Welcome to the review of our year on Progress
This was the year all those working hard on the ground to win a Labour majority in May 2015, and make the coalition government a one-term government, learned how far the party had fallen short in its bid for government. Polling day was then followed by one of the most surprising elections in the history not just of the Labour party but of British politics. Over the course of the last parliament the Tories’ attacks on our party were reinforced by the lack of celebration or defence of Labour’s achievement in power; thus now too many lack the confidence to feel the party has the ability to improve people’s lives when in government.
The most leftwing thing any Labour member can aspire to is to win power and reshape the country along leftwing values; this is the reason so many of us join the Labour party. Over nine million people voted Labour in May; falling short means those families relying on a Labour government to abolish the bedroom tax are still paying the price for the Tories’ decisions and the unequal impact of the financial crash. Progress continues to believe that the United Kingdom is always better off under Labour, and that Labour owes it to the British people to present a genuine and attractive alternative to the Conservatives’ narrow agenda.
The situation in the party is a truly unique situation. Progress will always campaign for a Labour government, but while as a party Labour cannot avoid talking about losing, neither can those of us who supported losing candidates this summer. The future of the centre-left has never been in more flux, yet more important. It is incumbent on us to refind our radicalism and become modernisers again. Our politics should be more inclusive, built with new people, friends and allies. The Next Left should be the result of rigorous debate and active inclusion of the blue Labour tradition, the ‘old right’ in the party and those traditionally at home in Progress. It will embrace thinking from social democrats abroad and the ‘soft left’ at home. It will be informed by practice in town and city halls across the country. And it will have in its sights winning the hearts and minds of the party so we can put Labour values into policy and Labour policy into action.
We welcome Alison McGovern MP as our new chair, and thank John Woodcock MP and Stephen Twigg MP for their respective service as chair and honorary president and the team of vice-chairs who served between 2010-2015.
We hope you enjoy our selection of some of the highlights from Progress this year, featuring content from our usual monthly Progress magazine, and the Progress website itself updated daily with views and comment on Labour and British politics, and highlights from big events this year such as Progress annual conference and our events at Labour party conference.
If you are not yet a member of Progress then sign up here to be the first to receive Progress magazine and receive discounted entry to our events. If you are interested in writing for Progress and contributing to the discussion about Labour’s way forward then please get in touch with us here.
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NEWS, EVENTS AND CAMPAIGNS
PROGRESS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Check out the audio from the year’s Progress annual conference here, and follow what happened at the events on our Storify page.
You can also listen again to all our events throughout the year, from all those at Labour party conference (here), including our Progress West Midlands conference with Tristram Hunt MP, Emma Reynolds MP and Jess Phillips MP, Let It Go with Liz Kendall MP and Lisa Nandy MP and In Conversation with Tony Blair.
WINNING FOR LABOUR
OPERATION FLIGHT
On 10 January this year Progress members set off on Operation Flight to campaign in seats sitting Conservative members were abandoning after just one parliament, three of which Labour eventually won in May. Director of Progress Richard Angell explained Progress’ new campaign to capitalise on the coalition MPs abandoning their seats.
THREE SEATS CHALLENGE
We continued to put great emphasis on the value of campaigning, joining the Three Seats Challenge, the brainchild of our director Richard Angell.
The Three Seats Challenges took place right across the country, and included the mammoth Seven-day Three Seats Challenge. Going out knocking on doors right across England and Wales across a single week in February ahead of the general election, the challenge’s grand totals were: engaged 321 activists, 717 volunteer hours, 5,105 contacts made. Six of the seats were eventually recovered by Labour in May.
This was followed up by the Lab7Scots blitz of campaigning in seven seats in two days in Scotland, including Edinburgh South, the only constituency Labour held in May.
