Political Parties- The Labour Party Flashcards
The main ideas and aims of the Labour Party are:
+ to reduce inequality in society
+ a progressive tax system to redistribute real income
+ relatively high direct taxes to fund public services
+ support for an extensive, well-funded welfare state, including a free healthcare system and comprehensive education
+ measures to reduce poverty, especially child poverty
+ to regulate capitalism
+ a belief in the power of the state to promote social and economic reform + to balance the interests of workers against those of employers
+ to promote equal opportunities and reduce unjustified privilege
+ the promotion of equal rights
Is the Labour Party completely unified?
No, split into 2 main factions
Left-wing- ‘Old Labour’ (or social democracy)
Centrist- ‘New Labour’ (or Third Way)
Old Labour
The faction of the Labour Party that supports traditional socialist principles. These include greater social equality, an active role for the state in the economy and generous welfare provision.
New Labour
The centrist faction in the Labour Party that promotes equality of opportunity rather than absolute equality and that advocates a mixed economy. It is comfortable with private involvement in welfare provision.
The Old Labour faction believes in the following:
+ greater social equality through redistribution
+ that the rich should be taxed more than the poor
+ an active role for the state, where key industries should be controlled by the government and the workers should benefit from the money these industries make
+ a focus upon rehabilitation when it comes to criminal justice and crime
+ favouring of diplomacy and resolving disputes through peaceful means
The New Labour faction believes in the following:
+ Redistribution from the rich to the poor is not a priority, so long as there is equality of opportunity.
+ There should be a mixed economy, whereby the government controls some public services while most of industry is controlled by private investors.
+ Where possible, there should be public-private partnerships when it comes to providing services such as health and education.
+ Diplomacy does not always work — sometimes military intervention on
humanitarian grounds is necessary.
+ While it is important to consider the causes of crime, it is also necessary to have a strong criminal justice system with tough sentencing.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of EQUALITY?
Evidence of centrism (New Labour)
The gap between the richest and poorest grew under the last Labour government, even though it introduced the minimum wage.
This evidence fits with the New Labour belief that redistribution of income is not a priority, so long as there is equality of opportunity.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of EQUALITY?
Evidence of socialism (Old Labour)
The 2019 Labour Party manifesto pledged to raise the minimum wage from £8.21 to £10 per hour while also raising taxes on high earners.
This policy fits with the socialist belief in equality and that the rich should be taxed the most, the poor the least.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of ECONOMY?
Evidence of centrism (New Labour)
Labour did not reverse Thatcher’s privatisation of public utilities when in government.
This policy fits with the New Labour idea of a mixed economy.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of ECONOMY?
Evidence of socialism (Old Labour)
The Brown government nationalised (took over) failing banks including Northern Rock and part of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Corbyn pledged to create a national investment bank with over £350 billion coming from the public purse to support the rebuilding of regional industries.
Labour’s recent policies support an active role for the state, with key industries controlled by the government.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of WELFARE?
Evidence of centrism (New Labour)
Cleaning services in the NHS were
‘contracted out’ to private companies under the last Labour government. The party also supported encouraging businesses to sponsor underperforming schools.
This policy fits with the New Labour preference for public-private partnerships when it comes to running the welfare state.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of WELFARE?
Evidence of socialism (Old Labour)
Under Corbyn, Labour promised to take hospital cleaning back into public hands. Furthermore, the party’s 2019 manifesto promised to bring the delivery of education back into local authority control, away from academy chains.
This policy reversal fits with the Old Labour scepticism of private involvement in the running of the welfare state.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of LAW AND ORDER?
Evidence of centrism (New Labour)
The 2019 manifesto promised to restore prison officer numbers to 2010 levels and recruit more frontline police officers to prevent crime.
This policy fits with the New Labour focus on being tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of LAW AND ORDER?
Evidence of socialism (Old Labour)
The 2019 manifesto proposed ‘a presumption against prison sentences’ for non-violent and non-sexual offences.
This policy fits with the Old Labour belief that prison isn’t the only way to ensure that an offender can be rehabilitated.
Is the Labour Party still a socialist party in terms of FOREIGN AFFAIRS?
Evidence of centrism (New Labour)
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband supported tough action against ISIS. Hilary Benn, Labour’s former shadow foreign secretary, voted in favour of action in Syria in 2015, demonstrating that a large part of the Parliamentary Labour Party remains some distance away from ‘Old Labour’.
These examples show that, regardless of who is leader, the New Labour view that ‘humanitarian intervention’ is sometimes necessary, with or without international support, remains an influential one. Many Labour MPs accept that diplomacy does not always work.
