Alan Johnson said today that Labour must be more appealing to the aspirational. I leave Labour's debates to it to pursue, but there is a deeper issue in here. Alan Johnson is undoubtedly confusing aspiration with a desire for material accumulation.
Let me be clear, a desire for material well being is natural. But it is not without limit. Only advertising has created that belief.
And aspiration is for very much more than material well being. I explored these issues extensively in The Courageous State, and offered theory based on my logic.
But suffice to say that as material well being I aspire to strong relationships, including with, but also well beyond, my family.
And I desire the intellect to understand, relate to and participate in the world of which I am a part.
And I seek to understand my purpose in that world.
These four aspirations make up a person, in my opinion.
Johnson subscribes to aspiration in the only area that can actually harm our well-being in the other areas and constrain our ability to achieve well-being in them whilst also harming the planet and so generations to come (to see how, read the book)
I reject that politics.
The fact that it has been the prevailing offering of all the major parties is precisely why, I think, most people deep down know that a great deal of politics - just like too much of the advertising nonsense that is thrown at them daily - does not relate to the world they live in.
We need a politics that speaks to the hopes of the whole person. Rather is the SNP is, like it or not.
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In fact, Johnson doesn’t mention the pursuit of wealth. Looks like you’re putting words into his mouth to construct a straw man.
You are asking me not to use my ability to interpret what is said in the contect of whoi says it, the philosophy they come from and their past?
You may be that literal
I prefer to engage using that other knowledge
Its the reflexive thought of someone who was a part of the Blair years.
It worked in the 1990’s so it’ll work again goes the train of thought.
He wants to look deeply at the issues but doesn’t pause to note that the problem must be viewed through the prism of aspirational motives……….its a machine politician reaction and we need so much more.
As for Ben Bradshaw, well, i think he might be in the wrong party.
When politicians say “aspirational” they mean greedy & materialistic, Why don’t they say that?
Politicians love to believe that their hard work determines elections but, in my experience, it isn’t so. Its a shane Ed has resigned, he might’ve won the next one. I don’t think it matters that much;
1979- the strikes & “winter of discontent” made this one the Tories couldn’t lose whether they had Margaret Thatcher or Wille Whitelaw or Ken Dodd TBH
1983- proving Evelyn Waugh’s dictum that you can, literally, never underestimate humanity, it was a good old patriotic slaughter which got Maggie home. Foot had opposed the war. Rightly, of course, but unpatriotic.
1987- money was sloshing around &, interestingly, unlike Osborne, some even went on social benefits. An Ourang utan couldn’t have lost for the Tories in that one.
1992- the first exception. Massive bust, economic disaster. Major toured country acting like the sort of top hole bloke you’d like a pint with. Kinnock came over as a mouthy moron. I voted Tory I loathed Kinnock that much.
1997- Every single Tory chicken comes home to roost. They’re horrible people that were taking bribes from Al-Fayed. If John Smith had lived, he’d have won, instead Antichrist won.
2002- Everything going swimmingly, Gordon Brown has tamed the economy, in what way can Antichrist not win?
2007- I still don’t get this one. Everyone I spoke to said they’d never vote Labour again because Tony Blair was a liar, a traitor & a murderer. Obviously the people I know aren’t very representative because, on the back of an ebullient economy, Labour surge home. I’m sure they’d have won even more decisively without Bliar.
2010- the second exception. If Brown had gone to the polls 6 months earlier when even the most right-wing economists were praising his actions in preventing disaster he’d have walked it. Instead he lets the shine go off his achievements & then runs a monumentally terrible campaign (memo to Gordon, if you don’t want to engage with bigoted & unintelligent people, don’t become an MP!)
On the BBC Breakfast some woman (I had turned on for MOTD and only caught the very end, so didn’t get her name or affiliation) said that Labour lost because it did not support aspiration, but only tolerated it. Yesterday Carwyn Jones said that Labour needs to be pro-business.
Yes, any party which wishes to govern needs to support business, but this isn’t the same as saying ‘how high’ every time business leaders say ‘jump’. Political parties need to balance the interests of all sections of society.
I do think Labour needs to understand and support business
Especially 5 million self employed people
Big business is another issue
Richard, way back when I was Political Education Office for Hendon North CLP (Constituency Labour Party) I was arguing that Labour needed to develop a Socialist ideology/theory of enterprise and business, and even got a speaker from GLEB (Greater London Enterprise Board) to speak at our GMC (General Management Committee), just as I later tried to get Hendon CLP (as it was by then) to invest in Shared Interest and ICOF (Industrial Common Ownership Fund).
