New
Labour Analysed
Patrick Nulty
Riversdale CC, Dublin
As Britain prepares for a
general election in early May it seems certain that the Labour Party will
win a second consecutive term of office for the first time. However, this
electoral success has come at great cost. Under the leadership of Tony
Blair the Labour Party has abandoned many of its core values and has allowed
the political agenda in Britain to be set by the Conservative Party. Labour's
1997 election slogan was ‘Things can only get better’ yet for many ordinary
people in Britain things have continued to get worse.
The appalling legacy left
in Britain after eighteen years of Tory rule should not be underestimated.
Standards in Britain's healthcare and education system were allowed to
deteriorate and the short-term gains associated with privatisation soon
turned into long term problems. Unfortunately the Labour government has
done little to tackle these problems. In fact, it has made them worse.
In education, the Labour Party has launched schemes where private companies
or religious organisations rather than the local council run schools.
This is an affront to local democracy and an assault on Labour's belief
in comprehensive education. Mr. Blair's government must accept that it
is the responsibility of the State to ensure children receive an adequate
education. The only real way to revive the British education system is
to invest heavily in schools and local communities thus, creating a positive
learning environment for children.
Labour has also acquired the
well-known Conservative fetish for privatisation, even when such a move
defies logic. The privatisation of the railways in Britain has had fatal
consequences. Private companies have put profit above passenger safety
leading to several accidents. If confidence in the British rail network
is to be restored it must return to public ownership. The same can be
said about many former public utilities but it seems the current Labour
leadership lacks the political conviction to undertake such radical and
dynamic measures.
Upon taking office in 1997
Labour promised an "ethical Foreign policy", regrettably this was another
empty slogan. Britain continues to export arms to some of the most corrupt
regimes in the world across Asia and Africa. It has also sanctioned attacks
on the civilian population of Belgrade by NATO and maintained unqualified
support for the United States in international affairs. Tony Blair also
promised to tackle third world debt. However, progress on this issue has
been painfully slow.
In the area of crime, Labour
has also adopted a very shortsighted attitude similar to that shown by
the Conservatives. Rather than solving the causes of crime like poverty
and social exclusion, Labour has concentrated on simplistic solutions
to crime such as more police on the streets and a campaign against petty
crime. While it is important that the police have the necessary resources
needed to fight serious crime, it makes better long-term economic sense
to try and tackle the causes of crime within society. Not for the first
Labour has chosen the short term populist agenda over long term progress
on this issue.
In Europe, Labour has abandoned
the obstructionist approach adopted by the Tories. Labour has chosen to
negotiate constructively in Europe and this has been beneficial to Britain.
However, many sections of British society still pine for the days of the
empire and resistance to European integration is substantial. It will
be a major achievement for Tony Blair if he has the political courage
necessary to lead Britain into the single European currency during his
second term of office.
In assessing their first term
in office one can only feel a sense frustration and disappointment. In
a number of areas Labour has been unwilling to make the radical political
steps needed to improve British society. While devolution and a more constructive
approach in Europe are welcome they do not negate the fact that Labour
have not lived up to the expectations of their supporters. One can only
hope that in their second term of office more progress can be made and
an example can be set to other Social-Democratic parties across Europe.
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