For those of us who were at the coal face during the general election, Paul Richards provides an accurate but depressing assessment of the challenges we encountered. He highlights the flaws in the campaign and our disconnection with the electorate, focusing not just on the votes and support we lost since 2005, but also those five million voters that have abandoned Labour since 1997. However, this isn’t just a critique of what the national party did wrong – it also investigates failings of the wider movement and offers focus for those of us desperate to ensure the party is only in opposition for one term.
Labour’s Revival explores three things: what went wrong after 2005; the historical figures that can provide inspiration to reinvigorate the party’s message; and the areas we need to work on to re-establish ourselves as the only politically progressive party in Britain.
Each of the chapters could, and should, be extended and developed to form their own book on the future of the Labour party, and could well form a basis for the 2015 manifesto – from cooperatives to mutualism to extending equality. As we review the Partnership into Power process and the role of local parties and the wider movement in our policymaking structures, this book becomes essential.
Richards has provided a thought-provoking text which demands a conversation within the party about our future, not just our past. This is why I would also urge everyone to read the 2010 Nye Bevan memorial lecture, given by Jon Cruddas on the eve of the spending review. In it, he begins to answer some of the questions that Labour’s Revival raises. As he quoted Bevan: ‘Bevan understood Labour’s faults and dangers. He said, “We can’t undo what we have done. And I am by no means convinced that something cannot yet be made of it”.’
Photo: Labour’s Revival, Biteback publishing
The biggest problem for labour is the name labour, after Blair I would have thought junior Tory party would have suited, and the way Brown ran around getting Tories to help him, I am surprised they did not give him a seat. I love the way you use the world coal face, I actually did work at a coal face, my wife was born in the Nye Bevan’s hospital because her father paid into the Unions funding to allow the hospital to live, she was born with Spina Bifida, she underwent free of charge under the rules of the Union and hospital fee’s, otherwise she would have died. So when people talk about working at the coal face I basically just smile. The fact is New labour were in power by kissing the back side of the middle class, as Brown showed with his 10p tax band so called fiasco, but Blair attack on many people who are disabled many ex miners in my area. I have no reason to see New Labour under Miliband being any different, if another labour official tells me the middle class are the route back into power, then sadly you can kiss my ass…
Does Paul’s book comment on Labour’s successes in London in 2010 built around local government successes?
Not that I recall
Labour has always done well in council election while in opposition in fact in my area the Tories while in opposition did better then labour funny old world.