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The Labour Party was near the edge – are we back from the brink?

February 10, 2012 11:03 am

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Let’s be honest, every now and again you’ve taken a peek over the edge….the edge of the Labour party’s collapse.  And as the cliff edge has got steadily got closer, peeking has become like that itch you just can’t leave alone.

If you can summon up the nerve to teeter on the edge and stare down the cliff face,  the scars of the Blair-Brown era emerge: declining membership; an exiting of talent; an experience for those who’ve stayed that remains mediocre at best ; committed individuals who feel unsupported and unrecognised; and a party elite clinging on for dear life – an officer class if you will, that like the days of WW1 lack both the skills and the vision for the century ahead.

And if this is going to be a century where social democracies are to flourish, rather than just limp on, our politics has to genuinely be for the many, not the few; a politics that deeply engages people, develops skills, finds new talent, allows ideas to flourish, enables people to connect and ensures everyone can grow and win. Yes of course this includes winning elections but in a way that has meaning for individuals – so they don’t feel like members of a robot army that does the bidding for those who’ve scaled, or been helicoptered to the top.

Now we could wait, as some might have us do, for a glorious leader – back to the future via a new Blair, or fast forward to an undiscovered Obama.  But rather than build gaudy shrines to the past or wander in the desert from mirage to mirage, how about a route where we get to work, take ownership of our fight back and build it together by genuinely putting members and supporters at the heart of our party’s objectives, culture and the way it works?

While we’re significantly hollowed out there are signs that change is afoot; that the centre is moving from “command and control” to become more supportive and enabling.  A welcome indication of the way forward is the creation of a new Executive Director role for Membership and Supporters, an essential post that will be responsible for recruitment, training and improving the experience of members.

As the party shows signs of changing, this person will need to be someone with the courage to continue to open up, enabling supporters and volunteers to get actively involved in the party, ensuring power is devolved to the local level and supporting the development of Labour’s presence across the country with community campaigning that everyone can get involved in. They will need to consider recruiting talented organisers, supporting the delivery of youth mentoring programmes and designing training sessions that really develop members. Providing open access to membership lists in local parties and ensuring a proper welcome of every member into the party will be a vital element.

Whoever gets appointed is going to need your help too, to ensure a more supportive centre genuinely connects with the network of local parties and that an open access party is delivered for everyone to get involved in – whatever their situation and wherever they live or work.

So what are your ideas for the new Executive Director, once in post and what can you do to contribute?  It could be as simple as committing to meet every new member in your area over a cup of tea or a drink, or phone those who have been less active or might be thinking of dropping out – encouraging them to stay involved as we grow again, or maybe you could coach at least one young member in your local area to fully develop their talents and leadership abilities for the future.

If we’re going to be the many and not the few, it’s going to be up to all of us to put our values into action, to do the hard work together and build a party where we can all genuinely gain meaning and find a common purpose. Build that together and we can’t fail to win!

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  • Anonymous

    “ our politics has to genuinely be for the many, not the few; a politics that deeply engages people”

    With all due respect if you want to “engage” people, you need to cut out the cliche’s of yesteryear.

    Could we consign “the many not the few” to the same trash can as “making a difference”, “hard-working families” not to menti0n “the squeezed middle”

    I can never read “the many not the few” without hearing the camp voice of Tony Blair!

    If you speak in cliche’s you won’t “engage” with many people – they’ll switch off and look “vacant”

    • Anonymous

      It does sound like Miliband has a new special advisor in Blair, god help us all

      • Anonymous

        Yes it has his paw-prints all over it doesn’t it?

        If Ed starts wearing more make-up than a pantomime dame we will know Blair is behind it

  • Anonymous

    Jamie go have a word with the leader mate…..

    The squeezed middle are working people. People bound together, now as
    in the past, by a set of values. The value of working hard. Whether it
    is in a factory, a mine, on a shopfloor, or a barracks. Whether it is on
    the railways, at a supermarket checkout, or at a call centre.
    The
    value of making an effort, of taking responsibility for yourself and
    your community. A hope that work should earn you the chance to give your
    kids a better start in life than you had.

    Somebody explain to me if they are the middle class hard working people, I take it to have something in the middle you must have a top and a bottom who the hell are at the bottom.

    I think you only have to look around and the people in the Labour party who are mainly rich look down and to change society all you do is change the definition of the middle class.

    Labour not a party it tired it’s had it’s day and it really is struggling to find a theme to build on, how about coming clean and call your party the New Part of the middle class used by the definition of the Tories.

    next election it would be better if you do not pick on the Tories to much you might want to go into coalition

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/YKKV4T45HGX7KIDF2TYPJ2QAGU Robert

    The two things that have put me off Labour have been firstly the lurch to the right.

