Don’t scapegoat the poor to unite the party

By Daniel Blaney

The danger in Ed Miliband’s speech “on responsibility” is it runs counter to a widespread (and correct) view that a social democratic party will not generate a durable political strategy by continuously pandering to the prejudices and populism of the right. For a start it causes disillusionment and disaffection amongst its activists. At a time when the party needs unity, pandering to the right can only sow division.

When such a tactic as that set out in his speech is obviously futile, an explanation for it is that he continuously feels the need to look over his right shoulder, given recent leaks about David Miliband and Ed Balls that can only be designed to undermine the leader and his shadow chancellor. Meanwhile the left appears weak and therefore doesn’t matter in the same way, even though it has an eagerness to demonstrate loyalty that surpasses that enjoyed by any of Ed Miliband’s predecessors.

As I set out in my letter to the Guardian during the leadership election, Labour Leadership never exists in a vacuum. It needs to respond to pressures from the movement. Had the spread of first preferences indicated a stronger Labour Left, it might now prove harder for Ed Miliband to disregard it the moment he comes under pressure from the right. Instead the narrative of that leadership election is merely that the candidate of the right came so close to defeating a candidate supported by the left and centre of the party. We are where we are and if progressive critiques of populist lurches are to be effective rather than a mere vent of frustration, the left needs to demonstrate its strengths.

The ‘Next Generation‘ initiative which has emerged from the wreckage of Compass’s suicide has all the promise of a confident, credible and vibrant left wing approach for Young Labour. GEER, meanwhile has demonstrated flair in its first week or so with a series of contributions to the party discourse, effectively pointing out that Labour doesn’t need a triangulation strategy; it needs to recover lost votes amongst its neglected historic base.

What about policy? Owen Jones, author of the book of the moment, initiated resurgence of the idea of a 35 hour week. This neatly embraces Ed Miliband’s leadership election platform of a better work-life balance as well as adding to a strategy to combat unemployment.

And the white elephant in the room is that while the public sector is plundered, the government has decided to proceed further with Trident Replacement. This is a decision Liberal Democrats cannot and will not be happy with, and it is in the gift of Labour to expose coalition difficulties. It also adds meaning to Ed Miliband’s correct assertion that Labour should not disregard common ground that exists with Lib Dem members and supporters. Labour should align with Lib Dem scepticism on the futility of something that costs a bomb we can not possibly afford. That is a policy and a strategy the party can unite behind and cause the coalition endless difficulties. Ed Miliband should show such leadership and statesmanship.