British Politics Review Newsletter of the British Politics Society, Norway Volume 1, No. 1 Summer 2006

British Politics Review is a quarterly newsletter issued by the British Politics Society, Norway. With Blair: End of an era? contributions from academic and After a tumultuous spring, party competition in Britain appears less predictable than journalistic sources, the British in years. With the Conservatives rejuvenated Politics Review is aimed at everyone under David Cameron’s leadership, and the with a general interest for political developments in Britain. Liberal Democrats still aspiring to rise from third place, Labour’s hegemony is no longer certain. Meanwhile, ’s government has been plagued by internal diffi culties in Contents the party, linked to disputed policies as well as personal failures. Time to go? Annette Groth Nine years after New Labour were swept to Blair’s foreign secretaries power in British politics it seems pertinent Kristin M Haugevik to ask whether the project is heading towards its logical conclusion. This fi rst newsletter of The British local elections: from the British Politics Society Norway takes a micro to macro politics Øivind Bratberg closer look at Blair’s leadership, the trajectory of New Labour since coming into offi ce and Devolution: New Labours calcula- where it stands today. ted gamble? Atle L. Wold We sum up the local elections of 4 May. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, speaking at Also, read more about the Prime Minister’s Blair’s contenders the G8 summit at Gleneagles in July 2005. © Crown copyright Øivind Bratberg contenders to power. Looking back on the years of the Labour government, we have furthermore placed our focus on Blair’s foreign secretaries and on constitutional reform by devolution. Greetings from the British Ambassador to Norway By David Powell, HM Ambassador to Norway - June 2006 I began my pos- over the course of my posting here. Our I welcome this initiative to form a Bri- ting as Ambas- long and close history, especially during tish Politics Society in Norway. As I have sador to Oslo just the Second World War, provides the fo- been learning about Norway in my first over a month ago, undation rock for these links, which few weeks as Ambassador, I have been and already I’ve of course go well beyond the political, impressed that so many Norwegians al- been struck by the economic and trading relationships that ready have an understanding of British strength, warmth are the main concern of my Embassy. In politics. But there is of course always and variety of the Oslo we also have the British Council scope for new perspectives and greater links between the focusing on cultural and educational re- sharing of ideas among Norwegians, UK and Norway. lations, and Visit Britain promoting Lon- particularly so for those with a professi- I’ve had the opp- don and the UK as a tourist destination. onal interest in politics in the UK. A new ortunity so far to forum like this will therefore I’m sure be visit Stavanger and David Powell, Both the UK and Norway share a strong both useful and appreciated. the Lofoten Islands, HM Ambassador democratic tradition. And our politi- and I plan to travel cal institutions have to confront much Lykke til og god sommer! the length and breadth of the country the same kinds of problems and issues.

British Politics Society, Norway, established in June 2006, is politically neutral and has no collective agenda apart from raising the interest and knowledge of British politics among the informed Norwegian public.

Board Members: Øivind Bratberg (President), Kristin M. Haugevik (Vice President), Atle L. Wold (Scholarly Responsible), John-Ivar S. Olsen (Secretary) Postal address: P.O. Box 6 Blindern, N-0313 Oslo, Norway ▪ E-mail: [email protected] ▪ Website: www.britishpoliticssociety.no. British Politics Review Guest Writer: Annette Groth In every edition of British Politics Review, we invite a guest writer to com- ment upon current issues in British politics. Our first contributor is Annette Groth, who gives a personal account of her experience of New Labour from 1994 to the present.

