‘The morning after’

We have sore heads and tired feet this morning – though, for me, hearing the devastating results on the radio was tempered by David Attenbourgh’s 100th birthday and by recalling, as I do every year, that 8 May is VE Day. For a Forces’ family like mine, we never forget the sacrifice, in financial as well and human costs, of the war fought against the Nazis and antisemitism.

But now thoughts turn to the future, where some things are very clear. 

Firstly, as a left of centre, social democratic party – the only one in the contest – our values and our commitment to greater equality, poverty reduction, security, fairness, and opportunity must guide everything we do. Pandering to populist parties, to apparently easy answers and to the cult of the individual must play no part in our priorities now.

Secondly, we are the only party in play with a record of delivery in government at national and local level, measured in outcome, not in plans, promises, claims and shopping lists of laws passed or expenditure figures. 

None of those mean anything. 

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What matters is how lives are transformed and enriched, rights preserved and society enhanced. Too often we forget the users of services, the children in schools, the patients at GP surgeries, passengers on train, the consumers in shops, and talk instead of buildings, teachers, doctors, farmers – instead of the people they are there to serve. 

This means we fail to note the million youngsters not in employment or education. Our future workforce, tax payers, parents and – more importantly – a cohort whose future we have failed to secure. Alan Milburn’s work on this long standing problem must be a priority embedded in every policy we adopt. 

So too with our aim of reducing inequality. Every policy, every measure must be part of our overarching aim, casting aside the “nice to haves” in favour of decisions that bring about better lives for those less able to fend for themselves. That means setting specific objectives which we monitor to ensure policies are implemented to achieve our aims.

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Thirdly, we are in government for the next two and a half years, in Mayoralties in some of our great cities and regions, and still a force in local government. We have to hold these and ensure they work to enhance their communities, to demonstrate what our vision means in practice and to deliver for their populations. Education, jobs, adult social care – these are what transform people’s lived experience.

Fourthly, and most importantly, we have to have a laser like focus on what only this present government can deliver: security from Putin and other enemies; safety on our streets with an end to street crime, antisemitism, and anti-social behaviour, plus economic growth with its opportunities for employment and income and for government revenue to fund expenditure. 

Nothing should interfere with this task ahead – to use the period between now and the election to fulfil the promise we made to the British electorate. Yes it means hard choices. We have to rebuild defence capability, the police, education and health. Government must do much itself, but also in partnership with international allies and with local government. 

We may have lost seats this week, but the party has the privilege of being in Number 10 and in Cabinet. We must not pass this up to fight amongst ourselves, to put personal vanities above the needs of British people, or to lose what makes us Labour: implementing our values to make the country a better, richer and safer place.

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