THE FUTURE OF LABOUR’S CENTRE-LEFT: THE PROGRESS GRASSROOTS TOUR
The future of Labour’s centre-left Writing following the grassroots event in Brighton and Hove, leader of the council Warren Morgan argu
ed that the city needs both aspiration and a challenge to economic inequality
Labour must not vacate the centre-ground To put principles into practice we must have the right policies, reflected Naushabah Khan
Time for Labour to focus on the big ideas for 2020 William Bain said that if we can show we have learned the lessons from our 2010 and 2015 defeats, history shows us victory in 2020 is possible
FIVE YEARS OF PROGRESS
In March director of Progress Richard Angell reflected on five years of working for a Labour majority over the course of the 2010-15 parliament. During that time Progress took on tour the Refounding Labour consultation, The Purple Book, the New Centre-ground pamphlet, The Purple Papers and the Campaign for a Labour Majority. Every event was open to all Labour party members.
We were the first Labour organisation to formally rule out ever organising all-male panels. We are proud signatories to the Labour Women’s Network #PowerPledge and encourage others to do the same.
We had speakers at our events from Community Union, CWU, GMB, TSSA, TUC, UnionLearn, Unions21, Unison, Unite the Union and Usdaw. Our staff have spoken at events for Community Union, CWU and Unions21. The general secretaries of TSSA and the TUC have written for our magazine, alongside both Michael Leahy and Roy Rickhuss from Community. John Hannett of Usdaw has been interviewed for the magazine.
We ran events in partnership with Chinese for Labour, Christians on the Left, the Fabian Society, Jewish Labour Movement, Labour Finance and Industry Group, Labour Friends of Sure Start, Labour Movement for Europe, Labour party Irish Society, Labour Students, LGBT Labour and Sera. We worked with LabourList, Labour Uncut, Left Foot Forward and Southern Front as event media partners.
WINNING WITH WOMEN
We continued our Winning With Women series of work, with the event in January Winning With Women: Writing for a political audience with Kirsty McNeill and Jacqui Smith
Post-election research conducted by Progress revealed that, had Labour won all of its target seats in England and Wales, there would be 30 more women sitting in the House of Commons.
Director of Progress Richard Angell reported the findings here. See here for the full report and here for the data.
The great undecided At the start of the year, Martha Dalton launched her campaign to ensure that women were registered to vote
Ten years of women’s empowerment and still growing Paulina Jakubec reflected on 10 years of the Fabian Women’s Network
IWD: Scrapping the HRA is another coalition attack on women On International Women’s Day, Ailar Hashemzadeh argued that withdrawal from the European Comvention on Human rights would impact unduly on women
The politics of motherhood This event at Labour party conference, held with bpas, was a well-attended event which many in the audience found compelling, and is well worth a listen
Gender equality needed at all levels in politics The United Kingdom is still behind many of our European neighbours in terms of women’s representation in parliament, said Nan Sloane
How Europe is fighting violence against women Mary Honeyball MEP reported on the efforts being made by Labour members of the European parliament to combat gender-based violence
Closing the gender pay gap once and for all That 45 years after the Equal Pay Act was introduced we still have to raise the issue of women and low pay is incredibly frustrating, wrote Ruth Cadbury MP
IN PROGRESS MAGAZINE AND ONLINE
BEDTIME: TIME TO PUT THE LAST LABOUR GOVERNMENT TO BED
Kitty Ussher, Jacqui Smith, Anne Begg, Stephen Twigg and Mike Gapes assess how Labour did. Richard Angell explains the motivation for this new assessment, and argues that the last Labour government should be the inspiration to be in government again – not the inspiration for the next government.
IS SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT SPREADING?
Lewis Baston charts Labour’s electoral fortunes between 1992 and 2015, discovering a small but surprising improvement in the party’s standing in the south-east of England – but increasing ‘Midlands Misery’ for Labour in the heart of England.
FACE-OFF: WHO WILL LABOUR’S NEXT OPPONENT BE?
A leading cast of Labour commentators examine the names in the frame to lead the Tory party at the 2020 election. They profile George Osborne, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Sajid Javid, Amber Rudd … and David Cameron. Will the Tories opt for a ‘steady as she goes’ candidate, or pick a moderniser to renew under?
