No Turning Back

By Gavin Hayes

With recent events it feels increasingly like the leaders of all three main parties want us to turn back as soon as possible to the failed ideas of the pre-crash. At Compass we think this would be a disaster and a massive missed opportunity.

With this in mind, Neal Lawson and John Harris recently wrote a major essay to kick start a national debate about our country’s future: Polly Toynbee wrote about this over the weekend and Steve Richards followed up with an article about it yesterday, but now we want visitors of LabourList to join this vitally important discussion.

New times demand new politics. If we don’t want to turn back to the old political economy of market fundamentalism then we need a conversation with individuals and groups who want to build a better society: not just the Labour movement but an open and inclusive dialogue with others including NGOs, faith groups, Liberal Democrats, Greens and others – aimed not at any kind of electoral pact, but a popular progressive movement that could shift the terms of debate and reconnect politics and real life. Both Neal and John are committed to Labour as a necessary vehicle for advancing progressive politics – but know it must be transformed and forge alliances with others if it is to bring about meaningful change.

This potentially has implications for all of us on the centre-left and in particular Compass. Is this the right approach, and what does it mean politically and organisationally? The truth is we don’t yet have all the answers. But we want to know what you think. More than anything we want a conversation about these historic times. Please post any views you have on this below or on the Compass website – we really want to hear from you.

As a catalyst for a meaningful debate, the New Statesman essay suggested 10 policy ideas to ensure we don’t turn back and include: electoral reform; a tobin tax; a 35 hour week; a living wage; radical localism; remutalise and re-regulate banks; a maximum wage; a Green New Deal; a tax on land and a general well-being index – do you think these are right?

We’d also welcome you to please add further ideas to the How to Live In The 21st Century policy competition.

Crucially it is incumbent on all of us on the centre-left – both inside and outside the Labour Party – to organise and bring together all those who don’t want to turn back to the ideas of the past: to stand up and say ‘enough is enough’, it is time for something better.

To start this process yesterday we launched a No Turning Back video (please watch it with the volume on). We think it’s quite inspiring and we want you to watch it and send it to everyone you know.

Crucially we need more people to be part of our No Turning Back network – so please forward the video on and at the same time urge people to join our email list.

Then on Tuesday 31 March from 6pm, just a few days before the G20 summit, we’ve organised a No Turning Back debate in Parliament. Both Neal and John will speak with Polly Toynbee chairing: we hope visitors to LabourList can be there too – to register please email me.

Furthermore we can now announce that Saturday 13 June will be the day of the Compass National Conference – with over 1000 people in attendance it will be the No Turning Back event of the year. This is where the coalition for real change will come together to discuss and debate how we build a new political economy for the 21st century.

Through the autumn of 2009 we will then be holding No Turning Back meetings and events across the UK. We want a meeting in every town and city. If you want to help organise a meeting please let us know.

Now more than ever it’s time to make the case that there can be No Turning Back to the failed ideas of yesterday – we hope everyone on LabourList will get fully engaged in this important debate about our country’s future in the weeks and months ahead.

Download the New Statesman essay as a PDF (including 10 point policy plan) (4MB)

Gavin Hayes, General Secretary, Compass