135-578: Wajid Iltaf Khan, Baron Khan of Burnley (born 15 October 1979), is a British Labour Party politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North West England from 2017 to 2019 and as Mayor of Burnley from 2020 to 2021. He has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Faith, Communities and Resettlement since July 2024. He sat on the Foreign Affairs Committee and Human Rights Committee , as well as
270-605: A confidence and supply agreement with the Liberal Party . While this initially proved stable, it could not survive in the face of major industrial disputes and widespread strikes in the 1978–79 " Winter of Discontent ", as well as the defeat of the referendum on devolution for Scotland . Minor parties joined the Conservatives to pass a motion of no-confidence in Callaghan on 28 March 1979. Callaghan led Labour to defeat at
405-513: A leadership election , which he won decisively with 62% support among Labour party members. In April 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May called a snap election for June 2017. Corbyn resisted pressure from within the Labour Party to call for a referendum on the eventual Brexit deal, instead focusing on healthcare, education and ending austerity. Although Labour started the campaign as far as 20 points behind, it defied expectations by gaining 40% of
540-518: A noncontroversial expansion of new public housing . Overnight in October 1929 the world economy plunged into the Great Depression , and no party had an answer as tax revenue plunged, unemployment doubled to 2.5 million (in late 1930), prices fell, and government spending on unemployment benefits soared. Conditions became much worse in 1931 as the banks became unable to loan the government enough to cover
675-679: A "conscience clause" allowing diversity of opinions rather than a rigid orthodoxy. Irish politics proved to be so different that the Party simply quit Ireland and worked only in England, Scotland and Wales. In 1908–1910 the Party supported the momentous and largely successful Liberal battles in favor of a welfare state and against the Unionist/Conservative Party and against the veto power of the House of Lords. Growth continued, with 42 Labour MPs elected to
810-563: A Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws (European Law), at The University of Central Lancashire , working as a taxi driver to fund his studies. Before becoming an MEP, Wajid was a senior lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire for 12 years, and a course leader in community leadership for 11 years. Prior to this, Wajid worked in the voluntary sector with young offenders, as well as teaching education programmes for homeless young people. The Burnley race riots in 2001 inspired Wajid to develop
945-653: A coalition with more than one other smaller party to gain an overall majority; anything less would result in a minority government. On 10 May 2010, after talks to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats broke down, Brown announced his intention to stand down as Leader before the Labour Party Conference but a day later resigned as both Prime Minister and party leader. Ed Miliband won the subsequent leadership election . Miliband emphasised "responsible capitalism" and greater state intervention to rebalance
1080-524: A cut in wages. The miners were totally opposed and planned a strike. The TUC coalition of unions decided it would support the miners by a nationwide general strike that would paralyze most of the national economy. A strike was postponed when the Conservative government offered a subsidy for wages, but it also prepared to deal with the threatened general strike. Meanwhile, the TUC failed to make preparations. It ignored
1215-490: A flood of membership applications during the leadership election, with most of the new members thought to be Corbyn supporters. Corbyn was elected leader with 60% of the vote. Membership continued to climb after his victory; one year later it had grown to more than 500,000, making it the largest political party in Western Europe. Tensions soon developed in the parliamentary party over Corbyn's leadership, particularly after
1350-656: A low 2% interest rate, and the gift of $ 2.694 billion in Marshall Plan funds. Canada also provided gifts and $ 1.25 billion in loans. The government began the process of dismantling the British Empire , starting with independence to India and Pakistan in 1947, followed by Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) the following year. It relinquished its control over Palestine to the United Nations in 1948. Elsewhere independence movements were much weaker and London's policy
1485-778: A number of community cohesion projects, which gained him the Higher Education Active Community Fund (HEACF) Volunteering Award for social and community cohesion in 2004. Wajid's work in community development has seen him address the Civil G8 on inclusive education in Moscow, and advised the Russian Ministry of Education and Science on developing youth strategies. He has contributed to European-wide ‘Volunteurope’ conferences in Germany, France, Poland, Bosnia and Italy. Within
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#17328483936161620-571: A period of Pasokification in which social democratic parties saw large declines during the 2010s, largely being replaced by far-left and right-wing populist parties. The centre-left's stance on immigration in Europe was one of multiculturalism, further pushing working class voters from the centre-left to the far-right. In some cases, centre-left and centre-right politics in these countries became less distinct as political cleavages shifted toward populist versus traditional politics. The Arab Spring in
1755-460: A period of intense internal division which ended in the defeat of its left wing by the mid-1980s. After electoral defeats to the Conservatives in 1987 and 1992, Tony Blair took the party to the political centre as part of his New Labour project, which governed under Blair and then Gordon Brown from 1997 to 2010. After further electoral defeats in the 2010s, Keir Starmer again took Labour to
1890-531: A political levy to the party. In September 2014, Labour outlined plans to cut the government's current account deficit and balance the budget by 2020, excluding investment. The party carried these plans into the 2015 general election , which Labour lost. Its representation fell to 232 seats in the House of Commons. The party lost 40 of its 41 seats in Scotland to the Scottish National Party . After
2025-512: A prominent form of centre-left politics, beginning with the Australian governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in the 1980s and 1990s. Similar movements developed elsewhere, including in Germany and New Zealand. Centre-left parties in Latin America also shifted from social democracy to social liberalism in a pragmatic attempt to reach voters. The most prominent adoption of Third Way politics
2160-522: A reduced majority of 66 and popular vote of only 35.2%. Blair announced in September 2006 that he would step down as leader within the year, though he had been under pressure to quit earlier than May 2007 in order to get a new leader in place before the May elections which were expected to be disastrous for Labour. In the event, the party did lose power in Scotland to a minority Scottish National Party government at
2295-465: A reformist alternative to the revolutionary left, arguing that societal improvements within capitalist democracy would better serve the working class. This philosophy became widely popular among the European left after World War I, which had convinced many contemporary leftists that national identity was more important to the working class than class solidarity , which would render Marxism unviable. This
