A decade ago, at a passport control checkpoint in New Zealand, I presented my Israeli passport to a stern-faced officer. He cast a seemingly polite glance at me, waiting for me to show him my visa. Then I realized my mistake: I put away the Israeli passport and pulled out my British one. The officer's face lit up with a reverent smile as he bowed and directed me to the baggage carousel.
I'm not sharing this anecdote to brag about my foreign passport, but to briefly reflect on the nature of Britain. While it has its glaring flaws – such as questionable cuisine and a national museum brimming with artifacts from around the world – it also boasts excellent soccer, a respected philosophical tradition, and an exceptional survival instinct. When I think about it, if there's one European nation I'd trust for its survival instinct, it would be the British.
Some of you might wonder why not the Swiss or the Swedes, who weathered the darkest periods of modern times without their capitals being bombarded. But sitting on the sidelines and letting others do the dirty work isn't particularly admirable, and Britain has earned its respect fair and square.
For the first time in a decade and a half, the Labour Party has defeated the Conservative Party – a particularly interesting development given the new right-wing wave sweeping across Europe, in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and beyond. The Right and Left in Israel love to feel that if "their" side is elected in a country somewhere around the globe, it's solid evidence of the righteousness of their path. However, the political divide between right and left can vary greatly from country to country.
In Britain, for instance, the vote for Labour doesn't stem from a massive awakening in the social sphere, but mainly from weariness with the current government. Its leaders are perceived as seeing themselves above the law, and it has failed to deliver significant achievements in areas close to the British heart: The cost of living, the poor state of public healthcare, immigration that hasn't been curbed despite Brexit, and trains that don't arrive on time. No, this isn't a joke – proper public transportation is a real issue for the middle class living in the suburbs.
The Right and Left in Israel love to feel that if "their" side is elected in a country somewhere around the globe, it's solid evidence of the righteousness of their path. However, the political divide between right and left can vary greatly from country to country.
The British Left understood that most voters identify more with the values of the Conservative Party, but to win their hearts (and their votes), Labour wisely made two significant moves: First, they got rid of the radical Jeremy Corbyn and replaced him with Keir Starmer, whose parents were blue-collar workers, who attended a public school, and who deeply resonates with the working class. Second, they abandoned the left-wing identity politics and the progressive-conservative culture war. Instead, they talk about mortgages, health, affordable housing, and wages.
The message to the global Left, including the Israeli Left, is clear: Want to be an alternative to a right-wing government that few are satisfied with? No more elitist and detached politicians talking about lofty world issues – but humble politicians who know firsthand the struggles of citizens and are willing to forgo grand words in favor of concrete solutions.
