Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock these last few days, or like the majority of this country you’ve become so disgruntled by the feeling of disenfranchisement you’ve become completely politically apathetic (in which case I don’t blame you), you may have noticed a big red socialist party going on in Brighton this week. The end of the summer has always been marked by the start of the party conference season, first it was the turn of the Liberal Democrats in Bournemouth, this week it was Labours turn in sunny Brighton and next week will see the Tory party descend upon Manchester for their annual hurrah. Of course thou this year there is an added incentive for the party faithful to attend the drama of the conferences, as we begin to slowly creep towards the general election of 2010 next June.
This week Gordon Brown, embattled by the winds of economic fate, two foreign wars and sliding opinion polls, placed himself once again in the vanguard of socialists everywhere and announced that the great Labour ‘fight back’ was on. After a barnstorming speech by the Prince of Darkness, Peter Mandelson himself on Monday, Brown’s speech was going to have to be a winner, yet once again the PM failed to deliver. The speech was full of fine and fiery political rhetoric detailing Labour’s successes and the people who had engendered them, but it was severely lacking in substance and specifics.
FINANCE
In his speech Brown continued his attack on corporate banks and business banks suggesting that a lack of morals, not deregulation, had brought the UK’s financial system to the brink of collapse. The PM also announced his intention to create a 1bn investments corporation which will provide finance for growing manufacturers and small business, yet the PM failed to elaborate on where the funds for this new scheme will come from. Both Brown and Darling also announced a whole raft of regulations which will attempt to control and tackle the UK’s burgeoning bonus culture, once again the specifics of this legislation were sadly lacking.
CRIME
Back in 1997 Labour’s stance on this issue was ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime,’ it now seems that Gordon is trying to recapture this sentiment, but after 12 years of ASBO’s and rising crime, can a new raft of Labour anti-social behaviour legislation really make an impact? In his speech the PM stated his intention to fight all anti-social behaviour ‘wherever and whenever it occurs.’ He also guaranteed residents that the police would respond within 48 hours of an inquiry. He also announced Labour’s intention to double spending on ‘intervention programmes’ for an estimated 50,000 problem families. Once again fine sentiments, but with no real details on how these programme would work, and more importantly how they will be funded.
VOTING REFORM
Possibly the most important issue in UK politics right now is the notion of mass voting reform. In his speech Brown announced his intention to hold a referendum to debate changing the first-past-the-post system in favour of a candidate ranking system. The PM also announced his intention to reform the House of Lords into an elected second house. The Prime Minister also stated that constituents would be given the power to impeach and remove corrupt officials. Considering Brown’s opposition to these ideas in the past, one can’t but think that these policies are designed entirely to sway a disillusioned populace and an out of favour Labour party.
The fight is definitely on...
Brown knows that he’s on his way out, so can say whatever he likes. He could promise a pink elephant for every child, knowing that he’d never have to deliver. Fitted kitchens for all, independence for Cornwall, free hire car on every holiday, he could go on and on….