labourlist--2020-02-04--Centre-left policies won’t cancel out the emotional appeal of nationalism

Nearly four years after the referendum , Britain finally left the EU last week .
Walking across Parliament Square ahead of the big Brexit bash was a sobering experience .
Among the union jacks and fake Big Ben clocktowers , it was difficult not to feel out of place as someone who is not British .
Brexit and the Conservative victory rests on a new national story that feels alienating and uncertain to many communities like mine .
It is especially worrying for those who fear that the government will bring with them a policy swing towards social conservatism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in parliament and keen to keep a new electoral coalition together , Boris Johnson has the opportunity to re-define political divides for years to come .
TV clips have since made the rounds on social media of members of the public speaking to journalists at this party about what Brexit means to them .
Often , they can ’ t quite put their finger on it .
But what is clear is the desperate hope that now , perhaps , things can and will change .
Rather than dismiss this inability to articulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education ’ , we should be paying attention to the most important thing that this illuminates : a powerful , emotional pull has brought them to Parliament Square on a rainy and cold January evening , not some fully-fledged political ideal .
This was the successful ingredient of Johnson and the Vote Leave victory all along .
It has always stared us in the face but often those in charge of opposite campaigns were unable to understand it .
In 2016 , Britain Stronger in Europe failed precisely because they gambled that ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward a sterile economic argument to counter an emotional offensive from their opponents .
It might also be why Labour came closer to victory in 2017 and was utterly trashed in 2019 .
Our message in December didn ’ t capture emotions , it didn ’ t tell a story , whilst in 2017 there was a buzz of hope in the air .
If we look around the country , we know that emotions are running high .
People are angry and frustrated at the injustices we see and experience every day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harness this anger , cultivate it , light a fire in people ’ s bellies .
Everything we offered felt slightly flat instead .
The message was that it was ‘ common sense ’ to vote for a Labour manifesto that would have made us all better off .
But , firstly , we didn ’ t really convince people that it was possible .
Secondly , it didn ’ t cut through that Labour is not just a paternalistic party that wants to do things to people – we also wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without Labour being able to set alight these sparks of frustration into a fire of rage against the establishment , channeling this anger into resistance through the labour movement , Johnson and his Vote Leave cronies were able to continuously exploit the present crisis .
This crisis should be fertile ground for the left across different countries , but time and time again we see a failure of centre-left , social democratic parties to harness it .
Perhaps this points us towards the deeper failure of social democracy : social democracy accepts capitalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to curb its worst excesses .
Maybe this is just not working .
Rather than reducing socialism to more funding for public services , we should tell a better story about power .
Instead of thinking about the state as a neutral force to capture through parliament , with which we can intervene in our economy , we should have questioned more the constitutional and economic settlement .
Whilst Johnson laid down a narrative of oppression that he could free us from , we should have shifted the discussion onto the British state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions are utilised by the ruling powers for their ends .
Rather than blaming an abstract European elite , we should have channeled the anger towards those who are first in line to deserve it : the British ruling class .
Instead of an affirmation of the referendum vote , maybe then we could have seen a revolt at the ballot box .
Some Labour activists hope that now , by putting the divisive fight over a Brexit policy behind us , we might be better placed to win over the public on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But this analysis neglects the most dangerous aspect of Johnson ’ s victory : Brexit has always been a nationalist-authoritarian project rooted in an emotional sentiment about the country .
This narrative has allowed challenges and solutions to be framed in a way that helped Johnson to get away with a manifesto offering only simple solutions and slogans .
To simply believe that centre-left economic policies will cancel out the emotional appeal of nationalism is naive .
The left has failed to bring back our national conversation to the people ’ s conquest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is owned by the right , it has turned into something that gives those waving Tommy Robinson flags the confidence to turn up in Parliament Square and be accepted among the crowds .
To resist this will be our main task over the next five years .
It is time we urgently turned towards it .

Nearly four years after the referendum, Britain finally left the EU last week. Walking across Parliament Square ahead of the big Brexit bash was a sobering experience. Among the union jacks and fake Big Ben clocktowers, it was difficult not to feel out of place as someone who is not British. Brexit and the Conservative victory rests on a new national story that feels alienating and uncertain to many communities like mine. It is especially worrying for those who fear that the government will bring with them a policy swing towards social conservatism and authoritarianism. Armed with a strong majority in parliament and keen to keep a new electoral coalition together, Boris Johnson has the opportunity to re-define political divides for years to come.
TV clips have since made the rounds on social media of members of the public speaking to journalists at this party about what Brexit means to them. Often, they can’t quite put their finger on it. But what is clear is the desperate hope that now, perhaps, things can and will change. Rather than dismiss this inability to articulate what they think as ‘lack of education’, we should be paying attention to the most important thing that this illuminates: a powerful, emotional pull has brought them to Parliament Square on a rainy and cold January evening, not some fully-fledged political ideal.
This was the successful ingredient of Johnson and the Vote Leave victory all along. It has always stared us in the face but often those in charge of opposite campaigns were unable to understand it. In 2016, Britain Stronger in Europe failed precisely because they gambled that ‘common sense’ would prevail, putting forward a sterile economic argument to counter an emotional offensive from their opponents. It might also be why Labour came closer to victory in 2017 and was utterly trashed in 2019. Our message in December didn’t capture emotions, it didn’t tell a story, whilst in 2017 there was a buzz of hope in the air.
If we look around the country, we know that emotions are running high. People are angry and frustrated at the injustices we see and experience every day. But the left was unable to harness this anger, cultivate it, light a fire in people’s bellies. Everything we offered felt slightly flat instead. The message was that it was ‘common sense’ to vote for a Labour manifesto that would have made us all better off. But, firstly, we didn’t really convince people that it was possible. Secondly, it didn’t cut through that Labour is not just a paternalistic party that wants to do things to people – we also wanted to give back power to communities.
But without Labour being able to set alight these sparks of frustration into a fire of rage against the establishment, channeling this anger into resistance through the labour movement, Johnson and his Vote Leave cronies were able to continuously exploit the present crisis. This crisis should be fertile ground for the left across different countries, but time and time again we see a failure of centre-left, social democratic parties to harness it. Perhaps this points us towards the deeper failure of social democracy: social democracy accepts capitalism and believes that it can be managed to curb its worst excesses. Maybe this is just not working.
Rather than reducing socialism to more funding for public services, we should tell a better story about power. Instead of thinking about the state as a neutral force to capture through parliament, with which we can intervene in our economy, we should have questioned more the constitutional and economic settlement. Whilst Johnson laid down a narrative of oppression that he could free us from, we should have shifted the discussion onto the British state. We should have questioned how our institutions are utilised by the ruling powers for their ends. Rather than blaming an abstract European elite, we should have channeled the anger towards those who are first in line to deserve it: the British ruling class. Instead of an affirmation of the referendum vote, maybe then we could have seen a revolt at the ballot box.
Some Labour activists hope that now, by putting the divisive fight over a Brexit policy behind us, we might be better placed to win over the public on the basis of our economic policies. But this analysis neglects the most dangerous aspect of Johnson’s victory: Brexit has always been a nationalist-authoritarian project rooted in an emotional sentiment about the country. This narrative has allowed challenges and solutions to be framed in a way that helped Johnson to get away with a manifesto offering only simple solutions and slogans. To simply believe that centre-left economic policies will cancel out the emotional appeal of nationalism is naive.
The left has failed to bring back our national conversation to the people’s conquest for power. Now that this narrative is owned by the right, it has turned into something that gives those waving Tommy Robinson flags the confidence to turn up in Parliament Square and be accepted among the crowds. To resist this will be our main task over the next five years. It is time we urgently turned towards it.


labourlist--2020-02-04--Why devolution matters for South Yorkshire – and Labour’s future

