I thought that the Labour party’s recent “Education and Children” document was waffle-filled, tendentious, misleading and often wholly wrong. But even that did not prepare me for Labour’s consultation document “Better Politics”, which is aimed at the 2015 manifesto (amendments to be in from constituency parties and affiliates by 13th June). To be fair, the […]
Posts under ‘Ideology’
When will Labour critique and respond to Gove’s revolution?
Mar 15th, 2014 by David Pavett.It is the age of the “gold standard”. The Labour party has circulated eight consultation documents which set out draft policy proposals for the 2015 manifesto. Education is dealt with in “Education and Children” and to a lesser extent in “Work and Business”. Apparently they should be read in conjunction with the recently-issued “One Nation […]
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2014: the year Miliband’s Labour turns left?
Jan 4th, 2014 by Thomas Butler.In 2014, Ed Miliband and his colleagues need to understand once more the reasons The Labour Party came into fruition. And they need to articulate a clear, radical alternative to Tory Austerity with a vision of a post neo-liberal Britain that appeals to swing voters, but also many of those ‘don’t knows’ and stay at […]
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American dream or American nightmare?
Dec 30th, 2013 by Jon Lansman.Best Xmas movie ever or Communist propaganda? A thank you to 21CenturyManifesto for reminding us that It’s a Beautiful Life starring Jimmy Stewart and Lionel Barrymore, now Britain’s favourite Christmas movie according to a poll for the Radio Times, was regarded as Communist propaganda by the FBI at the time. In a reverse of the Christmas […]
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No country is an island, not even Miliband’s Britain
Dec 17th, 2013 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.A strange calm has settled over the Labour Party. There are debates over trade union influence, over what needs to be done to retain those poll leads, but when it comes to the question of political economy there is almost unanimity. From the left in the LRC to the right in Progress there is an […]
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It’s hard to disagree with Left Unity about anything much, other than their existence
Dec 9th, 2013 by Jon Lansman.I have read several times now the founding statement of Left Unity (set out below) which was carried with the support of three-quarters of the delegates at its founding conference. I agree with it all with the exception of the existential clause, a commitment to “engage in elections offering voters a left alternative” as a party to the left […]
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When will Labour tackle market failure and revive the role of the State?
Dec 3rd, 2013 by Michael Meacher.The roll call of shame and disgrace about the record of the private banks, privatised utilities and outsourcing companies has now reached such a pitch that surely Labour must now challenge the whole culture of ‘the market knows best’ and in the extreme form of the neoliberal ideology that ‘government should get out of the […]
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In the Belly of the Beast
Nov 26th, 2013 by Newsdesk.The 2014 issue of journal Socialist Register is the 50th since the journal was founded by Ralph Miliband – together with John Saville – in 1964. Tomorrow will see a discussion in Parliament, chaired by John McDonnell MP, on the legacy and ongoing relevance of the political project he initiated (see details below) The concern […]
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Watch: Kshama Sawant on why the USA needs socialism
Nov 16th, 2013 by Newsdesk.Here, Socialist Alternative’s Kshama Sawant, all but declared the victor in her race for a powerful city council position in Seattle, in her first appearance on US national television. Expect to hear more!
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Battle-lines for 2015: Tory permanent austerity v Labour decent affordable society
Nov 14th, 2013 by Michael Meacher.Cameron, surprisingly, has really let the cat out of the bag. In his speech to the Lord Mayor’s banquet (complete with champagne, roast duck and assorted fruit meringues) he let slip to his audience that the Tories would not restore public expenditure after the structural deficit had been eliminated, but would maintain austerity indefinitely (though […]
