Cruddas: 'Labour is paralysed by defeatism' » Central Government » 24dash.com

Accessibility Menu

Cruddas: 'Labour is paralysed by defeatism'

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Central Government
Wednesday 9th September 2009 - 9:00am

Cruddas: 'Labour is paralysed by defeatism' Cruddas: 'Labour is paralysed by defeatism'

Other Central Government stories

Labour is "paralysed by defeatism" and no longer empathises with its core supporters, leading backbencher Jon Cruddas warned the party.

With just weeks to go until the autumn party conference, he attacked Labour's lack of radicalism and warned of heavy defeat at the next General Election.

Mr Cruddas said many in the party felt "despair", had lost their optimism and were "meekly accepting" an imminent Tory landslide.

The Dagenham MP asked: "What does Labour stand for any more?

"There are plenty of initiatives and announcements, but no sense of animating purpose - and thus, as yet, no compelling case for re-election."

In a speech to the left-wing pressure group Compass last night he called for "tax justice" including the index-linking of benefits, pensions and the minimum wage.

He also demanded a "graduate solidarity tax" and new windfall and transaction taxes, as well as resetting capital gains taxes.

And in a sign of frustration among Labour MPs at the failure to successfully and consistently attack the Tories he said: "For me the question is why can we not lay a glove on them? We are mute.

"I would suggest it is because we have lost our language, our empathy, our generosity; because we have retreated into a philosophical framework of the right."

Mr Cruddas said the parliamentary Labour Party was "dazed and disorientated" and stressed his comments were not merely part of an internal debate but about protecting society from the Tories.

He added: "This is about protecting the most vulnerable through proudly defending a notion of a modern social democracy.

"It is only be returning to our traditions, our language and our radicalism that we can confront this very dangerous force."

Comments

No comments yet...

Be the first and post your views below.

Please Login to comment

To comment you must be logged in. You can either Login or Register

Latest jobs

Shoreline Housing PartnershipAsset Investment Manager

Rate: up to £43,680
Type: Permanent
Location: Yorkshire & Humberside

Shoreline Housing PartnershipHome Options Officer

Rate: up to £19,983
Type: Contract
Location: Yorkshire & Humberside

Vicinity Housing GroupClerical Officer

Rate: £14,733 - £15,728 pa (Band 3)
Type: Permanent
Location: North West

Campbell TickellExecutive Director - Finance

Rate: £95,000 plus benefits
Type: Permanent
Location: Eastern (inc. Herts and Essex)


Find and search more jobs in our Jobs Section...

Latest 24dash poll

What will be the biggest single issue facing social housing providers in 2010?






Previous polls

Latest blog posts

timkidson

"The couple"

Published by timkidson

For SME’s including family businesses, the most powerful and groundbreaking work to generate business success often...

jonathonporritt

"Time to press the panic button?"

Published by jonathonporritt

Apologies for the six weeks blog-oliday. Put it down to Copenhagen blues! I’m still reeling from the surreal sight of...

Yvonne Hutchinson

"RSL, RPL, What’s the difference?"

Published by Yvonne Hutchinson

I’ve just read the Communities and Local Government paper, The private rented sector: professionalism and quality...