Shock! Horror! New Labour isn't Tory
jkitleft Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 05:35:55 PM GMT 
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It is often said that New Labour are just Tories. I'm disappointed in the government for not showing its left-wing policies. Furthermore, they too often make right-wing noises on welfare, taxation, the uber-rich, prisons and immigration.
But if you want a more accurate defenition of this government, I suggest to you what I've done: don't listen to anything the government SAYS. Ever. Look at what they do.
There is an older group in our party, who can maintain Campaign group style scepticism of American foreign policy, or Europe, but who have firm anti-fascist credentials. People like Harry Barnes, Ann Cryer and Dave Anderson can maintain scepticism of our foreign policy, but do not pretend that even when a repugnant Republican administration is in power, that the United States is the enemy. They do not fail to criticise both sides, and understand that Islamic jihadism is a form of modern day Naziism. They understand that sectarian warfare wouldn't just be solved with a United Ireland, or giving Bin Laden "what he wants" (does that include Spain? Will a misogynist, gay hating anti-semite who says that the worst act commited in the West is Clinton's affair with Lewinsky suddenly declare peace if we withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan?). They seek to make sure that we defeat Islamic fundamentalism with aggression in our hearts, rather than through weapons. They care more deeply about rebuilding Iraq, and defeatin World Bank neo-liberalism than saying "See? Told you."
It seems to me, that because of our foreign policy, the left will not endorse any left-wing domestic policy (or they endorse it quietly, or worse, ignore it). It perhaps gives a justification to the government, to continue with triangulation. But let us run through why this government, while it can be more left-wing in many areas, is still on the left.
But if you want a more accurate defenition of this government, I suggest to you what I've done: don't listen to anything the government SAYS. Ever. Look at what they do.
There is an older group in our party, who can maintain Campaign group style scepticism of American foreign policy, or Europe, but who have firm anti-fascist credentials. People like Harry Barnes, Ann Cryer and Dave Anderson can maintain scepticism of our foreign policy, but do not pretend that even when a repugnant Republican administration is in power, that the United States is the enemy. They do not fail to criticise both sides, and understand that Islamic jihadism is a form of modern day Naziism. They understand that sectarian warfare wouldn't just be solved with a United Ireland, or giving Bin Laden "what he wants" (does that include Spain? Will a misogynist, gay hating anti-semite who says that the worst act commited in the West is Clinton's affair with Lewinsky suddenly declare peace if we withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan?). They seek to make sure that we defeat Islamic fundamentalism with aggression in our hearts, rather than through weapons. They care more deeply about rebuilding Iraq, and defeatin World Bank neo-liberalism than saying "See? Told you."
It seems to me, that because of our foreign policy, the left will not endorse any left-wing domestic policy (or they endorse it quietly, or worse, ignore it). It perhaps gives a justification to the government, to continue with triangulation. But let us run through why this government, while it can be more left-wing in many areas, is still on the left.
Lets start with the jewel in Labour's crown-the NHS. This government saved universal healthcare from being dismantled. The NHS has never been better. Yes, there are problems. I hate the use of PFI in the cleaning industry, which has meant an increase in infections. I personally hate New Labour's means of using private companies, but they have ploughed money into the NHS. That was the problem-chronic underfunding. The Tories would have never survived if they had privatised the NHS in one big sweep. So they underfunded it, and waited for the middle-classes to slowly defect to private healthcare. What has this extra NHS brought us? There are more doctors and nurses (but we need more dentists). No more winter ward closures, no more annual crises, now there are surpluses. Cancer and heart related deaths are down. So are avoidable deaths. The waiting lists have been decimated.
It was Bevan who said "We shall never have all we need. Expectations will always exceed capacity. The service must always be changing, growing and improving - it must always be inadequate." He was right. New Labour saved Bevan's baby.
It was Bevan who said "We shall never have all we need. Expectations will always exceed capacity. The service must always be changing, growing and improving - it must always be inadequate." He was right. New Labour saved Bevan's baby.
On to constitutional change. New Labour's big failure has been failing to tackle the uber-rich. But they have at least seriously injured our aristocracy. Getting rid of the hereditary peers now sets the road for democracy for the Lords. In Scotland, another injury for our aristocracy has been dealt with land reform.
