While hardly of the same historical significance, it was somehow appropriate that Margaret Thatcher’s death and Tony Blair’s first major intervention into British politics since leaving office both occurred in the same week. When asked about her most important legacy, the former prime minister is alleged to have responded: ‘New Labour’. The degree to which …

For those of us of a certain age, watching the BBC programme screened on the night of Margaret Thatcher’s death was like watching a film about all our yesterdays. Political events help to define a generation, and it was all there – her 1979 victory and the words, ironic in the light of what was …

‘Death is not the end,’ a poet writes, ‘Death is the credits rolling. The movie was over a while ago.’ The Thatcher era wasn’t brought to a close with the death of Margaret Thatcher. The end came with the election of Tony Blair. Yes, there were hangovers. The social scars of Thatcherism were so deep …

Labour does not really care about the plight of the middle class In early 1996 I tried to become Labour’s parliamentary candidate for north Dorset. I was unsuccessful and I have never tried for a seat since; I have absolutely no intention of standing for one again. However, I do remember my speech at the …

Rightwing populism has been on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic. Where is its leftwing counterpart, asks Anthony Painter BIRMINGHAM city council faces monumental cuts and, following last year’s local elections, is now led by a Labour administration. Through absolutely no fault of its own – the numbers are terrifying – Labour now …

David Cameron’s modernisation of the Tory party has failed. Just look at the debate on same-sex marriage You can tell a great deal about a political party by the candidates it selects for a by-election. In 1987, for example, the Labour party proved its ‘red rose’ makeover was merely cosmetic by selecting Deirdre Wood for …

It is news to no one that we are living in the toughest economic times for generations. The credit crunch and double-dip recession have pushed household budgets to breaking point. Today’s report from the Bank of England shows that inflation is expected to rise to at least three per cent by the summer, while yesterday’s …

Ed Miliband starts the year with a 10-point lead over the Tories and with support over 40 per cent – an important breakthrough. I was pleased to see that his speech to the Fabians on Saturday was not at all triumphalist, but focused on beginning to flesh out the idea of One Nation. Many of …

One of the most surprising things about George Osborne’s omnishambles budget statement was that it undermined his reputation as a canny – some might say devious – political operator. The autumn statement has gone some way to restoring this reputation. His proposal to cap benefit payment increases has set a potential trap for Labour. We …

A young Labour leader argues for Britain to be rebuilt as ‘one nation’, a country in which each citizen is ‘valued and has a stake’.  Not Ed Miliband’s conference speech this year, but Tony Blair on a cold December morning in Stockwell in 1997.  Tomorrow marks exactly 15 years since Blair gave a boldly ambitious …