‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… my first four months as Editor’

There are two very different tales to be told about the Labour government this year. And they are both true. 

 There’s the one we all know. We hear about it all the time – the chaos behind the scenes. The resignations, reshuffles and resets. The briefings and backbiting and backbench unhappiness.

 All of this is true and happening and matters to the way politics is done. And boy do we hear about it. Listening to the unmissable Politics and Sam and Anne’s podcast yesterday – the essential accompaniment to SW1 staffers commute – Anne McElvoy rather let the cat out of the bag when she offhandedly said reporting on the lows was “more fun”. It is, but is it more important? Or, indeed, more illuminating?

Those reporting on politics are right to tell us when the people involved are – or at least seem to be – more focused on fighting each other than fighting for growth and against the giant evils of want, disease, ignorance, squalor and idleness.

READ MORE: Deborah Mattinson column: ‘This Christmas we should remember to feel proud of what we have achieved’

But there is another story too. One that will have an impact on the people the government are elected to serve. We have a government that has actually been quite active in laying the foundations for success in some key areas that will make a difference on the ground. In the few months I have been working at LabourList, Labour have scrapped the two child benefit cap and passed the Employment Rights Act – to name just two things. Both will make a genuine difference to the working poor – the very people the party was established to represent.

Also in place now are strategies for fighting child poverty, homelessness and violence against women and girls. These won’t be perfect and will have their gaps and critics. But having them in place ready for delivery in 2026 and beyond will change lives. Real lives that really matter. People like Samantha Richards a young widowed mother who speaks movingly about the difference the two child cap will make and the way the nasty right wing ‘Benefits Street’ rhetoric makes her feel.

This is the difference Labour governments can and do make. And while we will continue to report on internal Labour drama – and use our unique insights to actually explain it rather than simply breathlessly report gossip – we will also continue to bring you the good news.

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When historians come to look back at this period of government it may be that they too will be interested in the gossip – historians are human too. But as the legislation passed and strategies adopted come to fruition, the impact of this period in office may be felt very differently than the day-to-day politics of it.

As we all head into a year with elections in Scotland, Wales and in local government in many places in England it will be easy to be brought down by the negative stories, the polling and ongoing speculation about Labour’s future. But remember when you deliver your leaflets (I’ll be off to do my round as soon as I clock off this evening) there are two sides to this story. Both should be told.

LabourList will be a little quieter over the festive period. While we will have some content every day – and will be keeping on top of any urgent breaking news, this is our chance too to spend time with family, friends and loved ones. To take stock of what matters and plan for the very exciting year we have ahead.

Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.

I may have described this as both the best and worst of times for Labour. But for me, starting this job and doing it every day has been nothing but an unalloyed pleasure. It’s all my christmases come at once – every day. 

 But I couldn’t have done it without the amazing team here. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fantastic colleagues Daniel Green, James Tibbitts and Ellie Ormsby for their incredible hard work and dedication. All of them deserve a well earned rest and a great deal of egg nog and sprouts.

Most of all, I would like to thank our wonderful readers. We are nothing without you. We all wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. We’ll see you in 2026!

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