Had New Labour been as Thatcherite as people said they were, then their finest achievement would never have come to light. People often mock Blair's religion, but he has introduced a secular plank to our party. Brown's finest achievement as PM thus far, was when he didn't compromise over stem-cell research and abortion. Life for gay people has been transformed.
But our finest secular achievement, was ending sectarian warfare in Northern Ireland. Let us imagine in 1981, the GLC member for Islington had become leader of the Council. He supports loony-left positions like gay rights, and peace in Northern Ireland, and he is constantly attacking Thatcher over unemployment. His name is Tony Blair, and he is not all to dissimilar from Ken. Many of Blair's achievements would have been denounced as loony left in the '80's.
Thatcher's policy in Ulster, almost cost her her life. More terror attacks would have rocked the UK had Blair been a pure Thatcherite.
Last week, an Equality Bill was not an achievement for metropolitan liberals worrying about the percentage of female FTSE 100 directors. It was at our red beating heart. Two-thirds of those on the minimum wage are women. It is due, not to overt misogyny, but subconscious sexism that many women are in poverty. It is because cleaning, caring, catering, and classroom assistance is associated with women, that they are low-paid jobs. And not only are there are substantial achievements in the direction of equal pay, with pay audits etc, but the biggest achievement was with tackling ageism, which will serve as a cultural revolution to help the elderly in all sorts of areas like care homes and pensions. No longer will health services ignore the elderly because there is "no point", and they won't face discrimination with regards to age insurance etc. Anyone should ask Barbara Castle to doubt how true to our socialist principles equal pay is.
On the environment, we're still behind on renewable energy (I hate John Hutton with a passion), but we are going to now increase renewable output by 700 times the present.
Even New Labour diehard loyalists like Andrew Miller have fought for equal rights for part time workers and agency workers. This government has only added to a shameful treatment of asylum seekers, but they have now given visas for slave domestics to escape abusive gangmasters.
Solidifying Ken's legacy, they have stopped Boris reversing the bussing revolution Ken triggered. He is the finest social democrat of our generation, with the congestion charge an environmental success story. But re-regulation of the buses shows a commitment to public transport. If they further want to stop Boris, they'll restart Ken's '80's transport policy of FaresFair.
Over a billion people live on a dollar a day. Maybe left-wing critics of New Labour don't like Blair's campaign to end protectionism. But Labour is either fighting to end poverty, or it is nothing. New Labour had to take a great deal of flak from right-wing French farmers, to end the CAP, which would make our aid budget seven times more effective. So they have had to compromise, by doubling the aid budget. If Ireland had passed the EU reform treaty, then we would've effectively increased the aid budget 14 times over. Remember that eurosceptics. Because of your queasiness over INCREASING democratic accountability to EU members, another African farmer and his family are dying.
No Tory would've been commited to getting pensioners and children out of poverty. Once Blair made his infamous pledge in 1999, there has been no going back. Once we have started the process, we cannot end it. If we abolish child poverty, then we deserve to be remembered as the greatest ever Labour government. Tax credits have tranformed the lives of so many. We'll need to fund it more to abolish child poverty by 2020, but the human effects are already seen. I wonder how Cameron can explain to my mum why she is like "an old nationalised industry."
The government has quietly, but repeatedly enhanced our social democratic ideals. SureStart, EMA's, and signing up to the Social Chapter are notable examples. Remember, the Tories will repeal all of that. There is still a major difference in policy between the parties. Any left-wing critc of the government should remember the wise words of John Lennon: "The gap between the parties is too narrow. But alot of people live in that gap." Oh, I almost forgot about Kyoto and the ICC, which seperates the Blairites from the neo-cons.
On the environment, we're still behind on renewable energy (I hate John Hutton with a passion), but we are going to now increase renewable output by 700 times the present.
Even New Labour diehard loyalists like Andrew Miller have fought for equal rights for part time workers and agency workers. This government has only added to a shameful treatment of asylum seekers, but they have now given visas for slave domestics to escape abusive gangmasters.
Solidifying Ken's legacy, they have stopped Boris reversing the bussing revolution Ken triggered. He is the finest social democrat of our generation, with the congestion charge an environmental success story. But re-regulation of the buses shows a commitment to public transport. If they further want to stop Boris, they'll restart Ken's '80's transport policy of FaresFair.
