Tag: Labour Party
New Labour and after: the toxic consequences of cynical party management
The New Labour years saw sweeping cultural change designed to replace the traditional internal Labour party democracy with a new organisational culture. Its effects are still felt today. Emmanuelle Avril explains how the struggles in today’s Labour have their roots in Blair’s brand of party management and Labour’s continuing (dys)function as an organisation. Ed Miliband campaigns in the West Midlands in 2015. Photo: […]
The trouble with Jeremy Corbyn: five tests the Labour leader is failing
Much of the Parliamentary Labour Party want to replace Jeremy Corbyn, and his popularity among the general public is low. Yet he was resoundingly re-elected by party members last autumn. Patrick Diamond assesses the Labour leader’s performance as an opposition leader according to five criteria, and concludes the risk of a Labour schism between ‘principles’ and […]
Losing Momentum? The power struggles that are hobbling the Corbyn movement
The Momentum movement faces two crucial problems, says Robin Pettitt. It explicitly allies itself with the Corbynite wing of the party. Yet it has also become a battleground for three groups: Bennites, a wave of new members, and the so-called ‘Trots’ or ‘entryists’. Meanwhile, the movement has been torn between a traditional branch-based structure and a […]
Book review: Alastair Campbell’s Diaries: Vol 5 – ‘thrilling, insightful’
In the fifth volume of his published diaries, Outside, Inside, 2003-2005, Alastair Campbell steps down as Tony Blair’s Director of Communications in 2003 but is drawn back into politics amid the continued chaos of the Iraq war, the breakdown of the Blair-Brown relationship and the impending election campaign. With the pace of a thriller, this book offers fascinating […]
The Labour party, Momentum and the problem with intra-party democracy
The Momentum movement and the rise in Labour membership are, Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters argue, proof that the party is returning to its roots and embracing ordinary people’s concerns. But political scientists tend to be sceptical about intra-party democracy, because party members are usually more radical than the average voter. Fabio Wolkenstein says claims that Labour has […]
What’s the future of the Labour party? Andy Beckett, Matthew Goodwin and Faiza Shaheen discuss
At an LSE event on 4 October, Andy Beckett, Matthew Goodwin and Faiza Shaheen discussed the future of the Labour party. Can it unite after Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election as leader, or is it doomed to split? Beckett, counselling patience, says the generation gap within Labour needs to close and Momentum activists must stand as MPs; […]
Why Labour can’t get a grip: the power v principles conundrum
Labour’s future direction is at stake. Its leader has the backing of a large part of the membership, yet appears to have no prospect of forming a government in order to deliver upon his vision. Although the trigger was the (tokenistic) addition of Jeremy Corbyn on the ballot paper in 2015, the crisis is caused […]
Older women in local parties: marginalised or empowered?
The subject of older women in politics has rarely been investigated and very little is thus known about their motivation to be active in party membership. Vicky Randall’s interview-based study in seven English parliamentary constituencies sheds some light on the matter. Randall finds a mixed picture, showing that older women give a substantial contribution to […]
As both major parties struggle with internal divisions, it is crucial to engage with different facets of party cohesion
As both the Conservatives and Labour are confronted with ideological and organisational divisions that undermine their efficiency and jeopardise the foundations of the responsible party model, Caroline Close writes that understanding how (old and new) values, ideas and conception of democracy affect party members’ relationship to their party, within and beyond the legislative arena, is […]
Should we just leave the selection of the party leader to MPs?
From 1922-1980, Labour leaders were elected by MPs in a secret ballot. While there are superficially attractive reasons for the increased trend towards democratising party leadership elections, Richard Johnson questions whether it has really given us better value and proposes that we should reconsider the merits of leaving party leadership selection to Labour MPs. More […]
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