NEW LABOUR POLICIES

Tax

Didnt increase tax - separated from old labour

Conservation

Conservation of resources before investing in public services - moving away from high spending of old labour

2002

Increase in national insurance contributions; led to rise in spending on NHS - spent alot on public services showing their commitment to public services

Poverty

New labour aimed to reduce poverty but didnt make wiping out inequality a priority, e.g. introduced national minimum wage - progressive, but at a less generous level. Trade unions wanted more; gov was £3.60 less than what they wanted

equality

Emphasis on equality of oppourtunity & social justice - happy for individuals to get rich due to own hard work - support for capitalism and individualism (liberalism) - support from private sector (less nationalisation)

Tony Blair Labour

“Labour must be tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime” - punishing criminal behaviour BUT tackling poor handling of social conditions that resulted in criminal behaviour - imposed anti social behaviour orders to prevent

WELFARE - Community

Promotion of safety of community + facilitated immigration saying it was economically beneficial with net migration to the UK multiplying by 4 to 200,000 per year while labour were in office (1997-2007).

WELFARE - education & healthcare

Consistent spending on education & NHS. In 1997-2007 core spend on pubils rose by 48%. Blair’s 3 most important priorities were famously “education, education, education”

WELFARE -Winter fuel payment

Payment for pensioners - free off peak travel for 65+

WELFARE - minimum wage

Introduced minimum wage to promote work

Foreign aid spending

Support for Iraq invasion - defined Prime Ministership by foreign policy of Iraq; blair doubled foreign aid spending

Blair introduced changes such as

HOL reforms, devolution, constitutional reforms, improving female representation in parliament by shortlisting all females

Blair centralisation

Combined left and right - moved away from nationalisation, high spending, kept equality