As regards the first initiative, the speaker was received with polite disdain, and no real enthusiasm to engage with what GLEB was about.
As regards the second, I got a lecture from the Treasurer about how the CLP could not – and I quote, I kid you not!! – could not “afford to donate (yes, donate!!!) money to things such as Shared Interest and ICOF”, and intercepted a note from her hostile husband to the effect that these were just typical capitalist instruments, to be shunned at all costs! This despite the fact that both ICOF and Shared Interest used money invested with it (invested -so recoverable!!) to assist social enterprises in the UK, with Shared Interest also doing this for community solutions in the Third World!!! The final irony was that the President of ICOF at that time was our MEP, now Dame Pauline Greene, a thoroughgoing Co-Operative Socialist, who then led the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, leading me to dub her “Prime Minister of Europe”, as the Socialist Group was then the largest grouping in the EU Parliament.
Of course, the key thing about Pauline was that she was first and foremost a co-operator – a Co-Op Party member before she was a Labour Party member. It’s from there that Labour should draw its thinking, providing the Co-Op Party preserves the link!!
Ah ha!! Thank you for that – now that is more understandable – yes – small businesses – I think that you are onto something there. Big business – no way.
Andrew
Blimey.
The CLP, the GLEB, the GMC, the ICOF, the Co-operative Socialists, Shared Interest. All these acronymns, all these splinter groups. It’s like reading Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia!
And you wonder why the Left is so irrelevant to the man on the street!?
I think the only appropriate response to that is to suggest you’re either either seeking to be ridiculous (literally) or ar trolling
Either way you are not adding to debate
You are moving to the default deletion list
Last point I should have added – I came to realize that virtually NO organisation is as “conservative” as most of the grass-roots Labour Party.
Late reply to Douglas Todd’s facetious and shallow jibe.
Douglas, do you REALLY think the Tories don’t have their raft of acronyms? I’m sure they talk of X Constituency CA = Conservative Association, with its SC or MC = Steering or Management Committee.
Equally, plenty of big companies are known by their acronyms – HSBC, for example. And why shouldn’t I describe Dame Pauline Green as a Cooperative Socialist, just as I would describe Michael Gove as neo-liberal (unreconstructed variety) libertarian Conservative, and David Laws as an Orange Book Liberal.
And as for Shared Interest, before you look down your nose at it, and incorrectly describe it as an acronym, I suggest you read up about this VERY worthy charity at http://www.shared-interest.com/.
The same is true for ICOF http://www.coopfinance.coop/invest/icof-plc/.
To speak of such organisations as being “irrelvenat to the man in the street” speaks more of their ignorance and lack of empathy than of the alleged unworthiness of such organizations.In brief, and in fine, I say to you that sneering ill becomes you, or anyone for that matter, and a little bit of empathy and research would clearly greatly benefit you.
Well said Andrew
Well said Richard. I just wrote the following to my Labour MP:
”Aspiration
…is a word which leaves me feeling a bit queasy because I associate it with consumerism. Nonetheless, we are already hearing it a lot from people like Alan Johnson and I suspect the media will continue to push Labour on that for the next five years. What they don’t understand is that while people may vote for the Tories as being the party of people who ‘want to get on’ – living standards for the vast majority of people simply aren’t going to increase. The economic fundamentals* are running against it. Ed’s focus on inequality was right because by tackling inequality Labour actually wanted to help ”aspirational” people. The growth that we have had is only benefiting the top 10% and will continue to do so under our current system. Our economy is now so financialised that the top 20% has broken away from the rest and so in terms of ‘aspiration’, the ladder is getting steeper and the rungs are getting further and further apart. A new message needs to be found for this. We may also want to think about what we mean by ‘aspiration’. Surely it is different for different people. I always liked Neil Kinnock’s line on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGhPvVb3dak”
*balance of payments crisis > potential drop in the pound > rising import costs, the private debt crisis to come, job automation, rising cost of housing, in work benefit cuts etc etc.
everything coming out of the Labour camp suggests they’re heading for a swing back to the right. i think they (and i) have accepted that the elite still hold so much influence over public opinion that unless you act in their interest you’ve got no chance of getting elected.
