Labour’s Northern Soul How Labour can rebuild the Red Wall across the North Labour for the North Labour's Northern Soul Labour for the North is a new group working to give Northern Labour MPs a stronger voice in the Labour party and to make sure the government delivers for the North for the North, open to all Labour MPs in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber. It is co-chaired by Justin Madders, Peter Dowd and Judith Cummins. For more information about the group, please contact
[email protected] Labour for the North 2 Contents Foreword 4 Full Recommendations 7 Part I — The Long Retreat 16 Part II — 2016 And After 49 Part III — What To Expect 57 Acknowledgements 65 Appendices are available separately on request December 2020 © Labour for the North Foreword In Summer 2019 we formed the close to turning blue. Our sense Labour for the North Group to that the party had a ‘Northern bring together Labour MPs from problem’ had been heartbreakingly across the North of England. We proved right. We strongly believe felt that it was important to amplify that this forum, alongside co- the voice of Northern Labour MPs ordinated action for the North, is both within the party and outside needed now more than ever. it. We were responding to what we believed was a growing view that This report explains what happened the Labour Party was a London- in December 2019. In common centric entity and insufficiently with other reports that have looked sensitive to the needs of the North.