The man who hopes to win English votes for Labour
Peter Hoskin 4:24pm
Maurice Glasman and Ed Miliband do not think as one. But Miliband's Favourite
Thinker™ is an undoubted influence on the Labour party — and, as such, it's worth tuning into his ideas from time to time, if you have a tolerance for such things. Glasman's "Blue Labour" philosophy has already enjoyed heavy exposure this year, and he has an interview in today's Times (£) to explain it even further. If you're not minded to buy, borrow or steal a copy of the
Thunderer, then here are a few observations.
First, it's striking just how much Glasman dwells on the personal. "If you want to know everything that was wrong about Scottish Labour and Labour," he urges, "then just look at the career of Gordon Brown. He was completely cynical in his calculations, then he dressed it up as the moral high ground." And Glasman's brand of armchair psychology even stretches the current Labour leader, whom he suggests "still feels completely guilty" about defeating his brother to the throne. He adds that MiliE has "a real mixture of gentleness, of spirit and stubborness, that is perfect for this moment."
And then there are the ideas themselves. David Aaronivitch has depicted the Blue Labour ideology
(£) as one harkening back to a "Merrie England" — and there's much of that here. "There is a great space for Labour to be the patriotic party, to say this is a great
country," is how Glasman puts it, "It's England — and now we have England back." To that end, he suggests bolstering institutions such as pubs, football clubs and post offices,
as well establishing an English Parliament. And he takes a line on immigration that bears some comparison to David Cameron's speech on the subject in Munich:
There are aspects of Glasman's thinking that might have surface attractiveness for the electorate. But the main problems, to my mind, come when Labour try to package and sell them. It's all well and good for an academic to argue that smoking should be allowed in bars, for instance, but the public may not find it so persuasive coming from a party that said — and did — differently in government. And then there are the similarities between Blue Labour and its philosophical flipsides, Red Toryism and the Big Society. Glasman maintains that the latter has no "critical word about the markets." But just try explaining that on a poster."There was a 'big rupture of trust' between Labour and voters over immigration. 'Under New Labour, immigration was used as a de facto wages policy — it kept wages down at the bottom end. Labour went for a big multicultural agenda when I think I think it should have gone for a much more robust, common-good agenda.'Does he back an immigration cap? 'We've got to engage with a very serious discussion with the EU on the free movement of Labour and why that is not a positive good.' The country will have to have a 'regularisation of immigrants'. 'I don't think we should be in the mass deportation business. But we've now got to say "We've got the people. We're fine with diversity but we have to broker solidarity.'"
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annassasin
May 14th, 2011 5:33pm Report this commentBlue labour is simply copying Tory and ukip with a touch of apple pie.
Bloody Bill Brock
May 14th, 2011 5:34pm Report this commentAnother load of bollox attempting to make the unelectable electable.
Frank P
May 14th, 2011 6:29pm Report this commentAnother Purnell puff, Pete? 'Blue Labour' sounds like another layer of obfuscation. Subterfuge may be clever, but it ain't honest. A whiff of modified Gramsci, or Papa Ralph Miliband, even? If blue is the appropriate colour - why not just become a Tory? There is far too much political cross-dressing these days already - and a surfeit of pseudo-intellectualizing; more unelected (in this case probably undeserved) influence in Westminster. There is a dire need for honest and accountable brokerage. The back door of the Upper Chamber has seen quite a bit of furtive activity recently. Too many pretentious, cunning bastards on the make either venally or ideologically. To coin a topical analogy for today, you're either Man U (red)or Man City (blue). Each has its advantages as today's results show - but loyalty is what got both stripes respective success over time.
(And the fact that both games were as boring as hell, didn't dampen the joy of either set of winning punters). Another parable there perhaps?
TGF UKIP
May 14th, 2011 6:42pm Report this commentServes Dave right for not getting trademark protection for "Blue Labour."
Nicholas
May 14th, 2011 6:45pm Report this comment"Blue" in the same sense as the Spanish fascist "Blue Division" I suspect.
David Ossitt
May 14th, 2011 7:16pm Report this commentMaurice Glasman and Ed Miliband do not think as one. But Miliband's Favourite Thinker is an undoubted influence on the Labour party.
Doppelganger of his daddy then.
Helen
May 14th, 2011 7:19pm Report this commentLabour spent the whole of their term in office shouting obscenities at the English at every opportunity.
They taxed the English into the ground and stole that money to feather nest the Scots, where Gordon Brown thought they would always vote labour and help keep them as England's Lairds.
