Much ink has been spilled, or keys tapped, about what Andy Burnham’s priorities should be and who should be appointed to which jobs (often not exactly disinterested proposals!) Adding my tuppence worth won’t do any harm.
In this media age much depends on the impression that is given rather than what is actually done. Rachel Reeves is supposedly liked by the international markets because she gives an impression of firmness and stability, even though she has actually made some policy mistakes. This government has done good things, such as reducing child poverty and putting more resources into the NHS, but U-turns on various policies and a failure to communicate well what is being done has given an impression of weakness and ineffectiveness.
Getting things done
Perhaps one of the most important abilities in any government is the ability to get things done. Almost two hundred years ago Dickens satirised the Civil Service in his “Ministry of Circumlocution” where proposals go round and round and nothing actually happens. We could be forgiven for thinking the same thing is still happening. Keir Starmer complained that he pulled the levers of power and nothing happened.
Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood are both effective ministers who do manage to achieve results. We are progressing fast on net zero whether you agree with it or not, and Shabana has got a grip on the Home Office, a notoriously difficult department to manage, and seems to be doing something about the immigration issue, both legal and illegal. This really is a toxic issue, and a failure to deal effectively with it could sabotage the rest of the government’s programme. Important decisions on issues such as benefits, defence, End of Life Care get squeezed out by concerns over immigration. Shabana’s approach has certainly sent out a strong impression of firmness.
The Treasury is another department which is difficult to control, always concerned about short term balancing of the books rather than longer term benefits. Shabana would be a good choice as chancellor to get a grip on it and inspire confidence in the wider world. We shall have to wait and see.
Devolution
Another priority is devolving power. All well and good. There seems to be agreement in the Labour Party about this. Where it gets complicated is when there is talk about having an office in Manchester. Firstly, the North is not just Manchester. People in our part of the world get fed up when the perception of the North is that it stops at Manchester and Leeds. Lands further north are ignored. I was made aware of this in an entirely different context. I was giving a talk on nature conservation for the Woodland Trust, and mentioned government initiatives such as ‘The Great Northern Forest’. When you look at a map, however, you realise that “North” stops at Manchester and Leeds. Anything north of the Tees is not mentioned.
It is not just MPs in other parts of the North that Andy must worry about. About half of Labour MPs only entered Parliament at the last election, and many of these represent “non-traditional” Labour seats in the Midlands and South. There is also a large and vocal contingent from London. Andy Burnham may work out a fair devolution policy, but again it is the impression that counts. If people think everything is centred on Manchester, then many of these new MPs will feel they are in danger of losing their seats.
Hard choices
About half of the current contingent of Labour MPs only entered Parliament two years ago. They have not got much experience. Many are also anxious to make a name for themselves. Difficult decisions have to be made, such as improving defence and also to deal with the ballooning benefits bill, not just to save money, but also for the benefit of young people, many of whom are being demoralised by being condemned to a life on benefits. These issues will mean hard choices, and MPs may have to stomach difficult decisions. The last attempt to reform benefits by Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves was handled badly, but a large cohort of MPs refused to vote for it and it had to be abandoned. This must not happen again.
Discipline
Any proposal must be properly thought out and discussed with MPs first, but when it is finally formalised, MPs must observe discipline. If they do not, then the government will appear weak and unable to solve difficult problems. Similarly with defence and Immigration. In the 1930s the pacifist leader of the party, George Lansbury was told by Ernest Bevin to “stop hawking your conscience around” when Lansbury opposed rearming against the Nazi threat. When difficult issues arise Labour MPs should take heed of this advice and think of the party and overnment first.
Opportunities
This government has an opportunity to be one of the country’s great reforming governments. Previous governments have failed to get to grips with the problems of an unsustainable benefits budget, the need for greater defence spending, the reform of social care, and the need to deal effectively with both illegal and legal immigration. We now look as if we have a government that will tackle these issues, but it needs to take both its MPs and the wider public with it. Not an easy task. People need to regain confidence that governments can solve problems.
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