I have held membership of The Labour Party (and its affiliate, The Young Socialists) on and off since my mid-teens but an event happened at Conference, 1976 which would rock the commitment of any Democratic Socialist at the time. When the question is asked today, Who took the Labour Party inexorably to the right?, many will say Blair. Some, with slightly longer memories, might even cite Kinnock. But the writing was on the wall for all on the left back then in Blackpool, 1976 when Premier James Callaghan gave the most challenging speech of any peacetime prime minister in which he abandoned any hope of a Socialist Britain. In particular, the following extract prepared the road for Thatchers Economic Miracle: We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession, and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting Government spending. I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists. James Callaghan was Britains first Thatcherite Prime Minister.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:05:01 +0000
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