Labour's Ambition for National Renewal: Lessons from Tony Blair's First Term

Strategic Insights -

Sir Keir Starmer has acknowledged a sense of dissatisfaction, recognizing that Labour has not effectively communicated its story. This mirrors Tony Blair's experience after his first term, where he felt he had wasted opportunities due to a lack of delivery. In response, Blair established the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, led by Sir Michael Barber, which helped to turn bold rhetoric into reality. The success of this approach lies in its blend of science and art, combining consistent monitoring processes with relentless relationship-building. As Labour navigates a challenging economic climate, it can draw on these lessons to inform its own delivery unit.

Key Takeaways:

  • Labour's delivery unit, established by Tony Blair in 2001, played a critical role in turning bold rhetoric into reality by combining consistent monitoring processes with relentless relationship-building.
  • The delivery unit helped to increase the power of the prime minister without damaging relationships, fostering a mutually beneficial partnership between the prime minister's office and the Treasury.
  • Lessons from Blair's first term, where a lack of delivery led to public disillusionment, are being drawn upon by Labour today as it attempts to address a range of challenges, including a tougher economic climate and growing geopolitical instability.
  • The Technology Transformation task force, a device for enforcing the prime minister's will, highlights the importance of finding common ground between different departments and stakeholders.
  • Gordon Brown, who was Chancellor at the time, shared a rivalry with Blair but benefited from the delivery unit, which was used to assess the "deliverability" of programs in spending reviews.
  • Despite the disagreement between Blair and Brown, the delivery unit allowed them to work together for the greater good, ultimately benefiting the government and its policies.

Statistics:

  • 6 months after the establishment of the delivery unit, Jeremy Heywood reported that Barber had "massively increased the power of the prime minister without damaging relationships."
  • The delivery unit was assessed to have performed 82% of its 64 targets over the first year of the unit.
  • New Labour had won a second election in June 2001, under the leadership of Tony Blair.

Sources:

  • Starmer, Keir (2023). "Is it time for a new mission?" *The Times*
  • Barber, Michael (author) (2023). "The Art of Delivery"
  • Blair, Tony (2001). "Europe After the Elections" *Strand Magazine, Autumn 2001*
  • Brown, Gordon (2001). "Wider Opportunities and Better Lives" *Speech in Edinburgh*