The moment that the exit poll was announced on December 12th will be ingrained in all of our memories for a very long time .
Watching hard-working , committed Labour MPs and their staff being unceremoniously defeated as communities that had been red for generations turned blue in an instant was a truly demoralising experience that our party can not afford to ever repeat .
Since that humbling night , much of the discussion has focussed on who is best equipped to lead our party .
While it is true that we need someone with strong leadership qualities and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not simply pin our hopes on a new leader in Westminster to guide us from the wilderness .
After a decade of one of the most destructive governments in British political history , we are now further away from power than at any time in living memory .
The task of getting us back into office is herculean , and too great for one person .
That ’ s why we need to take a collective approach to rebuilding – one in which our Labour councils and mayors play a crucial role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failure nationally , much has been achieved by Labour in local and regional government .
If we are to win trust and power again , it is essential that we continue to demonstrate our credentials as the party of devolution and showcase our accomplishments .
Our councils and combined mayoral authorities can serve as our shop window for the benefits of Labour values in action , prove what we could do for our country and help pave the way for a new Labour government .
For too long , particularly in deindustrialised communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yorkshire , Labour has relied on familial and cultural connections to secure votes .
The problem is that memories of Margaret Thatcher ’ s toxic legacy are fading into the history books , and these ties are becoming ever more tenuous .
We can not depend on them .
If the period following the financial crash has taught us one thing about British politics , it ’ s that the right is much more adept at telling stories than the left .
On both austerity and Brexit , we ’ ve been outmanoeuvred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is imperative that we now craft a new story : one in which the Labour Party addresses the failures of an outdated economic model and the causes of political disenfranchisement .
We do this by putting people at the heart of decision-making and helping build collaborative , sustainable and inclusive economies in every town , city , region and nation we represent .
For my part as mayor of South Yorkshire , I am proud that after an impasse lasting years , our local leaders came together in January and agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure hundreds of millions of pounds of investment and create thousands of good jobs and a plan for co-operation right across Yorkshire .
We ’ re busy forging a new strategic economic plan , with the goal of building a truly sustainable and inclusive economy where everyone shares the benefits .
Much of our efforts have concentrated on improving our public transport system .
We ’ ve developed a transport strategy and integrated rail plan ; established a major bus review ; launched a new tram-train from Rotherham to Sheffield ; and appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tackle air quality and congestion and improve public health .
While I am pleased with what has been achieved , the truth is that it has been an incredibly challenging period , and it often feels like we ’ re just tinkering around at the edges .
A decade of austerity under the Tories and the coalition has crippled the efficacy of local authorities to provide vital services .
Worryingly , we still don ’ t know how the government intends to maintain the level of funding needed for South Yorkshire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU over the last five years .
Rebuilding under these conditions will be gruelling but we owe it to those communities devastated by cuts and systemic neglect who sadly felt they couldn ’ t support us this time .
Much has been said about the need for change and what our party risks if it fails to act .
And yet the defeat also offers us the opportunity to forge new relationships in our heartlands .
We must redouble our efforts and work to deliver for our communities , even in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
My objective is for South Yorkshire to lead the way .

The moment that the exit poll was announced on December 12th will be ingrained in all of our memories for a very long time. Watching hard-working, committed Labour MPs and their staff being unceremoniously defeated as communities that had been red for generations turned blue in an instant was a truly demoralising experience that our party cannot afford to ever repeat.
Since that humbling night, much of the discussion has focussed on who is best equipped to lead our party. While it is true that we need someone with strong leadership qualities and a bold, credible policy offer, we cannot simply pin our hopes on a new leader in Westminster to guide us from the wilderness.
After a decade of one of the most destructive governments in British political history, we are now further away from power than at any time in living memory. The task of getting us back into office is herculean, and too great for one person. That’s why we need to take a collective approach to rebuilding – one in which our Labour councils and mayors play a crucial role.
We must remember that, despite failure nationally, much has been achieved by Labour in local and regional government. If we are to win trust and power again, it is essential that we continue to demonstrate our credentials as the party of devolution and showcase our accomplishments. Our councils and combined mayoral authorities can serve as our shop window for the benefits of Labour values in action, prove what we could do for our country and help pave the way for a new Labour government.
For too long, particularly in deindustrialised communities like the ones I serve in South Yorkshire, Labour has relied on familial and cultural connections to secure votes. The problem is that memories of Margaret Thatcher’s toxic legacy are fading into the history books, and these ties are becoming ever more tenuous. We cannot depend on them.
If the period following the financial crash has taught us one thing about British politics, it’s that the right is much more adept at telling stories than the left. On both austerity and Brexit, we’ve been outmanoeuvred by highly effective and emotive political campaigns.
It is imperative that we now craft a new story: one in which the Labour Party addresses the failures of an outdated economic model and the causes of political disenfranchisement. We do this by putting people at the heart of decision-making and helping build collaborative, sustainable and inclusive economies in every town, city, region and nation we represent.
For my part as mayor of South Yorkshire, I am proud that after an impasse lasting years, our local leaders came together in January and agreed a devolution deal. This settlement will secure hundreds of millions of pounds of investment and create thousands of good jobs and a plan for co-operation right across Yorkshire.
We’re busy forging a new strategic economic plan, with the goal of building a truly sustainable and inclusive economy where everyone shares the benefits. Much of our efforts have concentrated on improving our public transport system. We’ve developed a transport strategy and integrated rail plan; established a major bus review; launched a new tram-train from Rotherham to Sheffield; and appointed Sarah Storey as our active travel commissioner to tackle air quality and congestion and improve public health.
While I am pleased with what has been achieved, the truth is that it has been an incredibly challenging period, and it often feels like we’re just tinkering around at the edges. A decade of austerity under the Tories and the coalition has crippled the efficacy of local authorities to provide vital services. Worryingly, we still don’t know how the government intends to maintain the level of funding needed for South Yorkshire, which has received £500m from Whitehall and the EU over the last five years. Rebuilding under these conditions will be gruelling but we owe it to those communities devastated by cuts and systemic neglect who sadly felt they couldn’t support us this time.
Much has been said about the need for change and what our party risks if it fails to act. And yet the defeat also offers us the opportunity to forge new relationships in our heartlands. We must redouble our efforts and work to deliver for our communities, even in the face of the massive obstacles in our way. My objective is for South Yorkshire to lead the way.


labourlist--2020-02-04--Shelly Asquith’s TU-esday round-up: Unite victory in Bromley, TfL strikes and more

Union talk among Labour members has centred on who ’ s backing who in the leadership contests , with the party ’ s affiliates pulling behind various candidates .
As workers continue to walk out or prepare to strike against their bosses though , these are the fights where we can all unite behind the same side .
The battle for pensions , pay , conditions and equality is on in higher education as thousands of UCU members will strike for 14 days over four weeks .
The action will affect a huge 74 institutions , and the escalation will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of a month-long strike by cleaners , porters and maintenance staff at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall .
The PCS picket was joined by John McDonnell , who supported the call by Interserve workers to be granted union recognition by their employer .
Strikers are calling for supporters to bring banners for solidarity days on February 11th and 12th .
Picketing is taking place Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 12pm until February 28th .
Heathrow baggage handlers also began a strike on Sunday , demanding the living wage from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action will continue into Wednesday February 5th , and they will be back out again between the 22nd and 25th .
It ’ s the 11th week of continuous strike action at Westex carpet company in West Yorkshire .
At two sites , low-paid workers are demanding a decent wage .
They began their strike at the end of November and have weathered the cold each day since .
Workers on London ’ s transport network , including those who provide specialist support to elderly and disabled passengers , will continue a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they fight a real-terms pay cut .
Transport for London has offered a measly 1 % pay rise whilst is managing director Gareth Powell pocketed a 10 % rise , bringing his salary up to £305,649 .
The strike will continue on February 28th , March 27th and April 24th and Unite – which represents the workers – is now also balloting more sites .
They will be joined by Woolwich ferry workers on strike on February 28th , as they continue demanding improved pay and working conditions .
These Unite members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are fighting for the living wage and will be out again on March 13th .
In my last column , I mentioned the security workers fighting to be brought into NHS employment at St. George ’ s hospital .
They have a second wave of strikes planned ( running from February 10th through to the 13th , and again from the 24th to the 28th ) that follow police repression of picketers and the arrest of a barrister and head of legal for the UVW union co-ordinating the strikes .
Parking could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wardens in the London borough plan to strike from February 10th to 16th over pay and personal safety .
The outsourced workers , employed by Apcoa Parking , are also calling for terms and conditions to be harmonised with Hackney council staff , and for services to be brought back in-house .
Tomorrow sees the end to the longest library strike in history , as Bromley workers return to work with an impressive victory .
The strike , which lasted eight months , was led by inspiring Unite members who walked out whilst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They have now won a series of demands for more staff , no redundancies and pay progression with arrears payment .
More than a dozen Labour-run councils will have their homelessness services disrupted if St Mungo ’ s workers go on strike .
Members at the charity , who many local authorities contract services to , returned a ballot yesterday that was overwhelmingly in favour of taking action as they fight a number of issues including terms and conditions .
In what is a gross example of wealth inequality , security workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dispute over unpaid work .
They have just returned a decisive ballot in favour of strike action , with Unite yet to name the date .
More action by the RMT on South West Trains is on the cards .
After two years of fighting to # KeepTheGuardOnTheTrain , and 27 days of strike action throughout December , railway workers have again voted to walk out .
Dates are yet to be confirmed .

