Miliband: See World With Voter's Eyes
David Reeves Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 01:01:57 PM GMT 
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In today's News of the World Foreign Secretary David Miliband gave a tough and honest assessment of the Labour Party's standing in the polls, and posed the question of how we best respond.
I fully agree with his comments below:
I fully agree with his comments below:
"We need instead to put up a fight, show our determination to change what is wrong with this country, put our case with clarity and conviction, and ensure the public realise what is at stake when it comes to elections rather than opinion polls.
We know what will ensure default. First, if we try to do too many things and don't do enough of them well. Second, if we don't follow through the things we have started. Third, if we worry too much about our opponents. Fourth, if we argue among ourselves, failing to defend each other and our leader. Fifth, if we water down our core convictions.
Gordon Brown has strong values and convictions. The route to victory needs us to do more.
First, see the world through the eyes of voters. The best way of defending our record is by offering and honest assessment of it. People will only listen to what we have done right if we are candid about what we have not. Employment has never been higher but people are worried about housing. Crime is down but people think it's up. Universal nursery education has been delivered but people worry about care for the elderly.
Second, we need ideology, not just pragmatism. Labour needs to stake out its ground as the party of fairness and freedom. We must promote fairness; but also give people the power to shape their own lives. So in the economy, in public services, in community life, we need to give people more power.
Third, tell a compelling national story. Britain is no longer a country in decline. We have one of the largest economies in the world. The NHS has been rescued from third world standards. We won the 2012 Olympics because people respect us not pity us.
We must engage with the world not retreat from it. Finally, political institutions become trapped; and we were created to challenge what exists and change it. We need to open up politics. Since 1997 New Labour has redrawn the political map. Britain is richer and fairer. But there are new issues that challenge us to think afresh, building on our record but also learning from it. The Tories are betting the house on Labour giving up the fight. They've got another thing coming."
Taken from News of the World, page 2.
David Reeves
Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for Mid Beds
www.davidreeves.org.uk
We know what will ensure default. First, if we try to do too many things and don't do enough of them well. Second, if we don't follow through the things we have started. Third, if we worry too much about our opponents. Fourth, if we argue among ourselves, failing to defend each other and our leader. Fifth, if we water down our core convictions.
Gordon Brown has strong values and convictions. The route to victory needs us to do more.
First, see the world through the eyes of voters. The best way of defending our record is by offering and honest assessment of it. People will only listen to what we have done right if we are candid about what we have not. Employment has never been higher but people are worried about housing. Crime is down but people think it's up. Universal nursery education has been delivered but people worry about care for the elderly.
Second, we need ideology, not just pragmatism. Labour needs to stake out its ground as the party of fairness and freedom. We must promote fairness; but also give people the power to shape their own lives. So in the economy, in public services, in community life, we need to give people more power.
Third, tell a compelling national story. Britain is no longer a country in decline. We have one of the largest economies in the world. The NHS has been rescued from third world standards. We won the 2012 Olympics because people respect us not pity us.
We must engage with the world not retreat from it. Finally, political institutions become trapped; and we were created to challenge what exists and change it. We need to open up politics. Since 1997 New Labour has redrawn the political map. Britain is richer and fairer. But there are new issues that challenge us to think afresh, building on our record but also learning from it. The Tories are betting the house on Labour giving up the fight. They've got another thing coming."
Taken from News of the World, page 2.
David Reeves
Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for Mid Beds
www.davidreeves.org.uk
Miliband: See World With Voter's Eyes | 1 comment (1 topical)
Miliband: See World With Voter's Eyes | 1 comment (1 topical)