Groth is a journalist with the Norwegian national broadcast NRK, where she has also worked as foreign correspondent in London. Groth is the aut- hor of several books on issues of British and Irish politics. Time to go? By Annette Groth having won the power battle with Gordon known as doctors, who were far Brown. more infl uental than the offi cial party It was early 1994, and a quiet day for a machine and the elected members of Norwegian correspondent in London. Three years later. May again. May 1997, Parliament. has gone, There was this briefi ng down in and the general election. After 18 years but there are plenty of others still. Westminster with an up and coming with Conservative government, time Labour . I had heard of him, had come for Labour. It was a landslide Thirdly, because New Labour hasn’t but still he was no big star in British election victory, led by Tony Blair. He managed to keep its promises. Blair’s politics. With a couple of colleagues I was the nation’s new darling. With his mantra from the 1997 election – education, decided to give the briefi ng a chance. wife and three children he moved into education, education – still hasn’t done Downing Street. very much for schools. And the NHS still And there he was. With a fresh face, have long queues. And there are still far a charming smile, and an infectious I remember that day clearly. Tony and too many poor people. And old people laughter. No pin stripes. He was dressed Cherie Blair were walking hand in hand on a basic pension still have problems in shirt, tie, jacket – and jeans. Labour’s into Downing Street. The atmosphere surviving from day to day. And you can Shadow Home Secretary Tony Blair made was electric. The British were fed up with add to the list... an impression at fi rst sight. Margaret Thatcher, her successor and the rest of the Tories. Tony But Tony Blair is still here, although In a similar vein, when he started speaking Blair and his New Labour was like a breath is standing in the wings it was a refreshing surprise. He spoke like of fresh air. The majority in the House waiting to take over. no other Labour politician I knew of. He of Commons was overwhelming. And talked about private and public walking Blair brought women into British politics. Blair has made difference to Britain. He hand in hand, about an economy that They had been few and far between – now has achieved some political goals. He has needed to be kept under tight control, ”Blair’s Babes”, as the tabloids called them, been a very charismatic leader at times. about the middle classes that would not be put some colour into Parliament. He and his family has put a different burdened with heavy taxes under a New atmosphere into Downing Street, not the Labour government. He spoke about an Nine years on Tony Blair and Labour least when his and Cherie’s fourth child, active foreign policy, and are still in power, after little Leo was born. And he was, like change for Britain. He ”I remember that day clearly. having won the general Margaret Thatcher, a leader with a vision. was joking and laughing, Tony and Cherie Blair election for a historic The Third Way. as well, and seemed like were walking hand in hand third successive term. he was really interested But the atmosphere is no But now the vision seems to have gone. into Downing Street. The in meeting a bunch of longer electric, and the He is burdened with bad political foreign correspondents atmosphere was electric. contagious Blair-smile decisions, with sleaze and scandals, a in London. Unbelievable, The British were fed up has become more of a vivid opposition within his own party. I thought. Interesting, with Margaret Thatcher, her stiff upper lip. And not the least: In David Cameron the the colleagues and I successor John Major and the Conservatives have, for the fi rst time in said afterwards, but rest of the Tories. Tony Blair Firstly, because of the ages, got a leader that seems fresh, focused we didn’t immediately and his New Labour was like war in . He wanted and able to take up the challenge. think of him as a Labour a breath of fresh air.” to build bridges over the leader, because Labour Atlantic, but the British Maybe it’s time to go. already had their popular frontman. people didn’t like his role as George W. The Scotsman and solicitor John Smith Bush’s poodle. People didn’t believe in a had taken over from when government that seemed to have ”jazzed Labour narrowly lost the election in 1992. up” political dossiers about Iraq, to justify It was widely thought that Smith would going to war; a government that tried to lead Labour into a successful win at the talk itself out of any guilt in connection next general election. with the suicide of Dr. David Kelly, the man who revealed how the government But only a few weeks after I met Tony worked. Iraq has been the main reason for Blair that fi rst time, everything changed. both Blair and Labour losing support - in The 12th of May 1994 gave a twist to the polls, among Labour’s own and in