Transformation
There is an extraordinary transformation occurring, led by two similar but different young men, the like of which this country has never seen. One is so very English privilege, the other, with no English blood at all is so very British privelege. The first Eton and Oxford, the second Westminster and Cambridge. Both have concealed from their parties the extent of their revolutionary zeal. Now in partnership in a new kind of government (I can think of no other pair of political leaders since the war who would have had the guts and drive to set it up) the one in charge of the running of the country, the other in charge of turning it into a modern inclusive democracy, both hell bent on giving people back their lives. This is amazing stuff.
There is an clear unity of purpose amalgamating the combined drive of the economic realists, with the socially liberal and with the radical reformers. This has to be an enterprise too big to founder. It deserves all the goodwill it can garner. The moment of Liberal Conservatism has arrived. It has caught the commentators by surprise, but it far the biggest thing since Thatcher.
Labour need not despair. There will be a role for them. Not in some form of sofa based meritocratic social empowerment, but in true gut felt, hard driven, socially just policies of the Left. Labour must re-ignite as a Movement embracing the Tony Woodleys and the Bob Crows as well as the Millibands and the Bradshaws. There will be much to defend and many whose voices must be heard. But Labour needs to remember than once the Constitutional reforms are complete the electoral and social landscape will be different.
The Trade Unions have got to get real. Instead of these ridiculous and unpopular strikes from Unite and the RMT (which helped in Labour’s defeat) they need to learn that the courts which frustrate them are the route for their causes. Getting the travel perks restored is far more likely through a court case than through a strike. Likewise threats to the safety of the travelling public alleged by the RMT. I have said before that strikes are to industrial relations as lynching is to justice. Until all the Unions can see that (many of them have), the road to power will be blocked by lack of enough popular support .
In 1997 Labour polled 13.5 million votes. In every election since they have lost votes. They are now down to 8.6 million. That is only 1.8 million ahead of the LibDems. In 1997 the gap was 8.3 million. There is a lot of ground to make up.