Real Labour vs. New Labour

John McDonnell MP, Chair LRC and Socialist Campaign Group, writing for Labour Left Briefing, sets the scene for Labour Party Conference.

Blair's New Labour regime has less than 18 months left in power by most commentators' reckoning. Consequently there is a growing air of unreality about the desperate flourish of new policies being announced almost on a daily basis by members of the Blair bunker cabinet. The measures emanating from government departments increasingly smack of panic. It is as though looking back after eight years in office the Blair New Labour clique is coming to realise what little impact their administration has had and are desperately trying to force through a last gasp policy programme to fetter future governments.

Rather than secure a firm place in history as a politically radical and administratively effective Labour Government, the Blair period of office is becoming recognised as the greatest wasted opportunity in the 100 year history of the Labour Party. The unique advantages of the largest Labour majority in Parliament combined with coming to power during that period of the most fortuitous economic cycle ever experienced by a Labour Government have both been thrown away and wasted by the abject poverty of ideas and lack of courage of this administration. The result is that the historical legacy of the Blair regime will be failure to effect change at home and the disastrous alliance with Bush abroad.

Unless the left can mobilise to hold back this last minute policy onslaught by the outgoing Blair administration and gain a change in political direction for Labour, New Labour will depart from office leaving a party in decline and a disillusioned electorate, months away from fighting an election against a resurgent Tory party.

This year's conference gives the left the opportunity to mobilise the Party and the trade union movement to defend us against the last ditch policies of New Labour and to develop the process of preparing the post Blair agenda. This means consolidating the growing coalition against New Labour on the current attack on civil liberties in the Clarke anti-terrorist legislative proposals, on the Johnson "work till you drop" pension policies and on Gordon Brown's new wave of job cuts and privatisations in the civil service, health, education, probation and prison service.

The responsibility falls on the left to take forward the policy programme which has emerged consensually this year through trade union conferences, the LRC's July annual conference and September's TUC Congress. This emerging programme starkly differentiates Real Labour from New Labour.

While New Labour continues to advocate the outmoded neo-con economic policies of unfettered markets, privatisation and flexible/exploitation of labour, Real Labour has now developed its proposals for public ownership, democratic control of capital and legislation for installing trade union freedom in British law.

While New Labour flounders in promoting market lead and increased retirement age solutions to pension provision, Real Labour leads a growing consensus on the strengthening of the state pension, the restoration of the link with earnings and equal provision for women.

While New Labour is wildly opening up our public services to private sector profiteers, Real Labour carries the support of the vast majority of the population in opposing privatisation and in advocating expanded investment in our public services and support for public servants.

While New Labour continues to advocate increasing the burden of charges and means tests on students, pensioners, people with disabilities and the poorest in our community so that inequality increases, Real Labour is straightforward in its commitment to the principle that public services should be paid for through progressive taxation and that benefits are best administered universally as a right.

While New Labour continues its international alliance with George Bush, Real Labour condemns the war in Iraq and reaffirms the traditional historic adherence of the Labour Party to peace and international law and thus demands the withdrawal of troop from Iraq.

Through the new and strengthening coalition between rank and file Labour Party members, progressives and the trade unions forged in the Labour Representation Committee, the powerbase both organisationally and ideologically for a Real Labour Government is growing. Let us use this year's conference to add momentum to this critical development.