Union talk among Labour members has centred on who’s backing who in the leadership contests, with the party’s affiliates pulling behind various candidates. As workers continue to walk out or prepare to strike against their bosses though, these are the fights where we can all unite behind the same side.
The battle for pensions, pay, conditions and equality is on in higher education as thousands of UCU members will strike for 14 days over four weeks. The action will affect a huge 74 institutions, and the escalation will build as follows:
Week one – February, 20th and 21st.
Week two – February 24, 25th and 26th.
Week three – March 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th.
Week four – March 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th.
Yesterday saw the start of a month-long strike by cleaners, porters and maintenance staff at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall. The PCS picket was joined by John McDonnell, who supported the call by Interserve workers to be granted union recognition by their employer. Strikers are calling for supporters to bring banners for solidarity days on February 11th and 12th. Picketing is taking place Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 12pm until February 28th.
Heathrow baggage handlers also began a strike on Sunday, demanding the living wage from employer Global Baggage Solutions Ltd. The action will continue into Wednesday February 5th, and they will be back out again between the 22nd and 25th.
It’s the 11th week of continuous strike action at Westex carpet company in West Yorkshire. At two sites, low-paid workers are demanding a decent wage. They began their strike at the end of November and have weathered the cold each day since.
Workers on London’s transport network, including those who provide specialist support to elderly and disabled passengers, will continue a series of 24-hour strikes that began on Friday as they fight a real-terms pay cut. Transport for London has offered a measly 1% pay rise whilst is managing director Gareth Powell pocketed a 10% rise, bringing his salary up to £305,649. The strike will continue on February 28th, March 27th and April 24th and Unite – which represents the workers – is now also balloting more sites.
They will be joined by Woolwich ferry workers on strike on February 28th, as they continue demanding improved pay and working conditions. These Unite members, employed by Briggs Marine Contractors Ltd, are fighting for the living wage and will be out again on March 13th.
In my last column, I mentioned the security workers fighting to be brought into NHS employment at St. George’s hospital. They have a second wave of strikes planned (running from February 10th through to the 13th, and again from the 24th to the 28th) that follow police repression of picketers and the arrest of a barrister and head of legal for the UVW union co-ordinating the strikes.
Parking could be free in Hackney next week as wardens in the London borough plan to strike from February 10th to 16th over pay and personal safety. The outsourced workers, employed by Apcoa Parking, are also calling for terms and conditions to be harmonised with Hackney council staff, and for services to be brought back in-house.
Victory at Greenwich Leisure Limited
Tomorrow sees the end to the longest library strike in history, as Bromley workers return to work with an impressive victory. The strike, which lasted eight months, was led by inspiring Unite members who walked out whilst calling for a boycott of the company. They have now won a series of demands for more staff, no redundancies and pay progression with arrears payment.
Watch this space…
More than a dozen Labour-run councils will have their homelessness services disrupted if St Mungo’s workers go on strike. Members at the charity, who many local authorities contract services to, returned a ballot yesterday that was overwhelmingly in favour of taking action as they fight a number of issues including terms and conditions.
In what is a gross example of wealth inequality, security workers at luxury department store Harrods are fighting a dispute over unpaid work. They have just returned a decisive ballot in favour of strike action, with Unite yet to name the date.
More action by the RMT on South West Trains is on the cards. After two years of fighting to #KeepTheGuardOnTheTrain, and 27 days of strike action throughout December, railway workers have again voted to walk out. Dates are yet to be confirmed.


labourlist--2020-02-04--The Preston model – and many more Labour council innovations

When many people think of councils , they think of the potholes on their road being filled , bins being collected and the leisure centres or parks they use for the odd fitness session .
Or it may be that they think of a council tax bill , fly-tipping or streetlights .
These are the day-to-day issues that make our communities better – or worse – places to live , and the ones that every Labour activist hears on the doorstep .
Councils also deliver the public services that ensure the vulnerable in society are looked after and have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and children ’ s social care .
They build new council houses despite barriers imposed by successive governments , operate the public health services that reduce the drain on the NHS , and ensure that there are enough school places .
They do this despite government funding for councils having been cut by 60p in every £1 that the last Labour government provided in 2010 .
Austerity has forced councils of all political persuasions to make difficult decisions about the services they offer and how they are delivered .
But unlike Tory councils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cut jobs , Labour councils have remained ambitious for their communities and have been resolute in putting Labour values into action .
Different councils have found different ways to protect and prioritise vital services , and found innovative radical solutions to new problems .
Unfortunately , the problem with localised council innovation is that it often doesn ’ t break through into the consciousness of the national Labour Party .
One exception has been Preston Council ’ s pioneering work on community wealth building , which has been praised by leading figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district council , Preston isn ’ t responsible for social care , which swallows up almost two thirds of upper tier or single tier council budgets , but their emphasis on keeping public spending in the local economy has captured the imagination of many party members across the UK .
The ‘ Preston model ’ is just one of many brilliant innovations devised and delivered by Labour councils across the country , all of which should be championed by the party .
Take housing .
Labour councils are doing their bit to tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply in their local areas and ensuring that residents have good quality , affordable housing .
Norwich City Council built 105 RIBA award-winning Passivhaus standard houses , meaning that they ’ re built to the highest environmental standards with minimal energy use .
Plymouth City Council has a strong military tradition , and the council has employed ex-service personnel to build council homes , some of which will be used to house military personnel , with the rest earmarked as affordable housing .
Helping children and young people have the best start in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local government .
Tameside Council is giving care leavers free driving lessons to help them with a skill that is otherwise financially prohibitive .
Redbridge Council has set up a bespoke intervention programme to protect children from being exploited through county lines and gang activity .
Southampton City Council is tackling child hunger by providing free fruit , vegetables and yoghurts in primary schools across the city .
None of these things would happen without a Labour council – they are all an example of our Labour councils putting the values of equality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no matter what your circumstances , into action .
What sets Labour councils apart is that they aren ’ t adopting a one size fits all approach , instead tailoring what they are doing to local traditions and needs .
But it isn ’ t just specific projects that Labour councillors are showing their values in action – our councils also have a wider vision about how our local economies should work .
To invest in the town centre , Gedling Council bought Arnold Market , which allowed them to make improvements to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre .
Stockton-on-Tees Council helps new businesses to test their trade by providing space on the high street as well as access to financial and marketing advice .
Knowsley Council opened the Shakespeare North Playhouse , strengthening the local arts scene , increasing tourism and boosting the local economy .
Labour-run Coventry City Council will be the UK City of Culture in 2021 , bringing arts and culture activities to the city throughout the year .
Next time you think about a council , or talk about a council , by all means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collected on time or whether the pothole outside your house has been filled .
But also think about the pioneering actions that Labour councils are taking to change lives .
These examples just touch the surface of what is being done – if you ’ re interested in reading about more of the positive work , you can visit our website dedicated to the work of Labour-run councils .

When many people think of councils, they think of the potholes on their road being filled, bins being collected and the leisure centres or parks they use for the odd fitness session. Or it may be that they think of a council tax bill, fly-tipping or streetlights. These are the day-to-day issues that make our communities better – or worse – places to live, and the ones that every Labour activist hears on the doorstep.
Councils also deliver the public services that ensure the vulnerable in society are looked after and have the best chances in life, like adult and children’s social care. They build new council houses despite barriers imposed by successive governments, operate the public health services that reduce the drain on the NHS, and ensure that there are enough school places. They do this despite government funding for councils having been cut by 60p in every £1 that the last Labour government provided in 2010.
Austerity has forced councils of all political persuasions to make difficult decisions about the services they offer and how they are delivered. But unlike Tory councils, which have generally just slashed services and cut jobs, Labour councils have remained ambitious for their communities and have been resolute in putting Labour values into action. Different councils have found different ways to protect and prioritise vital services, and found innovative radical solutions to new problems.
Unfortunately, the problem with localised council innovation is that it often doesn’t break through into the consciousness of the national Labour Party. One exception has been Preston Council’s pioneering work on community wealth building, which has been praised by leading figures such as John McDonnell. As a district council, Preston isn’t responsible for social care, which swallows up almost two thirds of upper tier or single tier council budgets, but their emphasis on keeping public spending in the local economy has captured the imagination of many party members across the UK. The ‘Preston model’ is just one of many brilliant innovations devised and delivered by Labour councils across the country, all of which should be championed by the party.
Take housing. Labour councils are doing their bit to tackle the housing crisis, increasing the housing supply in their local areas and ensuring that residents have good quality, affordable housing. Norwich City Council built 105 RIBA award-winning Passivhaus standard houses, meaning that they’re built to the highest environmental standards with minimal energy use. Plymouth City Council has a strong military tradition, and the council has employed ex-service personnel to build council homes, some of which will be used to house military personnel, with the rest earmarked as affordable housing.
Helping children and young people have the best start in life is crucial to the work of local government. Tameside Council is giving care leavers free driving lessons to help them with a skill that is otherwise financially prohibitive. Redbridge Council has set up a bespoke intervention programme to protect children from being exploited through county lines and gang activity. Southampton City Council is tackling child hunger by providing free fruit, vegetables and yoghurts in primary schools across the city.
None of these things would happen without a Labour council – they are all an example of our Labour councils putting the values of equality of opportunity and fairness for all, no matter what your circumstances, into action. What sets Labour councils apart is that they aren’t adopting a one size fits all approach, instead tailoring what they are doing to local traditions and needs. But it isn’t just specific projects that Labour councillors are showing their values in action – our councils also have a wider vision about how our local economies should work.
To invest in the town centre, Gedling Council bought Arnold Market, which allowed them to make improvements to the market itself and to the town centre. Stockton-on-Tees Council helps new businesses to test their trade by providing space on the high street as well as access to financial and marketing advice. Knowsley Council opened the Shakespeare North Playhouse, strengthening the local arts scene, increasing tourism and boosting the local economy. Labour-run Coventry City Council will be the UK City of Culture in 2021, bringing arts and culture activities to the city throughout the year.
Next time you think about a council, or talk about a council, by all means think about whether your bin has been collected on time or whether the pothole outside your house has been filled. But also think about the pioneering actions that Labour councils are taking to change lives. These examples just touch the surface of what is being done – if you’re interested in reading about more of the positive work, you can visit our website dedicated to the work of Labour-run councils.


labourlist--2020-03-30--It is time for the politics of big ideas – that’s why I’m backing Rebecca

