Labour Party

• Old Labour values

  • 'Social Justice'; redistribute income through taxation to lower classes; achieve formal equality (under the law).
  • 'Class conflict'; government should favour working classes over upper classes.
  • Equality of Opportunity.
  • Collectivism; faith in welfare state, trade unions, co-operatives.
  • Public ownership; major industries such as railways run by government.
  • Trade Unionism.
  • Statism; power of state large in society.
  • Welfarism; support welfare state.
• Old Labour policies and actions

  • Created NHS and welfare state in 1940s in response to Beveridge Report.
  • Nationalised Industry; British Rail; British Telecoms; British Gas.
  • Trade Unions granted wide powers to take strike action.
  • Raised income tax on those earning higher wages to pay for welfare of the poor.
  • Comprehensive education introduced in 1960s to improve equality of opportunity.
  • Discrimination against women and ethnic minorities banned; Sex Discrimination Act 1975; Race Relations Act 1968; Sexual Offences Act 1968 legalised gay relationships.
• New Labour values

  • Rejected 'class conflict'; all members of society have equal right to state support.
  • Support capitalism; should remain largely free of state control.
  • 'Enabling State'; state should regulate and support economy if needed, but try to avoid this.
  • Individualism; rejects collectivism arguing that people want to achieve their own goals in life.
  • Stress Equality of Opportunity.
  • Communitarianism; we have obligations to society and others in return for our success.
  • Committed to Political and Constitutional Reform.
• New Labour policies and actions

  • Constitutional Reform; Human Rights Act 1998; Devolution; Constitutional Reform Act 2005; Greater London Authority Act 2000.
  • Increased Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners.
  • Introduced Jobseekers Allowance and Jobcentre Plus schemes as part of 'welfare to work'.
  • Sure Start - 12 hours a week free nursery for 2 to 4 year olds.
  • Extended school career from 4 to 18.
  • Introduced literacy and numeracy hours in schools.
  • Education Maintenance Allowance - £10 to £30 per week to encourage post-16 education for low income households.
• Labour policies and ideas today

  • Economy; centre-left want pragmatic view including targets to reduce public sector debt; left want high public spending to promote investment and job growth.
  • Social Justice; centre-left want mild redistribution of income; left want radical tax reforms.
  • Industry; centre-left want private industry; left want nationalised industry.
  • Both support welfare state; but centre-left want to cap abuse; left want to abolish tuition fees.
  • Foreign Policy; centre-left support NATO; left support isolationism.
  • Constitutional Reform; centre-left want elected Lords.
• Labour Party Factions

  • Far Left and Momentum; led by Corbyn and McDonnell; supported Corbyn's leadership; contains 'Old Labour' democratic socialists and even Marxists; support policies such as wealth redistribution; public ownership; control of private rents.
  • 'Blairism' and Social Democracy; belief in 'New Labour' policies; centrist and moderate; oppose Left policies.
  • Blue Labour; strong support for working class; support for Brexit; socially-conservative; blamed loss of Labour voters to UKIP in 2015; 'British Jobs for British Workers'; anti-immigration; opposes big business.