2430-454: A school of thought within British and American centre-left politics in the mid-19th century. Early progressive thought developed from modernism and humanism , manifesting as calls for reform. It developed as a political movement in the late-19th and early-20th centuries as it was adopted by social liberal and social democratic parties. Unlike later social democratic movements, social democracy in
2565-517: A second government with Liberal help. Once again with Liberal help, MacDonald became prime minister following the successful 1929 election . There were some promising achievements in foreign policy, notably the Young Plan that seemed to resolve the issue of German reparations, and the London Naval Treaty of 1930 that limited submarine construction. Some minor legislation was passed, notably
2700-586: A small majority. During his second term as prime minister, Wilson oversaw the referendum that confirmed the UK's membership of the European Communities . When Wilson suddenly announced his retirement in March 1976, Callaghan defeated five other candidates to be elected Leader of the Labour Party; he was appointed prime minister on 5 April 1976. By now Labour had lost its narrow majority. To stay in power Callaghan made
2835-462: A smashing victory and national elation, guaranteeing Conservatives a massive landslide victory in the 1983 general election . Thatcher's successful attacks on labour unions in 1984-1985 further weakened the Labour base. It took a decade for Labour to recover. Labour's inward turn flared into a civil war between left and right. The party came under the control of young middle-class left-wing activists in
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#17328483936162970-727: Is not supported by the centre-left in the 21st century. The modern centre-left distinguishes between just and unjust capitalism, advocating for welfare state policies to create what it considers to be just capitalism. Through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the centre-left has been more likely to benefit electorally during periods of economic growth and suffer electorally in economic downturn. The core objective underlying centre-left economic policies, democratic capitalism , has largely been achieved within many economies, with further policies seeking to merely reform or improve upon this system. These may include measures to reduce poverty or to support lower-wage workers. One common dispute within
3105-701: Is the governing party of the United Kingdom , having won the 2024 general election , and is currently the largest political party by number of votes cast and number of seats in the House of Commons , followed in seat share by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats . There have been seven Labour prime ministers and fourteen Labour ministries . The party traditionally holds the annual Labour Party Conference during party conference season , at which senior Labour figures promote party policy. The Labour Party
3240-705: Is the balance between egalitarianism and pragmatism. The centre-left often faces pressures from working class voters to restrict immigration to prevent competition over jobs and public services. Other centre-left policies can also be negatively impacted by immigration, as a large increase in low-skilled workers can raise concerns about the increased price of public services, prompting spending cuts and roll-backs of centre-left welfare policies. Though positions on environmentalism are not consistent across centre-left parties, they are more likely to support environmentalist policies than centre-right parties. Centre-left parties are popularly associated with environmental policies in
3375-450: Is typically associated with the centre-left ideologies of social liberalism and social democracy, though communist and centrist ideologies have sometimes been involved in progressive politics. There is great divergence within the progressive movement, with disagreement in what reforms should be attempted and how they can be implemented, though redistributive policies are a common theme within progressivism. Progressivism first developed in
3510-425: Is typically considered radical in nature and distinct from centre-left ideologies. The Third Way is a variation of social democratic politics that gained prominence in the 1990s after the decline of traditional social democracy. It advocates reform of the social democratic model to emphasize equal opportunity over equality of outcome . To accomplish this, it supports heavy deregulation and privatization for
3645-439: The 1979 election and was replaced by Conservative Margaret Thatcher . The 1979 defeat marked the beginning of 18 years in opposition for the Labour Party, the longest in its history. According to historian Kenneth O. Morgan , the fall of Callaghan meant the passing of an old obsolete system, as well as the end of corporatism , Keynesian spending programmes , subsidised welfare payments, and labour union power. Following 1979
3780-422: The 1997 general election in a landslide victory with a parliamentary majority of 179; it was the largest ever Labour majority, and at the time the largest swing to a political party achieved since 1945 . Over the next decade, a wide range of progressive social reforms were enacted, with millions lifted out of poverty during Labour's time in office largely as a result of various tax and benefit reforms. Among
3915-466: The 2007 elections and, shortly after this, Blair resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by the Chancellor , Gordon Brown . Brown coordinated the UK's response to the 2007–2008 financial crisis . Membership of the party also reached a low falling to 156,205 by the end of 2009: over 40 per cent of the 405,000 peak reached in 1997 and thought to be the lowest total since the party was founded. In
4050-411: The 2010 general election on 6 May that year, Labour with 29.0% of the vote won the second largest number of seats (258). The Conservatives with 36.5% of the vote won the largest number of seats (307), but no party had an overall majority , meaning that Labour could still remain in power if they managed to form a coalition with at least one smaller party. However, the Labour Party would have had to form
4185-624: The 2016 Brexit referendum . Many in the party were angered that Corbyn did not campaign strongly against Brexit; he had been only a "lukewarm" supporter of remaining in the European Union and refused to join David Cameron in campaigning for the Remain side . 21 members of the Shadow Cabinet resigned after the referendum. Corbyn lost a no-confidence vote among Labour MPs by 172–40, triggering
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4320-401: The 2019 general election Corbyn announced that he would stand down as leader. Centre-left politics Centre-left politics is the range of left-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre and broadly conform with progressivism . Ideologies of the centre-left include social democracy , social liberalism , and green politics . Ideas commonly supported by
4455-509: The 2019 general election , Labour campaigned on a manifesto widely considered the most radical in decades, more closely resembling Labour's politics of the 1970s than subsequent decades. These included plans to nationalise the country's biggest energy firms, the National Grid, the water industry, Royal Mail, the railways and the broadband arm of BT . The election saw Labour win its lowest number of seats since 1935. Following Labour's defeat in