To read now that labour might pretend to have liked the English after all makes me want to vomit - all over Ed's head.
dorothy wilson
May 14th, 2011 7:34pm Report this commentThe real problems with Glasman's thinking are set out in the words he uses to describe Milliminor. "A mixture of gentleness, of spirit and of stubborness" - for heavens sake!
Lonesome Dave
May 14th, 2011 7:51pm Report this commentThe rebranding continues...
Labour?
New Labour?
Blue Labour?
Why Labour?
Why indeed?
Ken
May 14th, 2011 8:19pm Report this comment..."serious discussion with the EU on the free movement of Labour"...
Its not EU labour migration that is the problem, its what pours in Neather-like from ex-colonies particularly those of a certain religious persuasion.
Baron
May 14th, 2011 10:11pm Report this commentwhat the guy’s ideas acknowledge without making it explicit is that the game under FPTP is still to be played with only the two dominant teams, hence it’s camouflaging true identities e.g. Blue Labour, which holds the answer for gaining power, not genuine political discourse, in this he’s right, the two clans will pretend, steal 'the feel' of the other to get in, than they’ll do what they like, shite on everyone even.
ollie
May 14th, 2011 10:28pm Report this commentMiddle England will not vote for a man who has spent the entirety of his adult life sneering at them and everything they hold dear.
I don't think it has really sunk in yet just how big a defeat Scotland was for Labour.
Miliband is a dud - and it's only a matter of time before the grumblings become public.
JohnBUK
May 14th, 2011 11:26pm Report this commentJust when one thinks this lot of scum can't sink any lower they exceed one's expectations.
I expect the usual 35% will swallow it all and keep their hands out for the pay-off.
timple
May 14th, 2011 11:28pm Report this commentIsn't The Times paywall annoying? I am surprised politicians bother with it nowadays since they've cut themselves off from the wider world. Surely the Telegraph is a better choice for someone wanting to contribute to the national debate?
Major Plonquer 1
May 15th, 2011 4:06am Report this commentIn other words, he's a Tory.
The left really does have nothing, zero, zilch, nada to offer.
Axstane
May 15th, 2011 7:12am Report this commentLord Glasman will do Labour a power of good. He wants them to reach out to the EDL and offer the hand of friendship.
Holly ......
May 15th, 2011 7:26am Report this commentErm...Haven't we just had a decade of 'blue Labour'?
Many of the useless artichokes are still on the front benches,so how anyone is going to fall for this crap is beyond me.
The militant nut jobs will always support Labour whatever 'colour' they pretend to be.
Labour,under Miliband have embeded their position into the voters minds over the past year and to do a u-turn now would not convince enough people to gain back Labour support.
The media have embeded in voters minds that the Lib Dems are not worth voting for so that leaves the Conservatives.
Going by the local elections,and the opinion
of the people at the ballot box,it is Labour & the media who have inadvertantly raised support for the Conservatives.
We do not like opposition,just for the sake of it,the constant negativity,spite and vindictive nature of Labour & the left...but
yet it continues,because the likes of Miliband,Balls,Coop & the rest believe it gets through to the voters...the local elections PROVE that is not the case.
So as I have said many times...
Please keep up the good work.
Chris
May 15th, 2011 8:04am Report this comment"We've got to engage with a very serious discussion with the EU on the free movement of Labour and why that is not a positive good."
That's right. Take away my families' chance to take up the best jobs on the continent, because you think the British public consists of useless Duffy style bigots (who live in Spain)
This man sounds like a complete dick.
Home Rule for England
May 15th, 2011 11:21am Report this commentPut the setting up of an English Parliament, English Government and English First Minister with the powers of the Scottish Parliament etc. in Labour's manifesto for 2015 and I'll vote Labour for the first time in my life.
Michael
May 15th, 2011 1:33pm Report this commentWhy is he wearing Michael Foot's old glasses?
It must be a Labour Thing.
HairyNoddy
May 15th, 2011 2:00pm Report this commentI'd vote Labour if they promise to push for an English Parliament. At least that's what I'd tell the Tories in order to get them to up the ante. In reality I wouldn't trust the traitorous red slime any further than I could throw Fatty McBroon.
Frank P
May 16th, 2011 12:26am Report this commentMichael (1.33pm)
Well spotted; when I first glanced at that picture I thought it WAS Michael Foot; if you remember, Clive Jenkins also had a pair of bins from the same batch; probably part of a lorry-load from an opticians' bust-out, knocked out to Labour Party HQ by Georgie Mizel the Hatton Garden fence - Abe Koski's protégé. Those were the days!
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