It seems to be an infallible rule that new prime ministers disappoint those who supported them. Margaret Thatcher may have said: “You turn, the lady’s not for turning”, but even she was forced by reality into U-turns on things like the poll tax. Nowadays, governments have so circumscribed their freedom of action by neoliberal policies, their cherished ambitions hardly seem […]
Manchester Labour, Liberals and Ism
What exactly is Manchesterism? And will it definitely mean a break with the neoliberal economics which have hurt everyone who isn’t megarich and have alienated so many from mainstream politics? Andy Burnham’s first speech as Labour leader made some big promises, many of them very welcome, so should we be optimistic? Sounding radical, he said Britain took wrong turnings in […]