I agree with Jeremy, for too long members have felt ignored – but this leader is not strong enough to deliver change

Defeat in 2010 and again in 2015 should have provided a clear and unambiguous message to the Labour party: renew or prepare for yet another long period in the wilderness years. Sadly renewal has been replaced with squabbling and we have a leader who genuinely believes that just the act of seeking consensus and collegiality is enough to convince an electorate that he is a prime minister in waiting – but it isn’t.

So what’s to be done? In essence I think there are two main issues that need to be urgently addressed:

1. If Labour is to continue to be a major force in British politics then it needs a strong visionary leader with a clear sense of direction. It is clear to me that Jeremy Corbyn is not the person for this important role. Is he willing to do it? Of course. Does he have the ability to do it? The sad, but blindingly obvious answer to the majority of voters, is no.

2. The party also needs to look closely at its current image, or “brand”, and remember that it cannot choose simply between style and substance as though they are in some way mutually exclusive.

The truth is that many Labour members and supporters will have opposing interpretations of why we lost in 2015 or about the direction we now need to take if we are to regain much of our support. Some will want the party to be more passionately principled whilst others will stress the need for sensible pragmatism. Some members want the party to champion the role of the state whilst others argue that we should allow market forces to operate with minimal impunity. We have members who want the party to vigorously attack the causes of poverty whilst at the same time be the party that promotes aspiration and ambition. The longer these conflicting priorities are debated and discussed the longer we are likely to spend in opposition.

Our core message should be simple and unambiguous: our values have not changed and our mission as a party is a clear today as it was a century ago – we really are stronger as a nation when we come together than we can ever be apart. Therefore Labour’s next leader should only propose change for a purpose and that purpose should focus mainly on renewing the party’s policies, its systems and structures. We must ensure we are properly equipped to exploit the opportunity to reconnect with our traditional supporters and the millions of voters who feel so badly let down by the duplicitous leadership of UKIP.

If Labour is to learn from defeat then it will need to be proactive in its consultation. Here is where I do agree with Jeremy Corbyn: for too long ordinary party members have felt ignored and removed from the leadership.

The new leader should learn from Corbyn and recognise that members want to be heard and they want to be listened to. Perhaps even more important though is the need for the party to be more proactive in engaging local communities. It is only when local parties reach out that people will see Labour politics as a way of helping them to deal with their problems and realise their hopes.

This renewed Labour party can easily become the natural place for people who want change. A party that gets things done locally – and nationally – is a party that will win elections. A renewed Labour will need to reflect the aspirations of ordinary people but it will also need to be realistic about the challenges that lie ahead. The forces of conservatism are not confined to Theresa May’s government, they exist within the Labour party itself. It will be up to those of us who believe passionately in the core values of our movement to take on the cynics in our own ranks and become the change we want to see – be it in our party or in our country.

Who we are is who we were. Labour’s core values can and must inform any “re-branding” of the party but we should not be afraid to do things differently. New Labour may well be a thing of the past but, under the right leader, our party can once again lead a movement that is alive with hope.

Mike Ion is a former Labour parliamentary candidate and councillor and was part of Ed Miliband’s leadership campaign team in 2010.