Where next answers

14.06.10 - Helen Symons

I've been really inspired by the number of people that took the time to reply to me, sharing their thoughts on “where next?” for Labour. It’s clear that there is lots of passion among our supporters for renewing and reenergising our movement.

I'm still reading through the last of the submissions, but already there are some strong recurring themes. Many people said something similar to Vino:

I think Labour needs to focus on increasing trade union rights and promoting trade unionism, particularly in the private service sector. We also need to focus on defending public services - and arguing against privatisation and contracting out.

One of the other themes that's come up in your responses is the need to be a campaigning movement. Jon said:

- The party needs to become a mass, campaigning movement, that isn't only about getting people elected to office, but fights for real change in our communities and workplaces.
- We need to talk, and campaign, more on issues related to the workplace, the economy, and the injustices which over-reliance on market principles creates in our society.
- Labour needs to define it's core principles in a way that offers clear dividing lines between our values and those of tories and libdems. Doing so will need a real debate, and real argument. But I think in particular we need to rediscover a confident language to oppose the steady encroachment of the market, and market values in many spheres of life.

Talking about the need to reconnect with voters, Timothy said:

The Labour Party needs to reconnect with voters - particularly its core voters - not by adopting populist right-wing measures, but by arguing why our values are their values.  We should not turn immigration into a political football.  Labour needs to target its attacks on the LibCons, emphasising that a LibDem vote is a Conservative vote, and only Labour can protect the most vulnerable in society.  We need to encourage new members to be active members, increasing our campaigning on the ground to get our message across.  We need to encourage a new generation of elected officials at all levels - school governors, councillors and upwards.  Where necessary Labour councils need to fight the worst excesses of the LibCon coaltion.  We need to involve members in policy making, and not treat them as a rubber-stamp.  We should use Conference as a forum for debate not merely platitudinous speeches from Shadow Cabinet members.

Many of you echoed his sentiments with similar replies.

I look forward to reading the rest of your answers, I hope to post some more up on the blog soon.

If you have thoughts about the future of the Labour party, share them with TULO here:

http://www.unionstogether.org.uk/where-next-for-Labour