Great Expectations
Andy Burnham’s swift return to Parliament and ascent to Labour leader and prime minister has inevitably raised expectations among supporters and a wider, volatile electorate. Now the hot summer honeymoon is passing into cooling early autumn, it’s vital that a new approach, not just in communication, but in policy and practice manifests itself.
Over the summer, small changes were made to help with the cost of living squeeze, like a 5% cut in energy bills. But bigger, more sustained measures, in domestic and international policy, are needed to consolidate support.
After the farce of the Clacton by-election, Reform UK and leader Farage face renewed parliamentary investigation into the £5 million “gift” and other monies from a convicted criminal fraudster, denting the party’s national poll rating. There is much to do to rebuild Labour’s electoral fortunes after six years of Starmer meanderings.
Glyn Ford makes clear that the hoo-ha over the 2024 result and the trashing of the Corbyn years and results was a distorted misreading of the Party’s victory; successful in terms of seats but in share and percentage of the much lower at 30% than Corbyn’s 40% in 2017.
Don Flynn takes a broader view, looking at Burnham’s pledge to end 40 years of neo-liberalism, 14 years of Tory austerity and deindustrialisation. More than warm words on drought and the prison crisis are needed. Bold action on climate, cutting fossil fuel production, accelerating renewables, sticking to EV targets is essential to combatting the eco crisis, argues Dave Toke.
Bryn Jones examines the three Ds: deindustrialisation, democratisation and decentralisation. He finds rays of hope with Burnham’s initial statements, but much is left to unfold, clarify and deliver. Similarly, Duncan Bowie calls for a reality check on three other interconnected issues: wealth/property taxes, devolution and rent control. Both authors explore the difficulties calling for real resources and power to local communities and authorities, not just mayors.
Prem Sikka outlines a comprehensive financial programme to harvest the necessary resources from a range of tax measures, even keeping within questionable self-imposed fiscal rules, to pay for the services and investment needed to reboot the economy.
TUC leader Paul Nowak echoes much of this argument, calling for a continuation of worker rights and protection measures and policies to make work pay.
In very practical terms, Rebekah Morton looks at the findings of the youth employment report headed by Alan Milburn. Whilst there is a huge challenge for Labour to reduce the 1 million plus youth not in employment, education or training, the groundwork for action is laid out for the Burnham government.
Burnham has been relatively quiet on the international front but has latterly spoken out on Israeli policy in Gaza and the war on Iran. Patrick Costello finds some grounds for optimism with Ed Miliband’s posting as new Foreign Secretary but identifies ‘continuity Starmer’ dangers with Wes Streeting in Defence. Standing up to Trump’s wild west disregard for a rules-based internationalism, epitomised by the war against Iran, with its damaging human and economic consequences for energy prices, is critical. Forging alliances with the EU and middle powers like Canada and Brazil is necessary. Likewise, an end to the damaging Johnson Brexit deal, rejoining the single market, securing a youth mobility agreement and a common defence approach could aid the repair Brexit inflicted on the economy (estimated cost 6-8% of GDP).
Robin Amfield, a supporter of Standing Together, reports on the birth of a new party in Israel seeking to unite Israeli jews and Palestinian Arabs in the fight against genocide and for a Palestine state.
Another critical expectation from Burnham is ending the erosion of civil liberties. Caitlin Barr highlights the case of the jailed Filton protesters and the hundreds more supporters of banned Palestine Action. Ukrainian union leader Artem Tivda reports of the dire situation in Ukraine, facing daily Russian aerial, ground and cyber assaults, while calling for intensified military and humanitarian aid, particularly to unions. Melica Pelcik outlines the growing student-led revolts in Serbia against its illiberal regime.
Rebuilding the Labour Party as an effective campaign organisation will be central to combating Reform and the Tories. Party membership has slumped to around 200,000 from 600,000 under Corbyn. Ann Black, standing down after more than 20 years as a constituency rep on Labour’s NEC, reflects on battles for greater party democracy, member rights to select candidates and for the adoption of more progressive policies.
The right wing is still in evidence with Shabana Mahmood at the Home Office, and Streeting in Defence, to name two prominent figures from the discredited Labour Together/ McSweeney camp that proved so damaging. There will be huge pressure to tack to the centre. The creation of a new ‘common sense’ progressive left policy will be central to lifting Labour’s membership and electoral fortunes. This has to be built on genuine transformative actions to redistribute wealth and power. The Productive State, written by Mainstream supporters, gives some valuable evidence for how a new social dispensation can be built. ‘Public control’ should not mean a return to top-down, bureaucratic nationalisation, but a society where service users and workers have a real voice in decision-making.
Labour is now in the foothills with a mountain to climb. Change needs to be tangible. New Chancellor Healey’s October budget must be bold and brave, redistributing wealth from the few to the many and addressing the social problems of an unequal society. Tinkering around the edges of a dysfunctional capitalism will not deliver the goods.