Former minister hints at Miliband support
Former housing minister Nick Raynsford has launched a scathing attack on current Labour strategy and praised David Miliband’s explosive article in the Guardian a fortnight ago.
In a technique last seen in that very same Miliband article, Mr Raynsford fails to mention Gordon Brown but does say Mr Miliband was right to focus on “winning the argument over our record”.
Commenting on the confusing range of messages coming from the government over stamp duties and fuel costs, Mr Raynsford said: “‘When you are in a hole, stop digging’. This simple, familiar advice might appear very apt for the Labour party at this moment in time.
“So what types of digging needs to stop? First is the frantic search for some magic populist policy solution.
“There is no single ‘Get out of Jail’ card, and it is foolish to believe that such simplistic solutions will do the trick. Indeed some are counterproductive, inviting the public’s contempt by implying a desperation to ‘buy’ support by ditching unpopular taxes or offering dubious incentives.”
Speaking in the New Statesman magazine, Mr Raynsford adds: “Just as dubious is the siren call for more initiatives.
“One of the greatest mistakes in government is to confuse activity with outcomes. Just because ministers feel busy devising 101 new ways of tackling a problem does not guarantee the problem gets solved.
“Instead the public grow cynical as government rhetoric becomes increasingly divorced from reality, while practitioners grow exasperated to implement yet another initiative, often before the previous one has even been evaluated.”
As the latest public statement questioning party tactics, Mr Raynsford’s comments will contribute to Mr Brown’s problems before he tries to relaunch his premiership at the Labour party conference.
