Labour frontbencher Helen Goodman: My fears about Blue Labour

On Monday’s Newsnight, shadow prisons minister Helen Goodman MP debated Lord Glasman on the ‘Blue Labour’ concept; here, she further critiques the idea

Blue-Labour Blue Labour’s thesis is that a return to the ideas and practices prevalent at the foundation of the Labour Party – solidarity and reciprocity - can form the basis of significant social change. In my essay “Tradition and Change: Four People – A Response to the Politics of Paradox” (pdf), I view the thesis from the perspective of two communities.

First, the hill farmers of Teesdale, a paradigmatic community whose rights and way of life on the Commons have existed for more than 600 years; then, I look at the Durham Miner’s Gala and the needs of the former coalfields.

The first impression might be that these are very traditional communities and would benefit from the Blue Labour approach. But if we look more deeply, it becomes clear that while voluntarism and co-operation have a part to play, the forces and structure in the modern world require far more than this for them to flourish.

In both cases, only government can take the national and international action they need.

Secondly, I look at the stories of a mother and a priest, where the importance of the welfare state in providing security and opportunities becomes clear. My grandmother collected insurance subs for the ambulance; after the advent of the NHS this wasn’t necessary.

You could of course argue that this community building activity was lost, but most people would prefer to dial 999 in an emergency. I am worried that Blue Labour will be hijacked by those whose real agenda is to destroy the welfare state on which so many people depend.

In my essay, I also show how David Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ approach fails to understand that the modern voluntary sector is a partner of government.

Secure communities with strong ties are important, but Labour’s tradition is richer than this- equality, justice, democracy and liberty need to be woven into the fabric. I have written this response to inspire debate within the Labour Party and to create discourse about future direction of policy.

Labour lost the election in 2010, and I am pleased that we are now having the chance to debate the Party’s next moves. I hope that my critique of Politics of Paradox will provoke a discussion about the ideas I have presented and encourage others to add their views.

http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/83550214832668672 Shamik Das

. @BBCNewsnight @BBCMichaelCrick RT @leftfootfwd: Labour frontbencher @HelenGoodmanMP: My fears about Blue Labour: http://bit.ly/lYams9
http://twitter.com/isdancing/status/83550672531898368 Mabel Horrocks

. @BBCNewsnight @BBCMichaelCrick RT @leftfootfwd: Labour frontbencher @HelenGoodmanMP: My fears about Blue Labour: http://bit.ly/lYams9
William

Winning an election in the future?Appealing to voters in non urban England and the south east?Admitting that GOVERNMENT is often the problem, not the solution?Recognising that a 1947 welfare state is not the model for the next twenty five years?
http://theoldpolitics.blogspot.com/ oldpolitics

It’s, er, very blue. Apart from misunderstanding what Jonathan Rutherford is saying about gender, I’m not in the slightest bit clear what she is actually disagreeing with them about.
Dave Citizen

Helen – I think I know what you’re getting at but my view is that Labour needs to be much bolder if it is to offer a real alternative model rather than simply fight a rear guard action designed to soften the blows so to speak.

Arguing about policy decisions makes little sense unless it is done with knowledge of the basic goals the party is trying to achieve:

What levels of inequality does Labour believe strike about the right balance for a healthy Britain (are we talking Sweden, Japan, Germany or bigger gaps like Israel, Singapore or even the USA (I hope not!))

What’s Labour’s view on things like renting land and property to business – does it help the competitiveness of our economy for farmers and others to have to pay substantial rents to vast landowning estates or the “aristocracy”?

Does labour think the ability of a rich elite to send their children to expensive private schools is compatible with equal opps and building a healthy meritocracy?

Depending on answers to such questions we might better judge policy decisions and whether those of us without access to such privileges want to take part in building our (whose?) communities.
mr. Sensible

Helen I particularly agree with you on the ‘Big Society’, and I’m afraid David Cameron is beginning to find this out given what local authorities are doing to the voluntary sector…
Robert

here is my view, bit simplistic.

1990 I had an accident was rushed to a Tory accident and emergency they had to seek a doctor to come in and treat me but he was at the beach, the hospital did not keep a consultant on call due to cost, after six hours the hospital sent a nurse to see me she decided I was fit to go home.

I went home in the back of a taxi, with a broken leg, broken arm, broken wrist broken, broken ribs, fracture of my neck and a spinal cord injury.

On the way home I had a fit come stroke which I’m still battling against as I have short term memory loss, I also have Paraplegia, nothing works from the waist down, oh yes the NHS paid compensation but believe it or not after twenty one years doctors are still finding injuries from the accident like the fracture to my neck has not healed.

I’m now classed as a wheelchair user, I have to use a catheter, I have to pull the shit out of my ass with my finger , and I have an implanted morphine pump which delivers a dose every few hours and which I cannot touch.

I have just been informed after my medical I’m fit to work, my spinal injuries have been stated as bad back.

This is New labour legacy to me.
Robert

Bloody nerve calling this lot labour if you ask me.
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/12/into-the-black-labour-nails-its-colours-to-the-obr-that-keeps-on-getting-on-wrong/ Into the Black Labour nails its colours to the OBR – that keeps on getting on wrong | Left Foot Forward

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