Over a billion people live on a dollar a day. Maybe left-wing critics of New Labour don't like Blair's campaign to end protectionism. But Labour is either fighting to end poverty, or it is nothing. New Labour had to take a great deal of flak from right-wing French farmers, to end the CAP, which would make our aid budget seven times more effective. So they have had to compromise, by doubling the aid budget. If Ireland had passed the EU reform treaty, then we would've effectively increased the aid budget 14 times over. Remember that eurosceptics. Because of your queasiness over INCREASING democratic accountability to EU members, another African farmer and his family are dying.
No Tory would've been commited to getting pensioners and children out of poverty. Once Blair made his infamous pledge in 1999, there has been no going back. Once we have started the process, we cannot end it. If we abolish child poverty, then we deserve to be remembered as the greatest ever Labour government. Tax credits have tranformed the lives of so many. We'll need to fund it more to abolish child poverty by 2020, but the human effects are already seen. I wonder how Cameron can explain to my mum why she is like "an old nationalised industry."
The government has quietly, but repeatedly enhanced our social democratic ideals. SureStart, EMA's, and signing up to the Social Chapter are notable examples. Remember, the Tories will repeal all of that. There is still a major difference in policy between the parties. Any left-wing critc of the government should remember the wise words of John Lennon: "The gap between the parties is too narrow. But alot of people live in that gap." Oh, I almost forgot about Kyoto and the ICC, which seperates the Blairites from the neo-cons.
There have been some disgracefully right-wing policies of this government, and some great failures.
One of their greatest failings, was continuing policies that inevitably led to a short term property boom for the middle-classes, and a long term attack on the poor. This was Thatcher's housing policy, of not replacing council houses. Council houses have not only seen stocks rapidly deplete, but they have gotten much, much worse. The health conditions are so poor, that a seven year old living in a council house is statistically more likely, to be more healthy if they were living in a warm house but drinking a bottle of vodka every night.
If this government has any sense, they will make housing the top priority, breaking the council house ghettos, reversing the defecit of around 1 million council homes, making existing council houses much better, and then replacing any new council houses bought. Currently, council house subsidies are going to property developers.
But, if there is one housing revolution, you must ask yourself this. Where have all the homeless gone? Blair has slashed the amount of homeless throught the only known way-heroin prescription. It should be further expanded, as it makes an impact on crime rates as well. The Tories want to end that as well.
For all New Labour's right-wing noises on welfare, their most radical policy was the New Deal. The number of long term youth unemployed has crashed to 5,000. Thatcherites said anyone effected by their onslaught on industrial Britain would be helped. So the government thought, who benefited most from the aftermath of the onslaught?: privatised companies.
Noone wants to return to the days of mining, which brings so many health inequalities to the poorest communities, and is a terrible wrath on the environment. But there is an alternative: expand the New Deal.
Require all the age groups, every unemployed person to go on the New Deal. Superfund it, as it is in Denmark. Expand the training, and advise and well funded help. Ironically, it will then be easier to persue, and cut off welfare for the undeserving minority. The vast majority of those on incapacity benefit want to get into work, and it is improtant to remember that once you go on IB, you're far less likely to get back into work, and indeed the majority don't. Furthermore, we not only need to raise the NMW levels to the levels of a living wage (which will decrease dependence on WFTC), but we need to phase out benefits, instead of immedietly withdrawing them.
It is all well and good cutting poverty, but the big problem has been inequality. The old mining communities, and industrial areas haven't recovered. But we are blinded to it. Over 1 in 8 people in Yorkshire and the Humber have no central heating. 1.5 million people live in overcrowded housing. Contrast this when in Buckinghamshire, where 1 in 10 has 3 cars, with 1 in 25 having more than 4. We astonishingly provide more subsidies to uneconomic rural post offices than more busy urban ones. We spend 30% more on hospitals and schools in the countryside than urban areas. That defecit should be the exact opposite, giving money to those who most need it. And the business secretary wants me to congratulate the rich? Excuse me while I go projectile vomit on John Hutton.
If New Labour wants to entrench their legacy, they should help those, who not only have given up on the party, but are in need of the most help. First of all, do what I recommended above. But also, we need to massively increase funding for the younger generations in towns like Easington and Merthyr Tydfil to develop marketable skills.
