End of term report - Labour

Having lost the reins of power and a leader (albeit a less than popular one) in such a short space of time, the Labour party could be forgiven for going through a period of introspection, after all the Conservative party had one lasting six or seven years after their defeat in 1997. They have, however, managed the rather difficult job of conducting the leadership campaign at the same time as doing rather a good job of holding the new government to account. All of this while avoiding the traditional Labour post-election defeat activity of consuming itself in a damaging internecine conflict.

Admittedly, the Conservatives and particularly the Lib Dems have made this rather easier than it might have been, but as Yakubu will tell you it is still possible to miss an open goal! Ed Balls has not gotten enough credit in my eyes, for holding Michael Gove to account for the numerous slip ups since he took over at the Department for Education. Harriet Harman and Jack Straw, although not the most polished of performers at the Dispatch Box, have done credibly well against David Cameron and Nick Clegg, who have found the transition from asking the questions to answering them rather trickier than they anticipated.

Others getting honourable mentions include David Miliband for his response to Cameron’s recent foreign policy rhetoric and Andy Burnham for his campaigning against Andrew Lansley’s health ‘reforms.’ Overall, the impression the voters are getting is one of a party with some renewed vigour, if not as of yet some sparkly new policy ideas. They will (hopefully) come, however, when a new leader is elected and the direction of the party is set.

And the polls seem to be heading in the right direction for the party. Up around seven or eight points since the election, they are now in the strange position of being capable of being the largest party in the Commons after a general election, while still a few points behind the Conservatives. This, as well as the rise in the Tory numbers, is probably a result of the those on the left and right fringes of the Lib Dems peeling off, either in protest at the coalition or deciding to support the (obviously) more senior partner.

As Ed Balls says in today’s times, though ‘...while we must win back voters lost to the Lib Dems, we must be not let the Tories off the hook.’

P