It was the Keynesian era of full employment – when, after all, more people were ‘contributing’ – that delivered ever higher proportions of contributory spend that rose to 71 per cent by the mid-1970s Keynesian collapse.
In terms of forming a Labour government, the only way is not Essex, but it’ll be an important staging post along that path. The signs, it seems, are promising even if work remains to be done.
Writing an obituary for Margaret Thatcher is extremely difficult. The human dimension is clear – an old, frail woman, separated from her loving husband for a decade, has succumbed to long-term ill health. That is a sad end by anyone’s estimation. But, in terms of the politics, it is perhaps best to stick to broad-brush strokes.