4590-552: The Bank of England , coal mining, the steel industry, electricity, gas and inland transport (including railways, road haulage and canals). It developed and implemented the "cradle to grave" welfare state . It created the National Health Service (NHS), which gave publicly funded medical treatment for all. Nationalisation primarily affected weak and poorly managed industries, opening the hope that centralized planning would reverse
4725-572: The Digital Revolution altered the objectives and demographics of the centre-left, as the working class has been largely subsumed by the middle class in developed nations due to increased living standards and the establishment of a knowledge economy . Of those in service industry careers, class is not a unifying or significant aspect of personal identity. In particular, this shift has caused People's Parties based on mass mobilization to be less viable. These rapid developments in society during
4860-533: The February 1974 general election , forming a minority government with the support of the Ulster Unionists . In a bid to gain a majority, Prime Minister Wilson soon called an election for October 1974 . Labour won a slim majority of three, gaining 18 seats taking its total to 319. In March 1974 Wilson was appointed prime minister for a second time ; he called a snap election in October 1974, which gave Labour
4995-534: The London County Council for the first time ever. In the 1935 election , Labour recovered to 8.0 million votes (38 percent), and Clement Attlee became Minority Leader. The Party now had 154 seats but had minimal influence in Parliament. At the local level union leaders, led by Ernest Bevin , successfully defeated Communist infiltration. In foreign policy a strong pacifist element made it slow to support
5130-474: The Open University created for adults. Wilson's first period as Prime Minister coincided with a period of relatively low unemployment and economic prosperity, it was however hindered by significant problems with a large trade deficit which it had inherited from the previous government. The first three years of the government were spent in an ultimately doomed attempt to stave off the continued devaluation of
5265-723: The Second Republic and the Second Empire was commonly associated with the Moderate Republicans . Thiers restored the centre-left to prominence in the Third Republic , where it was led by the liberal republican Opportunist faction. Elsewhere in Europe, centre-left movements appeared from the 1860s, mainly in Spain and Italy . In Italy, the centre-left was born as coalition between the liberal Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour and
5400-478: The Second World War , Labour served in the wartime coalition , after which it won a majority in the 1945 election. Clement Attlee's government enacted extensive nationalisation and established the modern welfare state and National Health Service before losing power in 1951. Under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan , Labour again governed from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1979 . The party then entered
5535-600: The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in Northern Ireland, while still organising there. As of March 2024 , Labour has 366,604 registered members. The origins of what became the Labour Party emerged in the late 19th century. It represented the interests of the labour unions and more generally the growing urban working class. Hundreds of thousands of workers had recently gained voting rights by laws passed in 1867 and 1884 . Many different trade unions flourished in
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5670-595: The United Nations considered the New International Economic Order plan that would facilitate social democratic governments in developing nations. Centre-left politics were historically unpopular in Latin America, and left-wing candidates were kept out of power through both right-wing dictatorships and through conservative victories in fair elections. In the mid-20th century, centre-left politics supported state-led development and industrialization in
5805-532: The pink tide . In the 21st century, centre-left politics are challenged by the developments of the Digital Revolution , the subsumption of the lower class into the middle class in developed nations, and an increase in support for populism . The ideologies of the centre-left include social democracy , social liberalism , progressivism , and green politics . Centre-left politics often incorporate elements of libertarianism and occasionally favour limited state intervention. As with all political alignments,
5940-669: The 1970s. It was initially developed in Australia and New Zealand, and it first gained influence in Germany as a response to the Cold War and environmental issues . The presence of green politics in national government is mostly limited to Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, though green political parties briefly held influence during the postcommunist period of Eastern Europe. Green political parties have been most successful in Belgium, Finland, France, and Germany, where they integrated into
6075-512: The 19th century held socialist society as an eventual goal. The first social democratic party was established in Germany in 1863. Social democracy had developed as a major political movement in Europe by the early 20th century as a response to the strength of capitalism. Challenging the idea that capitalism was nearing an implosion , reformist socialists such as Eduard Bernstein rejected Marxist ideas of historical materialism and class conflict , and social democrats established themselves as
6210-484: The 2015 general election, Miliband resigned as party leader and Harriet Harman again became interim leader. Labour held a leadership election in which Jeremy Corbyn , then a member of the Socialist Campaign Group , was considered a fringe candidate when the contest began, receiving nominations from just 36 MPs, one more than the minimum required to stand, and the support of just 16 MPs. The Labour Party saw
6345-534: The Arab Peninsula and South Asia delegations. His main policy interests include workers’ rights, youth empowerment and human rights. In December 2020, it was announced he would be conferred a life peerage after a nomination by Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer . The son of a taxi driver and a house-wife, Wajid was born in Burnley , Lancashire , where he continues to live with his wife and two children. He read for
6480-496: The Army. The party returned to power in May 1940, with about a third of the seats in the wartime coalition government under Churchill. Attlee was given a new position as Deputy Prime Minister . He was in charge of the cabinet when Churchill was absent, and handled domestic affairs, working closely with Bevin as Minister of Labour . The war set in motion profound demands for reform. This mood
6615-423: The Conservative argument that traditional Labour was holding ambitious people back with higher tax policies. To present a fresh face and new policies to the electorate, New Labour needed more than fresh leaders; it had to jettison outdated policies, argued the modernisers. Calling on the slogan, " One Member, One Vote " Blair defeated the union element and ended block voting by leaders of labour unions. Blair and
6750-569: The Conservatives return to power, benefiting from the Zinoviev letter and the continuing collapse of the Liberal vote. The Labour share of the popular vote went up, but it lost seats. Above all the moderation of the Macdonald government put to rest the lingering fears that a Labour victory would produce a violent class war. In 1925–26, coal sales fell and the mining companies demanded an increase in hours and
