Like JP, Labour must educate and organise for the 21st century

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By Joe CowardPrescott RBS

The emergence of John Prescott as Labour’s Cyber Warrior has surprised many people. Whilst the majority of attention has focused upon JP’s conversion to new media, a more profound development is Prescott’s recognition that Twenty First century politics will not be conducted solely through the party structures of the Twentieth century.

Prescott’s Give Up The Bonus campaign has attracted support from people of all political persuasions and none, with 25,000 supporters signing up since Sunday. By making his campaign explicitly non-partisan, Prescott has engaged people who are not deeply political, and portrayed the positive message that Labour people are not prepared to use taxpayers’ money to fund lavish bonuses.

Members of the Labour Party must remember that the vast majority of people are not party-political. But we must not mistake this for apathy. Politics is driven by values: for the Labour Party, this driving force is a commitment to extending opportunity, community and social justice. Just because people are not card-carrying members of a party does not mean that they do not share our values.

For everyone committed to social justice, a Labour Government must be seen as a means to creating a fairer society and not an end in itself. But the election of a Labour Government is not the sole means to extending opportunity, and is arguably insufficient without broader societal support.

So, members of the Labour Party must engage with organisations outside of the party who are committed to our values of extending opportunity, community, and social justice. The Labour Party should be active and organised within organisations such as Teach First, the educational charity committed to ending educational disadvantage, and TimeBank, a charity facilitating volunteering for a new generation of people in their local communities.

These Third Sector organisations are often portrayed by the Conservatives as prime examples of what could be achieved if government stopped ‘crowding-out’ private initiative. The Conservatives often portray the Third Sector as in opposition to the state. In reality, both Teach First and TimeBank are strongly supported by government funding. In addition to funding from the TDA and the DCSF, all Teach First teachers are paid by their schools i.e. the state, and TimeBank is mainly funded by The Office of the Third Sector.

Therefore, as members of the Labour Party, we should support dynamic Third Sector organisations which deliver our values. We must be loud and clear in stating that these organisations are not in opposition to the state but represent the Labour Government’s continuing commitment to investment and reform to create Twenty First Century public services.

In a global context of declining membership of Trade Unions and political parties, the Labour Party must work to engage with organisations of civil society to mobilise support for progressive politics. This must be done at all levels from International NGOs down to local faith groups and community centres. Moreover we must have more positive soft-campaigns such as the Proud of the NHS at 60 campaign, where Labour’s values successes are visibly demonstrated.

Therefore, if the Labour Government is to win an historic fourth term, we must seek to engage and mobilise people who share our aims and values, but are not formal party members. Furthermore, we must ensure that the Labour Government receives due credit for investment and reform which has benefited so many lives.

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