Labour will announce the results of our leadership elections in a hugely scaled back way on Saturday .
When the contest started , it was clear that our new leadership team would have a huge task on their hands , but the crisis that currently engulfs our nation means it will be greater still .
The coronavirus pandemic has affected everything , and it has changed the rules of the game .
Even putting to one side the current situation , our nation of nations still faces unprecedented challenges .
Brexit , automation , demographic ageing and climate change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tackled .
Playing it safe is quite simply not an option .
It is time for the politics of big ideas .
Our party must be led by someone who not only has a vision of the future but can also articulate it and project a feeling of trust to a country that wants change .
Labour ’ s new leadership team must define itself early on , and our leader must spell out exactly what we stand for and the big picture to our nation whilst ensuring that they have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year was devastating .
We lost excellent colleagues and failed to convince the country that we could be trusted to govern .
Our new leader must directly appeal to those former heartlands that we lost and communicate clearly why it is Labour that they should trust once again .
Very early on in the contest , I pinned my hopes on Rebecca Long-Bailey to take us forward .
The current crisis that engulfs our country has strengthened my support .
Labour wins when it is ambitious and outlines a positive transformative vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone who has served in senior posts over the past few years and developed some of our most popular policies , she has shown her commitment to a popular , common sense radicalism .
But she also understands where we went wrong as a party .
Rebecca understands that we failed to inspire trust in our ability to deliver on our policies and has outlined exactly how we will do so in the future .
By parcelling up our policies in an aspirational socialism where everyone in our communities is able to achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can break through wonkish jargon that has often left our most transformative policies feeling irrelevant to the men and women on the street .
But she has also shown herself to be strong on detail , quick on her feet and resolute in fighting back against smears .
As a working-class woman from the North of England , Rebecca is ideally placed to win back the places that we lost in December .
She doesn ’ t just understand the issues that affect our former heartlands – she ’ s lived them all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a transformative vision for the future that all Labour members can get behind .
She has put forward detailed policies and a plan to win .
If you haven ’ t yet voted , I ’ d urge you to vote RLB .

Labour will announce the results of our leadership elections in a hugely scaled back way on Saturday. When the contest started, it was clear that our new leadership team would have a huge task on their hands, but the crisis that currently engulfs our nation means it will be greater still. The coronavirus pandemic has affected everything, and it has changed the rules of the game.
Even putting to one side the current situation, our nation of nations still faces unprecedented challenges. Brexit, automation, demographic ageing and climate change, amongst other issues, all need to be tackled. Playing it safe is quite simply not an option. It is time for the politics of big ideas.
Our party must be led by someone who not only has a vision of the future but can also articulate it and project a feeling of trust to a country that wants change. Labour’s new leadership team must define itself early on, and our leader must spell out exactly what we stand for and the big picture to our nation whilst ensuring that they have a handle on the detail.
The election last year was devastating. We lost excellent colleagues and failed to convince the country that we could be trusted to govern. Our new leader must directly appeal to those former heartlands that we lost and communicate clearly why it is Labour that they should trust once again.
Very early on in the contest, I pinned my hopes on Rebecca Long-Bailey to take us forward. The current crisis that engulfs our country has strengthened my support. Labour wins when it is ambitious and outlines a positive transformative vision that people can believe in. As someone who has served in senior posts over the past few years and developed some of our most popular policies, she has shown her commitment to a popular, common sense radicalism. But she also understands where we went wrong as a party.
Rebecca understands that we failed to inspire trust in our ability to deliver on our policies and has outlined exactly how we will do so in the future. By parcelling up our policies in an aspirational socialism where everyone in our communities is able to achieve their ambitions, she has shown she can break through wonkish jargon that has often left our most transformative policies feeling irrelevant to the men and women on the street. But she has also shown herself to be strong on detail, quick on her feet and resolute in fighting back against smears.
As a working-class woman from the North of England, Rebecca is ideally placed to win back the places that we lost in December. She doesn’t just understand the issues that affect our former heartlands – she’s lived them all of her life. Rebecca has outlined a transformative vision for the future that all Labour members can get behind. She has put forward detailed policies and a plan to win. If you haven’t yet voted, I’d urge you to vote RLB.


labourlist--2020-03-30--Lack of tests for frontline staff branded “national scandal” as many self-isolate

The lack of coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare staff has been branded a “ national scandal ” as an increasing number of workers are having to self-isolate .
In a call to government this afternoon , trade union GMB highlighted that the lack of testing could potentially mean that thousands of key workers are having to stay at home unnecessarily when sorely needed .
It comes after the Royal College of Physicians revealed that one in four NHS doctors has been signed off from work due to illness or because they are self-isolating , as reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rachel Harrison commented : “ The lack of protective equipment for our frontline workers is nothing short of a national crisis and it ’ s going to bring services to the brink .
“ We ’ ve got thousands of workers self-isolating .
Some will have the virus after working without proper protective gear , others might just have a cold and could be at work but without testing there is no way to know – it ’ s creating a capacity issue and putting more people at risk.
” GMB has reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers across NHS Trusts throughout the country who are self-isolating after displaying symptoms of the virus .
The union has reported that some of its members who are ambulance workers say they have had no access to PPE – even while being sent to treat patients suspected of having contracted Covid-19 .
Harrison added : “ Out of date masks are being issued as standard , with stickers placed over expiry dates as if somehow that means the equipment is safe to use .
“ Our members are trained in how to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re being put at risk but are worried too that lack of protection means they ’ re taking this virus home to their loved ones .
That ’ s just plain wrong .
“ The government need to act now to get PPE to the front line , and immediately start testing frontline staff as a priority .
GMB is demanding PPE for all staff who need it and testing for all staff.
” On the number of doctors self-isolating , RCP head Andrew Goddard said : “ This is really impacting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a much worse position than elsewhere at the moment , but it will come to other places .
Birmingham is also struggling.
” Goddard went on to say that it ’ s unclear whether this pressure on the NHS would ease as testing of staff increased and isolation periods of those currently absent end .
A total of 19,522 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the UK since the outbreak of the virus , but the true figure is estimated to be much higher .
There have been 1,228 recorded deaths @ @ @

The lack of coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare staff has been branded a “national scandal” as an increasing number of workers are having to self-isolate.
In a call to government this afternoon, trade union GMB highlighted that the lack of testing could potentially mean that thousands of key workers are having to stay at home unnecessarily when sorely needed.
It comes after the Royal College of Physicians revealed that one in four NHS doctors has been signed off from work due to illness or because they are self-isolating, as reported by The Guardian.
GMB national officer Rachel Harrison commented: “The lack of protective equipment for our frontline workers is nothing short of a national crisis and it’s going to bring services to the brink.
“We’ve got thousands of workers self-isolating. Some will have the virus after working without proper protective gear, others might just have a cold and could be at work but without testing there is no way to know – it’s creating a capacity issue and putting more people at risk.”
GMB has reported that there are currently over 4,100 ambulance workers across NHS Trusts throughout the country who are self-isolating after displaying symptoms of the virus.
The union has reported that some of its members who are ambulance workers say they have had no access to PPE – even while being sent to treat patients suspected of having contracted Covid-19.
Harrison added: “Out of date masks are being issued as standard, with stickers placed over expiry dates as if somehow that means the equipment is safe to use.
“Our members are trained in how to be safe, they know that they’re being put at risk but are worried too that lack of protection means they’re taking this virus home to their loved ones. That’s just plain wrong.
“The government need to act now to get PPE to the front line, and immediately start testing frontline staff as a priority. GMB is demanding PPE for all staff who need it and testing for all staff.”
On the number of doctors self-isolating, RCP head Andrew Goddard said: “This is really impacting a lot in emergency departments and London is in a much worse position than elsewhere at the moment, but it will come to other places. Birmingham is also struggling.”
Goddard went on to say that it’s unclear whether this pressure on the NHS would ease as testing of staff increased and isolation periods of those currently absent end.
A total of 19,522 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the UK since the outbreak of the virus, but the true figure is estimated to be much higher. There have been 1,228 recorded deaths so far.


labourlist--2020-03-30--“The government must step up to end homelessness” – Abena Oppong-Asare’s maiden speech

