Evaluate the extent to which the current Labour Party is influenced more by Old Labour than by New Labour (30 marks)

INTRO

Intro- Old labour values included that of the view of the need for nationalisation of industries, redistribution of income and the granting of trade union powers on which labour was formed on the back of. There exists heavy debate over whether the labour party has maintained these values and beliefs since the leadership of Ed Miliband to the current day labour party leader Keir Starmer or whether the party has abandoned these traditional values as a whole replacing them to align more with the current more centrist political climate. It is moreover clear that many traditional old labour values remain present and are heavily pushed for and encouraged within the current labour party this can be seen in all areas of policy including economic, social and industrial.

 

P1- Many argue that the labour party has remained committed to its traditional values and beliefs particularly on issues surrounding social inequality on which the party has aimed to address the issue of promoting economic justice this was always a key component of the labour party with the aim to redistribute wealth creating a more level playing field- WELFARE

E- Ed Miliband leader in 2010 called for restoration of the 50 per cent top rate of income tax

Corbyn took a keen focus on the increased role of the state this included large state funding.

To this day this is present with leader Starmer pushing to raise the minimum wage to a level of a proper living wage and committing to social justice in his 10 pledges by abolishing universal credit and tuition fees

Corbyn- increase corporation tax to 26%, £26 billion injection of day to day spending over the next five years

Starmer- a proper windfall tax on oil and gas companies, recruiting 8,500 additional mental health staff, neighbourhood health services £1.1 billion per year, reducing NHS waiting lists set out in new pledges

E- This ultimately proves labours strong commitment to retaining their traditional values and beliefs surrounding issues of welfare and social justice proving their emphasis of state involvement, collectivism and redistribution of wealth.

P1-HOWEVER a counter to this point may be in recent years the party has not taken an as extreme view on certain issues perhaps implementing more centrist policy to reflect the current political climate that favours this over certain extremes.

E- For example whilst in 1979 the top rate of taxation was 83% since 2010 leaders such as Ed Miliband have pushed for committing to increase the top rate of taxation to 50p rather than this staggeringly high percentage

Similarly whilst Corbyn argues for the abolition of tuition fees as a whole leaders such as Ed Miliband pushed for them to be reduced from £9,000 to £6,000 a year additionally whilst Starmer pledged in 2020 to abolish tuition fees he has recently refused to stand by this pledge given the current situation of the economy, refuses to go back on two child policy

E- The party has become less committed to their previous values and beliefs surrounding welfare and whilst social justice remains an important value to the party in practice the recent leader’s policies seem to align with a more new labour stance

P2- A further argument in support of the idea is The party has remained committed to its traditional values and an example of this in action is the continued support for workers’ rights

E- Jeremy Corbyn, the party campaigned for a higher minimum wage, the abolition of zero hour contract and the strengthening of trade unions rights.

Corbyn in 2019 pushed for the raise of minimum wage from £8.21 to £10 for anyone over the age of 25

Similarly today under the leadership of Starmer one of his 10 pledges includes the strengthening of workers’ rights and trade unions he hopes to practice this through working alongside trade unions and repealing the trade union act, Starmer has pledged to ban zero hour contracts and deliver a genuine living wage

E- Respect for workers’ rights and the strengthening of trade unions remains a vital part of the labour party

P2- HOWEVER But on the other hand there is increased evidence to show the support to the move to new labour in order to appeal to a wider electorate the issues surrounding industry and trade whilst being central to labour increasingly the party has attempted to appeal to a wider electorate by placing themselves more central on specific policies as such they are able to achieve this more easily

E- Keir Starmer was heavily critical of MPs who attended picket lines he stated there would be no circumstance on which he would appear on one and even sacked Mp Sam terry who appeared at a picket line

Milliband reduced power of TUs by introducing the members vote system and removing their block vote

E- This perhaps constitutes to proving how the labour party are continually moving away from full support for trade unions as advised by Blair allowing for a more electable party

P3- The party has retained the same stance on NATIONALISATION + THE ECONOMY a key and prominent aspect of old labour

E- Starmer- Take the rail operators back into public ownership when their franchises expire- 2024 committed to nationalisation of rail industries

Corbyn- Nationalise key industries such as big energy six firms, national grid, water industry etc.

E- Whilst new labour government made little to no change in terms of nationalisation of industries

HOWEVER this does not account for complete nationalisation which is what traditional old labour values consisted of

E- Corbyn- nationalisation of some industries not all unlike old labour

Under Ed Milliband- the party distanced itself from its traditional commitment to public ownership and instead advocated for a mixed economy that included both private and public ownership

Starmer- 2021 not committed to nationalising large energy companies.

E-Perhaps labour aren’t making an as dramatic change to revert to old labour values and beliefs as suggested core old labour beliefs work on the basis of full nationalisation this isn’t the case