I would love to read the Courageous State. Is there a free online version I can access please?
You can ask my publisher
But he has a living to make
If there is still a libary near you in Hastings, ask it to get the book in for you. You’d better do that quickly by the way, as in the next 5 years it might disappear for ever!!
Why should libraries stay open? Really, honestly how many people in the UK have absolutely no access to a device that roam the internet?
I suggest anyone who wants a proper trenchant critique of what is going on,watches David Harvey’s two long talks on youtube.Also read his excellent book 17 Contradictions of Capitalism.
Johnson is now a Dinosaur and the Labour party finished leaving a triumphant neo-liberal narrative that was allowed to win by prospering under a corrupt, manipulatable, voting system where opposition to the narrative is divided.
We already saw protests errupting in London (with some violence unfortunately)-I’m worried that our doubly divided country and the hegemony of ‘I’m-alright-Jackism’ of a minority will lead to civil unrest, a quasi U.S militarisation of the police.
let’s remember that the Tories only increase their vote by 0.8% -and look at the power they now have!
Labour have let the country down in a way that is utterly unforgivable -it will take years but we need something else. We might have another 30 years of Neo-liberalism until it eventually reveals itself indubitably for wast it is.
Please also consider that the divide and conquer tactics of a certain Lynton Crosby have also let the country down too and created unprecedented possible instability within the Union. The tinderbox of petty resentments and jealousies has been opened, primed and ready to blow. In fact it may be one of the reasons Labour lost – because people voted against the SNP really – not Labour – because they are Scottish of course.
I’m not excusing Labour – the ignorance of increasing inequality; electoral reform; the unquestioning acquisition of wealth amongst potential enemies; the timidity in repudiating the myth that they bankrupted the nation.
And what else do I see today in the Observer: Liam Byrne – he of the ‘there is no money’ note infamously left for the Coalition. He is still an MP!! And of all times, we hear of him after a calamitous defeat!! Too late Liam. Too late.
If I had been Miliband, Byrne would have been turfed out of the party for his stupidity. He would have had a small fire arm presented to him as a going away present (only joking Richard). Or he should have been made to go on every day time TV show since 2010 to apologise and put things straight with the public.
The problem with the note is that it was just the latest in a line of recent, “tongue-in-cheek” hand-overs of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, including the one Reginald Maudling left for James Callaghan stating “Good luck, old cock … Sorry to leave it in such a mess.” – I doubt Liam knew it would be used in such a cynical and deceiving way as it was.
Though why Liam hadn’t defended his note until after the defeat is anyone’s guess!
Aspiration is a really weird word that I don’t think many people get at all. Has it got something to do with breathing or summat? Otherwise voters might have made a connection with the minimum wage and other policies meant to try to boost income that Labour had proposed.
Let’s bury it here eh?
‘Aspiration’ is DEAD. Long live ‘ASPIRATION’!!
I French an ‘aspirateur’ is a vacuum cleaner! And in medical parlance it is the suction of fluid or tissue from the body -so maybe Johnson is using it (unbeknown to himself) in the ‘right’ way!!
‘Bobby’ Mandelson is back in town, peddling his neo-liberal guff. Presumably he’s still relaxed about the super rich “as long as they pay their taxes.” Well they don’t and didn’t on his watch. Neither did privatisation improve public services – ask the carers on 10 minute turnarounds – and “the most flexible labour force in Europe” is now destitute on zero hours contracts. If a rehashed Blairism is all Labour can offer, then anyone who cares about social justice and inequality will be better off joining the Greens. The red Tories did their best to destabilise Miliband’s election campaign, especially in the early stages, until it looked like he might win. Now they’re pushing their Progress boys on the front page of every Non-Dom Tory rag that pursued the nastiest press vendetta against a party leader that this country has ever witnessed. If Labour is to return to an obsession with aspiration (greed) and wealth creation (sucking up to the City and the corporations), then the thousands who joined or returned to the party in recent years will be tearing up their cards. If anyone wants to know what New Labour really looks like, then read ‘Blair Inc.’
Excellent post above by David Kiernan I think the next Labour leader will probably be Chuka Umunna and he will take the party on a rightward journey – so far right, in fact, that it will make Blair look like a socialist(!) The positive aspect of this is that it opens up space for the Green Party, whom I expect to advance to over 10% at the next election. The main problem now is that we are looking at a period of Tory domination while the Green Party replaces Labour as the main force on the left.
