On The Progressive, read Ed Thornton's report on last night's Progress-Policy Exchange debate with Yvette Cooper, Jonathan Freedland, Anthony Browne and Jeremy Hunt ...

There are 723 days remaining until the last possible day on which the next general election could be held. That's just less than two years. There's a stolid feeling in the air, oddly reminiscent of 1995, the stench of defeat looms, resignation and depression reign supreme. However, unlike 1995, the election has not been lost yet, a fourth term is not beyond our reach, as long as we act now. The clock is ticking, and as the seconds go by, the time to save the party from Opposition and the nation from years of Tory incompetence is fading away.It is to that end that the Party requires a programme of reinvgoration, a reassertion of its principles,  and I'm sorry to say it, but a change in leadership.

'One hundred and sixty-seven years ago, a man who was soon to become a Conservative prime minister said: ‘The duty of an opposition is, very simply, to oppose everything and propose nothing.'

Of course, every opposition in recent history has grabbed the chance to cause trouble for the government by opposing everything that ministers put forward - even if it is right. But some issues are too important to be played with in this way. The decision this week on 42 days pre-charge detention is undoubtedly one of them ... '

All the latest articles, columns and blogs at progressonline.org.uk ...

Brendan Barber gave a thoughtful and considered speech to Progress last night which is available here:

http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-14830-f0.cfm

Far from blasting the Government as some newspapers have suggested today, he provides a clear direction of how Labour can win.  I've often thought that the unions have kept the Labour Party 'sensible' throughout our history, and now is no different.

A Labourhome member writes

New Labour is dead in the water; its electoral credibility has been shattered and it's time we took a long hard look in the mirror, remember what we believe in, what we joined this great party for and look to the future. Gordon is the past, and he needs to go sooner rather than later if we are to remain a force in British politics. Here's my vision for the future, not for now, not necessarily for 2010 but for the long term health of the party.

Read and comment on the latest articles, columns and blogs on Progress Online ...

This is a crunch year for Labour in local government. Whilst most of the media focus has been on the battle for control of London, we face a tough set of elections across the country defending more seats than any of the other parties. The Labour councillors and candidates I've joined on the campaign trail over the past few months have been working hard to persuade their communities that our party best represents their interests.

Writes Local Government Minister John Healey
[more...]

New to Progress Online over the past week or so - read and comment now ...

Compass and Progress are pleased to invite you to a crucial discussion on Labour's future direction entitled: Winning a fourth term: what's the road to victory? The debate is kindly hosted by the LGA Labour Group. Speakers include: Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government; Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, Former Home Secretary; Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass; Jon Trickett MP, Compass Parliamentary Spokesperson and chaired by Michael White, The Guardian (tbc). It takes place on Wednesday 19 March, 6pm-7.30pm at the Bevin Hall, Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ.

Click here to register

The statement launched by Progress today is to be welcomed. Not because they are right but because it helps spark a debate. So far its largely Compass saying that Brown needs to up his game. Now there is contestability over which direction and the more free market elements of Labour’s big tent will presumably welcome an injection of political competition.

Something for us all to think about.

 

Fast forward

We face a choice about the direction of public service reform

Philip Collins
Progress magazine
27 November 2007

Progress

14 November 2007 18:00 to 19:30

With Rt Hon James Purnell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Jane Ashworth, Chief Executive, Street Games; Nic Coward, Chief Executive, British Horseracing; Simon Morgan, Head of Community, Premier League; and Barry Gardiner MP (chair).

Kindly supported by CareersInRacing.com.

Venue ***CHANGED TO COMMITTEE ROOM 16, HOUSE OF COMMONS***

Contact: Mark Harrison
Tel: 0203 008 8180
e-mail: mark@progressives.org.uk

Thanks very much for asking me to speak today. I often wonder what people think I'm going to say when they invite me to things like this, but in my experience, you invite a drummer to a party when you want someone to throw the TV out of the window.

So...

The title of the session is “can we make the Labour Party relevant again”. Well I think it's part of a much wider problem. People don't think political parties are relevant because they don't think politics in general is relevant. Politics got stuck somewhere around 1850, while the country has moved on.

The lunchtime debate at Progress Annual Conference on Saturday, November 3 will be entitled 'Should business promote social justice?'

Yesterday, Stephen Alambritis of the Federation of Small Businesses gave his take on the question on the Progress site. Today, you can read another of the speakers, Polly Toynbee, responds to the question.

You can these and many other great speakers at Progress conference on November 3. Click here for the full line-up and to book online.

PROGRESS ANNUAL CONFERENCE - 'Countdown to the general election: how can Labour win?'

Saturday 3 November 2007

The East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf

The Labour government `contributed almost nothing new or imaginative to the pool of ideas with which men seek to illuminate human nature and its environment.' Have a guess which Labour government this refers to?

To find out click here.

What's the highlight? Is it the introduction of the minimum wage? The ban on fox-hunting? The repeal of section 28? Devolution for Scotland and Wales? Peace in Northern Ireland?

Progress have invited several MPs and Progress supporters to list their favourites - what are yours?