Work,family,place:HowOneNationpoliticsmakesa Labourmajority ByMarcusRoberts

Electionsarentjustaboutnumbers.Aspainfulasthatisforpsephologistsand organisersaliketoadmitvotersdontactuallymakedecisionsbasedupon strategiststargetpools,pollstersmosaiccodesandstatisticianspropensity models.Insteadtheydecidewhotovoteforbaseduponbigthings:whats happeningwiththeirjob,howsafeandstrongtheyfeeltheirfamilyisand whethertheirhomeandcommunitylookstothefutureinhopeorfear. ThatswhyLabourisframingitspolicyreviewaroundtheideasofworkand familyandplace.Becausewhilstvotersmaynotrespondtothetheorists categorisationstheydorespondtowhatgenuinelymattersintheirlives:the worktheydo,thepeopletheyloveandtheplacetheylivein.Whichiswhy Labourispromotingideaslikeaworkinsteadofwelfarejobsguaranteeand workerrepresentationoncompanypayboards;supportfortheinstitutionof marriagethroughanembraceofgaymarriageandtheguaranteeofatleast25 hoursofchildcaretostrengthenfamilies;andbecausetheplacepeoplelivein isattheheartofitallahomebuildingguaranteeofatleast200,000more affordablehomesayearalongsidemorepowersforlocalcouncilstocleanup highstreetsfromantisocialbusinesseslikeloansharksandbettingshops. Thisisapolicyagendathathasgrownoutofmovementpolitics.FromLabour canvassersondoorstepstoMovementforChangeincommunitiesto parliamentarycandidatesvolunteeringwithcharities,Labourhaslistenedto votersbeyondfocusgroupsandaddedreallifestoriestotheanalysisofpolls. ForthispolicyagendawontjustcometopassthroughWestminsterlegislation alone.Ratheritwillbeenactedasmuchbytheprivatesectorandthe communityasbythestatereplacingtheoldwayofdoingpoliticstopeople withanewwayofdoingpoliticswithpeople.Workingtogether,community,

thestateandtheprivatesectorwillembedchangeinoureconomyandsociety inawaythatoutlastsevenachangeofgovernment. Butthisisntjustaboutdoingpoliticsdifferentlybecausethatsthemorally rightthingtodo.Becausetheelectoralneed,andtherationaleforawork, family,placeagendainshapingLaboursstrategy,isclear.Simplyput,towinin 2015Labourneedstoreachfor40percentofthevotetogainaworking majority.Todothis,LabourmustincreaseitsshareofC2(skilledmanual worker)voters,narrowingthegapwiththeConservatives.Thesearetheone pointofConservative/LabourswitchersMilibandneedsaspartofa40percent electoralcoalition.LabouralsoneedstodriveupturnoutamongstDEvoters (lowerskillandnonearners)whoinfartoomanycasessatoutthe2010 electiontothecostofdozensofLabourMPs.Thesearethe23pointsofnew andnonvotersthe40percentstrategyrequires.Anditneedstodoallofthis whilstretainingamajorityofpost2010LibDemtoLabourswitchersand retainingalmostallofthepartys2010vote.Thisisthe67pointLibDemto Labourswitchthathaslargelyalreadyoccurred. Addressingthecommonproblemsofallofthesegroupswithcommon solutionsintheformofwork,familyandplacecreatesapoliticsthatunites middleandworkingclassvoters. Thatswhythisisntjustworkeristpoliticsforworkingclassvoters:because insteadoftheoldpoliticsofmicrotargetingandmultiplemessagingLabour caninsteadofferaunifiedmessagethatspeakstotheconcernsofallvoters aboutthecostofliving,theirworriesaboutwelfareabuseandimmigration withoutintegration,andtheirwillingnesstosharesacrificeforthesakeofa betterfuture. Thisanalysisisinkeepingwiththeneedtotackleoneofthefundamental politicalchallengesofthisage:thegrowinggapbetweenthemiddleclassand theworkingclass.Interms,ofwealth,opportunity,votingandvoicethereisa growingcleavagebetweentheclasses.YettheGreatRecessionandthecostof livingcrisisprovideanopportunitytounitethesegroupsaroundthework, family,placeagenda.Thesearetheconcernsandaspirationscommonto liberal,progressivemiddleclassvotersandsmallcconservativeworkingclass votersalike.Thisisthepolicyagendathattacklestheirworriesandspeaksto theirhopesanddoessothroughtheactiveparticipationofthevoters themselves,thusrebuildingtrustinpoliticsitself.

Labourcanreach40percentandwinamajorityin2015withthisagendaand thesevoters.Andbysodoingitcanchangethewaypoliticsisdoneinthis country. MarcusRobertsisDeputyGeneralSecretaryoftheFabianSociety. PoliticalnotesarepublishedbyOneNationRegister.Theyareamonthly contributiontothedebatesshapingLabourspoliticalrenewal.Thearticles publisheddonotrepresentLabourspolicypositions. Tocontactpoliticalnotes,emailonenationregister@gmail.com