The Labour party

example of a socialist in the labour party

Angela Rayner

Example of a social democrats (more centrist)

Tony Blair - Paired Thatcherites economic policies (tax cuts, privatisation) with more liberal social reforms: eg. End clause 28 (stop teachers not being allowed to talk about homosexuality)

Evidence that Kier Starmer is more centrist

He expelled former leader Jeremy Corbyn from the party

Conclusion on Kier Starmer

More Right Wing that he suggested, despite a couple more left wing things (big tax increase on businesses in Rachel Reeves first budget and improved workers’ rights). This is because Starmer is trying to be more stable and secure with the economy than the chaos of Johnson and Truss

Prominent centrists in the cabinet, Wes Streeting

Yvette Cooper

Labour policies under Corbyn - economy

view: the neo - liberal markets under Blair and Thatcher lead to increasing inequality. policy: Nationalisation of the energy, rail, water and broadband industries. First step to “common ownership”. Raise minimum wage to £10 p h

Labour policies under Corbyn - Brexit

Compromise policy of corbyn favoured leave in and so did many northern MPs who were afraid of losing their seats, this was the “brexit election”. Wanted to negotiate a new brexit deal and hold a second referendum. Very divided over this issue and this significantly weakened him

2024 election slogan

change

Labour policy under Starmer - public finances after Conservatives made a £22 billion black hole

Keep Rishi Sunak’s plan to “freeze” income tax thresholds until 2028 (raises a lot of tax!). End the winter fuel payments for most pensioners, increase inheritance tax on farms ( a lot of opposition from NFU for this!)

Labour policy under Starmer - economics. more socialist

Partnership with businesses, listening to what they want however: 40 billion increase tax on businesses. Re - nationalisation of railways and want to create a national wealth fund to invest in businesses

Labour policy under Starmer - housing

1.5 million before the next election by forcing councils to accept more homes in their area and this will be achieved mostly by private house builders. opposed by nimby

Left wing social policies from starmer

New Workers’ Rights bill to strengthen employment rights of workers. This is in the committee stage at the house of lords to be passed ( Employers rights bill). This will include 28 key reforms such as providing more security on zero hour contracts. 6.7% increase in the national minimum wage

Right wing social policies of Starmer

Strengthen control of immigration, pledging to reduce net migration, which they have done, it has decreased by 44%. There were also no extension of trans rights

Conclusion on Labour policies under Starmer

Lots of right wing policies implemented eg. freeze tax and strengthening control of immigration. It is clear that Starmer is trying to please everyone and gain votes from more centrist conservatives after disillusionment

How many Conservative seats did Labour take?

Took 182 conservative seats

Where was Starmer on a study by prof chris hanretty?

Starmer was to the right of 401/411 Labour MPs. Ed Davey was 7 points to the left of Starmer

Why is the fact that Louise Haigh (transport sec) who is more socialist not show that the Labour party is back to its ideological routes?

Haigh resigned after admitting to a fraud offence, and Starmer accepted this, he would have fought harder for a more centrist minister.

Slogan showing Labour’s shift to the centre

“We’ve changed the Labour party now we’ll change Britain”

Stats on stopping winter fuel payment

From this autumn, older people in England and Wales not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get annual winter fuel payments, worth between £100 and £300. This is to save money from the “22bn” blackhole in public finances.

Example of how MPs and supporters remained socialist

some urban constituencies selected or voted for more left wing Labour candidates such as John McDonnell who belongs in the Socialist campaign group faction. After Starmer pledged to repair relations with the Jewish community, after Corbyn’s anti-Semi  tic comments, supporting them in the war. Caused 5 pro – Gaza MPs to be elected in 2024 (instead of Labour MPs)

Why is the fact that there may be socialist supporters in the Labour party weak?

Ed Miliband ( left wing ) lost his seat in the 2015 election, after being the Labour leader. Corbyn went into the campaign with the lowest net satisfaction ratings of any opposition leader since the late 1970s . Only had 203 seats in 2019 election, deduction of 59

Stat that shows the decline of Corbyn

Corbyn went into the campaign with the lowest net satisfaction ratings of any opposition leader since the late 1970s .

What did Rachel Reeves say to the daily mail that made her more centrist/right wing?

their readerships “natural home” was now the Labour Party