The Last Labour government EVER?

[Fisher_Gate]

Even old enough to remember the "You've never had it so good" lie.

Wow that was 52 years ago. And I thought I was old. And it was a Tory of course.

 

[tbaldwin]

Labour came in promising to turn over lots of things to the free market, which they've done. (PFI, anyone?) They've also been socially liberal, albeit with a bit of backtracking when they went too far with the cannabis fiasco. Add in tossing money at the NHS and education, and being "tough on crime" (while being anything but tough on criminals) I think they've done pretty much what they said on the manifesto.

In 1997 how many of us would have dreamed that New Labour would double spending on health and education? Not me and i'd guess not many other people on here either.
We are constantly fed the idea that New Labour has moved the LP dramatically to the right. Its bullshit.
Past Labour govts never increased govt spending in the way New Labour did.
They talked radically and acted conservatively...

 

[agricola]

One Nation conservatism, which seeks balance and unity based on compromise, would be ideal for a period of economic upheaval. If Mr Cameron's tofu-revolution flops, there's a chance it may be reconsidered.

Actually I think a little fundamentalism is a good thing in these uncertain times, as long as its done honestly, fairly and in a non-partisan way. There is an awful lot of waste within the current Government that really needs to be cut away.

For instance, if Cameron does win the election and spends his first week unravelling all the dodgy PFI and government procurement deals, culling quangos and sacking each and every SPAD (of both sides) then he will probably win my vote next time around .... though of course I have no faith that he will actually do that.

 

[weltweit]

Of course if the split up of the Union occurs which now seems likley at some point then it would be the last labour government of England because England is largely conservative.

Scotland would by then largely be SNP and wales probably Plaid.

Where would that leave New Labour?

 

[Azrael]

We are constantly fed the idea that New Labour has moved the LP dramatically to the right. Its bullshit.

True words, but since many people seem to define left-wing as nationalising everything in sight, and being fluffy human rights supporters, Labour are "right-wing" by default.

Actually I think a little fundamentalism is a good thing in these uncertain times, as long as its done honestly, fairly and in a non-partisan way.

Cutting waste isn't fundamentalist; it's pragmatism. Ironically, it's market-worship that'll land us with more PFI nonsense and quango-ocracy all round.

 

[JHE]

In his last speech Cruddas said the Labour's only hope was to adopt Raymond Williams' vision.

Of course, Williams was a Plaid member, which begs the question, what is the point of having a Labour party in Wales anymore, seeing as Plaid is now carrying the torch of the values of the labour movement.

That's very interesting. This is probably not the thread to talk about it, but I had no idea that Raymond Williams became a Welsh Nat.