Evaluate The View That Current Labour Party Policy Is Closer To Old Labour Than It Is To New Labour.

Introduction

• Old Labour = Key Labour principles embodying nationalisation, redistribution of wealth from rich to poor and the provision of continually improving welfare and state services eg. Jeremy Corbyn was largely a Old Labour leader

• New Labour = Labour shift in emphasis from a heavy focus on the working class to a wider class base, and a less robust alliance with the trade union eg. 2024 manifesto, aim for wealth creation for the working class

• In the years since Kei Starmer has become leader, the Labour Party policy has shifted significantly away from that of Corbyn’s Labour Party

Paragraph Focus

• Para 1 = Economic Policy

• Para 2 = Law and Order

• Para 3 = Foreign Policy

Para 1 = Weaker Argument: Closer to Old Labour

• E.g. Since coming into power in 2024, the Labour Party has passed The Passenger Railway Services Act to re-nationalise rail service and  has introduced the Great British Energy Bill to establish Great British Energy as a state-owned energy company

• this shows that the current Labour party is more Old Labour as nationalisation is a key economic principle

• this will ensure that key industries as run by the interest of the whole population, including the working class

• This is a significant difference from New Labour which also supported privatisation

• therefore, they are more Old Labour

Para 1 = Stronger Argument: Closer to New Labour

• E.g.  in March 2025, the Labour government announced £6 billion in benefit cuts with 6 major changes to the welfare system including PIP payment freeze and significant changes to Universal Credit

• this shows that the economic policy of Starner’s Labour Party has shifted away from the ‘high taxation, high spending policies of the Corbyn era, instead moving towards a prioritisation of national finances through limited spending

• This means that the party is now more aligned with the New Labour position of welfare reform, perhaps to attract a wider voter base

Para 2 = Weaker Argument: Closer to Old Labour

• Starmer has supported policies that promote rehabilitation, including specific attention to the importance of working alongside mental health services, youth workers etc to ensure the police are working closer with communities.

• Though being tough on crime wasn’t a central part of Old Labours political messaging, this shows that they are slightly closer they as they support a rehabilitative approach.

Para 2 = Stronger Argument: Closer to New Labour

• eg. in their 2024 manifesto, Labour pledged to recruit 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and PCSOS,

• this shows that they are more New Labour as they are taking a strong approach to tackling crime

• this is a stance traditionally associated with the Conservative Party further showing their attempts to appeal to a wider voting groups

Para 3 = Weaker Argument: Closer to Old Labour

• for example, Corbyn didn’t support taking the UK out of NATO or getting rid of Trident, even though he may have personally supported these policies, as this would’ve been very unpopular with the electorate.

• Though Old Labour principle supported peace and opposed Western intervention and NATO, Old Labour governments often didn’t pursue these policies strongly

Para 3 = Stronger Argument: Closer to New Labour

• Eg. Starmer announced an increase in defence spending to 2.5% by 2027 after Trump indicated a reduced commitment to Ukraine’s defence in February 2025

• the current labour party policy can be seen as similar to New Labour as Starmer stressing their strong interventionist policy and a special relationship with the US

• This strong commitment to defence and Western support for Ukraine can be seen as different to Old Labour, which opposes Western intervention and supports nuclear non-proliferation.