6885-526: The Great Depression and World War II . A post-war consensus formed among policymakers in Western Europe that rejected both classical liberalism and democratic socialism in favour of social democratic ideals. With the end of fascism, countries in Western Europe adopted social democracy and liberal democracy. Social democracy was widely adopted and implemented in much of Europe, both by centre-left and by traditionally centre-right parties. Social liberalism
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#17328483936167020-456: The House of Commons in the December 1910 general election. During World War I, the party experienced internal divisions over support for the war effort, but also saw one of its top leaders Arthur Henderson , serve in the powerful war cabinet. After the war, the party focused on building a strong constituency-based support network and adopted a comprehensive statement of policies titled "Labour and
7155-414: The House of Commons with 287 seats, but fell short of a majority, forming another minority government. In 1931, in response to the Great Depression , MacDonald formed a new government with Conservative and Liberal support, which led to his expulsion from the party. Labour was soundly defeated by his coalition in the 1931 election, winning only 52 seats, but began to recover in 1935, with 154 seats. During
7290-496: The House of Lords, and since December 2021 he has been the Shadow Spokesperson for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government . Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom that sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum. In a broader sense, the party has been described as an alliance of social democrats , democratic socialists and trade unionists . It
7425-476: The Labour Party Constitution, with its commitment to nationalisation. Gaitskell led Labour to a third consecutive defeat at the 1959 general election despite the party appearing more united than it had been for some time. Gaitskell responded by attempting to remove Clause IV (the nationalisation clause) from the party constitution, but this was unsuccessful. Gaitskell died suddenly in 1963, and cleared
7560-622: The Labour Party found itself overwhelmed by the Conservative government led by a highly aggressive Margaret Thatcher . From the right she largely rejected the Post-war consensus on economic and social policies that had bipartisan support since the 1950s. At first Thatcher's economic reforms were doing poorly. Argentina's invasion of a British possession in the Falklands War in Spring 1982 transformed British politics. Thatcher's aggressive reaction produced
7695-416: The Labour Party in and out of Parliament and in turn party leaders opposed a national strike. The 1926 general strike failed after 9 days as the government plan devised by Winston Churchill proved highly effective in keeping the economy open while minimizing violence. In the long run, however, the episode tended to strengthen working class support for Labour, and it gained in the 1929 general election, forming
7830-428: The Labour Party was seen by the electorate as the party most likely to follow it through. With victory in Europe the coalition broke up in May 1945. The 1945 general election gave Labour a landslide victory, as they won 12 million votes (50% of the total) and 393 seats. The Labour government proved the most radical in British history. It presided over a policy of nationalising major industries and utilities including
7965-808: The Mosaic international Leadership Programme as well as the Oxford Young Muslim Leadership Programme. He also serves on the Labour Party National Policy Forum and International Policy Commission, in addition to serving on the North West regional board. Khan was included in Labour's eight-person shortlist for the 2014 European Parliament election . He took over the North West England seat in July 2017, replacing Afzal Khan who
8100-600: The New Social Order". In 1918, Clause IV was added to Labour's constitution, committing the party to work towards common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Socialism was vaguely promised, but there was no effort made to draw up detailed plans on what that would mean or how it could be accomplished. The Representation of the People Act 1918 greatly expanded the electorate, enfranchising all men and most women. The party concentrated its appeal on
8235-555: The UK, Wajid has developed higher education programmes to increase academic participation amongst women in the south Asian community. Wajid has directed international leadership conferences in Oman, Turkey, Pakistan and the US, and has represented the University of Central Lancashire in collaborative projects with Russian NGOs. Wajid is an alumnus of both of HRH Prince Charles ' leadership initiatives:
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#17328483936168370-880: The United Kingdom and the United States during the 19th century. Green politics is an ideological movement that advocates a political focus on ecology and nonviolence . It challenges modern industrialisation and institutions through a lens of social justice while rejecting traditional political philosophy and organization. Definitions of the scope of green politics may vary; it may be limited to explicitly environmentalist parties, or it may broadly cover political movements descended from New Left or left-libertarian ideas. Besides environmentalism, green politics often includes support for disarmament , ending nuclear power , decentralized democracy, feminism , and immigration . Green politics developed from various left-wing ideologies, including social democracy and Marxism, in
8505-469: The United Kingdom in the mid-20th century, where it took the form of new liberalism . The identification of centre-left ideologies as "liberal" is most common to the United States. Liberalism is less common in regions such as Africa and Asia, where there is no individualist or liberal democratic tradition. Progressivism is the support of continuous social reform to improve society gradually , opposing revolutionary or conservative politics. It
8640-467: The blame for the economic crises, and support for the centre-left declined in favour of conservative neoliberalism . At the same time, the end of several right-wing dictatorships in Southern Europe prompted support for centre-left politics among these countries in the 1970s. A decline in the relevance of trade unions , historically a prominent voter group for social democratic parties, contributed to
8775-449: The burden of welfare from the state to the family. Centre-left politics seeks equal opportunity in society. Centre-left groups are more likely to prioritize issues of long-term or abstract importance than other ideological groups. These include environmentalism, the arts, science, social equality , and foreign aid . Advocates of centre-left politics typically support laws and government programs to support marginalized groups such as
8910-538: The cabinet most Labour members were vehemently opposed—they demanded new taxes on the rich instead. MacDonald gave up and on 23 August went to King George V and resigned the government. Unexpectedly the monarch insisted that the only patriotic solution was for MacDonald to stay and form an all-party "national government" with the Conservatives, which he did the next day. The Labour Party felt betrayed and expelled MacDonald and Snowden. The new National Government, 1931–1935 kept Macdonald and Snowden and two others, replacing
9045-482: The centre and has governed since 2024. Labour is the largest party in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), being the only party in the current Welsh government . The party won most Scottish seats in the 2024 general election. Labour is a member of the Party of European Socialists and the Progressive Alliance , and holds observer status in the Socialist International . The party includes semi-autonomous London , Scottish , Welsh and Northern Irish branches ; it supports
