories not each other

[@zeddeka]

The labour party has been absolutely riven by factional infighting ever since its birth. Too many are more concerned with winning the internal party argument than winning votes in the country. All through its existence, labour has imploded time after time into infighting. If we didn't have first past the post, the labour party would have split into at least two separate parties many years ago.

[@nibunibu4254]

I was surprised to find that, as of July 2024, Bill Rodgers is still alive aged 95. Heffer died way back in 1991 aged 69.

[@GA-wq8xq]

Around 16:00 refers to the issue of Corbyn 35 years ahead of its time.

[@stevebbuk]

Yes it's a shame in a sense that he just couldn't articulate the policies which if you're a socialist you would have been delighted with.

[@Deepakverma-yb5ro]

Mr Rogers ur hairstyle in 1980 reminded me of Ken Dodd

[@stuartwilliams-fw4vo]

The brilliance of Heffer. Very underrated.

[@stuartwray6175]

"one man one vote, isn't that a good principle" - William Rodgers talked about the left opening a 'Pandora's box' and the danger of MPs being made "creatures of the caucus," in contrast advocating a broader constituency (both within and outside of the Labour Party). Later, Ed Milliband, in tune with 'moderate' opinion, would introduce reforms aimed at diluting trades union influence whilst encouraging a broader, more diffuse involvement into the Party. Paradoxically or unwittingly, as we now know, this opened a "Pandora's Box" of their own making. One they tried desperately to close.

[@zeddeka]

It's strange how it's contaminated the Conservative Party too. We've had a series of Conservative PM's chosen by a couple of thousand Conservative Party members.

[@rogersweet3608]

More interesting than today's shenanigans

[@ysgol3]

Rodgers was a dreary careerist who used the Labour Party to get into Parliament and was useless. Heffer was a highly principled, brilliant, decent man.

[@ysgol3]

@Bessie Hillum Hence the huge success of the SDP??

[@carlh429]

I can still remember seeing Eric Hefner’s last speech in the House of Commons. He was clearly in a bad way from the cancer which would go on to take his life, looking white and thin. He made a very good speech then sat down looking absolutely exhausted before bowing his head and crossing himself.

[@ysgol3]

@@carlh429 Hi, thanks for replying. I understand somebody, very insensitively, tried to interrupt him, and he politely refused the interruption saying this was almost certainly his last speech and he'd like to get to the end of it. And at the end, John Major, then Prime Minister, walked across and shook his hand.

[@kevinjordan1655]

Not one word about high inflation or unemployment, problem's of time, just me me me LABOR!! What about the country

[@ChrisSchwally]

How are we still arguing about this

[@johnking5174]

History doesn't repeat itself, people do

[@Genetulsa1]

Adding commercials now !!

[@nickvinehill7491]

Eric Heffer. If alive today he would be rare Labour MP who had a skilled profession before entering parliament. His arguments for mandatory re-selection of Labour MP’s is just as valid today as it was then.

[@briandelaney9710]

He wanted the left wing CLP activists to rule

[@Scorccher]

Totally in favour of mandatory reselection. Labour MPs should never take their seats for granted. We saw that in Scotland and it preceded the wipeout up there

[@spiritualdeath101]

Today, the typical British MP represents government to people. It is an elected dictatorship which increasingly has similarities with regimes like the CCP and Russia. People talk about democratic deficit. The curious thing is that people seem very relaxed about this very undemocratic situation.

[@NicholasKinich]

Our democracy

[@fromtheend4253]

Were all..Dammed!! 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤

[@adampowell5376]

I think that all important should be decided by the PLP. Internal party democracy just encourages MPs to undermine the party leader and ensure Labour loses elections. Give Labour MPs then they have no excuse for failure.

[@channelfogg6629]

'I think that all important should be decided by the PLP. Internal party democracy just encourages MPs to undermine the party leader and ensure Labour loses elections.' - Don't you see that you have completely contraducted yourself there?

[@adampowell5376]

@@channelfogg6629 No. Please explain.

[@badfractal]

@@adampowell5376 The MPs are the PLP

[@kevinlongman007]

@@badfractal He means the CLP's.

[@ianedwards60]

socialisation of the means of production to save the planet

[@hocolate271]

forty three years

[@robin_verona]

Bill Rodgers and the gang of four took a gamble and lost, unlike Healey and Hattersley who had the courage to stay and fight..and history proved them right.

[@tomd5678]

They got that again during the 2010s with sadly predictable results. There are very few people in this country who want a stupid government

[@petermills542]

Haha now we have an incredibly stupid Government! But Labour gaurenteed this by lurching to the unelectable hard left. Will they never learn?

[@templarknight5557]

Today's Labour party is a million times more worse than the loony Lefty's of the 80's and I am glad my father died before he saw the party he loved turn into the monstrous regime it has become. Corbyn,Abbott,MacDonald have all shown themselves to be absolutely inept as MP's and now they want to run our country while promoting anti Jewish feelings and allowing Antifa, Momentum, Stand up to Racism to be their military wing. Outrageous !!! And I would NEVER vote Labour under it's current leadership.

[@thethirdman2135]

@RichardTheThird , corbyn was brought up in a seven bedroom house in Shropshire and attended a prep school and cannot connect with British working class peoples concerns on immigration and love of country, the best labour politician ever was Clement atlee, a true patriot

[@thethirdman2135]

@Amanda Hughes , both attlee and Wilson were patriots, unlike corbyn

[@stevehillier7018]

Simon Last A’s was Callaghan

[@PixelatedMaestro]

'Templar Knight' in not voting Labour shocker.

[@roddyteague6246]

@Amanda Hughes You need to get your facts (& your spelling) right Madam. Attlee was not an Old Etonian as he went to Haileybury College. The rest of his record is pretty spotless for a Labour MP with Denis Healey coming a close second. They all faced different crises at different times.

[@nowseemefly]

Old Labour was better.

[@johnking5174]

I wish there was a true centre left party here in Britain. If you know one, please let me know.

[@johnking5174]

@RichardTheThird I sway between Lib Dems, Labour and the Green Party in my politics. But which one to choose. I do not like Jeremy Corbyn, Lib Dems seem very weak and the Greens are just non entities.

[@johnking5174]

@RichardTheThird Thank you, should I take that as a compliment?

[@johnking5174]

@RichardTheThird I am 33 years old, but I enjoy politics, debates, archive TV, and then I can enjoy KZbinrs like Joe Sugg, so I must be a complete barometer. It is good to be varied.

[@johnking5174]

@RichardTheThird Thank you.

[@johnr8640]

Unfit to govern then and unfit to govern now. what a disgrace

[@henrysmith883]

Perfectly fit to govern now thanks Mr Tory Boy. Think youll find your lot will be smashed come 2024.

[@MajorKlanga]

William Rodgers must have looked at himself in the mirror at his weird hairstyle with its black dye and thought - yes, I look fine for being seen in public. I wonder if he had a flat in Dolphin Square?