Labour Party

Labour representation committee

established 1900

won 29 seats

became labour party in 1906

Post-war consensus

-increased role of trade unions

-mixed economy with large amounts of state intervention with Keynesian economics

-welfare state NHS, unemployment benefit

-government has a role in improving lives of the poor

why the post war consensus is relevant to labour

labour founded it under Atlee in 1948

Socialist values presented by labour

-Common Ownership

-High taxation

-support for the working class

key features of Old Labour

-nationalisation

-redistribution of income and wealth

-extended public sector

-universal welfare

-social justice

key features of New Labour (Third Way)

-pragmatic approach

-favours market economy

-public-private partnership

-Equality of opportunity via targeted welfare

-constitutional reform

Tony Blair (1997-2007)

-intervention overseas to protects its interests

-Limited regulation and corporation tax

-working with the private sector to deliver public services

-encouragement of immigration of skilled workers

-weakening of role of trade unions

-rescinding pledge to common ownership

-equality of opportunity not outcome

Jeremy Corbyn (2015-2020)

Democratic Socialist

2017

-Employee rights zero hour contracts and apprenticeships banned

2019

-nationalisation: rail, royal mail, water and energy

-abolish tuition fees

-increase income tax for £80,000 +

-£83 billion increase in government spending

Kier Starmer (2020-present)

New Labour

-only publicization is Great British energy

-UK’s military aid to Ukraine 2022

-decrease spending

-winter fuel cuts

-working with private companies on prisons, NHS and other public services

Soft Left

-increased taxation: national insurance, ending inheritance tax breaks farmers etc.

-Workers Rights Bill 2025 - strengthen employment protections and issues

-VAT on independent school fees and increased employers’ national insurance

-£40 billion worth of tax increases

Labour party membership

peaked at 552,000 in 2017

now at around 309,000 in 2025