    The second is the blind oppositionism of Labour in Scotland. A lot of this centres around manufactured outrage, like Johann Lamont blithely standing up yesterday and criticising the SNP for not awarding a contract to a non-existent company making products that don’t exist and basically lying, even when corrected about the value of this contract

    or the faux outrage joined in on this site also about the use of the word “gauleiter”. It’s not just stupid, it’s a hostage to fortune allowing Nationalists to point, quite reasonably, to use of the word by Labour MPs, amongst others, in Westminster
    http://munguinsrepublic.blogspot.com/2012/02/fuss-about-nothing.html

    But the tin lid was put on it yesterday, with a Councillor saying that a fellow Labour Councillor threatened the job of her disabled son if she did not vote for a Labour budget.

    And you wonder why folk are put off us?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

    Editor

    Why have the comments sections of the news stories become an arena for Tories to sling criticism at our party?
    I think we should be told.

    • Anonymous

      Joe: I am not a Tory, if I am one of those you have in mind. I am ex-Labour because of the rightward drift of Labour in the Blair years. On many policies you couldn’t get a sheet of lavatory paper between Labour and the coalition

      The above article is jejune, pedestrian and patronising – repeating Blair’s old favourite expression from 15 years ago (twice) doesn’t inspire confidence.

      I wish Labour well, but some of the stupid ideas that get disseminated in some LL articles deserve scrutiny and sometimes ridicule

    • Anonymous

      How long have you been in labour , looks to be as if you may still be suffering nappy rash or Blair blindness

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Barker/1546990341 Paul Barker

    Well, to answer your question -no.
    My “educated guess” is that Labour membership fell sharply in the 2nd half of last year & is still falling. Anyone who knows for sure is welcome to say.
    The Blair/Brown team made an incredible mess of  Labours finances & The Party now is saddled with heavy debts.
    The Polls are contradictory. While VI Polls put Labour 30% ahead of The Libdems  Leadership Approval Polls put Milliband & Clegg roughly level. May should give us some clues as to whats really happening.

    • Anonymous

      10,000 we are told since the Labour party conference, with many within labour asking the same question what are the real membership numbers. Because they are now counting people like me  even though I returned my card, I’m called a member in default, I’m also called an associated member because I have a Union card, we are yet to decide how to react to this.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

    It is nice to see that Labour List is endorsing the alleged policy of the leadership of leaving  Labour party members like myself  ’unrecognised’ and ‘unsupported’ by turning over its comment space to anti-Labour and often overtly pro- Tory commentary.

    • Anonymous

      Joe, It’s the second time you have made this point. Just because some of us don’t like the current drift of Labour, is not to say that we don’t want to see improvement. I left Labour, like a lot of people, because under Blair it became another version of the Conservative party, and I certainly don’t make “pro-Tory” comments.

      The truth is the article on this page has been written in a  breathless cliched manner

      But you have told us you don’t like the comments some of us have made – why not make a contribution yourself, rather than just ascribing to us views most of us don’t have.

    • Anonymous

      Joe, It’s the second time you have made this point. Just because some of us don’t like the current drift of Labour, is not to say that we don’t want to see improvement. I left Labour, like a lot of people, because under Blair it became another version of the Conservative party, and I certainly don’t make “pro-Tory” comments.

      The truth is the article on this page has been written in a  breathless cliched manner

      But you have told us you don’t like the comments some of us have made – why not make a contribution yourself, rather than just ascribing to us views most of us don’t have.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall

      Huh?  I have voted Labour in every election since 1983, and am a party member.  I can quite see, though, why some people cannot remain in the party when its tries to position itself as Tory light.

      Labour probably does need to get some wing voters, but it is never going to get rural and suburban Daily Mail readers (or those with similar prejudices) to vote for it.

      • Anonymous

        I agree Paul, I am one of those who left Labour because of “You know who”, and I live in fear of his representative on earth, David Miliband, getting the top job.

        It’s a cliche’ but I feel that Labour left me, rather than I left Labour, but perhaps I can be forgiven one cliche’ when the original article was full of them (“near the edge/back from the brink/the many not the few”) Next week: Crazy Paving -is it all it is cracked up to be? :-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697126564 Paul Halsall

    This article was vacuous beyond belief.

    Meanwhile, Labour is not and has not been “collapsing”.  If anything the events of the past two years have reinforced a two party system (in England at least), and Labour is one of those parties.

    Labour’s goals for the immediate future should be to limit the damage the Tories and Lib Dems can do, to reach out to the working class and “underclass” (a significant voting bloc if we could just get them/us to the polls), to welcome social justice minded liberals, AND ALSO to reach out to the so-called squeezed middle.

    [Btw, Alan, there is nothing wrong with camp voices!  Working Class poofs of the world Unite!]

