Blair can’t govern alone. He must learn to listen – or fail
November 17th, 2005There is a new mood in the parliamentary Labour party. Following last week’s government defeat, a great deal more has changed than just the terrorism bill. It isn’t only that the marketisation of health and education services cannot now be carried through parliament in its present form because of resistance far beyond the usual suspects. It is also clear that, on the party and union side, the multiple defeats of the platform at Labour’s annual conference and the rejection of the leadership’s candidate for general secretary betoken a new spirit of independence.




