In the drama of British politics, a Labour tragedy is unfolding. A combination of strategic errors, political mishaps and bad luck has left the party in a vulnerable position. The economy is turning soft and the electorate sour. The focus, at the moment, is on the lead characters—Gordon Brown and David Cameron—rather than the stories they are telling. Of course they matter. Leadership is about character. But Labour’s woes do not flow simply from weak leadership and poor politics.
Labour is failing to win—or even to grasp—the big political argument: how to ensure people are in control of their own lives. The government has tested, often to destruction, the idea that a bigger, higher-spending state can deliver a better society. It has enjoyed some success in rehabilitating the idea of the state as an enabler. But Labour has reached the limits of what can be achieved through central-state diktat, and is running out of money.
For New Labour to survive, it must become new liberal. The key dividing line in politics is no longer between left and right, but, increasingly, between liberal and authoritarian. The Labour government too often finds itself on the wrong side of this divide. One of the lessons Labour ought to have learned from 11 years in charge of the state is to be humble about the limits of that power. Another lesson is that the demands of individuals for more say in how public services are provided and delivered are growing stronger.
If you are a subscriber, please log in »
This article is available to subscribers only
Subscribing to Prospect is the most reliable and convenient way to receive the magazine every month, and offers the best value.Why not subscribe?
In Print
Delivered straight to your door each month, starting at just £18 for six months. All print subscriptions now come with a free online subscription which includes complete access to our searchable archive. Buy a subscription now »Online
An online subscription offers you complete and unlimited access to the entire website, including our searchable archive of every back issue of Prospect, and a PDF edition of each new issue: all this for just £24 per year. Purchase an online subscription »Renewal
Renew an existing subscription »Institutional access
If you are a library, business organisation or any other large institution that needs a multi-user licence, you can obtain institutional access.Trouble Subscribing?
You can simple call or email our subscriptions bureau. Email: prospect@servicehelpline.co.uk Telephone UK: 0844 249 0486 Telephone Overseas: 01795 414 957
Share
Subscribe to post comments
Print
