New Labour’s Pasts: The Labour Party and Its Discontents

The policies and choices taken by New Labour in power demonstrate that its understanding of the party’s past continues to inform the government’s and party’s identity, outlook, programme and strategy.New Labour’s Pasts locates the origins and distinguishing features of New Labour in this troubled past of ‘old Labour’. The failings of the Wilson and Callaghan governments, internal disharmony and electoral defeats in the 1980s and 1990s have created a powerful legacy of failure. Profoundly affected by this past, New Labour is resolutely determined not to repeat it.This timely and fascinating assessment of New Labour investigates the government’s relationship with the US, the role of New Labour in the context of the broader evolution of social democracy in Europe and the shared goals of Blair and Brown, as well as the tensions between them and other key new Labour figures.