Reiver
Full Member
I certainly wouldn't claim they didn't do some good.What was so wrong with New Labour (not just Tony Blair).
Three election victories on the bounce. Record investment in public services. Hospital waiting times at a record low. Schools modernised. The economy booming.
No government since has got even close to their achievements.
But, they essentially relied on the economy and economic growth to create a more equal society, which boils down to neoliberalism and Thatcherism. The sight of Labour leaders fawning over that woman on a Downing Street visit is something I'll never forget.
So, for me, New Labour abandoned the founding principles of the party. Many may feel that isn't a bad thing, even a good thing. For me, those founding principles are what makes the party - or made it anyway - and shouldn't be forgotten. I'm not necessarily talking about Clause IV, more so the principle of the redistribution of wealth.