A potential springboard to launch Labour ahead of the election has been wasted by a set of standard, uninspiring ideas on a decade timeframe.
A potential springboard to launch Labour ahead of the election has been wasted by a set of standard, uninspiring ideas on a decade timeframe
This week, Labour leader Ed Miliband outlined his party’s 10-year plan for Britain should they win the general election next May. Addressing the Labour Party Conference in Manchester, Miliband laid out six key points that he believes will help bring the country back together.
The two standout policies are plans to raise the minimum wage to £8 an hour by the end of the next parliament and helping fund the NHS through proceeds from a mansion tax.
It is true that all these ideas are arguably agreeable in their own individual right, however I can’t help feeling that Labour have missed a trick here. It is their last opportunity before the general election to really take the spotlight and spell out their vision to the general public – to offer something radical and inspiring. Unfortunately, they have failed to do so.
Some media outlets have picked up on the proposal to raise the minimum wage to £8 an hour, which is encroaching on radical territory but it isn’t nearly bold enough. Currently, the London living wage is £8.80 an hour, and £7.65 outside of the capital. Factor in an annual inflation rise of around 2 per cent forecast by the Bank of England and it’s clear that such a figure should be closer to £10 an hour by 2020 in order to sustain a living.
Instead, Labour should have proposed an immediate rise to £8 and then have the rate pegged to inflation. As James Bloodworth writes, a move would not be regarded as anti-business because workers are essentially consumers too, and the more money they have in their pocket the more likely they are to spend it.
Similarly, Miliband has tinkered with boldness before, toying with the idea of renationalising the railways. Unfortunately though, he only aggravated many voters and businesses by proposing a half-hearted approach, therefore missing out on a policy that would have chimed with many. Such lack of conviction could come back to haunt Miliband and Labour come next May.
In what is one of the tightest elections to date to predict, Labour and its leader need a distinctive narrative. Miliband’s personal ratings are woeful, and when it comes to the economy the Conservatives are strides ahead on an issue that is fundamental in deciding elections – the Scottish referendum is evidence of that. Labour needs its trump card.
And it would have come with a pledge to, say, renationalise the railways, reform drug policy, or take a firmer stance on the minimum wage. There is evidence of major public support for all these policies.
But not only that, Miliband would have something to personally stand for; and his party would have a narrative and direction that they could portray to the electorate.
It’s a shame then that what could have been a springboard to really launch Labour ahead of the election has instead been wasted by a set of standard, uninspiring ideas on a decade timeframe.
Of course it is beneficial to have a long-term plan, but voters also want something to rally around now, to get behind and really feel passionate about. This week Labour could have given them that.
Luke Nightingale is a freelance journalist and founding editor of The Looking Glass Liverpool. He also blogs
34 Responses to “Labour’s missed opportunity”
Leon Wolfeson
Latest chant is it, denying what you posted LordBlagger? Oh, being too kind again I see – you’re for mass murder as usual, so pensions won’t exist.
And of course you’re for outright slavery.
The_Average_Joe_UK
When you extract your head from your rectum, you’ll see things in a different way.
Sweden grew massively shrinking govt. spending. Norway has huge oil revenue, hardly difficult to do well there.
Germany is about as socialist as my penis. In Austria privatisation has reduced state holdings to a level comparable to other European economies. Labour movements
are particularly strong in Austria though Austria doesn’t suffer the British disease where the Unions are happy to drive companies into the weeds. Austria works like Germany where Labour and business work together. In the UK business despises and mistrusts the left and vice versa, as its them and us.
France’s problem was the government signalling they were closed for business, something a blinkered lefty wouldn’t understand.
Why don’t you show me how right you are, perhaps you could start a company and employ 100,000 on a living wage and drive the capitalist competition into the dust. You could call it ‘Socialist PLC’. Go on, I double dare you. Then again you could stay a dumb arse failure windbag with all the solutions on a little read lefty blog.
Leon Wolfeson
I don’t have your habits and fetishes, and I won’t magically become like you no matter how often you repeat it.
Sweden just torpedo’d their own economy, not sure why you feel that’s good, and you are switching back to “socialist” from left wing in bait-and-switch nonsense, and I don’t actually and it is not necessary to the left to support strong state holdings (I support mutual and co-operative holdings!)
Then you start talking nonsense about Unions, bad-mothing basic rights and making excuses, as you get it completely wrong about France (they dithered on policy, that’s the basic issue they had).
And I have no interest in being a big business owner, an attitude you evidently don’t get, as you spew garbage about socialism (which I don’t even follow) and scream childish insults and taunt me in your immature way..which would be funny if you were not rich and had the power to hurt people with your histrionics.
You’re closed to business, you’re interested in profit for yourself, something else entirely. Oh, and you’re here, trolling. Telling.
Dave Roberts
Let’s see if we can debate this Leon/Guest. Could you explain how my post above about the mansion tax has morphed into killing MPs? I also invite anyone else to debate this.