| This page will look at the various facets of New Labour, provide basic links and indicate how far these have been explored on this site. |
Click here for Privatisation&PPP Current International |
| Ethos | |
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Guardian Special Report on Labour Party
Roy Hattersley |
NL differs radically from its OL predecessors, and in particular looks more to Gladstone than any socialist model. Though naturally
Mandelson is able to spin a story as to why his grandfather Morrison should be such a model. NL wants to reshape the establishment at a time when the Tories are increasingly confused as to Britain's role in the world. Despite being pro-Euro, Blair looks to the US because of its greater economic liberalism and 'labour flexibility'. |
| Privatisation | |
| NL differs radically from its OL predecessors in its belief that state enterprise and service is inherently incompetent. In this regard they show particular regard to those US gurus which they shared with Clinton. | See separate page |
| Stitch-ups (Organisation and Control) | |
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New Labour spins to a new low October 10, 2001, Guardian Comment
Is the party losing its way? |
Because their philosophy is diametrically opposed to that of mainstream Labour, they often have to use quite clumsy methods to quell dissent. |
| Naming and Shaming | |
| Because they cannot admit that state enterprises can be successful, and because they cannot admit that much of the problem is 'prudence' in providing adequate resources, scapegoats have to be found: so NAME, SHAME and PRIVATISE. When faced with a problem, a left-winger would try and address the cause, a right-winger would try suppressing the symptoms, but NL has a Third Way: privatise. Privatising means passing the buck and deferring realities. It means one's own failure of vision can be obscured, and the inadequacies of privatised industries can be shrugged off, especially if they make vast profits. |
Guardian Special Report: Schools Privatisation |
| Re-ordering this world | |
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'Let us reorder this world' Guardian, Oct 3rd |
NL is nothing if it is not a 'vision' and in particular it hankers after its old World Power role - even though this is heavily dependent on the grace and favour of the Americans - since the UK would be very much of an ugly duckling working through the EU as equals. The vision must be shared, but if this means 'sharing' privatisation and PPP with the Third World, rich pickings are there for Blair's business friends. 'Re-ordering this world' is the grinning face of 21st Century neo-colonialism. |
| Prudence (Brown and Finance) | |
| "Prudence" is Gordon Brown's watchword. But note that in fact GB is very Old Labour, being ready to utter the S-word whilst sticking slavishly to economic orthodoxy. It was this aspect of Old Labour that undid the Labour Party in 1931 and 1976, not as Blair would have it, an excessive allegiance to the working class. Apparently Gordon Brown increasingly eschews the phrase New Labour. But his financial orthodoxy suits NL down to the ground: holding back public borrowing goes very well with NL's predilection with private financing. |
Brown and Blair at war over euro (Guardian July 27, 2001) |
| Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime | |
| Guardian Special report: crime | ...a slogan borrowed in fact from Gordon Brown, gives NL a breathing space. It can use the cliche to be tough on crime full stop, as under Jack Straw, and might well permit some more liberal measures to be brought in under David Blunkett. |
| PC UK World Policeman | |
| our page on: Current International | |
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| more later re: Welfare to Work Polls |
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