Agreed
I think David Lammy should take over as leader. He appears able to speak out for the people well.
The vision of labour is broken its tried two different attempts since 1997 its not worked out well. Blair has caused some trouble for the latest attempts, he shouldn’t be attacking instead he should be apologising.
I think this is the most likely and predictable development which looked at dialectically, might be the only way forward. The greens have nearly quadrupled their vote and Caroline Lucas is correct to suggest that there will be growth here. Labour Party needs to die off for the sake of real evolution.
Howard, Agreed on the Green conclusion particularly if Labour take an uberBlair stance. My mother, a Labour voter through and through for 75 years, now in her 90’s, voted Green much to my surprise. Her mind is still as sharp as ever, she must have sensed who was progressive even above the media whiteout. I did not try to persuade her to vote any different than usual. Her Labour candidate was new and excellent, and unfortunately lost by a handful of votes to the Con. PR is needed.
Will new-NewLabour push for PR? It does seem set to be a major political issue for under represented parties.
I should add her daily newspaper is the Daily Mail, ONLY because its got a great crossword!
Richard, most people want a bigger house, in a nicer area. They also want a nicer holiday (maybe an extra one a year), a nicer car, toys for their kids, nice clothes, etc. That is a universal truth across the planet. It doesn’t mean they want to own a yacht or drive a Ferrari. There are of course limits.
It is the prevailing view of political parties for this very reason and to discount it would be political suicide.
In this election the Tories got that – as evidenced by their commitment to tax cuts (not always the right answer of course). Labour needs its own retail offers to demonstrate how they can improve the everyday lives of the average person, who frankly doesn’t visit their GP or hospital on a daily basis. It’s not enough to rely on altruism or a disgust at zero hours contracts (which I hadn’t appreciated until recently only affect 2% to 3% of the working population).
I don’t discount it
I address it in the Courageous State
You might say I had the courage to do so
“most people want a bigger house, in a nicer area. They also want a nicer holiday (maybe an extra one a year), a nicer car, toys for their kids, nice clothes, etc.” Not so sure we can take this for granted.
Security, friendship, empathy, community, mutuality, meaningful work -are, I suggest, deeper drives but just not talked about. We need to challenge the middle-class dream as vapid and empty in many respects. The problem is we haven’t found anything to replace it.
The tax cuts offered by the Tories are a bribe for the fairly well-off and a con for the low paid – as of April this year, anyone on 30hrs a week Minimum Wage is exempt from tax, only because their NI contributions take them below the current threshold. Since this is all that was on offer for the lowest earners, they were promising to do the square-root of bugger all, while making it sound like they cared!
Remember, the tax-free allowance benefits everyone who is eligible to them, so it’s a tax cut for anyone under £100,000 + 2x TFA, with this figure going up with the increasing TFA, and increasing the rate earned before paying top rate benefits even the hyper-rich. Decreasing VAT would be a fairer way of reducing tax burdens, but you won’t hear the Tories offer that (even if they have claimed they won’t increase it)
I’m sorry DBLEntry but once again we see an attempt to over-simplify why Labour lost.
The reasons for the loss are very complex and everyday further on from the election we will learn something new, with new insights. Let’s not jump to conclusions about ‘retail offers’ – the last thing we need now is the wrong end of the stick. Truth reveals itself bit by bit over time. Let us be patient.
As for me, I will vote Green for as long as I see fit to – they wanted to end austerity and business is already asking for that to happen (because they too know that a healthy economy survives on sales – transactions – of disposable income (please -not debt). Quite how cutting £12 billion out of social security is going to boost the real economy is beyond me.
However, engorged with a new sense of purpose, I fear that the Tories will go the whole hog this time.
DBLEntry, all what you say is true, as many have these things, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that if it had not been for a time when we had relative socialism, the living standards of the working classes would still be back in the victorian age.
Labour should stay strong and resist the temptation to move back to their New Labour era in an attempt to gain the centre ground. Without doubt this would increase their popularity, but would leave the electorate with very little choice. The greens, and I’m aware this will be unpopular, their nuclear deterrent policy will hold them back from making serious inroads into parliament. The traditional labour party values offer that alternative and I do forsee a time when the public will once again favour them over the heartless capitalism we are and have endured for generations.