Lucy Gill Articles

PROGRESS REVIEW 2010: The most worrying thing about Peter Mandelson’s book is not that it reveals any Dangerous Liaisons-style revelations. It is that, at times, he relays hard truths to Labour which few may be willing to hear.

It’s a pity that progressives have not mustered the same zeal over changes to global banking regulation as they did for last year’s Copenhagen summit or for voting reform representation during the post-election coalition talks. Given the minimal reaction to the Basel III banking accords, this epoch-defining issue appears in danger of falling off the radar, despite the opportunity it represents to ask some uncomfortable questions of the government.

The election of Ed Miliband and the decisions he has taken since have certainly upturned the apple cart. If that saves the frontbench from sinking into a bog of entitlement, empire-building and complacency, that will be no bad thing. If the appointment of Alan Johnson as shadow chancellor results in a moderate and constructive critique of government policy that takes the party to where it needs to be by the next election, that too will be something to cheer.

The most worrying thing about Peter Mandelson’s book is not that it reveals any Dangerous Liaisons-style revelations. It is that, at times, he relays hard truths to Labour which few may be willing to hear