the British history. John Smith suffered two British public. heavy heart attacks, and died aged only 55. The way was paved for Tony Blair as Secondly, because he made himself a the Labour leader. And so he was, after court of unelected so-called advisers, also Blair’s foreign secretaries By Kristin M. Haugevik Centrepieces. Robin ideologically. However, a personal dispute he shared Cook’s political destiny when Cook, and with Brown in the early 1980s hindered he was demoted to Leader of the House now further strategic cooperation between the of Commons in May this year. While constitute the strong two, and they made up only after Cook’s some have argued that Straw himself trio of resignation from government in 2003. Cook wished to withdraw after fi ve years in the the Blair-era in British is perhaps best known for his endeavour FCO, others have pointed out that ruling politics. Interestingly, to add an ’ethical dimension’ to foreign out military intervention in and these otherwise very policy, a vision which almost certainly supporting Brown in negotiations on the different political infl uenced Blair’s landmark ’doctrine of EU-budget may have hastened his leave. personalities all share the international community’-speech in the trait of having been Kristin M. Haugevik is a 1999. However, whereas Blair strived to Unpredictably, Straw was replaced researcher at NUPI, the foreign secretaries Norwegian Institute of maintain a ’special relationship’ with US by Margaret Beckett, whose political without being distinct International Affairs. presidents Clinton and Bush, Cook often ambitions once were greater than ’Blairites’. This could appeared pro-Europe rather than pro- becoming Britain’s fi rst female foreign perhaps be seen as a matter of “keeping America. This was most likely one of the secretary. Following John Smith’s death in your friends close but your [political] reasons why he was removed from the FCO 1994, Beckett became acting leader of the opponents closer”. A more compelling after the general elections in 2001. Another . However, she eventually argument, however, is that British foreign plausible explanation is that while Blair lost the bid for the leadership to Blair, pol ic y i s i nc rea si ng ly cont rol led by Nu mb er was relatively inexperienced in foreign reportedly because of her strong trade 10, and that compliance has become a more affairs before 1997, he became increasingly union-links and alleged disloyalty to important qualifi cation than ideological equipped for and interested in handling Smith. Her age, class and gender are also beliefs for this prestigious cabinet such issues throughout his fi rst term. assumed to have worked in her disfavour. position. If this is in fact the case, British Hence, it has been argued, he needed a more Today, her loyalty to the party has fi nally foreign secretaries certainly face a diffi cult pliable foreign secretary than Cook. If this paid off, favouring her with the position as balancing exercise. While the Foreign was the case, Blair demonstrated a certain Blair’s (presumably) last foreign secretary. and Commonwealth Offi ce (FCO) might talent for prediction: Two years later, Cook Like her two predecessors, Beckett is not be under political pressure from Number resigned from the government, declaring a pronounced Blairite. She is nevertheless 10, it concurrently faces managerial and his disapproval of the intervention in Iraq. expected to remain loyal to Blair’s foreign fi nancial pressure from the Treasury – run policy doctrine. This arguably strengthens by Blair’s expected successor Gordon His successor, Jack Straw, was more right- the assumption that it matters less who the Brown. In addition, the Foreign Secretary wing and -sceptic – qualities which foreign secretary is as long as control over faces the choice between Blair and Brown became particularly valuable to Blair when British foreign policy ultimately lies in the on a more personal level. he was forced to make the choice between hands of the Prime Minister himself. Europe and the United States over Iraq. Blair’s fi rst foreign secretary, the late Straw possessed the requisite political Robin Cook, was originally closer to integrity to defend the government’s Iraq- the Brownite than the Blairite camp policy publicly – and repeatedly did so. Still, The British local elections: from micro to macro politics By Øivind Bratberg Elections matter. Local as permeated by national politics as this itself. Immediately, calls resurfaced from elections are always year, with two opposition parties eager to the back benches for the Prime Minister diffi cult to analyse as a present their new leadership, and a Labour to give a date for the expected ‘ordered judgement on national government whose election campaign was transition’ that will bring Gordon Brown policy. Can a party’s overshadowed by a list of unfortunate to No. 10. downfall or rise at affairs. The Deputy Prime Minister, John the national level be Prescott, and the Home