9180-415: The centre-left in Western countries. Promotion of general welfare, supporting members of the family, and the ideal of the Harmonious Society all have implications for centre-left politics. The welfare state of East Asian countries such as Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan are sometimes described as Confucian. These welfare systems have been influenced by Confucian familialism , which shifts some of
9315-451: The centre-left include welfare capitalism , social justice , liberal internationalism , and multiculturalism . Economically, the centre-left supports a mixed economy in a democratic capitalist system, often including economic interventionism , progressive taxation , and the right to unionize . Centre-left politics are contrasted with far-left politics that reject capitalism or advocate revolution . The centre-left developed with
9450-614: The centre-left is the extent to which centre-left parties should reform markets versus regulating pre-existing markets. Centre-left parties in Europe and the United States have supported corporate governance reform to protect the investments of shareholders . The economies of Nordic countries such as Denmark and Sweden are often upheld by proponents of centre-left economic policies as successful applications of these policies. These economies heavily emphasize international trade as well as collaboration between government, industry, and labour. In post-war Europe, West Germany established
9585-409: The centre-left supported the Plan De Man . During the Great Depression in the 1930s, social democracy became a viable alternative to other left-wing ideologies, and state intervention saw popular support throughout the western world. It was also seen as a potential means to counteract rising far-right movements that were developing in Europe. The centre-left was particularly strong in Sweden, which
9720-560: The centre-right, implemented this foreign policy in Europe during the Cold War, but it has become less prominent due to the rise of anti-globalist far-right parties. The immigration policies of centre-left groups vary depending on the political circumstances of a given country, and they may seek to greatly expand or greatly restrict immigration. In principle, centre-left parties generally believe in multiculturalism and support high immigration. The key issue of centre-left immigration policy
9855-535: The continuing popularity of Blair, Labour went on to win the 2001 election with a similar majority, dubbed the "quiet landslide" by the media. In 2003 Labour introduced tax credits , government top-ups to the pay of low-wage workers. A perceived turning point was when Blair controversially allied himself with US President George W. Bush in supporting the Iraq War , which caused him to lose much of his political support. The UN Secretary-General , among many, considered
9990-410: The decline. Iron and steel, however, were already well-run and nationalization was denounced and later reversed by the Conservatives. The economy was precarious during the age of austerity, as wartime restrictions and rationing continued, and the wartime bombing damage was slowly being rebuilt at great cost. The Treasury depended heavily on American money, especially the 1946 loan of $ 3.75 billion at
10125-459: The dominant ideology in Western Europe during the post–World War II economic expansion and it spread to Africa after decolonization . Centre-left economics declined in popularity following the 1973–1975 recession and was replaced by neoliberalism . In the 1990s, Third Way politics emerged as a centrist variant of social democracy in Europe, and centre-left politics spread to Latin America during
10260-508: The early acts of Blair's government were the establishment of the national minimum wage , the devolution of power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland , major changes to the regulation of the banking system and the re-creation of a citywide government body for London, the Greater London Authority , with its own elected- Mayor . Combined with a Conservative opposition that had yet to organise effectively under William Hague , and
10395-505: The economy away from financial services . He advocated for more regulation of banks and energy companies and often addressed the need to challenge vested interests and increase inclusivity in British society. He adopted the " One Nation Labour " branding in 2012. The Parliamentary Labour Party voted to abolish Shadow Cabinet elections in 2011, ratified by the National Executive Committee and Party Conference. Henceforth
10530-451: The elderly, the handicapped, and the unemployed. Measures to this effect include financial assistance and anti-discrimination laws . Liberal internationalism is associated with the centre-left through its idealism , constructivism , and progressivism. Liberal internationalists seek cooperation between nations, often including support for common security and arms control between nations to facilitate peace. The centre-left, along with
10665-577: The end of the decolonization period, which had been dominated by far-left politics. Most post-colonial African political parties adopted some form of socialism or social democracy, though social democratic policies have seen limited success due to the unstable nature of democracy in Africa. By the beginning of the 21st century, the centre-left had almost entirely overtaken further left groups in politics globally, with other forms of left-wing politics seeing little support in democratic nations. Globalization and
10800-477: The entire people and the common good while rejecting the Marxist position of aligning specifically with the working class. Liberty under social democracy is defined as a collective concept based in equality rather than an individualist concept. Democratization , the welfare state , public education , and Keynesian economics are all major components of social democratic politics. Social democracy has influenced
10935-513: The exact boundaries of centre-left versus far-left or centrist politics are not clearly defined and can vary depending on context. Centre-left ideologies are common in stable political systems, which typically allow for political debate with an ideological centre. Social democracy is a reformist offshoot of socialism that supports the modification of capitalist economies rather than their total abolition. It seeks to regulate capitalism to protect social equality , advocating reforms that benefit
11070-447: The first time in over 30 years there was serious doubt among the public and the media as to whether Labour could ever return to government. Kinnock resigned as leader and was succeeded by John Smith . The damage to the economy on Black Wednesday in September 1992 undermined the Conservative reputation for superior economic competence. By December, Labour had a comfortable lead in the opinion polls. The recession ended in early 1993 and
11205-592: The focus on free markets. Labour-government relations and the right to unionize have been less prominent ideas in East Asia. Centre-left politics often involve transfer payment systems, such as welfare and early childhood education , with the goal of creating higher employment while avoiding a welfare trap . Closely associated with this is the implementation of a progressive tax , in which higher earnings are taxed at higher rates. Some early centre-left groups supported gradual reform toward socialism, but this position
11340-491: The formation of the first Labour government. The Conservatives called for high tariffs. Labour and Liberals both wanted free trade. Labour leader Ramsay MacDonald formed a minority government with Liberal support that lasted 10 months. The only domestic achievement was the Wheatley Housing Act , which expanded the large-scale public housing program that started in 1919 with support from all three major parties. MacDonald
