Existing analyses of the Labour Party's recent transformation tend to begin in the period after the 1987 election defeat, and less commonly after the 1985 conference. Because of this, analysts have ignored additional causes and aspects of transformation occurring in the early 1980s in the areas of policy reform, campaign strategy and ‘ethos’. Once these extra factors are taken into account we can acknowledge that Labour's transformation is more complex than previously recognised. Consequently, what often appears as an origin of change is more accurately a point of transition in an unending process of development and flux.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CookR. (1983), ‘How to Preach to the Unconverted’, The Times, 21 November.
2.
CurranJ. (1983), ‘Kinnock, Right Man for the Left’, The Times, 15 June.
3.
DruckerH. (1979), Doctrine and Ethos in the Labour Party. London: Allen & Unwin.
4.
DruckerH. (1991), ‘The Influence of the Trade Unions on the Ethos of the Labour Party’ in PimlottB.CookC. (eds.) Trade Unions in British PoliticsLondon: Longman.
5.
FisherT. (1987), ‘How Can Labour Beat the Tories Without Sacrificing Political Principle’, Tribune, 19 June.
6.
GauJ. (1994), Interview with Adam Lent, 20 September.
7.
HeffernanR. (1996) ‘Accounting for New Labour: The Impact of Thatcherism, 1979–1995’, Contemporary Political Studies 1996, Vol. 3.
8.
HeffernanR.MarquseeM. (1992), Defeat From the Jaws of Victory. London: Verso.
9.
HughesC.WintourP. (1990), Labour Rebuilt: The New Model Party. London: Fourth Estate.
10.
HulmeK. (1994), Interview with Adam Lent, 12 August.
11.
KingS. (1994), Interview with Adam Lent, 15 September.
12.
KinnockN. (1984), ‘New Deal for Europe’, New Socialist, March/April.
13.
KinnockN. (1994a), Interview with Adam Lent, 31 October.
14.
KinnockN. (1994b), ‘Reforming the Labour Party’, Contemporary Record8 (3).
15.
LCC (1981), Towards a Mass Party. (no place of publication): LCC.
16.
LCC (1983), Untitled paper on campaigning and Party organisation produced by working group, Autumn.
17.
The Labour Party (1983), Report of The Annual Conference of The Labour Party.
18.
LentA. (1996) Labour's Transformation 1983–1989: A Study in Political Complexity, unpublished PhD. thesis, Sheffield University.
19.
ShawE. (1994), The Labour Party Since 1979, London: Routledge.
20.
SmithM. (1992a), ‘The Labour Party in Opposition’ in SmithM.SpearJ. (eds.) The Changing Labour Party, London: Routledge.
21.
SmithM. (1992b), ‘A Return to Revisionism? The Labour Party's Policy Review’ in SmithM.SpearJ. (eds.), The Changing Labour Party, London: Routledge.
22.
SmithM. (1992c) ‘Continuity and Change in Labour Party Policy’ in SmithM.SpearJ. (eds.), The Changing Labour Party, London: Routledge.
23.
SmithM. (1994) ‘Understanding the ‘Politics of Catch-Up’: The Modernization of the Labour Party’, Political Studies, 42 (4).
24.
Wickham-JonesM. (1995) ‘Recasting Social Democracy: A Comment on Hay and Smith’, Political Studies, 43 (4).
