Hard left

Hard left or hard-left is a term that is used particularly in Australian, New Zealand, and British English to describe the most radical members of a left-wing political party or political group. As a noun and modifier it is sometimes used pejoratively in referring to left-wing political movements and ideas seen as outside the mainstream centre-left. The term has been used to describe wings and factions of several political parties across the world, particularly the left wing of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom and left-wing factions of the Australian Labor Party, particularly in the 1980s. In Australia, the term refers especially to the group around Anthony Albanese. In the UK, it refers especially to Tony Benn’s Socialist Campaign Group.

Australia

As with the Labor Right faction, the Labor Left faction of the Australian Labor Party is split between multiple competing sub-factions, called "fractions". These vary between state branches and in union support and affiliation.

In New South Wales, the left is split mainly between the so-called "hard" left and "soft" left. The hard left was historically focused on the trade union movement and international issues, and organised around figures like Frank Walker, Arthur Gietzelt, and future Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The soft left presented a "more pragmatic" vision of the left and used rank-and-file members to gain power through branch stacking, and organised around politicians Peter Baldwin and Jack Ferguson.

During the 1980s, prolonged disputes over tactical issues and personality conflicts resulted in a split occurring within the New South Wales Labor Left, creating two sub-factional groupings; the 'Hard Left' and the 'Soft Left', the latter of which was the successor of the Baldwinites. A significant event which caused the split was the election of the Secretary Assistant of the New South Wales Labor Party, where the Hard Left faction supported Anthony Albanese while the Soft Left faction supported Jan Burnswoods.

Britain

The term was first used in the context of debates within both the Labour Party and the broader left in the 1980s to describe Trotskyist groups such as the Militant tendency, Socialist Organiser and Socialist Action. Within the party, the Labour left or "hard left", represented by the Socialist Campaign Group, subscribed to more strongly socialist views while the "soft left", associated for example with the Tribune Group, embraced more moderate social democratic ideas. Neil Kinnock's first term as party leader was dominated by his clash with the hard left.

Politicians commonly described as being on the hard left of the Labour Party at the time included Tony Benn, Derek Hatton, Ken Livingstone, Dennis Skinner, and Eric Heffer.

The term has since then often been used pejoratively by Labour's political opponents, for example, during the Conservative Party's election campaigns of the early 1990s, and by the media. It has continued to be used pejoratively for the left wing of the Labour Party.

Australia

Britain

See also

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Further reading