“We cannot waste this defeat” – Labour launch taskforce to find out why they lost the election

Harriet Harman, Interim Leader of the Labour Party, has launched a ‘Learning the Lessons from Defeat’ Taskforce.

The aim of this Taskforce – also dubbed as the truth and reconciliation commission – is to find out why Labour lost the general election.

It will be chaired by former deputy leader Margaret Beckett and the rest of the commission will be made up of representatives from all parts of the party. This includes representatives from nations and regions, MPs and candidates, affiliates, local government and party members.

The investigation will comprise of two parts.  The first will be an in depth analysis of data – including national swing, region, Mosaic group and type and, gender, age and ethnicity.

The second party will see MPs, candidates, party staff and members giving testimony to the Taskforce across the regions and nations. There will also be a website that will take online submissions.

The results of the Taskforce will be reported to the newly elected leadership team and the National Executive Committee in September.

Harman, who has also been deputy leader of the party since 2007, outlined the reason for establishing this commission:

“We cannot waste this defeat. It should, and must, have profound implications for the future direction of our party.

“Our leadership election is underway, but we must waste no time in kick-starting a forensic, honest examination of where we went wrong if we are to regain the trust of the British public. 

“Now is not the time to paper over the cracks.

“We need robust discussion and analysis, which at times might not be comfortable, but it is necessary if we are to learn, rebuild, and regain the trust of those who lost faith in us.

“No stone must remain unturned as part of this work. We need forensic analysis of the data – swing, turnout, where we did well, where we didn’t. But numbers alone won’t tell us what we need to know.

“Alongside that analysis, everyone who had a stake in the election campaign, including the public, must be able to have their say. The Taskforce will oversee a process of engagement to face up to the brutal reality of our loss. They will draw on the experience of our candidates, those who won and lost, members, Party staff, affiliates. We want their views about the campaign, and critically, why it delivered the result it did.

“We will dare to look over the edge of the precipice at what happened.

“Over the past three weeks I have been to around the country speaking to our candidates, members, activists to seek their opinions and hear their experiences. Not only is there appetite for the robust discussion that our Taskforce will oversee, but it’s clear the Labour Party remains united and determined to hold this Government to account whilst we learn the lessons from our defeat.”

The work of the commission will run alongside an independent review into why Labour lost, headed by former Policy Review Co-ordinator Jon Cruddas.