Secondly, we need to give more cash for unpaid carers. 5 million provide unpaid care, with more than 1 in 5 of that group doing so for over 50 hours a week. This isn't Kensington and Chelsea, they can't afford private nurses. That is tautological. Shockingly, 30% of our population have no qualifications at all. We need to restart a programme for lifelong learning, but the original programmes New Labour started failed because of terrible operators who pocketed spare change for themselves.
This should be the manifesto for a fourth term. We have quietly made changes remaining true to our social democratic principles on Africa, childcare, the environment, public transport, healthcare, education, redistribution, help to the needy, welfare, redistribution, housing, secularism, culturally, equal rights, constitutional reform, tyranny, and taxation.
If this government has any sense, they will make housing the top priority, breaking the council house ghettos, reversing the defecit of around 1 million council homes, making existing council houses much better, and then replacing any new council houses bought. Currently, council house subsidies are going to property developers.
But, if there is one housing revolution, you must ask yourself this. Where have all the homeless gone? Blair has slashed the amount of homeless throught the only known way-heroin prescription. It should be further expanded, as it makes an impact on crime rates as well. The Tories want to end that as well.
For all New Labour's right-wing noises on welfare, their most radical policy was the New Deal. The number of long term youth unemployed has crashed to 5,000. Thatcherites said anyone effected by their onslaught on industrial Britain would be helped. So the government thought, who benefited most from the aftermath of the onslaught?: privatised companies.
Noone wants to return to the days of mining, which brings so many health inequalities to the poorest communities, and is a terrible wrath on the environment. But there is an alternative: expand the New Deal.
Require all the age groups, every unemployed person to go on the New Deal. Superfund it, as it is in Denmark. Expand the training, and advise and well funded help. Ironically, it will then be easier to persue, and cut off welfare for the undeserving minority. The vast majority of those on incapacity benefit want to get into work, and it is improtant to remember that once you go on IB, you're far less likely to get back into work, and indeed the majority don't. Furthermore, we not only need to raise the NMW levels to the levels of a living wage (which will decrease dependence on WFTC), but we need to phase out benefits, instead of immedietly withdrawing them.
It is all well and good cutting poverty, but the big problem has been inequality. The old mining communities, and industrial areas haven't recovered. But we are blinded to it. Over 1 in 8 people in Yorkshire and the Humber have no central heating. 1.5 million people live in overcrowded housing. Contrast this when in Buckinghamshire, where 1 in 10 has 3 cars, with 1 in 25 having more than 4. We astonishingly provide more subsidies to uneconomic rural post offices than more busy urban ones. We spend 30% more on hospitals and schools in the countryside than urban areas. That defecit should be the exact opposite, giving money to those who most need it. And the business secretary wants me to congratulate the rich? Excuse me while I go projectile vomit on John Hutton.
If New Labour wants to entrench their legacy, they should help those, who not only have given up on the party, but are in need of the most help. First of all, do what I recommended above. But also, we need to massively increase funding for the younger generations in towns like Easington and Merthyr Tydfil to develop marketable skills.
Secondly, we need to give more cash for unpaid carers. 5 million provide unpaid care, with more than 1 in 5 of that group doing so for over 50 hours a week. This isn't Kensington and Chelsea, they can't afford private nurses. That is tautological. Shockingly, 30% of our population have no qualifications at all. We need to restart a programme for lifelong learning, but the original programmes New Labour started failed because of terrible operators who pocketed spare change for themselves.
This should be the manifesto for a fourth term. We have quietly made changes remaining true to our social democratic principles on Africa, childcare, the environment, public transport, healthcare, education, redistribution, help to the needy, welfare, redistribution, housing, secularism, culturally, equal rights, constitutional reform, tyranny, and taxation.
But, it is not yet a revolution, and achievements in these areas must be extended, to end poverty, inequality, and provide social mobility, particuarly in the areas of tackling the uber-rich, providing Scandanavian level childcare, providing excellent housing for all, and helping people off welfare into work in a truely social democratic way. But New Labour have still made massive achievements.
Now, what was that you were saying about New Labour being Tories?
Now, what was that you were saying about New Labour being Tories?
Shock! Horror! New Labour isn't Tory | 11 comments (11 topical)
Shock! Horror! New Labour isn't Tory | 11 comments (11 topical)
