Purnell's third way

James Purnell made a fascinating speech this afternoon. It was in some ways a very Blairite speech. He challenged the party to go further, faster. He was cutting about Labour’s self indulgent streak and unapologetic about modernisation: “we changed. because we were tired of being the conscience of a Conservative country”. But at the same time, Purnell went out of his way to explain policy in left wing language, something some Blairites forget—or are reluctant—to do. Defending his welfare reform proposals which are not popular with party activists, Purnell said that they were based on “a founding value of our party,. emblazoned in the name of our party. The right to Labour. The dignity of Labour.”

Revealingly, Purnell deviated from the usual Labour line of attack on Cameron. He conceded that the Tories had changed but argued that Labour should urge the voters to pick the real thing not the imitation; the ‘Coke strategy’ John Rentoul suggested last week.

The hall wasn’t quite sure what to make of the speech. Purnell didn’t get them going until he threw them some red meat with a comparison of Brown and Cameron and unlike Jacqui Smith he didn’t receive a standing ovation when he finished. But Purnell is right that Labour has to be bold. Just continuing to drift along will result in Labour going down to a massive defeat at the next election.