The defeat of Scottish Labour – post rational politics or shifting plates?

May 15th, 2015
by Neil Findlay

Neil-FindlaySo it wasn’t a tsunami, earthquake, tidal wave or landslide – it was all of them and as many other cataclysmic metaphors as you want to throw in. Scottish Labour was obliterated at the polls with majorities in the 10’s and 20’s of thousands wiped out at a stroke with only Ian Murray left clinging on.

So are we now entering a new period where politics is not based on a comparing policy positions or manifestos but on a national mood, where like New Labour in 1997 it just becomes ‘the thing to do’? In workplaces, amongst the creative community, the voluntary sector, in polite circles and pubs and bars it has become cool to support the SNP. A bit like Chelsea FC – hardly anyone supported them when they were rubbish but now they are winning everyone’s a fan. Continue reading →

9 comments

Posted in: Activism, British Regions/Nations, Labour, Nationalism/Unionism, Politics, SNP, Trade Unions
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Labour’s new MPs call for party to ditch New Labour and oppose austerity

May 15th, 2015
by Guest

austerity-isnt-working-ngl-e1330370859488Ten newly-elected first-time Labour MPs this morning issued a call for the party to take on a bold anti-austerity agenda:

Having arrived in Westminster as newly-elected Labour MPs after speaking to tens of thousands of voters during our election campaigns, we know how important it is for the future of our Party to move forward with an agenda that best serves the everyday needs of people, families and communities and that is prepared to challenge the notion of austerity and invest in public services. Continue reading →

15 comments

Posted in: Labour, Politics, Westminster
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If you think Ed Miliband was too leftwing you weren’t paying attention

May 14th, 2015
by Diane Abbott

Immigration mug squareIt is alarming how quickly the myth has taken hold that Ed Miliband lost the general election because he was too “leftwing”. On the one hand, it might seem a reasonable guess at all the reasons for our failure. Miliband is, after all, the son of one of the 20th century’s most distinguished Marxist academics. But in reality, anyone who says that Labour’s policy positions under him represented a lurch to the left simply was not paying attention. Continue reading →

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Posted in: Benefits, Labour, Migration/Immigration, Politics, Race/Racism, Social Affairs
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Labour’s SNP Lessons

May 14th, 2015
by Phil Burton-Cartledge

SNP demoThe cataclysm came and Scottish Labour was obliterated. There are calls for Jim Murphy to go, calls that should be heeded for the good of the party. Yet what exactly happened in Scotland? We’ve visited some of the reasons, but there are wider points Labour needs to take on board from the SNP’s success that are of direct relevance to England and Wales as well. Continue reading →

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Posted in: British Regions/Nations, Labour, Nationalism/Unionism, Politics, SNP
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Aspiration for all would be fine, but neither the Tories nor the Blairites will deliver it

May 14th, 2015
by Michael Meacher

aspiration escape from crisis and destruction - credit lightwise http://www.123rf.com/photo_34979261_open-door-light-and-the-resilient-power-of-hope-as-a-symbol-of-shinning-rays-of-human-aspiration-con.html?term=aspirationThe Tory manifesto was artfully targeted at making everyone a weeny bit richer, and some a lot richer. It offered to raise the income tax threshold to £12,500 (though the rich get more from that than the poor), to lower tax on those on the minimum wage, to raise the higher rate income tax threshold to nearly £50,000 (benefiting largely the top 10%), and raising the threshold for the inheritance tax from £650,000 to £1 million (benefiting only the richest 6% of families).

The Tories showered these goodies around like confetti, freely admitting that these handouts plus the £8bn for the NHS and £6bn for housing association right-to-buy discounts amounted to over £20bn, wholly unfunded, but Labour kept doggedly to austerity and no unfunded handouts in order to prove its fiscal reliability. So who won? It’s a no-brainer. Continue reading →

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Posted in: Earnings, Economy, Politics
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The Tories won a tactical victory – not an endorsement of austerity

May 14th, 2015
by Mike Hedges

Austerity is failingThe general election result was not an endorsement of austerity but was a stunning Tory tactical success. The Tories adopted a policy of defending key marginal seats against Labour and UKIP and attacking in Liberal Democrat seats. The strategy worked and lead to a Tory majority government for the first time since 1992. This was done on a swing of 0.8% to the Tories, with Cameron returned as Prime Minister with 36.9% of the vote, the lowest share in history. The coalition government meanwhile suffered an overall loss of 14.4%, but remarkably the Tories ensured that all of this loss was suffered by the Liberal Democrats. This represents the biggest ever loss by a governing party.  Continue reading →

2 comments

Posted in: Conservatives, Macroeconomics, Migration/Immigration, Politics, Public Spending, SNP, UKIP
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Why any Labour leader who can’t reach working class voters will lose again

May 14th, 2015
by Jon Trickett

working classThis is a defining moment for the future, and arguably the survival, of the Labour Party. In the coming months there will be much debate about what went wrong and where next.

In 2005, I produced evidence that Labour had lost 4 million voters since the election in 1997. A substantial part of these missing millions were traditional working class voters. This pattern has continued over the last 10 years.

In a minor tidal wave of what looks like pre planned statements, a group of commentators have argued that what lost the election was a failure to tap into the hopes of “aspirational” voters. Continue reading →

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Posted in: Labour, Politics
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Peter Willsman’s report from Labour’s special May executive

May 13th, 2015
by Peter Willsman

NEC Report Pete WNational Executive Committee, 13 May 2015

This special executive was called to consider the arrangements for Labour’s leadership and deputy-leadership elections. The meeting was v ery comradely and there was a serious intent to reach a consensus.

Harriet Harman paid tribute to Ed Miliband for his unstinting commitment to our cause and to his dedicated leadership over five years. These sentiments were echoed all around the table. Everyone regretted that Ed was unable to be present for us to show the depth of our appreciation. Continue reading →

12 comments

Posted in: Activism, CLPD, Labour, Politics
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There’s more to Cameron’s bringing forward the EU referendum than meets the eye

May 13th, 2015
by Michael Meacher

Juncker & Cameron with EU flagCameron’s reasoning for his sudden decision to bring forward the date of the Brexit referendum on Europe from 2017 to 2016 is unconvincing. He said it was to avoid an embarrassing clash with French presidential elections and German federal elections that take place in 2017. But like so many of Cameron’s explanations, it’s worth unpicking as to what really lies behind it. After all, the date of the French and German elections were perfectly well known when he himself chose the date 2017. It is easy to see that other considerations are more likely to have prompted his sudden change of heart. Continue reading →

12 comments

Posted in: Conservatives, Europe, International, Politics
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Does Labour’s leader have to be prime minister designate?

May 13th, 2015
by Daniel Blaney

leaderIn less than two years time we will have a new US President. We don’t even know who the candidates are yet. We can speculate but we don’t know.  We also don’t know who will run for French President in 2017 or German Chancellor the same year.

In Britain, Labour has just had a shock election result – beaten by the SNP comprehensively in Scotland, and the Tories in England — or was it a peeling of Labour voters to Green and UKIP?  The first thing Labour is being asked to do is elect a new leader with a single premise: be the Labour Party candidate for Prime Minister in 2020. Continue reading →

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Posted in: Labour, Politics
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