Letter to David Evans – General Secretary of the Labour Party
Dear Mr Evans
Cancellation of Labour Party membership
After 20 years of Labour activism, during which I served as a councillor and stood for parliament, I am writing to cancel my party membership. It is hard to leave a surrogate family and risk losing political friends. But I must speak the truth and be able to look my own family and friends in the eye.
Today is India’s Independence Day. I am choosing to mark the occasion by leaving an organisation I know to be institutionally racist and anti-Indian. Also, I can no longer support a party that acts against the interests of working people, and is consistently embarrassed by Britain’s values and traditions.
As a British Indian, I am proud of both facets of my identity. My Indian heritage, rooted in Gujarati culture and Hindu values; and my sense of Britishness, growing up in white working class areas of Leicester, before representing outer estates in local government. Both these communities no longer matter to the modern Labour Party.
It is a sad indictment I should have to outline my background to reference the party’s bigotry and intolerance. But having lost its principles and all sense of direction, identity politics is the only language Labour now understands.
The party’s descent, from meritocracy to mediocrity, and its growing irrelevance to the lives of ordinary people, runs parallel with its increased anti-Indian, anti-Semitic and anti-worker sentiment of recent years. Playing racist power games and identity politics, whilst professing to care about the public good, is regressive and deceitful.
Post-Jeremy Corbyn I have come to realise the problem was not merely Corbynism, it was socialism. Socialism was the toxic oil spill that washed ashore, polluting the party with hatefulness and division. Traditional and moderate values were corroded by the rancid ideas of emboldened socialists: extreme left-wing ideologues, striving for unachievable perfection; and embittered intellectuals, desperate to offset lives of passive inaction.
Despite the election of Sir Keir Starmer, a respectable man who is not a deluded Marxist, I have seen no evidence that sensible values will be restored; and that socialism, as an oppressive totalitarian ideology, will be ditched forever.
Indeed, the drive towards clickbait over convictions is continuing, particularly by self-proclaimed ‘Socialist Labour’ MPs – and the soft-left apologists who prop them up. Tweeting to stoke emotional rage, rather than using logic and reason to offer solutions, is the inevitable brain rot of ideologues lacking pragmatism and real-world competence.
And so, having moved much further to the left, abandoning social democracy in favour of socialism, the party founded by working people has come to embrace intellectual idleness and resentment, over hard work and ambition.
My experiences of anti-Indian bigotry and racial abuse in Labour over the last four years, details of which I intend to publish soon, have made me extremely resilient and determined. I have honed my political voice and I plan to use it, particularly in support of those communities and values which the party has betrayed.
Ultimately, I may have chosen to be a Labour member, but I was born British Indian. My loyalty rests with the people I come from, and this great country of ours.
Yours sincerely
Sundip Meghani
Sundip Meghani 
I admire the Indians of this country who have made this country our home and serve
It’s about time the indians stood up shoulder to shoulder and voice our feelings.
Jai hind
I agree… I’m a centrist tory and have strong social democratic values… I abhor racial and social injustice whatever its political flavour… Well said Sundip Meghani
Long live the Indian Revolution led by the Naxalites! Long live the British working class! Long live the traditions of John McLean, Willie Gallacher and Claudia Jones!
What positive contributions have the Naxalites provided to ordinary Indians?
Hello Mr Meghani,
First let me say that I’m extremely sorry that you have left the Labour Party, however I totally understand why.
I have been a member of this once great Party for over 40 years, I have been an activist but not at the high level as yourself. I experienced on the doorsteps in Dec that the reason the people were not going to support Labour was as you have stated previously Jeremy Corbin & his elitist far left supporters. I am a similar age group to Corbyn & went on all the protest marches he states he went on in the 1960’s & 70’s. The main difference between us now is that this is 2020.
May I thank you for all your past commitment to the Party but also state that I am really sad that you are going.
I wish you Good Luck for your future.
Regards
Bernie Vose.