11475-426: The government's rearmament program. As the threat from Nazi Germany escalated, the Party gradually abandoned its pacifist stance and came to support re-armament, largely due to the efforts of Bevin and Hugh Dalton . By 1937 they had persuaded the Party to oppose Neville Chamberlain 's policy of appeasement of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy . However, as late as April 1939 the Party strongly opposed conscription for
11610-513: The growing deficit. In an era before Keynesian economics , the strong consensus among experts was for the government to balance its budget. Spending was cut again and again but MacDonald and his Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Snowden argued that the only way to get an emergency loan from New York banks was to cut unemployment benefits by 10%. They pointed out that cost of food was down 15% and overall prices were down 10%. But in
11745-403: The highly unpopular poll tax , combined with the fact that the economy was sliding into recession . Major replaced the poll tax but Kinnock energized Labour with the theme "It's Time for a Change", after more than a decade of unbroken Conservative rule. The 1992 general election gave Conservatives a victory with a much-reduced majority of 21. It was a deeply disappointing result for Labour. For
11880-413: The idea that the upper class seeks to harm or exploit members of society, instead arguing that these are unintentional effects of laissez-faire economics. Left liberalism supports liberal capitalism and a mixed economy , which have been adopted by virtually all liberal nations. Political pluralism and strong social institutions are prioritized by liberalism. Social liberalism was developed in
12015-441: The ideology lost influence in other countries during the 1970s. Social democracy also became a popular ideology in many African governments after the decolonisation of Africa . Social liberalism, or left liberalism, overlaps significantly with social democracy. This form of liberalism argues in favour of capitalism and the benefits it provides for society, but it also advocates regulations to reduce wealth inequality . It rejects
12150-672: The inclusion of previously excluded groups in society through citizenship and its associated rights . Income inequality also became a major focus, and centre-left parties in the region promote redistributive policy . Liberalism in Latin America has historically been conservative and oligarchic rather than a centre-left liberalism of progressivism or egalitarianism. Several centre-left parties supported reforms toward economic liberalism in line with those supported by their right-wing counterparts, in some cases leading to backlash that saw incumbent centre-left leaders replaced by far-left populists. Ideological diversity developed in Africa after
12285-558: The industrial districts. Their leaders used the Methodist revival tradition to find ways to rally the membership. Several small socialist organizations formed and wanted power based on the working class ; the most influential was the Fabian Society , which was made up of middle class reformers. Keir Hardie worked for cooperation among the unions and left-wing groups such as his small Independent Labour Party (ILP). The Labour Party
12420-505: The larger share of the popular vote. Its 13.9 million vote total was the highest ever. Most of its innovation were accepted by the Conservatives and Liberals and became part of the " post-war consensus " that lasted until the Thatcher era of the 1980s. Labour spent 13 years in opposition. It suffered an ideological split, between the left-wing followers of Aneurin Bevan (known as Bevanites ) and
12555-448: The leader of the modernisers, warned that the long-term weaknesses had to be reversed. He argued that the party was too locked into a base that was shrinking, since it was based on the working-class, on trade unions and on residents of subsidised council housing. Blair said that the rapidly growing middle class was largely ignored, as well as more ambitious working-class families. He argued that they aspired to become middle-class and accepted
12690-413: The leader of the party chose the Shadow Cabinet members. In March 2014, the party reformed internal election procedures, including replacing the electoral college system with " one member, one vote ". Mass membership was encouraged by creating a class of "registered supporters" as an alternative to full membership. Trade union members would also have to explicitly opt in rather than opt out of paying
12825-409: The leadership of Home Secretary Roy Jenkins such as the abolition of the death penalty ; the legalisation of abortion ; loosening restrictions on homosexuality , the abolition of theatre censorship , and legislation to outlaw racial discrimination The government put heavy emphasis on expanding opportunities through education: Comprehensive education was expanded at the secondary level and
12960-514: The left wing, reversed the highly controversial Manifesto proposals, expelled extremist factions like the Trotskyist Militant tendency , and began a process of modernization and acceptance of many Thatcherite innovations. In November 1990, Thatcher resigned and was succeeded by the less confrontational Thatcherite John Major . Opinion polls had shown Labour comfortably ahead of the Conservatives largely because of Thatcher's introduction of
13095-521: The liberal-nationalist Movement Party . The centre-left was Orléanist , but supported a liberal interpretation of the Charter of 1830 , more power to the Parliament , manhood suffrage and support to rising European nationalisms . Thiers served as Prime Minister for King Louis Philippe I twice (in 1836 and 1840), but he then lost the king's favour, and the centre-left rapidly fell. The centre-left during
13230-449: The limited success of centre-left politics in the 1980s. Furthermore, centre-left policies faced new challenges that necessitated a reconsideration of the welfare state, including population ageing that threatened pension programs and women in the workforce that heavily altered the job market . Green political parties first became prominent in the 1980s when they became influential in European politics. Third Way politics developed as
13365-494: The local constituencies. The left was led by Michael Foot and Tony Benn . They were keen on radical proposals as presented in the 1983 manifesto entitled "The New Hope for Britain". It called for extensive nationalisation of industry, with heavily centralized economic planning, and many additional controls on business. It demanded unilateral nuclear disarmament and withdrawal from the European Community. Labour's manifesto
13500-615: The minds of voters, which earns them support in good economic conditions but loses them support in poor economic conditions. Environmentalism is a major component of green politics. Centre-left groups generally support a mixed economy with moderate economic interventionism . Keynesian economics has historically seen support among the centre-left. This is an interventionist economic philosophy that emphasizes income rather than pricing. These ideas have since declined in popularity in favour of balanced budgets and low government spending. Closely related to centre-left politics are concepts of
13635-410: The modernisers called for radical adjustment of Party goals by repealing "Clause IV", the historic commitment to nationalisation of industry. This was achieved in 1995. Blair continued to move the party further to the centre, abandoning the largely symbolic Clause Four at the 1995 mini-conference in a strategy to increase the party's appeal to " middle England ". The political philosophy of New Labour