Below is the full text of the maiden speech made by the recently elected MP for Erith and Thamesmead , Abena Oppong-Asare , in parliament on January 29th .
I start by praising my predecessor , Teresa Pearce .
Many in this House will know her as a fighter , a socialist and a feminist .
She served our community with passion and distinction first as a councillor and then as a champion in this place .
Many of my newly elected colleagues have big boots to fill , but none more so than me .
I am sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wishing her a very well earned and happy retirement .
I also pay tribute to Teresa ’ s predecessor , John Austin , who has given me fantastic support .
He now spends time with his family and his allotment .
John , if you are watching this , I am still waiting for my jam .
Each of us has travelled our own path to represent our constituents in this House .
This morning , I travelled by tube and train — just in case you were wondering , madam deputy speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here along with my hon .
friend the member for Streatham as the joint first female MP of Ghanaian descent .
My journey into politics has not been easy .
I did not come from a political background .
I remember telling a careers adviser that I wanted to get into politics and learn more about working for an MP .
I was laughed at and literally told that the chances of someone like me getting a job in parliament were very slim , and to not even bother trying .
I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I hope he is watching me now .
When I see injustice , I always turn anger into action .
That feeling of unfairness drove me to challenge the barriers that I faced as a black woman .
I became the first ever black chair of the Labour Women ’ s Network , and I mentor and train many women like me , who do not normally get a chance in politics .
It is also why I became a Unison grassroots trade unionist .
I am able to represent my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who came before us : Lord Boateng , Bernie Grant , Baroness Amos and , of course , my right hon .
friend the member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington .
Their legacy in the House can be seen throughout the chamber today , and they remain an inspiration to those of us who follow them .
I also stand here on the shoulders of a century of sisters who came before me , and I am delighted that the Parliamentary Labour Party now reflects the gender breakdown of the country — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Labour Women ’ s Network , building on the work of my predecessors Liv Bailey and Jo Cox MP , I could not be prouder of the role that the Labour Women ’ s Network has played in training hundreds of women for public office , introducing and defending all-women shortlists , tackling sexual harassment and abusive language in politics , ending the scourge of all-male panels , and introducing parental leave arrangements for councillors and MPs .
My constituency of Erith and Thamesmead is diverse , beautiful and fascinating .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thames .
Crossness pumping station , built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette , is a Victorian engineering masterpiece that is described as “ a cathedral of ironwork ” .
The ruin of the abbey at Lesnes is a scheduled ancient monument that is haunted by the ghost of one of its former monks .
Why not come for a visit , madam deputy speaker ?
I will treat you to a fry-up at Zehra ’ s Café in Plumstead , some chips from a from the Frying Pan in Belvedere , or a cheeky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can come to see the mighty Erith Town football town , and I will bring along some Ghanaian jollof rice — accept no imitations .
There is one thing that I admit my constituency is sadly lacking ; it contains one of the only parts of London without a train station .
Simply put , that must change .
I will be campaigning with local people to ensure that Thamesmead is put well and truly on the transport map .
I am here today to debate homelessness — an issue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my constituents have experienced at first hand .
Across the country , the numbers of people forced to rely on temporary accommodation are stark , but it is the stories behind the statistics that are truly heartbreaking : the family placed in accommodation two train journeys from their children ’ s school , travelling for hours to and from , desperately trying to ensure that their children can make it to school while they try to get to work ; the mum and her infant daughter placed in a hotel that has no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the family with a young child placed by another borough in a shared property with someone on the sex offenders register .
All of us in this place will have our own litany of examples — each harrowing , and each a stain on the reputation of this government .
The government must step up to end homelessness , rather than stepping over the homeless to get into this place .
The housing crisis is one of the great injustices of our time .
The people of Erith and Thamesmead have put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will always fight to ensure that they have a safe and secure place to call home .
When I see injustice , I always turn anger into action .

Below is the full text of the maiden speech made by the recently elected MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare, in parliament on January 29th.
I start by praising my predecessor, Teresa Pearce. Many in this House will know her as a fighter, a socialist and a feminist. She served our community with passion and distinction first as a councillor and then as a champion in this place. Many of my newly elected colleagues have big boots to fill, but none more so than me. I am sure that the whole House will join me in wishing her a very well earned and happy retirement. I also pay tribute to Teresa’s predecessor, John Austin, who has given me fantastic support. He now spends time with his family and his allotment. John, if you are watching this, I am still waiting for my jam.
Each of us has travelled our own path to represent our constituents in this House. This morning, I travelled by tube and train — just in case you were wondering, madam deputy speaker. In all seriousness, I stand here along with my hon. friend the member for Streatham as the joint first female MP of Ghanaian descent. My journey into politics has not been easy. I did not come from a political background.
I remember telling a careers adviser that I wanted to get into politics and learn more about working for an MP. I was laughed at and literally told that the chances of someone like me getting a job in parliament were very slim, and to not even bother trying. I will not misuse parliamentary privilege by naming him, but I hope he is watching me now. When I see injustice, I always turn anger into action. That feeling of unfairness drove me to challenge the barriers that I faced as a black woman. I became the first ever black chair of the Labour Women’s Network, and I mentor and train many women like me, who do not normally get a chance in politics. It is also why I became a Unison grassroots trade unionist.
I am able to represent my community in part thanks to the trailblazers who came before us: Lord Boateng, Bernie Grant, Baroness Amos and, of course, my right hon. friend the member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Their legacy in the House can be seen throughout the chamber today, and they remain an inspiration to those of us who follow them. I also stand here on the shoulders of a century of sisters who came before me, and I am delighted that the Parliamentary Labour Party now reflects the gender breakdown of the country — 51% female.
As the chair of the Labour Women’s Network, building on the work of my predecessors Liv Bailey and Jo Cox MP, I could not be prouder of the role that the Labour Women’s Network has played in training hundreds of women for public office, introducing and defending all-women shortlists, tackling sexual harassment and abusive language in politics, ending the scourge of all-male panels, and introducing parental leave arrangements for councillors and MPs.
My constituency of Erith and Thamesmead is diverse, beautiful and fascinating. Erith pier offers stunning views of the Thames. Crossness pumping station, built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, is a Victorian engineering masterpiece that is described as “a cathedral of ironwork”. The ruin of the abbey at Lesnes is a scheduled ancient monument that is haunted by the ghost of one of its former monks.
Why not come for a visit, madam deputy speaker? I will treat you to a fry-up at Zehra’s Café in Plumstead, some chips from a from the Frying Pan in Belvedere, or a cheeky cake from Crumbs bakery in Northumberland Heath. You can come to see the mighty Erith Town football town, and I will bring along some Ghanaian jollof rice — accept no imitations. There is one thing that I admit my constituency is sadly lacking; it contains one of the only parts of London without a train station. Simply put, that must change. I will be campaigning with local people to ensure that Thamesmead is put well and truly on the transport map.
I am here today to debate homelessness — an issue that, sadly, all too many of my constituents have experienced at first hand. Across the country, the numbers of people forced to rely on temporary accommodation are stark, but it is the stories behind the statistics that are truly heartbreaking: the family placed in accommodation two train journeys from their children’s school, travelling for hours to and from, desperately trying to ensure that their children can make it to school while they try to get to work; the mum and her infant daughter placed in a hotel that has no fridge for her to store milk; and the family with a young child placed by another borough in a shared property with someone on the sex offenders register.
All of us in this place will have our own litany of examples — each harrowing, and each a stain on the reputation of this government. The government must step up to end homelessness, rather than stepping over the homeless to get into this place. The housing crisis is one of the great injustices of our time. The people of Erith and Thamesmead have put their faith in me, and I will always fight to ensure that they have a safe and secure place to call home. When I see injustice, I always turn anger into action.


labourlist--2020-03-30--With schools closed, we must plan to protect the mental health of children and young people

Schools across the country closed their doors to most of their students last week .
This is clearly the right course of action , but it has left many – myself included – wondering how such a huge undertaking will work in practice .
Although some information has been shared with schools , many questions have been left unanswered .
It is vital that the Education Secretary lays out exactly what the government ’ s recent announcements mean for staff , students and parents as soon as possible .
What , for example , will the impact of school closures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Schools are on the frontline in identifying and supporting children and young people with mental ill-health .
Government cuts to other frontline , public health and prevention services have forced schools to pick up much of the slack .
My survey of schools in my constituency last year uncovered that in 90 % of the schools that responded , mental ill-health among staff and students had increased significantly .
These facts are not unrelated .
Two-thirds of schools around the country fund their own mental health support .
What do school closures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently being supported by their school ?
How will those requiring support over the coming months access the help they need ?
Schools are in a unique position in being able to spot and act on problems that present at an early stage .
Through early , active signposting , schools can dramatically increase the chance of successful diagnosis and treatment and decrease the potential of mental ill-health worsening and continuing into adolescence and adulthood .
Other factors threaten to exacerbate inequalities in mental ill-health .
The Resolution Foundation found that the impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low earners more swiftly .
Fewer than one-in-ten in the bottom half of earners report that they can work from home , which the Resolution Foundation says will make it “ much harder for them to protect their incomes in the face of social distancing measures ” .
This is important for any discussion about mental health as , although mental ill-health is not unique to any one type of person , there are clear inequalities present .
Research has shown that if a child ’ s parents are in receipt of low-income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as likely to have a diagnosable mental health condition .
Meanwhile , being at home will exacerbate the impact on other issues .
For instance , there are serious concerns about children living in households where they are experiencing or witnessing domestic abuse .
The Children ’ s Commissioner estimates that more than 800,000 children in England are living in households where domestic abuse has been reported .
Schools can often spot problems before other services , but with school doors closed to most students until further notice , how can we continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sight ?
It is vital that neighbours and others in the community continue to look out for and report any signs of abuse or neglect .
But we also need to implement a whole system approach , and look to other countries for innovative ways to ensure the safeguarding and wellbeing of our children and young people is maintained .
Any referrals that are made will land on the desk of a social worker whose job it will be to co-ordinate support .
How each area coordinates the sector to support statutory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most vulnerable , especially when we don ’ t know how long we will have to continue our lives under lockdown .
There will be an inevitable increased pressure on social workers working with the most vulnerable and who , with limited resources , will struggle to signpost successfully .
Our statutory services are working hard to keep pace with demand , but with people in the workforce being forced to self-isolate having caught the virus , and exhaustion looming , we need the sector to come together and work more closely in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as with child and adolescent mental health services .
The Children ’ s Society has suggested that child and adolescent mental health services should shift their delivery models to offering support via the telephone and online .
While in these unprecedented times there are no easy answers about how best to support the most vulnerable in our society , we must start planning today to put in place measures to protect our children and young people if we want to avert a mental health crisis in the coming weeks and months .

