With the Labour Party about to get its first new leader and deputy leader in 13 years, members have a rare opportunity to decide the party's future direction. Surely the first thing they need to know is how the party has changed since it was remade as "New Labour."
This website takes as its baseline for Labour Party policy before New Labour the statements and conference decisions of 1992-4 when John Smith was leader. It takes 25 policy areas and allows 3-way comparison of the Tories, what "old Labour" was offering and what New Labour has delivered.
The Pledges have been graded as follows:
Key:
= Pledge carried out
= Pledge partially carried out
= Left as under the Conservatives
= Policy shift to right of old Conservatives
? = We need more information on the outcome of this pledge. Can you help?
Policy Areas
- Salaries and Taxation
- Pensions
- Benefits
- Health and Care
- Education
- Housing
- Employment
- Trades Unions and Labour Laws
- Trade and Industry
- Transport
- Energy
- Environment
- Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Life
- Crime
- Legal System
- Immigration and Asylum
- Local Government
- Devolution and Regional Government
- Parliament and Democracy
- Media
- Freedom of Information and Privacy
- Northern Ireland
- European Union
- Foreign Policy
- Defence and Disarmament
- Conclusions