Labour Party's Defeat on Clause Four: Implications and Reactions

The Labour Party's defeat on Clause Four, a symbol of party purity since 1918, has left Tony Blair's government reeling. In a closely contested vote, 50.9% of delegates supported keeping the clause, which advocates for public ownership, while 49.1% voted to modernize it. The outcome has sparked a fierce debate within the party, with senior ministers attempting to downplay its significance.

Key Takeaways:

• The defeat has dealt a significant blow to Tony Blair's modernization efforts, with critics arguing that it reflects the party's reluctance to abandon its socialist roots.
• Senior ministers, including Jeremy Hanley, have seized on the defeat to declare that the Labour Party remains uncompromising in its commitment to traditional socialism.
• The party's defeat has also been seen as a victory for the left wing, with Arthur Scargill describing it as an "old-time religion" that will not be defeated by Tony Blair's vision of a modernized Labour Party.
• Despite the defeat, Tony Blair remains confident that he can push forward with his modernization plans, insisting that it is a momentary setback and that the party will ultimately come together.
• The party is split between those who want to modernize Clause Four and those who want to retain its traditional meaning.
• The defeat has also highlighted the need for better party management skills, with some critics arguing that the motion's debate should have been put into the party's conference program earlier to avoid a bigger defeat.
• The new party newspaper, to be launched in co-operation with the Daily Mirror, will aim to promote the party's message and attract new members.

Statistics:

• 50.9% of delegates voted to keep Clause Four, while 49.1% voted to modernize it.
• 36.6% of the conference vote, occupied by the unions, opposed the modernization of Clause Four, while 33.3% supported it.
• 17.5% of constituency delegates voted in favour of the sweeping affirmation of traditional socialism, while 12.5% opposed it.
• The constituency section held 30% of the votes, with unions holding 70%.
• The party expects to have 300,000 members by the end of this month, following the new interest in Labour since Mr Blair's election.

Sources:

• 'Labour Party', The Times, Tony Blair's speech on Tuesday.
• ' Tories to seize on Labour's defeat over Clause Four', The Times, Jeremy Hanley's statement.
• 'Conference reports', The Times, pages 6 and 7.
• 'David Marquand and Joanna Coles', The Times, page 24.
• 'Leader comment and Letters', The Times, page 25.