Schools across the country closed their doors to most of their students last week. This is clearly the right course of action, but it has left many – myself included – wondering how such a huge undertaking will work in practice. Although some information has been shared with schools, many questions have been left unanswered. It is vital that the Education Secretary lays out exactly what the government’s recent announcements mean for staff, students and parents as soon as possible.
What, for example, will the impact of school closures have on our children and young people? Schools are on the frontline in identifying and supporting children and young people with mental ill-health. Government cuts to other frontline, public health and prevention services have forced schools to pick up much of the slack. My survey of schools in my constituency last year uncovered that in 90% of the schools that responded, mental ill-health among staff and students had increased significantly. These facts are not unrelated.
Two-thirds of schools around the country fund their own mental health support. What do school closures mean for those children and young people currently being supported by their school? How will those requiring support over the coming months access the help they need? Schools are in a unique position in being able to spot and act on problems that present at an early stage. Through early, active signposting, schools can dramatically increase the chance of successful diagnosis and treatment and decrease the potential of mental ill-health worsening and continuing into adolescence and adulthood.
Other factors threaten to exacerbate inequalities in mental ill-health. The Resolution Foundation found that the impact of coronavirus is most likely to hit low earners more swiftly. Fewer than one-in-ten in the bottom half of earners report that they can work from home, which the Resolution Foundation says will make it “much harder for them to protect their incomes in the face of social distancing measures”.
This is important for any discussion about mental health as, although mental ill-health is not unique to any one type of person, there are clear inequalities present. Research has shown that if a child’s parents are in receipt of low-income benefits, that child is almost twice as likely to have a diagnosable mental health condition.
Meanwhile, being at home will exacerbate the impact on other issues. For instance, there are serious concerns about children living in households where they are experiencing or witnessing domestic abuse. The Children’s Commissioner estimates that more than 800,000 children in England are living in households where domestic abuse has been reported. Schools can often spot problems before other services, but with school doors closed to most students until further notice, how can we continue to protect vulnerable children who are out of sight?
It is vital that neighbours and others in the community continue to look out for and report any signs of abuse or neglect. But we also need to implement a whole system approach, and look to other countries for innovative ways to ensure the safeguarding and wellbeing of our children and young people is maintained.
Any referrals that are made will land on the desk of a social worker whose job it will be to co-ordinate support. How each area coordinates the sector to support statutory services will be key in protecting our most vulnerable, especially when we don’t know how long we will have to continue our lives under lockdown.
There will be an inevitable increased pressure on social workers working with the most vulnerable and who, with limited resources, will struggle to signpost successfully. Our statutory services are working hard to keep pace with demand, but with people in the workforce being forced to self-isolate having caught the virus, and exhaustion looming, we need the sector to come together and work more closely in partnership with the charity sector as well as with child and adolescent mental health services.
The Children’s Society has suggested that child and adolescent mental health services should shift their delivery models to offering support via the telephone and online. While in these unprecedented times there are no easy answers about how best to support the most vulnerable in our society, we must start planning today to put in place measures to protect our children and young people if we want to avert a mental health crisis in the coming weeks and months.


labourlist--2020-03-30--Labour demands urgent answers on levels of coronavirus testing

Jon Ashworth is calling on the government to outline why testing for coronavirus has not yet been scaled up to “ sufficient levels ” after ministers appeared to make contradictory claims on the number of tests being reached per day .
Labour ’ s health spokesperson made the intervention following comments from health minister Helen Whately on the BBC ’ s Today programme this morning , in which she suggests only “ around 7,000 ” people were tested on Sunday .
Her comments come despite Health Secretary Matt Hancock having tweeted that the target had been reached , and Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning .
Commenting on the level of testing , Ashworth said : “ Experts continue to call for the UK to significantly ramp up testing .
When Germany is testing around 500,000 people a week , many are asking why we are still not even hitting the 10,000 a day promised on March 11th .
“ We called for enforced social distancing , but it is a blunt tool without a national strategy to test and contact trace .
At today ’ s Downing Street press conference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing is still not being scaled up at sufficient levels and what bottlenecks domestically and globally are hindering this.
” Departmental updates on Twitter revealed that fewer than 7,000 tests had been conducted in the 24-hour period between 9am on March 28th and the same time on March 29th .
It is understood that the number of total testing capacity has reached 10,949 , but the number of tests actually carried out in a day was 9,114 , and the number of individuals tested was 7,000 .
The UK is testing a relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some other countries fighting the pandemic .
Germany is testing 71,000 people each day , while the US is testing 65,000 .
A total of 19,522 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the UK since the outbreak of the virus , but the true figure is estimated to be much higher .
There have been 1,228 recorded deaths so far .
The death figures currently being published are those recorded by NHS England ’ s automated system for deaths in hospitals .
From tomorrow , there will be data available on coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Jon Ashworth is calling on the government to outline why testing for coronavirus has not yet been scaled up to “sufficient levels” after ministers appeared to make contradictory claims on the number of tests being reached per day.
Labour’s health spokesperson made the intervention following comments from health minister Helen Whately on the BBC’s Today programme this morning, in which she suggests only “around 7,000” people were tested on Sunday.
Her comments come despite Health Secretary Matt Hancock having tweeted that the target had been reached, and Michael Gove having reported the same to The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning.
Commenting on the level of testing, Ashworth said: “Experts continue to call for the UK to significantly ramp up testing. When Germany is testing around 500,000 people a week, many are asking why we are still not even hitting the 10,000 a day promised on March 11th.
“We called for enforced social distancing, but it is a blunt tool without a national strategy to test and contact trace. At today’s Downing Street press conference, we call on ministers to outline why testing is still not being scaled up at sufficient levels and what bottlenecks domestically and globally are hindering this.”
Departmental updates on Twitter revealed that fewer than 7,000 tests had been conducted in the 24-hour period between 9am on March 28th and the same time on March 29th.
It is understood that the number of total testing capacity has reached 10,949, but the number of tests actually carried out in a day was 9,114, and the number of individuals tested was 7,000.
The UK is testing a relatively low number of people when compared with some other countries fighting the pandemic. Germany is testing 71,000 people each day, while the US is testing 65,000.
A total of 19,522 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the UK since the outbreak of the virus, but the true figure is estimated to be much higher. There have been 1,228 recorded deaths so far.
The death figures currently being published are those recorded by NHS England’s automated system for deaths in hospitals. From tomorrow, there will be data available on coronavirus deaths that occur in the community.


labourlist--2020-03-30--Reading list for Labour members during the coronavirus lockdown