LET IT GO: POWER TO THE PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SERVICES
Liz Kendall and Steve Reed interviewed five innovators working on the frontline of today’s public services to find out how change can be brought about to improve the quality of services by putting power in the hands of people – and doing so in an era of spending constraints. Download at: prog.rs/letitgo
PREPARING FOR POWER
Although Labour did not win in May, former editor of LabourList Mark Ferguson wrote a valuable essay on how the Labour party can renew itself in power
PROGRESS EDITORIAL
Labour’s missing project The final editorial of the year sought to kick off what it argued needs to be an integral debate for Labour: developing a distinct economic project for power
Into the unknown In October, the editorial invited readers to journey ‘into the unknown’ through a project of modernisation for Labour to 2020, 2025 or 2040
Beware the chimera of ‘unity’ Successful parties are those which are intellectually vibrant
COLUMNS
Jamie Reed MP the Last Word column, some of the most read articles of the year
Former home secretary Jacqui Smith continued her Monday Politics column
THE PROGRESSIVE
The new Spanish Inquisition The meaninglessness of terms like ‘neoliberal’ reveals Labour’s deep intellectual fragility
Make Labour history A view from 2020 – how David Cameron and George Osborne systematically destroyed the Labour party
Foe, not friend The Green party plays no part in Labour’s progressive politics
THE DEBATE
Should Labour back TTIP? Emma Reynolds MP and Cat Smith MP debate the pending transatlantic trade agreement
Could ‘PQE’ work? Richard Murphy and John Mann MP debate ‘people’s quantitative easing’
Split the difference? Andy Kerr and Gemma Doyle on whether Scottish Labour should split from the Labour party
LETTER FROM …
Letter from … Berlin Is there any hope in sight for a Social Democrat victory at Germany’s next federal election, asked William Bain
Letter from … Canada Claudia Chwalisz reported on the Canadian Liberals’ general election victory
Letter from … Valletta Prime minister of Malta Joseph Muscat outlined the progress his country has made since the Labor party finally returned to power there
COMMENTARY
Words are not enough Labour has been here before on Syria, wrote Robert Philpot
An economy of resilience and purpose Until we win the war of ideas, the policies will fail, warned Stephen Kinnock MP
Common purpose Tom Bentley presented three things Labour can learn from Australian Labor’s experience of minority government
PROGRESSIVE REVIEWS
Why the Tories Won How they did it should not have come as much of a surprise as many found it, wrote former general secretary of the Labour party Margaret McDonagh
Against the Grain In Norman Baker, Charles Pooter lives, found Paul Richards
British Liberal Leaders Roger Liddle reviewed a seminal book on the leaders of the Liberal party
British Labour and Conservative Leaders Richard Carr enjoyed books which interrogate the very nature of political leadership
Privy to the privy council Jacqui Smith was not convinced that the privy council should not evolve itself out of existence
CARTOONS ON PROGRESS
Cartoonist Adrian Teal captured some of the moments of the year for The Insider column
View them all here
THE PROGRESS INTERVIEW
Angela Eagle MP: ‘I want us to be a governing party’
Mary Creagh MP: ‘Je ne regrette rien’
Gordon Aikman: ‘It’s restored my faith in politics’
John Hannett: Strong words, softly spoken
Check out too our interviews with deputy leadership candidates and the Labour leadership candidates
READERS’ FAVOURITES
The three most-read articles on the Progress website this year were: former parliamentary candidate for Warrington South Nick Bent‘s article Five years on the frontline and six tests for our new leader; Joe Goldberg‘s open letter to Ken Livingstone following the latter’s remarks about the 7/7 bombings; and Rock bottom by Peter Kellner, in which he asked, following the general election result: why should we think Labour has hit rock bottom?
PICK OF THE REST
The Corbyn universe James Bloodworth profiled the hard-left networks now reaching into the Labour party
Click for larger view
RESPONSIBLE CAPITALISM
The December edition of Progress was dedicated to the theme identified by Ed Miliband – ‘responsible capitalism’. Tristram Hunt MP, Claudia Chwalisz, Ann Pettifor, Ben Andradi, Liam Byrne and Patrick Diamond kicked off the conversation about building a new economic project for Labour.