13770-437: The national party system. In addition to the most common centre-left ideologies, other ideologies are sometimes described as centre-left or have centre-left variants. Democratic socialism supports the abolition of capitalism in favour of socialism, though it opposes the creation of a communist state . It was historically seen as a centre-left position, and may sometimes be described as such, but modern democratic socialism
13905-467: The new electorate with considerable success among working men, but far less success among women. As the Liberal Party collapsed, Labour became the official opposition to the Conservative government. Its support for the war effort demonstrated that the Labour Party was a patriotic and moderate force that solved problems and did not threaten class warfare. The 1923 election was a pivotal achievement with
14040-614: The party or were suspended over antisemitism-related incidents. In 2018, internal divisions emerged over adopting the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism , with 68 rabbis criticising the leadership. The issue was cited by a number of MPs who left the party to set up Change UK . An investigation by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission found the party responsible for three Equality Act breaches, including harassment political interference in antisemitism complaints. During
14175-476: The political spectrum, with centre-left and centre-right variants both being common. Christian democrats often support the welfare state, and social justice has been a frequent theme among Christian democracy parties in Latin America. Christian democracy in Europe is not usually associated with the centre-left, instead favouring the centre-right. Though it is often associated with conservatism, some elements of Confucianism invoke ideas that are associated with
14310-504: The politics of nearly every major democracy, though it has historically been most successful in the European Union , where it was the predominant ideology from 1945 to 1973. Sweden in particular has historically been closely associated with social democracy, as it was the first country to be led by a social democratic party, and social democrats in Sweden continued to be relevant even after
14445-412: The pound. Labour went on to unexpectedly lose the 1970 general election to the Conservatives under Edward Heath . Labour in opposition kept Wilson as Leader. The 1970s proved a difficult time to be in government for both the Conservatives and Labour due to the 1973 oil crisis , which caused high inflation and a global recession. The Labour Party was returned to power again under Wilson a few days after
14580-594: The progressive Urbano Rattazzi , the heads respectively of the Right and Left groupings in Parliament. This alliance was called " connubio " ("marriage") for its opportunist characteristics. Liberalism was typically associated with the centre-right in the late 19th century, but liberal parties in France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom adopted left liberal policies through coalitions of middle and working class voters that survived until World War I . Progressivism developed as
14715-419: The purpose of increasing economic growth to fund public goods such as education, healthcare, and pensions. The Third Way may be defined as centre-left or as centrist . Christian democracy is an ideology that incorporates Catholic social teaching into a secular political philosophy. Though most enduring Christian democratic parties are centrist, those in Latin America have historically ranged across
14850-447: The region, which allowed redistributive and socially inclusive policies to be implemented. In East Asia, interventionism and developmental policy were adopted by right-wing parties rather than centre-left parties. Keynesian economics declined in popularity after the end of the post-war consensus, spurred by the 1970s energy crisis and the subsequent recession . The centre-left parties that had held power to that point received much of
14985-527: The rest of the left–right political spectrum in 18th and 19th century France, where the centre-left included those who supported transfer of powers from the monarchy to parliament or endorsed moderate republicanism . Early progressivism and left liberalism evolved in the late-19th and early-20th centuries in Western Europe and the United States, while social democracy split from revolutionary socialism , which became associated with communism , and advocated reformist socialist positions. Social democracy became
15120-453: The rest of the Laborites with Conservatives. The 1931 election took place on 27 October. Labour had 6.3 million votes (31 percent), down from 8.0 million and 37 percent in 1929. Nevertheless, it was reduced to a helpless minority of only 52 members, chiefly from coal mining districts. The old leadership was gone. One bright note came in 1934 when Herbert Morrison led Labour to take control of
15255-520: The right-wing following Hugh Gaitskell (known as Gaitskellites ). The economy recovered as Conservatives hung together and chanted, "You Never Had It So Good.". The ageing Attlee contested the general election in 1955 , which saw Labour lose ground; he retired and was replaced by Gaitskell. Internal squabbling now focused on the issues of nuclear disarmament , Britain's entry into the European Economic Community (EEC), and Clause IV of
15390-615: The role of leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). The Labour Party's first national conference in Belfast in 1907 helped shape many of its key policies. Never fully resolved was the puzzle of where the final decisions ought to lie—in the annual conference? the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP)? The local chapters? The Trade Union Congress (which brought together the heads of most unions)? The conference created
15525-474: The socioeconomic model of a social market economy , a regulated market economic system that promoted free markets and fair competition with regulation for social policies and a welfare state . The centre-left is descended from left-wing politics, which originated in the French Revolution and in the response to early capitalism. In France, the early centre-left was led by Adolphe Thiers , head of
15660-414: The turn of the century caused distress among voters, including increased perceptions of social inequality and fear of change, causing voters to move away from traditional centre-left ideologies toward populism . The Great Recession exacerbated this trend, bringing significant challenges to the rule of centre-left parties, particularly those with social democratic leanings. In Europe, this brought about
15795-575: The vote, its greatest share since 2001 and the biggest increase in vote share in a single general election since 1945 . The party gained a net 30 seats with the Conservatives losing their overall majority. From 2016, the Labour Party faced criticism for failing to deal with antisemitism . Criticism was also levelled at Corbyn. The Chakrabarti Inquiry cleared the party of widespread antisemitism but identified an "occasionally toxic atmosphere". High-profile party members, including Ken Livingstone , Peter Willsman < and Chris Williamson , left
15930-567: The war illegal and a violation of the UN Charter . The Iraq War was deeply unpopular in most western countries, with Western governments divided in their support and under pressure from worldwide popular protests . The decisions that led up to the Iraq war and its subsequent conduct were the subject of the Iraq Inquiry . In the 2005 general election , Labour was re-elected for a third term, but with
