Review
'New Labour's Pasts is a major contribution to the history of 'new' Labour. Cronin's fine historical research and his well honed historical sensibility are deployed here to excellent effect. He provides an excellent account of the internal history of the Labour Party from the mid sixties as it struggled against the Thatcherite presence in national politics and the internecine struggles within its own ranks. He shows how it was those unhappy experiences forged the programs of 'new' Labour and steeled the determination of those like Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to bring it to political victory. This book is a must read for anyone interested in contemporary British politics.' Richard Price, Universityof Maryland 'lucid, illuminating and well researched...persuasive chronological analysis of Labour since 1945' The Political Quarterly
Product Description
Understanding New Labour's past is essential to understanding its ideology, strategy and actions in government. James E. Cronin addresses this past in order to assess the meaning and significance of New Labour, whether it constitutes an effective model for European social democracy, and why it has pursued such an aggressive foreign policy and been so committed to the 'reform' of the public services.
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