What a Difference 100 Years Makes!
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This is the text of Ruth Kelly MP's talk, taken directly from the Deane-Cum-Heaton Labour Party's Branch minutes.
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Ruth was welcomed to the meeting and began by comparing the objectives of Labour’s pioneers 100 years ago with what has been achieved a century later.
| 1900 | 2000 |
|---|---|
 Work for all, graduated income tax, useful work for
all |
National minimum wage, more progressive tax system,
the New Deal, unemployment lower than ever |
| Universal access to education |
Education the government’s main theme
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| Better access to healthcare |
New Labour putting more resources into the NHS
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| Social justice, adequate maintenance for
children |
New Labour’s target to abolish child poverty by
2010, by then end of this Parliament 800,000 children will be permanently
“out of poverty |
| A say in how we are governed |
Universal suffrage, devolution for Scotland and Wales,
abolition of hereditary peers from the House of Lords. |
Ruth contrasted Labour’s first 1,00 days in power with the Tories during 1979 - 1982
Over the years, this period has gained a mythical status as a time of radicalism and delivery. The reality behind the myth is very different.
In the first thousand days of Tory rule, interest rates rose by 5% to 17% at the end of 1979. Inflation doubled to a staggering 21.9% in 1980 and was still at 12% in 1982.
After a thousand Tory days, unemployment had more than doubled and had just hit 3 million for the first time in nearly 50 years. The 1981 budget had seen the biggest tax hike in peacetime history, waiting lists were rising and our schools were being allowed to crumble. The Tories were breaking their promises, particularly on VAT when it doubled to 15%. Crime had shot up. By 1983 it had risen by almost a third.
The contrast with our record could not be clearer. We are keeping our promises. Now inflation is historically low, and on target. Interest rates are low. Unemployment is down. There are more people in work today than ever before, with 700,000 jobs created since the election. Crime has fallen. Waiting lists have fallen by 87,000 and 300,000 children are benefiting from smaller class sizes.
What has been achieved in a thousand days doesn’t reflect the full scale of our ambitions. That is why you won’t find us triumphalist and thinking we’ve done it all. We haven’t. There is more, much more to do. We’ve only just begun.
Ruth’s talk was followed by questions and remarks from those present:
| George: | The government should be congratulated on the start they have made to fulfilling their election pledges. |
| Amal: | We shouldn’t be complacent. There are great concerns amongst health professionals regarding waiting lists. He wondered why waiting times hadn’t been in the Party’s manifesto instead. He thought that the candidature of Ken Livingstone for London Mayor would scupper our chances of a second term. |
| Ruth: | We will reach our target for waiting lists by the end of our term but we do need some creative thinking on the Health Service. |
| Amal: | We cannot provide everything for everybody. |
| Joyce: | Why, during the flu epidemic were people taken into hospital? |
| Amal: | Such illnesses can be very serious for elderly and weak people. |
| Terry: | The government must come to terms with a growing elderly population. |
| Ruth: | Only 22% of the workforce is under 45. This is a huge and growing issue facing all Western countries. In reply to a question on crime she admitted that there has been a recent small increase but that overall levels are down by 7% since the election. |
| Graham: | How does the expansion of higher education square with a 1.5% cut in university funding? He also questioned the PFI panel. |
| Ruth: | Don’t know but will look into the question of university funding cuts. The IPPR will be looking at the role of the private sector in the public area. We cannot yet decide the merits of the PFI. |
| Anne: | Asked a question on equal opportunities. |
| Ruth: | The Government will introduce a code of practice to see whether or not it works. The Race Relations Act is to be extended to the Police Force. On the question of women’s pay it’s still the case that women are far behind men. As a society we have to decide how we value the carer’s role. |
| Terry: | There is great concern about the Euro. Will we lose votes to the Tories on this issue? |
| Ruth: | The Tories will not win the next election on this single issue |
Graham and all present thanked Ruth for her talk and for answering the questions. She announced that she was expecting her third baby and was congratulated by all.
A collection for Mozambique was held and, with a contribution from Branch funds, £150 was raised.
The meeting was declared close and cakes and champagne were provided to celebrate Labour’s first 100 years.
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