Under lockdown and looking to fill spare time by reading books about the Labour Party ?
Below is a list of my recommendations .
And before you shout “ but I already saw his list of books on Labour First ” , this isn ’ t quite the same one .
LabourList readers are presumably a more eclectic bunch than Labour First supporters , so I ’ ve been a bit more heterodox in my selection here .
Having said that , they are books that I ’ ve personally enjoyed , not books that it ’ s politically expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read .
If I haven ’ t enjoyed reading it , it ain ’ t here .
Unfortunately , there ’ s a lack of demographic diversity in both the subjects and authors of the historical books I ’ ve listed , for the sad reason that until all-women shortlists were brought in for parliamentary selections in the 1990s , Labour ’ s structures were dominated by white men .
Nan Sloane has addressed the previously often unrecorded role of women in the party ’ s history in The Women in the Room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everything I ’ ve listed is available for to buy online if you search for the title and author .
Some of the books are only available second hand , which means the prices can oscillate wildly .
To start , my favourite book ever about the Labour Party , for its brilliant writing , levels of obscure detail , and the way it evokes the impact of individual personalities – some not so famous – on key decisions , is Faces of Labour by Andy McSmith .
Published in 1992 , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neil Kinnock , Militant leader Ted Grant , Tyneside trade unionist Jim Murray ( you need to read it to find out his crucial role ) , David Blunkett , Clare Short , Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair .
I love this format of multiple biographies in one book , which brings me to a series of books by 1980s Shadow Education Secretary Giles Radice .
They are each a set of parallel biographies of senior Labour figures , their contemporaries and the relationships , alliances and tensions between them .
Read all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduction to Labour in power in each of the three periods 1945-1951 , 1964-1979 and 1997-2010 .
The Tortoise and the Hares looks at how Clement Attlee outmanoeuvred the flashier Ernest Bevin , Stafford Cripps , Hugh Dalton and Herbert Morrison .
Friends & Rivals looks at Anthony Crosland , Roy Jenkins and Denis Healey .
Trio looks at Tony Blair , Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson .
For a general overview of the history of the party , don ’ t be put off by the title of Greg Rosen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That Inspired , the Battles That Divided .
It covers the whole history of the party until 2005 through the medium of quoting chunks of speeches and debates from Labour Party conferences .
This works – it brings to life some of the great set pieces very well .
Rosen ’ s other massive tome is the Dictionary of Labour Biography that he edited in 2001 .
It brings together short essay biographies of more than 300 people .
It ’ s imperfect – there ’ s some bias in which people got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I ’ m ashamed of my own rather immature and unfair chapter on Diane Abbott in it ( Diane , if you are reading this , I ’ ll write a fairer biography of you one day ! )
.
But despite these shortcomings , it ’ s a good stab at something that was needed .
I ’ m not a great fan of political autobiographies , as most of them are written to settle scores or self-justify , and most politicians aren ’ t great writers .
Four that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Time of My Life , which covers his extensive cultural hinterland as well as his political life , Roy Hattersley ’ s anecdote-rich Who goes home ?
Scenes from a Political Life , Mo Mowlam ’ s Momentum ( about her , not the post-2015 organisation of that name ) , and Betty Boothroyd ’ s The Autobiography , which doesn ’ t reveal much about her time as Speaker but has fascinating stuff about her stint on Labour ’ s national executive committee in the 1980s .
There are some must-read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protest and Power – The Battle for the Labour Party by David Kogan was published in February 2019 .
It covers the internal history of the party from the rise of the Bennites , through their 30 years in the wilderness , to their triumph .
It ’ s very accurate , easy to read , and includes inside-track information from Jon Lansman , a personal friend of Kogan .
Corbynism : A Critical Approach by the Bristol Uni academics Matt Bolton and Frederick Harry Pitts is a Marxist critique of Corbynism ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Left ’ s Jewish Problem – Jeremy Corbyn , Israel and Anti-semitism by Dave Rich is the authoritative explainer of Labour ’ s antisemitism scandal .
Rosa Prince ’ s Comrade Corbyn is the best biography of him so far , somewhere in between Alex Nunns ’ hagiography and Tom Bower ’ s hatchet job .
For our most recent period in government , Anthony Seldon has written authoritative histories based on extensive interviews with key figures : Blair , Blair Unbound and Brown at 10 , the last co-written with Guy Lodge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ era was particularly well-documented as so many of the key players around the cabinet table – Tony Benn , Barbara Castle and Richard Crossman – were keeping daily diaries and went on to publish them .
Benn ’ s is quite something : the story of a career-minded centrist with a flair for media relations and a tricky issue of giving up the hereditary peerage he had inherited , who becomes interested in Marxist theory as a kind of mid-life crisis in his 40s and ends up as the iconic figure of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diaries by front-rank politicians are adviser Bernard Donoughue ’ s Downing Street Diary : Volume 1 – With Harold Wilson in No .
10 and Downing Street Diary : Volume 2 – With James Callaghan in No .
10 and his The Heat of the Kitchen : an autobiography .
The modern-day diarist worth reading is Chris Mullin .
His vantage point , reflected in the modest titles of his three volumes ( A View from the Foothills , Decline & Fall and A Walk-On Part ) , was that of a marginalised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blair years , but he ’ s a great writer who had a ringside seat .
To understand the roots of the current I belong to in the Labour Party – the ‘ Old Labour ’ , pre-Blair right – you need to read John Golding ’ s Hammer of the Left , about his battles on the NEC against Benn , alongside Diane Hayter ’ s more academic history Fightback !
: Labour ’ s Traditional Right in the 1970s and 1980s .
The Blairite narrative is best told by Philip Gould @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Labour Changed British Politics Forever and Peter Mandelson ’ s The Third Man .
For the history of the Tribunite soft left , I would go with Michael Foot ’ s two-volume Aneurin Bevan : A Biography ( there ’ s also an abridged single volume version ) , Anne Perkins ’ Red Queen : The Authorized Biography of Barbara Castle , Michael Foot – A Life by Kenneth O Morgan , and Robin Cook by John Kampfner .
I doubt people now think of Neil Kinnock as soft left , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I love Robert Harris ’ 1984 book on Kinnock ’ s early life and rise to the leadership , The Making of Neil Kinnock .
For the hard left , Tony Benn ’ s diaries are the must-read , but for snap shots of how what we now think of as Corbynites viewed the rest of the party , try Defeat from the Jaws of Victory , Richard Heffernan and Mike Marqusee ’ s blistering critique of the Kinnock years , the soft left Labour Co-ordinating Committee ( LCC ) , Labour Students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Liz Davies ’ Through the Looking Glass : A Dissenter Inside New Labour , the story of being blocked from being candidate for Leeds North East and her subsequent election to the NEC at the height of Blairism .
100 Years of Labour by Graham Bash and Andrew Fisher is the history of the party as the hard left see it , distilled into just 73 pages .
Ken Livingstone ’ s first , 1987 , go at an autobiography , If Voting Changed Anything they ’ d Abolish It , covers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the boroughs and Greater London Council .
The SDP breakaway has produced some good books , which need to be read for an understanding of why splitting from Labour is never a great idea ; to get your head round the emotional and political turmoil of the people who did it ; and because their earlier personal stories while they were Labour politicians are also interesting .
I would recommend Shirley Williams ’ Climbing the Bookshelves , Bill Rodgers ’ Fourth Among Equals and the authoritative history of the SDP SDP : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Social Democratic Party by Ivor Crewe and Anthony King .
The fight between the Kinnock leadership and Militant has inspired two great books : Militant by Michael Crick , and Witchfinder General : A Political Odyssey by former party director of organisation Joyce Gould .
Literally the worst book , for sheer turgid style , I have ever read is The Rise of Militant by Peter Taaffe .
Whoever taught the guys in Labour Briefing to write great ranting polemics didn ’ t do it for the Millies .
I also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 1950s and early 1960s ( you don ’ t ? )
, so would recommend Brian Brivati ’ s Hugh Gaitskell .
If you can find a copy , try The Road to Brighton Pier by Leslie Hunter , which covers the Bevanite insurgency against the old guard figures from the 1945 government in the early ‘ 50s .
You can get a grasp on most of the early history of Labour through David Marquand ’ s Ramsay MacDonald as the man who both built the party up until 1929 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bullock ’ s Ernest Bevin and Herbert Morrison , Portrait of a Politician by Bernard Donoughue and George Jones give you the life stories of the two giants of the Attlee era party right , who detested each other .
One ’ s pre-parliamentary life involved the creation of the mighty TGWU union , and the other built London Labour and ran the London County Council .
There are multiple good biographies of Attlee ( John Bew , Francis Beckett , Kenneth Harris and Nick Thomas-Symonds ) , Wilson ( Ben Pimlott – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Philip Ziegler ) and Blair ( the Seldon books mentioned above and John Rentoul ) .
If you have particularly strong bookshelves , and a geeky interest in Labour Party procedure , Lewis Minkin ’ s three heavy volumes are the ones to aspire to reading : The Labour Party Conference – A Study in Intra-Party Democracy ( 1978 ) , The Contentious Alliance – Trade Unions and the Labour Party ( 1992 ) , and The Blair Supremacy – A Study in the Politics of Labour ’ s Party Management ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideology .
This is when you realise people in Labour have spent so much time fighting each other , very little time has been expended on actually coming up with explanations of how existing society works or how to change it or to what society we might be aspiring .
On the right of the party , the key revisionist social democratic text is Tony Crosland ’ s 1956 The Future of Socialism .
Roy Hattersley had a good stab at an update to this philosophy with Choose Freedom : The Future for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided the heavyweight intellectual heft behind New Labour , with The Third Way : The Renewal of Social Democracy .
On the left of the party , Tony Benn ’ s ideological/policy books Arguments for Socialism and Arguments for Democracy sold bucket loads in the 1970s .
I was going to say they hadn ’ t stood the test of time as they are arguments for mass nationalisation , a siege economy , and leaving the Common Market .
Oh .
They are mercifully short , but I have a soft spot on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Benn , so a signed copy of Arguments for Socialism that he inscribed to my very Bennite auntie Olive has a pride of place on my shelves .
Rather more profound as a critique of mainstream Labourism is Ralph Miliband ’ s Parliamentary Socialism : A Study in the Politics of Labour .
If you can get through all of those recommendations by the end of the lockdown , congratulations .

