The 19th century French writer Victor Hugo wrote that “We see past time in a telescope and present time in a microscope. Hence the apparent enormities of the present.” We have so much more information at our fingertips today that it’s increasingly difficult to see the wood for the trees.
The victory of the Labour Party at the next general election is by no means a ‘fait accompli’ but as it draws closer, and the party rides high in the polls, it is only rational to look ahead. Labour is currently grappling with how to be a progressive party in
In both a major speech to Chatham House and a pamphlet for the Fabians Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy set out his vision for foreign policy under a Labour Government. Summarised as ‘Britain Reconnected’ he set out a vision for a country that rejoins the international community as an influential
How can Labour bolster the UK’s cybersecurity in line with the framework set out in the ‘securonomics’ agenda and its modern industrial strategy? Business, our personal lives and even our nation’s critical infrastructure are increasingly dependent on cyberspace. While the technology brings benefits, it also exposes us to new risks,
The Labour leadership is preparing itself for the external challenges of the future with a suite of foreign policies endorsed at the National Policy Forum and outlined in speeches by David Lammy and John Healey. However, we also need to nurture more informed thinking about foreign and security policy in
Tony Benn divided politicians into the Signposts and the Weathercocks. The Signpost constantly says: “This is the way we should go” while “the Weathercock hasn’t got an opinion until they’ve looked at the polls, talked to the focus groups, discussed it with the spin doctors.” This grossly caricatures the dilemmas
Like the lawyer he is, Keir Starmer seems to be calmly and methodically building a conclusive case for Labour’s return to power after a 13-year absence. True, he’s gotten a big assist from Boris Johnson’s downfall and the ensuing succession chaos among the Tories. But Starmer has deftly steered Labour
Napoleon said that “to know a nation’s geography is to know its foreign policy” and this holds true for the Baltic nation of Estonia. Its strategically vital place on the map explains both why aggressive neighbours inflicted misery on it in the 20thcentury and why it is now a keen
What can we learn from the way global unrest has changed labor relations and the debate about economic security in Germany? The pandemic, followed by the war in Ukraine, has brought into sharp focus the way domestic/local economies down to the level of the workplace are influenced by the global
As Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves rounds up her tour of the US, it’s worth reflecting on its overall meaning. For the New Statesman’s Rachel Wearmouth, the trip is of real importance: ‘if Labour does win the next election, I wonder if people will look back at Rachel Reeves’ visit to
