DeHavilland Briefing Corbyn’s Labour People, processes and policies By the DeHavilland Content Teams AprilSeptember 2015 2015 For more information on DeHavilland and For more information on DeHavilland and how we can help with political monitoring, how we can help with political monitoring, custom research and consultancy, contact: custom research and consultancy, contact: +44 (0)20 3033 3870 +44 (0)20 3033 3870 [email protected] [email protected] www.dehavilland.co.uk www.dehavilland.co.uk DeHavilland Briefing Contents What will the Corbyn era mean for Labour? 3 Key Policy Priorities 5 Culture, Media and Telecoms 6 Defence and Foreign Affairs 7 Energy 8 Health 10 Housing 11 Business and Economy 13 Policing and Crime 14 Transport 15 Education and Skills 16 Welfare 17 Key People 19 © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 www.dehavilland.co.uk 2 DeHavilland Briefing What will the Corbyn era mean for Labour? From rebel to leader drawing both on the old tradition of the party, with a focus on the role of the state - and In his final speech before the result of the emerging trends, such as the commitment to Labour leadership election came to a close, gender issues and the focus on green jobs. Jeremy Corbyn pledged to change the face of British politics. Indeed, Mr Corbyn’s campaign could be considered the most policy-rich of the four The so-called “hard-left” of Labour that had leadership campaigns, with a raft of detailed been in decline 1983 General Election and policy consultation documents published the subsequent election of Neil Kinnock as alongside more reactive pronouncements on leader has now reclaimed the helm of a party the external debates that have raged during whose parliamentary party is overwhelmingly the campaign such as welfare reform and the unsupportive, if not outright opposed to it. refugee crisis. Rumours of culls, coups and cataclysms have However, it should be noted that much of abounded throughout this campaign, and the policy put forward by Mr Corbyn has are likely to dog Mr Corbyn throughout his been couched in the language of consultation, premiership and efforts to maintain party unity. rather than prescription. Although this is perhaps at odds with his recent rebellious, But amidst of the heat of the campaign Mr uncompromising parliamentary past, it is Corbyn has outlined an extensive set of policies in keeping with his emphasis during the © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 www.dehavilland.co.uk 3 DeHavilland Briefing campaign on participative decision making “We need to review our policy-making process to involving both the membership and the ensure that it is inclusive, accessible, participatory Parliamentary Labour Party. and able to take democratic decisions quickly when necessary.” While much of the media coverage during the campaign has focused on positions and The Observer suggested that further detail comments from Mr Corbyn’s parliamentary on this could be sought from the Bennite career, this briefing has placed an emphasis Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, whose on the policies he has expounded during the spokesperson, Jon Lansman, was a central campaign, that is to say, those he has indicated figure in Mr Corbyn’s campaign. A publication will form his platform as leader rather than his notes that reform of the policy-making process personal beliefs. could: (i) provide for a rolling programme based on amendments from party units, giving grassroots Reform of the party policy-making process party individuals and affiliated members direct input into policy making; (ii) enable party conference to The longest standing MP of all the candidates, make the final decisions on policy.” Mr Corbyn has repeatedly indicated his desire to reform the membership, policy-making Mr Corbyn has also indicated that he will seek process and structure of the Labour Party. to convert the registered supporters who have paid £3 to vote in the leadership election to full First and foremost, Mr Corbyn has stated that members, with voting rights. Alongside this he he would commit Labour to gender parity has proposed a broader review of membership through a 50:50 Shadow Cabinet and work fees to make the party “as inclusive as we can”. towards 50 per cent of Labour MPs being women. With regards to the process of forming a Shadow Cabinet, Mr Corbyn stated that he He has also expressed a desire to give Labour’s would appoint his Shadow Cabinet himself, annual party conference greater authority in the having initially suggested that he would policy making process, and wished to see future reinstate the elections for Cabinet positions that leadership elections an all-member ballot. He had been abolished by Ed Miliband in 2011. told the Independent: “I will absolutely use our supporters to push our agenda up to the parliamentary party and get “I’m them to follow that. We have to encourage the parliamentary Labour party to be part of that process and not to stand in the way of democratising the slightly surprised party and empowering