Under lockdown and looking to fill spare time by reading books about the Labour Party? Below is a list of my recommendations. And before you shout “but I already saw his list of books on Labour First”, this isn’t quite the same one. LabourList readers are presumably a more eclectic bunch than Labour First supporters, so I’ve been a bit more heterodox in my selection here.
Having said that, they are books that I’ve personally enjoyed, not books that it’s politically expected by any bit of the party to read. If I haven’t enjoyed reading it, it ain’t here. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of demographic diversity in both the subjects and authors of the historical books I’ve listed, for the sad reason that until all-women shortlists were brought in for parliamentary selections in the 1990s, Labour’s structures were dominated by white men. Nan Sloane has addressed the previously often unrecorded role of women in the party’s history in The Women in the Room: Labour’s Forgotten History.
Everything I’ve listed is available for to buy online if you search for the title and author. Some of the books are only available second hand, which means the prices can oscillate wildly.
To start, my favourite book ever about the Labour Party, for its brilliant writing, levels of obscure detail, and the way it evokes the impact of individual personalities – some not so famous – on key decisions, is Faces of Labour by Andy McSmith. Published in 1992, it is a collection of short portraits of Neil Kinnock, Militant leader Ted Grant, Tyneside trade unionist Jim Murray (you need to read it to find out his crucial role), David Blunkett, Clare Short, Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair.
I love this format of multiple biographies in one book, which brings me to a series of books by 1980s Shadow Education Secretary Giles Radice. They are each a set of parallel biographies of senior Labour figures, their contemporaries and the relationships, alliances and tensions between them. Read all three, and you get a good introduction to Labour in power in each of the three periods 1945-1951, 1964-1979 and 1997-2010. The Tortoise and the Hares looks at how Clement Attlee outmanoeuvred the flashier Ernest Bevin, Stafford Cripps, Hugh Dalton and Herbert Morrison. Friends & Rivals looks at Anthony Crosland, Roy Jenkins and Denis Healey. Trio looks at Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson.
For a general overview of the history of the party, don’t be put off by the title of Greg Rosen’s Old Labour to New – The Dreams That Inspired, the Battles That Divided. It covers the whole history of the party until 2005 through the medium of quoting chunks of speeches and debates from Labour Party conferences. This works – it brings to life some of the great set pieces very well.
Rosen’s other massive tome is the Dictionary of Labour Biography that he edited in 2001. It brings together short essay biographies of more than 300 people. It’s imperfect – there’s some bias in which people got in and which didn’t – and I’m ashamed of my own rather immature and unfair chapter on Diane Abbott in it (Diane, if you are reading this, I’ll write a fairer biography of you one day!). But despite these shortcomings, it’s a good stab at something that was needed.
I’m not a great fan of political autobiographies, as most of them are written to settle scores or self-justify, and most politicians aren’t great writers. Four that are worth reading are Denis Healey’s The Time of My Life, which covers his extensive cultural hinterland as well as his political life, Roy Hattersley’s anecdote-rich Who goes home? Scenes from a Political Life, Mo Mowlam’s Momentum (about her, not the post-2015 organisation of that name), and Betty Boothroyd’s The Autobiography, which doesn’t reveal much about her time as Speaker but has fascinating stuff about her stint on Labour’s national executive committee in the 1980s.
There are some must-read books about the soon-to-be-over Corbyn era. Protest and Power – The Battle for the Labour Party by David Kogan was published in February 2019. It covers the internal history of the party from the rise of the Bennites, through their 30 years in the wilderness, to their triumph. It’s very accurate, easy to read, and includes inside-track information from Jon Lansman, a personal friend of Kogan.
Corbynism: A Critical Approach by the Bristol Uni academics Matt Bolton and Frederick Harry Pitts is a Marxist critique of Corbynism’s conspiratorial analysis of capitalism. The Left’s Jewish Problem – Jeremy Corbyn, Israel and Anti-semitism by Dave Rich is the authoritative explainer of Labour’s antisemitism scandal. Rosa Prince’s Comrade Corbyn is the best biography of him so far, somewhere in between Alex Nunns’ hagiography and Tom Bower’s hatchet job.
For our most recent period in government, Anthony Seldon has written authoritative histories based on extensive interviews with key figures: Blair, Blair Unbound and Brown at 10, the last co-written with Guy Lodge.
The Harold Wilson and Jim Callaghan era was particularly well-documented as so many of the key players around the cabinet table – Tony Benn, Barbara Castle and Richard Crossman – were keeping daily diaries and went on to publish them. Benn’s is quite something: the story of a career-minded centrist with a flair for media relations and a tricky issue of giving up the hereditary peerage he had inherited, who becomes interested in Marxist theory as a kind of mid-life crisis in his 40s and ends up as the iconic figure of the hard left.
Better than all the diaries by front-rank politicians are adviser Bernard Donoughue’s Downing Street Diary: Volume 1 – With Harold Wilson in No. 10 and Downing Street Diary: Volume 2 – With James Callaghan in No. 10 and his The Heat of the Kitchen: an autobiography.
The modern-day diarist worth reading is Chris Mullin. His vantage point, reflected in the modest titles of his three volumes (A View from the Foothills, Decline & Fall and A Walk-On Part), was that of a marginalised Bennite backbencher and junior minister in the Blair years, but he’s a great writer who had a ringside seat.
To understand the roots of the current I belong to in the Labour Party – the ‘Old Labour’, pre-Blair right – you need to read John Golding’s Hammer of the Left, about his battles on the NEC against Benn, alongside Diane Hayter’s more academic history Fightback!: Labour’s Traditional Right in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Blairite narrative is best told by Philip Gould’s The Unfinished Revolution: How New Labour Changed British Politics Forever and Peter Mandelson’s The Third Man.
For the history of the Tribunite soft left, I would go with Michael Foot’s two-volume Aneurin Bevan: A Biography (there’s also an abridged single volume version), Anne Perkins’ Red Queen: The Authorized Biography of Barbara Castle, Michael Foot – A Life by Kenneth O Morgan, and Robin Cook by John Kampfner.
I doubt people now think of Neil Kinnock as soft left, but that’s where he started. I love Robert Harris’ 1984 book on Kinnock’s early life and rise to the leadership, The Making of Neil Kinnock.
For the hard left, Tony Benn’s diaries are the must-read, but for snap shots of how what we now think of as Corbynites viewed the rest of the party, try Defeat from the Jaws of Victory, Richard Heffernan and Mike Marqusee’s blistering critique of the Kinnock years, the soft left Labour Co-ordinating Committee (LCC), Labour Students and everyone else to their right, and Liz Davies’ Through the Looking Glass: A Dissenter Inside New Labour, the story of being blocked from being candidate for Leeds North East and her subsequent election to the NEC at the height of Blairism.
100 Years of Labour by Graham Bash and Andrew Fisher is the history of the party as the hard left see it, distilled into just 73 pages. Ken Livingstone’s first, 1987, go at an autobiography, If Voting Changed Anything they’d Abolish It, covers the rise of the London municipal left in the boroughs and Greater London Council.
The SDP breakaway has produced some good books, which need to be read for an understanding of why splitting from Labour is never a great idea; to get your head round the emotional and political turmoil of the people who did it; and because their earlier personal stories while they were Labour politicians are also interesting. I would recommend Shirley Williams’ Climbing the Bookshelves, Bill Rodgers’ Fourth Among Equals and the authoritative history of the SDP SDP: The Birth, Life, and Death of the Social Democratic Party by Ivor Crewe and Anthony King.
The fight between the Kinnock leadership and Militant has inspired two great books: Militant by Michael Crick, and Witchfinder General: A Political Odyssey by former party director of organisation Joyce Gould. Literally the worst book, for sheer turgid style, I have ever read is The Rise of Militant by Peter Taaffe. Whoever taught the guys in Labour Briefing to write great ranting polemics didn’t do it for the Millies.
I also have an interest in the party infighting of the 1950s and early 1960s (you don’t?), so would recommend Brian Brivati’s Hugh Gaitskell. If you can find a copy, try The Road to Brighton Pier by Leslie Hunter, which covers the Bevanite insurgency against the old guard figures from the 1945 government in the early ‘50s.
You can get a grasp on most of the early history of Labour through David Marquand’s Ramsay MacDonald as the man who both built the party up until 1929 and almost destroyed it in 1931. Alan Bullock’s Ernest Bevin and Herbert Morrison, Portrait of a Politician by Bernard Donoughue and George Jones give you the life stories of the two giants of the Attlee era party right, who detested each other. One’s pre-parliamentary life involved the creation of the mighty TGWU union, and the other built London Labour and ran the London County Council.
There are multiple good biographies of Attlee (John Bew, Francis Beckett, Kenneth Harris and Nick Thomas-Symonds), Wilson (Ben Pimlott – whose Hugh Dalton is also great, and Philip Ziegler) and Blair (the Seldon books mentioned above and John Rentoul).
If you have particularly strong bookshelves, and a geeky interest in Labour Party procedure, Lewis Minkin’s three heavy volumes are the ones to aspire to reading: The Labour Party Conference – A Study in Intra-Party Democracy (1978), The Contentious Alliance – Trade Unions and the Labour Party (1992), and The Blair Supremacy – A Study in the Politics of Labour’s Party Management (2014).
Finally, ideas and ideology. This is when you realise people in Labour have spent so much time fighting each other, very little time has been expended on actually coming up with explanations of how existing society works or how to change it or to what society we might be aspiring.
On the right of the party, the key revisionist social democratic text is Tony Crosland’s 1956 The Future of Socialism. Roy Hattersley had a good stab at an update to this philosophy with Choose Freedom: The Future for Democratic Socialism in 1987. Anthony Giddens provided the heavyweight intellectual heft behind New Labour, with The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy.
On the left of the party, Tony Benn’s ideological/policy books Arguments for Socialism and Arguments for Democracy sold bucket loads in the 1970s. I was going to say they hadn’t stood the test of time as they are arguments for mass nationalisation, a siege economy, and leaving the Common Market. Oh. They are mercifully short, but I have a soft spot on a personal if not a political level for Benn, so a signed copy of Arguments for Socialism that he inscribed to my very Bennite auntie Olive has a pride of place on my shelves. Rather more profound as a critique of mainstream Labourism is Ralph Miliband’s Parliamentary Socialism: A Study in the Politics of Labour.
If you can get through all of those recommendations by the end of the lockdown, congratulations.