This is getting ridiculous and out of hand. I do NOT believe this Labour Party is institutionally racist. Every one of us can be a tiny bit racist regarding something close to us including you and all people of all nations. We wouldn’t be human if that were so. But if you had an ounce of intelligence and we’re proud of this country and particularly the Labour Party you would support Kier Starmer and help him to make things better. I have no respect for you or your action.
Please dont leave. Please stay and help Keir and the vast majority of the Labour membership rebuild on the values you once identified with.Leicester has a proud history of Labour activism. Thank you for all you have done
Yes it is – and the quicker that is admitted, the quicker it can be tackled.
Veronica how convenient for you that.your party cannot be institutionally racist but the political opposition can. Dunning Kruger effect much? I find people like you to be fanatical dimwits useful as s grunt or an NPC.
I too have left the Labour party but mainly because people like you have sabotaged the progression of the Labour party
Your resignation letter is led by identity politics. It sounds as you’ll only be satisfied with the total annihilation of the Labour party. The Labour party is funded predominantly by trade unions but the working class is no longer a homogeneous group. This is the largest challenge. How do you expand the Labour base? Socialism is one way but the 1% has all the tools to sabotage it. The 1% are the Tories and their donors. And yet we can’t defeat them.
If yu have to go, go yu must, yu cannot be held against your will but I do think this isbeyond what yu have stated. Yu are member of a political party and yu have to abide by the rule of the party and it’s principle, so thinking the party will act according to your whim and Caprices is a big misconception. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
The Labour Party was there a long time before you became active 20 years ago. I am white and working class. I’m a trade unionist who has been fighting racism and the way it is used to divide the working class all my working life. I lean well to the left but the last thing is could be desvribed as in middle class or elite. The Indians I worked with in the brick yards in Bedford were my natural allies in the union and the party. There hasn’t been some aspect of the party or any number of leaders I haven’t disagreed with on some matters or most matters for decades. But suddenly when Jeremy Corbyn became leader – and I also have differences with him – I apparently became antisemitic. Who knew? Now I’m apparently anti Indian. And anti white working class. Where will it end? I’m waiting for someone to claim I don’t like my mum’s sisters and I’m guilty of being anti aunty. I’m not all that keen on Sir Keir. But I hope he can help get a Labour Govt. elected. And I hope millions will benefit from that, regardless of their colour or race. One of the most decent men in politics was Michael Foot. He identified as a socialist (dare say that’s why he was in the Labour Party, though not all socialists are) and was active in the India League, becoming it’s Chair. And yet he was vilified in much the same way Corbyn has been and we were told during his leadership and after it that the Labour Party would never be electable again. Guess what? Anyway, you take your ball home, that’s your prerogative. Far more prominent people than you have left in the past – gang of four spring to mind – and the party has managed. It’s an indication of how far astray the Blairites had dragged the party that you didn’t realise you were joining one whose very roots were socialist when you did. Can’t imagine it taking 20 years to discover that. Good luck though.
Oh Sundip – I’m so sorry the Labour Party is losing you and ashamed of the experiences that have caused you to make this decision. There is racism and anti-semitism in the party and you’re not alone in becoming demoralised by the lack of any real will over the years to do anything about it.I’m holding out hope for Keir Starmer but who knows? One man, however outstanding, isn’t the Labour party. I wish you well – the party has lost a real asset in you and I can only hope it can change and become a party you and people like you would want to be a part of again. I hope we will see you in the future – please continue to make your voice heard. God bless and my best wishes Eileen W x
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Bravo Sundip.I am glad you left the increasingly irrelevant party.Labour lost its way long time ago.Labour is now home to hard core socialists aka communists and antisemitic radicals.I hope British Indians will see the light and support the any party that is India friendly.Labour is not that party.
‘Socialism was the toxic oil spill that washed ashore, polluting the party with hatefulness and division.’ — Errr, the Labour Party is a socialist party: Party Constitution Clause 4:1 ‘The Labour Party is a democratic socialist Party.’ With ideas like yours, what on Earth were you doing in it in the first place?
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