16065-446: The way for Harold Wilson to lead the party. A downturn in the economy and a series of scandals in the early 1960s had engulfed the Conservative government by 1963. The Labour Party returned to government with a 4-seat majority under Wilson in the 1964 general election but a landslide increased its majority to 96 in the 1966 general election . Labour was responsible for a number of sweeping social and cultural reforms mostly under
16200-620: The welfare state and regulated labour markets . In the 20th century, trade unions and their working class constituency were closely associated with social democratic and labour parties, especially in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, and former British colonies in the Pacific. These associations generally lessened by the end of the century as union membership declined and centre-left parties shifted toward Third Way politics, which introduced elements of neoliberalism into centre-left politics, increasing
16335-450: Was a continuation of the trend that had begun under the leadership of Neil Kinnock . New Labour as a name has no official status, but remains in common use to distinguish modernisers from those holding to more traditional positions, normally referred to as "Old Labour". New Labour is a party of ideas and ideals but not of outdated ideology. What counts is what works. The objectives are radical. The means will be modern. The Labour Party won
16470-410: Was a repudiation of the Post-war consensus from the left. It alienated so many moderates, skilled workers and the general public that it was ridiculed as the " longest suicide note in history ." Some top leaders quit the Labour Party and formed a new Social Democratic Party , but it could not survive. After Labour's massive defeat in the 1983 General Election , Neil Kinnock replaced Foot. He defeated
16605-415: Was developed in the United Kingdom by liberal politicians such as John Maynard Keynes and William Beveridge , who advocated market restrictions to the benefit of the public. Keynesian economics became the mainstream in Western Europe during the 1950s and 1960s, while the social market economy was developed by social democrats in Germany at the same time. As social democracy became influential in Europe,
16740-655: Was elected as a Member of Parliament in the general election . As an MEP he was the Labour Spokesperson for Human Rights, and sat on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Human Rights Committee . He lost his seat in the 2019 European Parliament election . Lord Khan joined the House of Lords in February 2021 and has held several Opposition Posts . Since May 2021 he has been an Opposition Whip in
16875-457: Was epitomised in the Beveridge Report of 1942, by the Liberal economist William Beveridge . The Report assumed that the maintenance of full employment would be the aim of post-war governments, and that this would provide the basis for the welfare state . Immediately upon its release, it sold hundreds of thousands of copies. All major parties committed themselves to fulfilling this aim, but
17010-403: Was followed by a sharp fall in unemployment, together with sustained economic growth. Nevertheless, the Labour lead in the polls remained strong. Smith died suddenly in May 1994, and Tony Blair became leader. Once again the battle resumed between the old guard on the left and the younger "modernisers". The old guard argued that they were regaining strength under Smith's strong leadership. Blair,
17145-662: Was formed by unions and left-wing groups to create a distinct political voice for the working class in Britain. In 1900 the Trades Union Congress (TUC), an umbrella body for most unions, sponsored a national conference to unite into a single party that would sponsor candidates for the House of Commons. The conference created the Labour Representation Committee (LRC), as a coalition of separate groups with Ramsay MacDonald as secretary. The fearsome issue for labour
17280-472: Was founded in 1900, having emerged from the trade union movement and socialist parties of the 19th century . It was electorally weak before the First World War , but in the early 1920s overtook the Liberal Party to become the main opposition to the Conservative Party , and briefly formed a minority government under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924. In 1929, Labour for the first time became the largest party in
17415-428: Was influenced by the party's development of Anthony Giddens ' Third Way which attempted to provide a synthesis between capitalism and socialism . New Labour was first termed as an alternative branding for the Labour Party, dating from a conference slogan first used by the Labour Party in 1994, which was later seen in a draft manifesto published by the party in 1996, called New Labour, New Life For Britain . It
17550-560: Was much more successful in foreign policy. He helped end the impasse over German payment of reparations by enlisting Washington to launch the Dawes Plan. Much more controversial was his decision to recognize the Soviet Union. That ignited an anti-Communist backlash that exploded four days before the 1924 election in the fake Zinoviev Letter in which Kremlin supposedly called for revolutionary uprising by British workers. The 1924 election saw
17685-559: Was reinforced by the wave of democracy that followed, allowing socialists to participate in electoral politics. Social democrats made up the centre-left during the interwar period in Europe, advocating government regulation and intervention in opposition to the passive policies of the predominant Marxist and classical liberal parties. The centre-left and the centre-right in this period were primarily divided by their stance on trade unions, with social democracy advocating greater powers for unions in collective bargaining. In Western Europe,
17820-449: Was that of New Labour in the United Kingdom. Centre-left politics remained unpopular in much of Continental Europe at this time. Third Way politics lost support among the centre-left after the early 2000s, and neo-Keynesianism regained popularity. Centre-left ideologies were among those uplifted by the pink tide in Latin America in the late 1990s. Early centre-left politics and progressivism in Latin America has focused heavily on
17955-481: Was the 1901 Taff Vale legal decision which made most strikes illegal; the urgent goal was to get Parliament to reverse it. The LRC cut a secret deal with the Liberal Party : they would not compete against each other in the 1906 general election . Voters gave the Liberals a landslide with 397 seats out of 664; the new LRC won 29 seats. The LRC renamed itself "The Labour Party", with veteran MP Keir Hardie narrowly winning
18090-615: Was the only country at the time to have ruling party that was explicitly social democratic, the Swedish Social Democratic Party . Other European countries with social democratic governments included Denmark, Norway, and Czechoslovakia. The Democratic Party in the United States also implemented centre-left policies with the New Deal , as a lack of ties to socialist groups allowed for a stronger centre-left relative to other countries. Centre-left ideas proliferated rapidly after
18225-606: Was to keep the Empire in business. Under Ernest Bevin 's leadership, London pushed Washington into an anti-Communist coalition that launched the Cold War in 1947 and established the NATO military alliance against the USSR in 1949. Furthermore, independent of Washington London committed large sums to developing a secret nuclear weapons programme . In the 1951 general election , Labour narrowly lost to Churchill's Conservatives, despite receiving
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