Development + Policies Of Labour Party

Question 1

What is the background of the labour party

Answer 1

-origins — Farringdon street conference 1900 alliance between members TU movement + socialist groups
-initial claim — independent representation in parliament of working man
-financially assumed socialist position 1918 with adoption of Clause IV (represented party aspiration abolish capitalism
-never advocated violent revolution but instead change from within + through existing political structures

Question 2

What are the main strands of labour ideals

Answer 2

-economic socialism
-trade unionism
-globalist internationalism
-new labour

Question 3

What is economic socialism

Answer 3

-commitment to core strands of socialism
-e.g. post war Attlee govt setting up welfare state + took into state ownership core inds like iron + steel
-under Corbyn 2017-19 pledge partial renationalisation — commitment nationalisation reflects Lab history pledge redistribute wealth for many
-corbyn elected leader marked shift towards more left-wing position but starmer 2020 back to centre

Question 4

What is trade unionism

Answer 4

-many unions took to Labour for protection + to advance that rights of workers e.g. strike rights + TU recognition in workplace
-TUs traditionally supplied bulk of lab funding, sponsored lab MPs + had seats on ruling national executive
-but deindustrialisation + shift away from manufacturing 1980s waned influence + was weakened by cons govt reforms — made it harder take industrial action
-under corbyn enjoyed increased influence + access to leadership but this reduced by starmer

Question 5

What was new labour/third way socialism

Answer 5

-Blair’s ‘new Labour’ project 1997-2010 was to modernise + update lab + more into centre ground of electability following lurch to left 1989s under foot
-emph on triangulation — repositioning lab in centre, accepting many Thatcheristic econ policies but retaining social values like justice
-more money to NHS + education — his mantra was ‘education, education, education’
-focussed on eliminating child poverty
-for some amounted to pragmatic common sense + electoral success e.g. Blair won 3 consecutive general elections but others it was a sell out

Question 6

How does Labour 2019 manifesto pledges meet their 4 strands of idealisms

Answer 6

-hold second referendum in Brexit following renegotiation of new Brexit deal within 3 months — slightly Blairite with clear desire remain aligned with or in EU
-increase health budget 4.3% + cut private provision in NHS — economic socialism as all Labour supporters back NHS many Blairite wing ready accept priv sector involvement
-bring forward net-zero target carbon emissions putting UK track net-zero carbon energy systems by 2030s — globalist … as emph on caring planet a modern version of international cooperation