Secretary, Charles Far from heeding to such calls, Mr. Blair predicted by observing Clarke, were subject to harsh criticism instead ordered an immediate reshuffl e of local elections results? following the former’s extra-marital affairs his government, dismissing Clarke from Should party leaderships and the latter’s failure to deport a number his Cabinet and stripping Prescott from take on board the result Øivind Bratberg is a of foreign criminals released from prison most of his tasks as Deputy. As part of at the polls as a message PhD student at the Dep. in Britain. Blair’s biggest reorganisation of his Cabinet on their performance? of Political Science, since taking offi ce, Margaret Beckett was University of Oslo. The results of the elections, then, made also to replace Jack Straw in the Foreign In Britain there are some fairly good the government’s merits the centrepiece Offi ce. The reshuffl e, referred to by Frank reasons for giving a qualifi ed yes to these of debate. Predictably, with Labour Dobson (Blair’s former Health Secretary) as questions, even if many previous local debilitated in a number of local councils, ’rearranging the deckchairs of the Titanic’, elections have been proved wrong as far the Conservatives made strong but not was obviously the outcome of long-term as their predictive capacity is concerned. overwhelming progress while the Liberal consideration on Blair’s part. Nevertheless, Analyses and comments as well as action Democrats, though impressive on a it was given a particular fl avour by the on the ground testify to a strong national national scale, remained close to status quo. Prime Minister’s timing. With the Foreign dimension to the elections on 4 May. There The limelight was thus almost exclusively Secretary one of the casualties of a local are several reasons for this. First, in the on Labour’s result. Martin Kettle in the election, one may observe that all levels of particularities of the British election system, Guardian, referring to a crisis in the party politics, from the local to the international, where only a proportion of the local seats t h at w i l l b e ’i nc reasi ngly di ffi cult to reverse’, are affected by the storms of the British revolve each year, this was a London year, was mild in his criticism compared with political landscape. where all councils in the capital were on many harsher statements, emanating from the ballot. Second, rarely is a local election the press as well as from the Labour Party Devolution: New Labour’s calculated gamble? By Atle L. Wold Reform returns with a a fi nal and complete arrangement. Looking ignored in the longer run. A report vengeance. Devolution at the state of affairs some seven years after just issued by the Labour-dominated was one of those key the devolved assemblies were opened, Scottish affairs committee, for example, issues – together with, however, this seems an over-optimistic underlined the challenge posed to the for example, education assessment, and which has come devolution settlement by growing anger and ‘sleaze’ in the back to haunt Tony Blair and his Cabinet is in England over the power Scottish MPs Conservative Party’s the so-called question. have at Westminster. The background for parliamentary group this is the use the government has made – which carried the First put by the Labour MP for of its 41 Scottish MPs to ensure a majority Labour Party of Tony the Scottish constituency of West Lothian, for legislation which applies to England Blair into offi ce in the Atle L. Wold is a Tam Dalyell, in the 1970s, the question only: fi rst came ‘top-up fees’ at English landslide victory of Senior Lecturer at the asks why Scottish MPs, once devolution universities, then foundation hospitals and 1997. Unlike many other Dep. of Literature, Area has been granted, should be able to vote more recently, the English Education Bill. elements of Tony Blair’s Studies and European on English legislation, when English (and All were issues which for Scotland have ‘Third Way’-policies, Languages, University Scottish for that matter) MPs cannot vote been devolved to , but which for however, the granting of Oslo. on Scottish legislation (since that has been England are handled by Westminster. of self-government to devolved to the new Scottish Parliament)? Scotland and Wales was an issue which set The constitutional problem raised by this In other words, devolution is still New Labour clearly apart from the unionist question, it has been argued, can only be unfi nished business, and just as Prime Conservatives. Devolution, although an solved by, either introducing legislative Minister William Gladstone realised issue which had a history going well back devolution to all parts of the UK, or by when he gave up the idea of ‘Home Rule into the nineteenth century in Britain, removing the ability of Scottish MPs to All Round’ in the nineteenth century, seemed to refl ect New Labour’s ‘modern’, vote on English and Welsh affairs. The devolution within Great Britain itself would