We can close the divide on the centre-left. To do so means putting together a sustainable coalition of voters and dealing with three challenges.
- What is our offer in the wake of the global financial crisis and the austerity it has brought?
- How do we address the alienation of disaffected groups like white working-class people who gravitate towards the United Kingdom Independence party or drop out of politics altogether?
- How do we deal with the collapse of the Liberal Democrats?
Ed Miliband has been spot on in focusing on the cost of living as a key dividing line for the centre-left. And our policies like those on energy prices have been rightly acknowledged as successful among not only the ‘squeezed middle’ but all sections of society.
But the part of that argument that needs further emphasis is how that concern for the plight of struggling families is built into an economy of the future.
People believe Labour is more on their side than the Tories. They believe our individual policies will do more to address inequality than our opponents. The challenge for us now is to fill in the picture about how we would model the institutions and processes of our economy to deliver that outcome and the stability and rising living standards that became the norm prior to 2008.
But equally the challenge here is to first understand that the real attraction of Ukip to voters is not simply on immigration and Europe. It is more generalised fear about the future – jobs, prosperity, cultural identity and place.
The centre-left’s challenge is to recognise the real message behind their appeal: do not pander to their xenophobic rhetoric but equally do not indulge them when they are deliberately misleading or offensive on issues like immigration.
We must acknowledge and address the issue where there is genuine concern or fear of change but never be afraid to make the case in a way that emphasises how immigration, Europe and an outward-looking Britain make a positive contribution to prosperity, job security and economic growth.
In making that case, Labour should be bold in asserting its position as the only true progressive force left in British politics.
It is clear that the Liberal Democrats are in freefall.
The recent elections have shown they are facing a huge defeat at the next election.
I have no sympathy for them as their decline is entirely self-inflicted and based on a spectacular lack of self-awareness.
By entering into a coalition with a party of the right and then being naive enough to believe David Cameron’s fake centrist rhetoric they have been left with no natural support base and an opinion poll rating hovering between seven and 13 per cent.
As a Liverpool member of parliament, I have seen first hand how Liberal Democrats cynically manipulate their position as a supposed progressive party and I have not been at all surprised when their duplicity and cynicism was exposed the moment they got their hands on power at a national level.
As a consequence they have gone from controlling Liverpool until four years ago to a rump with only three seats out of 90 seats, no longer even the official opposition on only 9.4 per cent of the vote, fourth behind Labour, Greens and Ukip. There is no way back for them and we must try to forge a progressive majority without them.
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Maria Eagle MP is shadow secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs. She tweets @meaglemp
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