Is the current Labour Party influenced more by Old Labour than by New Labour?
- Edexcel - A-Level Politics - Question 2 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 2
Is the current Labour Party influenced more by Old Labour than by New Labour?
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Is the current Labour Party influenced more by Old Labour than by New Labour?
- Edexcel - A-Level Politics - Question 2 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
The election and re-election of Jeremy Corbyn seeks to re-connect Labour to its traditional principles.
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Answer
The current Labour Party reflects a significant influence from Old Labour, especially with the election and re-election of Jeremy Corbyn. His leadership has aimed to reconnect with the party's foundational principles, which can be seen as a departure from the New Labour ideology established during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Step 2
Corbyn’s Labour supports greater economic intervention.
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Corbyn's agenda includes advocating for greater economic intervention and the nationalization of key industries, contrasting the market-driven approach of New Labour. This shift highlights a return to the roots of Old Labour.
Step 3
Old Labour dominates the party's national executive.
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Currently, Old Labour ideologies seem to dominate the party's national executive, as evidenced by entities like Momentum, which focus on grassroots mobilization and a return to traditional values.
Step 4
Caution regarding foreign interventions.
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Under Old Labour's influence, there is a noticeable hesitance to engage in foreign interventions, contrasting with the more interventionist New Labour approach, particularly during the Iraq War.
Step 5
New Labour's continued influence.
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Nevertheless, elements of New Labour still persist within the party, particularly in the parliamentary structure and public policies. For instance, Tony Blair's legacy and specific agenda items, such as the new Clause IV, still resonate and influence party politics.
Step 6
Conclusion.
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In conclusion, while both Old Labour and New Labour elements coexist within the current Labour Party, there is a growing inclination towards Old Labour principles under Jeremy Corbyn, which suggests an increasing influence of traditional socialist values over the more centrist and pragmatic approaches of New Labour.
