Here’s the text of an email sent to Labour Party members from Gordon Brown earlier this week. Some of this is fairly toe-curling (e.g. “there is nothing that is bad about Britain that cannot be overcome by what is good about Britain”), but there is some good stuff in there, particularly the emphasis on fairness and on Labour’s values (highlighted). But is anyone still listening to him?
My promise to you
Today, at our Cabinet Meeting held in the West Midlands, I am setting out to my Cabinet colleagues the current challenges as I see them and my response to them. I also wanted to write to you personally as a Labour Party member to share the following with you.
For 10 years we’ve benefited from unprecedented growth, a rapidly expanding economy and rising living standards. But the global credit crunch is forcing people across the country to change how they live their lives. Our world has changed.
While David Cameron’s Conservatives may be willing to let people fend for themselves – I will not let this happen.
I will not turn my back on those who need help.
The quest to ensure that power, wealth, and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, is fundamental to our purpose. This is why the Labour Party exists.
People want a government that is always on their side – but at their side only when they need it. They want a government that is empowering, not overpowering.
This is not about rhetoric. It’s about fairness and unfairness.
It’s about providing support to those who played by the rules but are struggling with rising prices. It’s about making sure that a fair chance is provided to all.
I will not pretend that there is a quick fix. It requires leadership, squaring up to hard truths, being open with the British people about the choices we face, and making tough decisions on priorities for public spending.
I know that there are people who feel that modern Britain has been unfair to them. Some of them are right. But there is nothing that is bad about Britain that cannot be overcome by what is good about Britain.
In the coming weeks, I will set out how I – and our party, and our government, and our country – must rise to conquer those challenges and ensure fairness for all.
Fairness is my purpose, my pride, my principle.
And my promise to you.
Gordon
[...] is clearly a key Labour theme for the autumn. Gordon Brown’s recent email to party members (see preceding post) majored on this topic and, as Robinson points out, its an issue that energises Labour for several [...]
It is quite clear that Gordon Brown did not write this and it serves only to provide firm evidence that his team is as deluded as he is. Having been in government for 11 years, the British public know precisely what New Labour stands for and the value of their promises, such as the Lisbon Treaty manifesto promise. It is too little, too late, we have all had enough of these cheap assurances and promises, they are worthless, as indeed is the party in government.