Labour in local government is delivering real change to working people’s lives up and down the country. But before talking about what lessons can be learned from local government, a warning: there have been times when local government has got it wrong. We must admit to these failings and learn from them. Just look at Doncaster and Rotherham or the response to educational failings in Birmingham.
There are poor and coasting local authorities – we know who they are. But there are many ambitious and innovative leaders, understanding local needs and solving local problems. One example of a courageous authority is Southwark where Councillor Peter John is determined to improve the borough for his residents. Or look at Jules Pipe’s response to education in Hackney where he transformed educational attainment. Or Sarah Hayward’s excellent work in Camden. And that’s just in London!
At a national level, we have shown ourselves to be out of touch. When people wanted jobs we gave them jargon. When they said they were proud of their country we mocked them on Twitter.
We were out of touch at the ballot box in May last year. When people told us that we ‘must do better’, we ignored immigration and instead descended into the old fights of the 1980s and elected a leader by flashmob.
We failed to listen and we neglected the needs of those to whom we owe the greatest duty: those working hard and struggling on the lowest incomes. We failed to build and protect affordable and social housing. We became willing participants in a benefits system that often entrenches poverty and does not reward work. We failed to equip people with the skills for the modern economy. And yes: we completely failed to address concerns about the economic, social and cultural effects of immigration.
We are living with the consequences of failure and with the referendum vote last month, the full scale of the damage became clear. Across the country, the Labour party has lost the trust of many it seeks to represent and has represented for generations.
But Labour did not lose the last election because we were seen as having the wrong values – we lost because people did not think we could put those values into practice. Whether or not you agree with the prevailing narrative, post-2008 Labour was not trusted on the economy.
Local leaders have stepped up to demonstrate that progressive government can also be responsible. Councils like Newham are showing that Labour can balance the books. We have frozen council tax for eight years despite the vicious assault on our funding, and we remain true to our values at the same time investing in those services our residents value the most and have the biggest impact on life chances.
That is why, unlike the 1980s when ‘loony left councils’ were part of the problem, we must not be shy about putting forward local government as an example of what we can do in power.
My call is for ambitious and brave but honest leadership and when something does not work we need to recognise it and move on. We must learn from each other otherwise we will fall into the trap of central government and become distant from our residents.
In Newham we share our experience and learn from our neighbours, and I do not believe people think we have abandoned them. The community we serve is young, diverse and aspirational, but it is also very deprived.
For us, the purpose of local government is to build resilience – to give residents the personal, economic, and social tools to overcome challenges and achieve their aspirations. It is a vision to meet the needs of working people. Rather than promoting dependence, we give them the power to change their own lives.
By supporting people to support themselves we debunk the idea that we are in favour of something for nothing: people no longer come into my surgery asking why others are able to jump the queue. This point could not be clearer than with our offer of universal free school meals for all Newham households. It puts more than £500 back in the pockets of working households.
But when our residents need support we provide it:
- We have the nation’s first boroughwide selective licensing scheme to crack down on rogue landlords who exploit the housing crisis by exposing residents to Dickensian conditions. Landlord licensing helps address the perception that immigration contributes to the housing crisis. Last year we raided a three-bedroom house with 23 Romanians living in it. By taking action against rogue landlords, we make it much more likely that housing will be used by Newham families and drive out those seeking to undermine our community and undercut decent and responsible landlords.
- Our unique jobs brokerage scheme, Workplace, helps our people outcompete international labour so they can take advantage of new jobs. Since we launched it in 2007 it has filled more than 30,000 jobs with Newham residents. It demonstrates to the poorest members of our community that globalisation is an opportunity as well as a threat.
- And when employers use migrant labour to illegally undercut the local workforce (nearly one in five of our residents does not get paid the national minimum wage), that breeds bitterness and division. That is why we have been campaigning for new powers to enforce the national minimum wage locally. Sadly, our call has so far fallen on deaf ears.
When we launched our resilience agenda, Newham was the second most deprived place in the country; now we’re 25th. Educational attainment is up. Employment has risen faster than nearly anywhere else in Britain. We are determined to make our residents more competitive, in turn slowing immigration into the borough.
The working people of Newham have stuck with us because they know we are on their side. The May 2014 election was a huge endorsement of our values, our record and our radical manifesto. Delivering, for the second London election in a row, Labour’s biggest victory.
Local government has proven time and time again that we can put our Labour values into practice and deliver for our residents: that is why local leaders across the country are calling for devolution to regional and authority level.
In times of turmoil we will continue to show central government how it is done. By being brave and willing to learn from our mistakes leaders are illustrating that there does not have to be a tension between Labour principles and pragmatic, electorally successful government.
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Robin Wales is mayor of the London borough of Newham