I think this is highlighted by the fact the Tories have to try so hard to look like they'd protect the NHS, if the Tories were trusted over this one institution its unlikely that Labour would have won in 2005 (then again Blair may have been removed, and overall party policy would be different due to the different political reality) after Iraq. Of course its not just the NHS, but in terms of winning votes - the NHS is universal (the same reason for the child benefit U-turn took place as it was for everyone, whereas cutting disability benefits only affect a minority) and Labour is trusted with it, seen as a party who would do just about anything to ensure a good health system.
The one place they fall down here though is that little sting thats been in Labour's side since denationalisation. The Unions. In the past it made sense for Labour to be so Union orientated, after all they wanted massive nationalisation of national production. The Union's in the end were the building blocks for this, a way into the thrones of power without winning a parliament (they got influence) and a way for them to get a better representative understanding of working classes across the UK.
Today however the Unions are seen very much as unfair, out-of-touch, money grabbers. In the same way Labour supporters see the Tories as not just pro-business, but pro-wealth at the expense of others, many see Labour as the same, not just pro-Union, but pro-wealth within the Union.
Since Labour's reforms after the war, the Unions have been difficult for Labour, they either fight them - and due to their internal power over Labour this adds problems, no longer are the unions a way to power for Labour, but a form of power over them - or are seen as being in their pockets. Not a great situation when at the same time they look to be hurting the unrepresented workers who face high taxes and soldiers who don't get paid anywhere near what should be seen as fair, or even given the protection they require.
(On a side not I think we need a Minister of Personnel, whose job it is to represent military personnel specifically and be in charge of the budgeting for their pay, injuries and family compensations - as oppose to the MoD who have proven themselves grossly incompetent in this area - and are often a bureaucracy to battle as oppose to represent them)
The underlying feeling of Tony Blair's government is that it was corrupt to both businessmen and public sector unions to some degree. Beyond Iraq and Immigration this was a main part of the criticism of his government. Leaving most ordinary people feeling well...a bit left out. But of course it was all go on infrastructure, health, education, benefits and just the overall feeling of being an increasingly progressive society.
When Gordon Brown turned up - suddenly the ordinary people flocked back to the party. Support rose massively, that miserable Scottish chancellor is all about left wing politics, right? He'll give us something! The ordinary people cried. Sadly it was not to be. Brown dithered over an election, I'm not really sure why but it was too late to call one at all by the end of the year. The recession had come, and with it Labour's entire economic policy collapsed as everyone realised it was all based on debt. A pyramid of debt seemed to be under every success story. They were dead - or should have been...
End of the day the Tories failed to win an election. One incompetent war, an illegal and mass-opposed war, an economic downturn and an incredibly disliked leader. Of course without Scotland the Conservatives would have a majority, but it wouldn't be on the level of Blair's rise to power in the middle of economic and world prosperity.
Labour were trusted enough by a core voter. People want a social-democracy, they believe in those less off to get help. They just understand the impact of the deficit and that the government needs sizing down drastically.
If Labour want to survive the next election they need to (well get a new leader, but I think that is a bit obvious) move their eyes from internalised focus on public sector worker to the private sector worker. I mean it can't only be me that scoff's at the argument that the private sector get crap pension plans, and so the public sector should too, can I? No of course not. Right now were seeing managers pay increasing, whilst many in the private sector continue on less hours a week, no increases in pay and very little job security.
Labour need to stop rabbiting on about 'good capitalism' and press for things like 'better private sector pensions'. Call for cuts to some civil servants pay, number, hours, and pensions whilst calling for significant increases in pay for Social Workers, in order to get the best people for a highly demanded job.
Demand cross sector pension schemes, so that a public sector employee is paying into the same pot as a private sector employee. Embrace the private sector and call for unity between them and the public sector. Sure it'll mostly be negative, with widespread cuts and not much positives, but significantly they will be reaching across the workforce and bringing them together as Labour once did.
I could go into a lot more. But the simple fact is Labour MUST become about private sector workers. Not pro-business to boost the public sector. This is a message they've been wrong on for a long time now, only other issues have helped them stay strong. Tory policy to all workers, and in fact people should be strongly questioned. Their policies that are against social fairness should be torn apart.
Labour must change to become the party of 'Labour' not 'Public Sector Labour Only'. Arguments about how unfair it is to be like the private sector will only wipe out the support for them from the private sector.
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| But it so easily could. |
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