decentralised, trendy, and politically fi rst option was rejected by the electorate – if implemented – open up a Pandora’s correct approach to government, which in the North-East region in a referendum Box of challenges to the political system contrasted nicely with the Conservatives’ held in November 2004 (fi rst region to as a whole. One of the more immediate emphasis on the unitary British state and hold a referendum on this issue). The other issues to be dealt with is the likely reaction on Parliamentary Sovereignty. It was ‘Cool alternative, often referred to as the ‘in- to a change of Prime Minister. Will the Britannia’ against ‘Old Britannia’, and and-out’-system, has been dismissed by growing discontent and concern about quite simply an excellent vote-winner in the Labour government on the grounds the constitutional imbalances created by the up-beat atmosphere of 1997. that it would create a chaotic situation in devolution become any less pressing when, the House of Commons, with changing or if, the representative for the Scottish But winning the election was one thing; majorities for the government depending constituency of Kirkaldy and Cowdenbeath another altogether was whether devolution on what kind of legislation is being voted – the Scotsman Gordon Brown – succeeds would work in practice. Was the devolution upon – English, or UK-wide. Tony Blair to the premiership? For New arrangement sound? Not everyone thought Labour, the chickens may soon be coming so. The offi cial position of the Labour party Recent developments, however, seem to home to roost. leadership was then, and still is, that the indicate that the West Lothian question devolution-project of 1998 was a ‘done deal’, cannot be shuffl ed under the carpet and

Blair’s contenders Young and dynamic, with centrist policies The Liberal Democrats remain much to their By Øivind Bratberg and public appeal: it could have been Tony distress the clear number three in British Blair of the mid-1990s but the description politics. The general election of 2005 was a Three-fold competition. Tony Blair is con- fi ts the leader of the clear-cut test of their fronted by three political opponents, repre- Conservatives of potential, with La- senting overlapping generations and political 2006 equally well. bour tarnished by views. Ironically, any summary of Tony Blair’s As the end point the Iraq issue and the political challenge must of a series of failed Conservatives led by include Gordon Brown, post-Thatcher lea- the less-than-popular his ever-present Chan- ders of the party, . The cellor and co-strategist David Cameron se- Lib Dems neverthe- of New Labour. The ems to have struck less fell short of clim- two have a long history a chord with the bing the threshold together, dating from large segment of that could make them the sharing of offi ce in middle-class, po- serious contenders in Westminster as Blair litically moderate Parliament. This im- entered Parliament in David Cameron and ‘aspirational’ © the Conservative Party pression was confi r- Sir Menzies Campbell 1983. Brown, in many classes that Labour med in last May’s lo- © the Liberal Democrats ways a political tutor under Tony Blair has worked so ardently to cal elections, the fi rst for Blair, was of the attract. Not least, the Conservatives under under the leadership of Sir Menzies Campbell. same generation and Gordon Brown Cameron are crafting an image of compe- Following the demise of Charles Kennedy © HM Treasury shared much of his tent and caring, with the leader speaking as party leader (due to alcohol problems), political outlook. The of mild redistribution, a robust welfare Campbell was a choice based on much con- remodelling of the party was an achievement system and strengthening of the public sensus, but somewhat less enthusiasm. One attributable to both; yet, it was Blair who as service ethos. Cameron’s occupation of of the party’s primary spokesmen on foreign leader from 1994 would take centre stage. the middle ground has led to the curious policy, Campbell has earned much respect With the Prime Minister consistently engaged argument of a left-right swap between the in the public. Admittedly, his reputation as in the foreign policy arena, Brown has held a Tory and the Labour leader. Thus, while experienced and trustworthy does not fully steady hand over the Treasury and infl uenced the Prime Minister in early June praised compete with the youthful appeal of David a good share of domestic policy. His nine-year private sector effi ciency, Cameron made the Cameron. Low age, however, has rarely been spell as Chancellor is expected to come to an adverse statement of the critical value of the principal criterion for success in British end when Blair resigns; when and how has public services. On many issues, however, politics. Campbell will have the 2009 general been a recurring point of dispute between the the Tory leader still remains ill-defi ned. election as his primary test. Blairites and Brownites of the Labour Party.