‘Patriotism and nation-building must be at the heart of Labour’s values story’
Far from being a distraction from the job at hand, nation-building will be a critical part of being a successful government.
John Denham
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‘Why Total Place is vital for Labour’s chance of reforming public services’
Total Place is based on the simple idea that all the money spent in an area on health, schools, social services, benefits, police and other services can be seen as a single pool of public service spending.
St George’s Day: ‘Labour should take on the challenge of appealing to England’
In a recent and quite bizarre argument, Russian-born ‘comic’ Kisin Konstantin declared that English-born Rishi Sunak wasn’t English because he was a ‘brown Hindu’. Most English people reject ethnic definitions of Englishness but the…
‘Labour’s local council and election shakeup raises five big questions’
As we move forward, Labour members should be thinking about how to make the most of the radical potential that has been opened – but not yet delivered – by the White Paper.
‘The English devolution white paper must be step one in reversing centralisation’
Today’s White Paper is a big step towards the Take Back Control Bill (now next year’s English Devolution Bill) when Keir Starmer promised a ‘whole new way of governing’ nearly two years ago.
‘Today’s Council of Nations and Regions summit sends an important message – but does it risk pleasing no-one?’
Today Keir Starmer will chair the first meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions (CNR). It’s an innovation with an important message...But how much difference will it make to the way the United Kingdom and its nations are run?
‘The locals underlined the weaknesses of the mayoral model. But Labour can fix it’
Eight weeks ago, I warned of "huge embarrassment" if the party did not sweep the mayoral board. Richard Parker’s nail-biting win in the West Midlands and David Skaith’s triumph in Rishi Sunak’s Yorkshire avoided the worst case, but losing…
‘The mayoral model holds political risks. Labour must empower local councils’
When Keir Starmer joined Sadiq Khan to launch the London mayoral election campaign, Labour seemed curiously downbeat about its prospects. Saying it will be the closest election ever, Khan is appealing to Green and Lib Dem voters to throw…
‘If Labour can’t spend more, here’s how we spend better to fix council budgets’
On Monday, Angela Rayner described the government's announcement of £600m of new emergency local authority funding as a "cynical sticking plaster". She’s right: the money is welcome but a drop in the ocean. Almost every day another council…
‘Labour must reject assumptions about Englishness and promote its inclusivity’
An enduring myth about national identity in England – not least on the left - is that Britishness is inclusive while Englishness is culturally and ethnically exclusive. The belief has shaped Labour thinking on community cohesion and…
‘To tackle hate and division, Labour must reflect on what multiculturalism means’
The former Home Secretary’s divisive rhetoric will rightly get much of the blame for drawing far right activists onto the streets on Saturday. But the emotions driven by terror attacks and the military response in Israel and Gaza were…
‘Taking SNP seats alone won’t fix unease over the union – in Scotland or England’
Labour’s stunning victory in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election opens the door to many more Scottish Labour MPs. Recent polling shows voters in Scotland prioritise getting rid of the UK Conservatives over choosing a unionist or…