Here's a link to an excellent article on the Progress website by Alan Laing on the latest proposals for a code of conduct for the alcohol industry.

 http://progressonline.org.uk/Magazine/article.asp?a=3431

Progress launches its Party Conference as usual with the Annual Rally, but this year it's much bigger with 12 speakers including 10 Cabinet Ministers and will be competing to be the 'must attend' event of the weekend.

Full details of the Rally, and the rest of our packed fringe programme, can be found here >  

 

Guido is reporting that the statement below will be released by Progress tomorrow.

It is not from the usual suspects, but some sensible people such as Karen Buck, Patricia Hewitt, Stephen Ladyman, Martin Linton, Margaret Moran and Tom Levitt.

Phrases like:
"have no explanation yet as to how we are going to steer the economy through the troubled waters ahead"

"Labour needs to provide a convincing new narrative"

"But one-off taxes and payouts, no matter how justified in their own terms, do not amount to a strategy"

Will no doubt raise some eyebrows.

In itself it actual makes much sense. In my opinion anyway.

The worldwide signs of its decline are inescapable

Here's a quote from the speech:

On The Progressive, read Ed Thornton's report on last night's Progress-Policy Exchange debate with Yvette Cooper, Jonathan Freedland, Anthony Browne and Jeremy Hunt ...

There are 723 days remaining until the last possible day on which the next general election could be held. That's just less than two years. There's a stolid feeling in the air, oddly reminiscent of 1995, the stench of defeat looms, resignation and depression reign supreme. However, unlike 1995, the election has not been lost yet, a fourth term is not beyond our reach, as long as we act now. The clock is ticking, and as the seconds go by, the time to save the party from Opposition and the nation from years of Tory incompetence is fading away.It is to that end that the Party requires a programme of reinvgoration, a reassertion of its principles,  and I'm sorry to say it, but a change in leadership.

'One hundred and sixty-seven years ago, a man who was soon to become a Conservative prime minister said: ‘The duty of an opposition is, very simply, to oppose everything and propose nothing.'

Of course, every opposition in recent history has grabbed the chance to cause trouble for the government by opposing everything that ministers put forward - even if it is right. But some issues are too important to be played with in this way. The decision this week on 42 days pre-charge detention is undoubtedly one of them ... '

All the latest articles, columns and blogs at progressonline.org.uk ...

Brendan Barber gave a thoughtful and considered speech to Progress last night which is available here:

http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-14830-f0.cfm

Far from blasting the Government as some newspapers have suggested today, he provides a clear direction of how Labour can win.  I've often thought that the unions have kept the Labour Party 'sensible' throughout our history, and now is no different.

A Labourhome member writes

New Labour is dead in the water; its electoral credibility has been shattered and it's time we took a long hard look in the mirror, remember what we believe in, what we joined this great party for and look to the future. Gordon is the past, and he needs to go sooner rather than later if we are to remain a force in British politics. Here's my vision for the future, not for now, not necessarily for 2010 but for the long term health of the party.

Read and comment on the latest articles, columns and blogs on Progress Online ...

This is a crunch year for Labour in local government. Whilst most of the media focus has been on the battle for control of London, we face a tough set of elections across the country defending more seats than any of the other parties. The Labour councillors and candidates I've joined on the campaign trail over the past few months have been working hard to persuade their communities that our party best represents their interests.

Writes Local Government Minister John Healey
[more...]

New to Progress Online over the past week or so - read and comment now ...

Compass and Progress are pleased to invite you to a crucial discussion on Labour's future direction entitled: Winning a fourth term: what's the road to victory? The debate is kindly hosted by the LGA Labour Group. Speakers include: Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government; Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, Former Home Secretary; Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass; Jon Trickett MP, Compass Parliamentary Spokesperson and chaired by Michael White, The Guardian (tbc). It takes place on Wednesday 19 March, 6pm-7.30pm at the Bevin Hall, Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ.

Click here to register

The statement launched by Progress today is to be welcomed. Not because they are right but because it helps spark a debate. So far its largely Compass saying that Brown needs to up his game. Now there is contestability over which direction and the more free market elements of Labour’s big tent will presumably welcome an injection of political competition.

Something for us all to think about.

 

Fast forward

We face a choice about the direction of public service reform

Philip Collins
Progress magazine
27 November 2007