Modernising modernisers As we change, if it is not hurting, it is not working, wrote Richard Angell
Staying power Olivia Bailey considered the lessons for today from Dianne Hayter‘s book Fightback!
One hundred per cent of nothing Paul Farrelly MP on what John Golding’s book Hammer of the Left can tell us now
Militant’s modus operandi Richard Angell examined Michael Crick’s book Militant to rediscover the three-part process Militant followed to take over local Labour parties
Power of speech Thirty years after Neil Kinnock’s Bournemouth speech, Robert Philpot recalled the fight to save the Labour party from the hard left
A question of liberty The trade union bill must be defeated, wrote Frances O’Grady
Return to sender Field ops still matter in tight fights, said Caroline Badley
Why Women Need Quotas Kat Stark on the persuasive economic arguments in favour of quotas
Britain 2020 – We considered what the Britain of 2020 is likely to be like – and therefore how Labour should prepare. With Parmjit Dhanda, Naushabah Khan and Ben Shimson; Karin Smyth, Sarah Hayward and Alison McGovern MP; David Coats, Victoria Groulef and Roy Rickhuss; Anthony Painter, Neal Lawson and Catherine Stihler MEP
In the wake of the Paris attacks, an array of experts commented on their implications. Renaud Thillaye warned progressives against simplistic narratives (Read>); Claude Moraes MEP monitored the reaction at European Union level (Read>); Mary Creagh MP argued that the longer we leave defeating Isis, the harder it will be (Read>); Angela Smith
MP wrote about understanding what ‘shoot to kill’ actually means (Read>); Hazel Blears commented on the challenges of preventing future attacks (Read>); Jacqui Smith said that solidarity and internationalism need to mean more than putting a French flag on our Facebook profiles Read>.
Mental health must never be a political playground We must take on those who make discriminatory comments about mental health, said Jack Falkingham in the wake of Ken Livingstone’s attacks on Kevan Jones
Leading on mental health Caroline Penn considered the appointment of Luciana Berger as shadow cabinet minister for mental health
Corbyn’s kebabs with sectarians Gary Kent called on Jeremy Corbyn not to attend the Stop the War Coalition Christmas dinner
UK science needs the EU Daniel Mayhew commented on Scientists for EU’s report on the benefits to science of remaining in the European Union
Appreciating Labour’s past is not the same as idolising it Christabel Cooper argued that a continuation of the principles of the last Labour government must be about developing new policies which are as game-changing as the minimum wage and tax credits, but are relevant to 2020, not 1997
As remote a prospect as playing in the Premier League Without a groundswell of opinion, politicians will not be impelled to take proper action on housing, said Thomas Neumark
Why I joined Progress: a confession I joined Progress to set my stall out, do my bit, and feel I can fight Labour’s corner alongside others that share my politics and views on how we might win power back and actually deliver social justice that is so needed, wrote Michelle Beckett
No way to Galloway Dawn Butler MP said that, as chair of the women’s parliamentary Labour party, she was sure that there would be an almighty revolt if George Galloway were readmitted to the Labour party
Time for action on steel, not more summits Jude Kirton-Darling MEP discussed the British government’s missed opportunities to help the steel industry
Steel industry needs the government to show some mettle If the government can find the will, it is not too late, argued Anna Turley MP
Some antisemitic trends ensure. Our responsibility is collective In this new, fast-paced and better-connected world we must be very careful not to repeat the mistakes of the past, warned John Mann MP
The struggle continues Roger Berry reflected on 20 years since the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act
The mask slips The right to strike must be defended, said Ruth Smeeth MP
Business, unions, campaigners and Labour on the same page With so many united on support to renewables, the government should listen, argued Andrew Pakes and Melanie Smallman
Living like it’s 1957 Karen Buck MP on her private member’s bill to give legal rights to tenants to take action against the landlord when properties are in an unfit condition
Labour isn’t working: what Labour centrists should do next There are big policy issues on which a Labour centrist approach is missing, wrote Emran Mian of Social Market Foundation
Is May planning to ‘do a Merkel?’ The Tory men have taken by surprise before – by Margaret Thatcher, reflected Sally Gimson