the party members. It is going to be an interesting discussion.” that we made it A common thread throughout his policy documents has been the emphasis he has placed through, on the need to hold “open consultations” on policy proposals. In a Fabian Society Leading Labour pamphlet published in August, he stated: but there we are” On qualifying as a candidate, June 2015 © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 www.dehavilland.co.uk 4 DeHavilland Briefing During the campaign, it was suggested that Decent homes for all in public and private sectors supporters of Corbyn could move a motion at by 2025 through a big housebuilding the party’s annual conference to reintroduce programme and controlling rents. mandatory re-selection of all Labour MPs, abolished under the Neil Kinnock. However, , a foreign policy that an official spokespersondenied the claim. No more illegal wars prioritises justice and assistance. This, combined with an expected reduction Replacing in the number of constituencies to 600 and Trident not with a new generation of nuclear the associated raft of reselections, has led to weapons but jobs that retain the communities’ skills. a degree of nervousness among MPs on the party’s right-wing who have voiced concerns Fully-funded NHS, integrated with social care, with regarding a possible ‘purge of the Blairites’. an end to privatisation in health. Key Priorities Protection at work – no zero hours contracts, strong collective bargaining to stamp out Amongst the policy detail of Corbyn’s workplace injustice. campaign, he has sought to underline those policies he sees as fundamental, those he was “standing to deliver”. Equality for all – a society that accepts no barriers to everyone’s talents and contribution. An end to scapegoating of migrants. A new kind of politics: a fairer, kinder Britain based on innovation, decent jobs and decent public services. A life-long national education service for decent skills and opportunities throughout our lives: universal childcare, abolishing student fees and – with a national Growth not austerity restoring grants, and funding adult skills training investment bank to help create tomorrow’s jobs and throughout our lives reduce the deficit fairly. Fair taxes for all - let the broadest shoulders bear the biggest burden to balance the books. A lower welfare bill through investment and growth not squeezing the least well-off and cuts to child tax credits. Action on climate change - for the long-term interest of the planet rather than the short-term interests of corporate profits. Public ownership of railways and in the energy sector - privatisation has put profits before people. Photo: David Martyn Hunt © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 www.dehavilland.co.uk 5 DeHavilland Briefing Policies Culture, Media and Telecoms Telecoms protect libraries, galleries, theatres and - Has called for a Universal Service Obligation for broadband provision. - museums, adding that “Lottery funding is – - Mr Corbyn is committed to establishing and should remain – distinct from grant in a National Investment Bank to invest in aid funding”. digital, energy and transport infrastructure - To address regional funding imbalances, and promote growth. London’s proportion of funding would be redistributed to its per capita share while These policies were outlined in his Rural Renewal policy protecting its grant-in-aid and aligning document and Better Business website. funding for culture by devolving cultural budgets. Television Music and Performance - Mr Corbyn has stated that the Labour - Calls for implementation of the Party “must be at the forefront of the recommendations of the ‘Paying Artists’ campaigning to defend the BBC licence campaign, including fee” and reverse cuts implemented since the establishment of 2010. guidelines on minimum pay standards for and - He would “support calls…to address the exhibition and performance a national imbalance of male and female roles on UK review of the value and impact of the arts’ television” and states that organisations contribution to society and culture in the . that depend on more than 25 per cent UK - To “protect our performers, writers and public funding should have approved creative professionals” from unpaid work training in diversity and participation development for their Chairs and provide a national Creative Apprenticeship targeted plans to build this expertise on brokerage service would be established outlining minimum employment standards. their boards and executive teams. - Cultural institutions in receipt of taxpayer funding would be required to make their Arts funding and decision-making work more widely available throughout the country and incentivised to increase takeup - Mr Corbyn has committed to the of cultural opportunities by children and establishment of a Cabinet Committee families, particularly among disadvantaged in Parliament on the arts and creative groups. industries, bringing cross-departmental - States that the party “should look at teams of ministers together.