    • Anonymous

      Hi Paul, what I meant about Blair’s camp voice, was his obviously cultured manner suddenly going off into theatrical  spheres, then the occassional lapse into 1950s pop culture (I well remember when interviewed by teenagers on TV at the time of the Iraq war his response to one questioner was “Gee, whiz” – the mannerisms were very fake)

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

        Actually Alan it wasn’t yourself that I was referring to but rather treborc who is definitely a Tory and who typically just insults the Democratic Socialist views that are periodically expressed here. He is never, repeat never, moderated by the editor. I have made lots of contributions here and want the site to be a genuine sounding board for social democrats and democratic socialists. At present it isn’t!!!

        • Anonymous

          yes you have popped in spouted your one sentence and then left that’s not adding to anything, you are 100% right I am a Tory I voted for Blair.

          And if things do not change I may well vote for his son Cameron.

          Look more sentences they you normally  leave already

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

            ‘Look more sentences they you normally leave already’

            See Alan (and editor) he doesn’t even make sense!!

          • Anonymous

            I’d just like to say that I greatly admire Mark Ferguson for allowing all shades of opinion to contribute to the site – something that wouldn’t have happened in Draper’s day, for example.

            He shows a great respect for democracy – in that regard he is more of a Harold Wilson, in allowing all shades of opinion round the table, rather than a Blair where autocratic behaviour was the default position. It makes I think, for a livelier and more rounded and honest site

          • Anonymous

            ban coming up

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

            ‘Look more sentences they you normally leave already’

            See Alan (and editor) he doesn’t even make sense!!

        • Anonymous

          Sorry Joe, I thought you might have been thinking of me as well. It is for him to speak for himself, but I think treboc (like so many others)  feels disillusioned at the way Labour has gone in recent years. I certainly feel that many of us think that Ed Miliband doesn’t, at least at the moment, have the power to reverse some of the right-wing influence which is still prevelant in the party. For one example, Liam Byrne despite the odd alleged “reservation” supports the welfare reform bill and Andy Burnham (who I don’t dislike personally) according to his appearance in last weeks Any Questions, is quite relaxed about private company intervention in the NHS. It just seems that it is on quite minor details the party disagrees with the current governments policies.

          Sometime it is difficult (and frustrating!) to see Labour still so close in policy terms to the Coalition. It is, I feel, self-defeating, because if the general public want Conservative policies they have no reason to vote out the Conservatives (you have to assume the LibDems will not fare well in the 2015 election).  Labour really does need to have some policies of their own.

          I really want Ed Miliband to succeed because, quite frankly, I think his brother would take the party even further right than Blair did, and, at the moment, there doesn’t seem to be any other viable options. Better to persevere with EM, because a change now anyway would appear to be a panic measure.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

            You will of course know that every Labour MP and every Labour member of the Lords has opposed both the Welfare Reform Bill and the current Health Bill in Parliament. To personalise these issues through reference to the party’s spokesmen in these areas imho is to simplify the position. In addition, 
            Andy Burnham is clearly not opposed to some private involvement in the NHS but neither has any other Health Secretary since 1948. 
             It therefore should not become an ideological holy cow. 

            It is however a question of scale .  At present 2% of NHS beds are private beds. The Tories want hospitals to increase that figure to 49%. I am sure you will agree that this represents a seismic shift in terms of the scale of private involvement in the NHS. Of course many of the new private providers will have made contributions to the Tory party’s coffers and many are giant US health corporations.

             In respect of Liam Byrne, who I think is less likeable and competent than Andy Burnham. He has focused attention on the homelessness and the punishment of disabled children that will result  if the bill passes. These are in fact the most punitive elements of the bill and in my view LB’s focus in these areas has been primarily tactical in terms of building support against it.

          • Anonymous

            Joe, in all honesty it is very difficult for Liam Byrne, and indeed many other Labour MPs to complain too much because, after all it was New Labour who promoted David Freud a multi-millionaire retired investment banker into the totally bogus position of “welfare expert” and it was James Purnell who implemented the Freud report in full, just as Freud was decamping to the Conservative Party. It was Purnell who instituted the conecpt of ESA and before the previous government left office there were already people who were terminally ill being turned down for benefits, at the whim of ATOS, another New Labour approved orgainsation, or rather, DIS organisation. It is the height of bogosity and hypocrisy for Byrne to now pretend he is shocked and outraged. You have “Labour” MP Frank Field working with Duncan-Smith, as I said elsewhere there is more “Labour” agree with the coalition in, then divides them. A lot of the faux outrage is very unconvincing and I think many people within Labour and without, perceive this.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

            Is Byrne pretending to be shocked and outraged? You said above that he  ’despite the odd alleged “reservation” supports the welfare reform bill’ 

            Which is it outrage and shock or support?

