The following was published on the website of GUIDE following the Peter Hain evening on 22 June 2015.
"Peter Hain at the GUIDE Book Club
We’re very grateful to Peter for joining us last night – and thanks to News UK for providing the spectacular venue, too. We talked about Peter’s new book, Back To The Future Of Socialism, as well as his prescriptions for the Labour Party. Here’s a quick summary…
Something’s definitely not right
Peter offered a very blunt assessment of Labour’s offer in the recent General Election, calling it “pygmy-like”, leaving him “going to the doorstep in despair, as we had nothing to say to the middle ground or middle classes”. If the national campaign was lacklustre, the organisation on the ground was no better. Peter explained that the fact the Labour Party in some Glasgow seats counted less than 100 members shows the extent to which it has lost its link with local communities.
How to fix it?
Peter argues that Labour needs to adopt a clear, positive, message on what a socialist society should look like – not a ‘wild tax and spend’ economy, but one focused on making a capitalist economy work better. He sees this as something akin to ‘a modern version of Keynes’, with a heavy focus on investment by an ‘entrepreneurial state’ that is “pro-business and pro-employee rights”. With a promise to “challenge the leadership candidates on these issues very soon”, Peter is proof that the next Labour leader will have to win over or face down the different wings of the party – papering over the cracks to achieve ‘unity’ just won’t do.
The outlook for Labour
It’s fair to say that Peter is not dramatically enthused by any of the leadership candidates. He complained that Jeremy Corbyn is closest to his position, but “is not arguing the point of view coherently and did not enter the race to win”. At the same time, he worries that “the other three candidates all think the accusation that the last Labour Government over-spent is nonsense, but think they’ve lost the political argument and need to move on”. This leaves Labour in a predicament that needs sorting quickly if it is to stand a chance of regaining office. In Peter’s words, “If we can’t explain how we can run capitalism better, I don’t know why anybody would vote for us”.
If you’re interested in the battle for the future of Labour, we recommend this book, as Peter makes a compelling case for his side of the argument.
Author / Roisin"
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STAN's THOUGHTS
1. Something's definitely not right
You're not kidding. Labour went into battle in a Presidential style campaign led by a man who couldn't have been less presidential. Incidentally this was the same man backed for the Labour leadership by Hain himself, and the Great Lord Kinnock (peace be upon him). The speed by which Miliband's Manifesto has been ditched and discredited by his own people has to be seen to be believed. But at least Kinnock "got his Party back", eh?
Hain rallies against the "pygmy like" offering of Labour. He loves this phrase - he has previously said there are too many pygmies in politics. Good job there aren't any real ones there because he'd be done under the race laws. As for criticising the doorstep campaign, this seems to be a bit of sour grapes to be honest because his tweets at the time were quite complimentary as to how things were going:
"Great evening with @jimmurphymp after campaigning for @scottishlabour doorstep response shows we can still win - Peter Hain March 16"
DON'T KNOW WHAT DOORSTEPS WERE VISITED. COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.
"Definite swing back to @UKLabour in marginal Battersea @WillJMartindale excellent candidate - PeterHain Feb 5"
BATTERSEA WAS NOT WON BY LABOUR. THERE WAS A SWING TO LABOUR ALRIGHT BUT A SWING THREE TIMES GREATER TO THE TORIES. PLUS A SWING TO THE GREENS AND UKIP - BOTH GREATER THAN TO THE LABOUR PARTY. ALL AT THE EXPENSE OF THE POOR LIB DEMS.
2. How to fix it
Not sure it can be fixed.
It may well be that they are done for because the only successful Labour leader electorally since 1976 has been Tony Blair. Now isn't that rather scary?
One "fix" I'd recommend is to move away from the intellectual theorising, buzz words, think tanks and celebrity circuit so beloved by many of these Labour mandarins. Bring through candidates that have a long standing and real connection with their communities, not carpetbaggers, Red Princes and the metropolitan elite. Labour's problem includes the baggage of people like the family Kinnock, Blair, Prescott, Straw, Hain and Campbell. They stalk the Party like Banquo's ghost and their exorcism is long overdue.
3. The outlook for Labour
Grim. Very grim indeed.
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