Beneath the surface of electoral change, political parties are entrenched in a system of corruption and unprincipled manoeuvring

~ Mark McEwan ~

The transition from Tory to Labour might provide a momentary sigh of relief, but corruption courses through the veins of our political system. The Tories gave us lots of scandals, including Partygate and the Downing Street refurbishment controversy. Now, it has been reported that Labour leader Kier Starmer had accepted over £107,145 worth of gifts, benefits, and hospitality since the last UK election (2019), including tickets to Arsenal F.C. matches and Taylor Swift concerts, two-and-a-half times more than any other MP.

It was also reported that Health Secretary Wes Streeting received four tickets to see Taylor Swift, worth a total of £1,160, from The Football Association. Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson  also admitted to accepting Taylor Swift concert tickets. Phillipson, it was reported, had received a £14,000 gift from Labour peer Waheed Alli for her 40th birthday party. Alli is also reported to have gifted thousands of pounds for clothes and accessories to Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, the PM’s wife Victoria Starmer, and Starmer himself. Starmer subsequently admitted to accepting accommodation worth £20,000 from Baron Alli between May and July 2024.

In the wake of the Conservative Party’s ousting, many citizens wereushering in the new Labour government with a glimmer of hope. But beneath the surface of electoral change lies a sobering truth: political parties, regardless of their labels, are entrenched in a system of corruption and unprincipled manoeuvring that perpetuates societal fracture and dysfunction.

Labour may not (yet) be accepting as many corporate gifts as their Tory predecessors, but this does nothing to address the intrinsic flaws of an unprincipled political landscape where accountability is woefully lacking. Those in power may change their coats, but they emerge from the same rotten cupboard. Even so-called alternative parties are enmeshed in this quagmire, trading promises for donations and making power plays in a corrupt game.

Let’s not be fooled by narratives that frame politics as a contest of virtue; the reality is much grimmer. What we’re truly voting for is the perpetuation of a socio-economic framework built on inequalities, injustice, and a filigree of vested interests. Our votes increasingly seem meaningless. Voting becomes a symbolic act, one that anoints representatives who will ultimately owe their loyalty, not to their constituents, but to the exploitative machinery of capitalism and the British state itself.

Our objective should be not merely to swap one set of politicians for another, but to dismantle the very framework that allows for persistent corruption and exploitation. This means sustained engagement in our communities, building new structures that prioritise equity, justice, and cooperation.

By rejecting individualism and embracing our shared struggles and common interests, we can repossess our agency and push for systemic change. This change must arise from grassroots organisation, community-building, and solidarity that no political party can offer.

As we rally, let’s forge new paths outside of the political mire. The hope for real change doesn’t rest in one party being more less corrupt than another, but in building a movement resilient enough to challenge the systemic inequities that plague our society.