‘Political action is both necessary and worthwhile’ Nick Thomas-Symonds MP reflected on Denis Healey’s life following the former chancellor’s death
Neither the Old nor New Labour comfort zone Leader of the Scottish Labour party Kezia Dugdale MSP addressed the Progress Rally at Labour party conference
The kindness of fog In the England where I live – a Midlands village where industrial shells still stand empty, and the canal signs point to Preston – Labour are lost, reflected Kate Godfrey
You sneer if you want to, the country’s not for sneering Mark Rusling responded to Jon Cruddas’ speech on an English Labour party
Liberalism deserved better Liberalism needs contextualising for the 21st century, wrote Emma Burnell
Labour’s austerity bind Labour allowed everyone to give its spending plans whatever name they liked, writes Hopi Sen
Why we have set up SME4Labour Ibrahim Dogus on the foundation of SME4Labour
Tax credits support families Sally Keeble anticipated the backlash with this article in June
More ‘Midlands Misery’ Leon Spence considered Lewis Baston’s findings showing Labour is slipping further behind in the Midlands
We’re all better off when we’re all better off Jess Phillips MP‘s address to Progress West Midland conference
One step forward, two steps back Siobhain McDonagh MP presented five things you need to know about the 2015 election – and five about 2020
A generation out of power? Melanie Ward and Jamie Glackin shared 10 thoughts for Scottish Labour’s new leader and deputy leader
The choice before Labour If we ever want to get back into power we need to be a lot more humble in the face of our defeat, said Nora Mulready
Cult logic We are the true guardians of the spirit of 1945, wrote John Woodcock MP
The trade unionist who helped save the Labour party Dianne Hayter reflected on the life of Bill Sirs
We can do so much better on child poverty That includes David Cameron, wrote Alison Garnham
The message and the messenger Bob Blizzard considered the lessons from the 2015 general election campaign
We cannot let down those risking their lives As a progressive party, Labour is always going to be the party in parliament which leads the way in highlighting injustice, wrote Thangam Debonnaire MP
Starter for 10 Stephen Bush investigated how Labour succeeded in the 10 gains it made from the Tories last month
A Clause One moment Dan Jarvis MP‘s address to Progress annual conference in May
The fight for workers’ rights knows no borders Stephen Russell warned that 62 workers will die for each game played at the 2022 world cup
Letter from … Croydon Central Sarah Jones reflected on Labour’s narrowest miss in a target seat in May
The politics of delusion Robert Philpot considered the delusions that long ran amok within the Labour party
Why Labour lost For the sake of the future of the Labour party it is time that younger generations spoke clearly on the future of the party, said Daniel Sleat
It was Labour that shifted the centre-ground Jack Kessler on the power of being in government
Ukipism north of the border The characterisation of the Scottish National party as a party of the left quite simply holds no water, argued George Foulkes
Anonymity argument threatens to turn back the clock Vera Baird QC again took on attempts to provide anonymity in sexual offences investigations
The ramifications of Tower Hamlets Sara Ibrahim commented on the judgement rendering the Tower Hamlets mayoral election invalid
Chilled out The Lobbying Act is silencing the voices of non-party campaigners, writes Stephen Bubb
Sex, storks and gooseberry bushes Frances Rehal recalled the success of starting up the first Sure Start programme in Kent
The lobotomised parliament The reward for the victors of the 2010 general election was paid in a devalued currency, argued Paul Flynn MP
Why Vote Green: The Essential Guide The Greens featured in this book attempt to paper over the policy cracks by adopting a morally superior tone, found Felicity Slater
Punished for pursuing a European future Western leaders must stop acting as moderators and start behaving like an ally to Ukraine, said Jamie Milne
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Thanks to everyone who has been part of an extraordinary year in the history of the Labour party. We look forward to working with you all again in 2016.
If you are not yet a member of Progress then sign up here to be the first to receive Progress magazine and receive discounted entry to our events. If you are interested in writing for Progress and contributing to the discussion about Labour’s way forward then please get in touch with us here.