          • Anonymous

            He will admit Labour blundered by not doing enough to combat the work-shy.
            And he will say that people should get state handouts only if they have paid their taxes first.
            The
            move, certain to be denounced by Left-wingers, follows growing alarm in
            Labour’s high command at Mr Miliband’s poor performance.
            Mr
            Miliband’s somersault on benefits will be signalled in a speech later
            this month by Labour welfare spokesman Liam Byrne to mark the 70th
            anniversary of the Beveridge Report.
            The
            report was used by post-war Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee to lay
            the foundations of the modern welfare state – and helped earn him a
            hallowed place in Labour history.
            But
            Mr Byrne thinks Beveridge would ‘turn in his grave’ if he knew how
            billions of pounds of benefits fall into the hands of lifelong spongers.

            Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080776/Now-Ed-Miliband-gets-tough-onslaught-evil-benefits-scroungers.html#ixzz1m1E50coiSo ok people should only get benefits if they have paid taxes, yet in this country a child is born with life changing  disabilities every 25 minutes, most will only live  into their teens some will live a little older.Some children with severe learning disabilities  will of course never work and now according to labour they will suffer because  they will not get a decent payment of to those in labour benefits.The problem with Miliband as you can see with the statement above Mr Miliband loves writing articles for the mail because he believes it’s the life Blood of the working people, I nearly said working class.As you may know I actually have a disability and I have worked returned to work and then had to stop with a stroke. but that is besides the point.And perhaps you can tell me, what is the Labour party for, what is the Ideology the ideal the plan of the Newer labour party, where do you think Labour will go now to get the voters, it’s obvious not the 12 million disabled people, it’s obviously not the 5 million people out of work, its not the left.Could it be Miliband is all over the place because he has no idea what so ever what he plans for the party.I do not know about others I have seen this before many times in my period in the party,especially when Thatcher won

          • Anonymous

            Joe:Jeremy Paxman to Byrne-

            “Will you support this bill?”  [welfare reform bill]

            Byrne (grinning) “Yes”

            This was on a clip from a Newsnight programme that was posted on LL just a few weeks go (Can’t remember the title of the LL article it was used on – I am sure others remember it)

            Let’s not forget that LABOUR introduced ESA, LABOUR advocated phasing out I.B. LABOUR (if you regard James Purnell as “Labour”) instituted Freud, passing Freud off as a “welfare expert” – that in itself was absurd Freud is to poverty what Lady Gaga is to oxy-acetylene welding.

            Caroline Flint – LABOUR  - advocated precluding unemployed people from council housing waiting lists

            Birkenhead’s LABOUR M.P, Frank Field demonized welfare claimants way back in 1997 and still does today, now that he props up Duncan-Smith.

            New Labour made it much easier for the Tories to continue this decimation, just as they did thanks to the likes of Milburn and Hewitt, the NHS

            For people like Byrne, who surely can’t be as daft as he looks, to pretend to be shocked by the result of these costs is otiose.

          • Anonymous

            yes Dear Boy but of course a lot of labour MP’s brought in the welfare reforms under new labour.

            As for children being hurt may I remind you of that Glorious old Duffer Gordon brown stated that  children should not have DLA, he then changed it to of course to the elderly, then changed it to of course people living in care homes who have disabilities, if that was stopped then  they would not get any money at all.

            I did spend a few years in the Labour party, not to much I think if my  memory is correct about 46 years.

            Sorry but when labour finds it’s feet and it soul and it heart I will be the first to come back, but unlike you I do not follow Tory ( Tony) Blair to be the master of the universe.

            I have no doubt at the next election I shall be voting Labour but Welsh labour not the English one, you can now flag that up if you like

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-OConnor/100000837891021 Joe O’Connor

            An incoherent and muddled rant Treborc but at least it wasn’t completely incomprehensible gibberish like the comment above, namely:
            ‘Look more sentences they you normally leave already.’ 

            Perhaps we should be grateful for small mercies.

    • Anonymous

      We do not have a working class do we according to the middle  class labour party, we are now all either hard working or on the out side of the party, you cannot even work and have a easy job.

      To even believe somebody who is getting £12,000 is middle class is bloody ridiculous.

  • Anonymous

    Nice one Mark.

    I think this is a good start- I’m sure many ideas out there in local parties and grassroots;
    also via the Refounding exercise last year;it wasn’t just traditional members
    at the people’s forum I attended- but many public supporters or those just curious
    and interested.

    Will try to give it some thought, although as time is a bit limited on the blogs-
    and I’ve been somewhat focused on the impending health reforms!

    I don’t think all of what’s written here reflects the bigger picture necessarily;
    although I do wish there were more Labour voices online.

    Jo

  • Anonymous

    Not so much a case of standing on the brink as circling the drain I’m afraid…

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