Beckett Report on why Labour lost the election

[unexpsoc]

The long awaited report has been published into why Labour lost the election. The four main weaknesses identified were:

A failure to shake off the myth that Labour was responsible for the financial crash and therefore failure to build trust in the economy

An inability to deal with the issues of “connection” and, in particular, failing to convince on benefits and immigration

The fact that despite his surge in 2015, Ed Miliband still wasn’t judged to be as strong a leader as David Cameron

The fear of the SNP “propping up” a minority Labour government

Do Mumsnetters agree with this? Or are there other reasons? And, has anything improved, gotten better since?

[RortyCrankle]

As a Conservative, I don't blame Labour for the global financial crash. However I do blame them (Brown) for financial ineptitude and selling off our gold reserves at rock bottom prices. They obviously admitted to this since they supposedly left a note at the Treasury to the effect that there was no money left when they got kicked out in 2010.

I can't comment much on item two and doubt item four had much impact but I think most people thought Ed was a joke and obviously voters agreed. As an example, he 'forgot' to mention the economy at all in his speech at the conference prior to the election.

Has anything improved? Well the Labour Party have made themselves completely unelectable by appointing Corbyn as leader for the foreseeable future and long may it continue.

[mouldycheesefan]

Corbyn has made labour unelectable so they are in a worse position now. Unfortunately.

[SisterNancySinatra]

There are a few labour MPs I really like and admire, unfortunately I couldn't connect with Milliband at all, I didn't think he had anything in common with the working man/woman .

[HermioneWeasley]

Yes, those were the main reasons why I would have considered voting labour

[HermioneWeasley]

WOULDN'T have. FFS

[unexpsoc]

I think not being able to shake the financial ineptitude title has been a big one. I agree (as a socialist) that they showed a great deal of naivety. Selling off gold looked at historically was a bad idea. At the time it was sold it was at a really high level by historic standards. Goes to show you can't be a fortune teller.

I also think that they should have reversed the inherited policy of PFI and allowing the financial services sector to do whatever the hell they want.

What is interesting but very little admitted is that George Osborne, whilst in opposition AGREED with all of the Labour party actions and spending plans for the last few years of government. So you get this fabulously rich tale of George Osborne saying:

"You are a bunch of economic incompetents. I agree with everything you are doing"

[angelinalo]

Errrr..... regarding the first point... it wasn't a myth. It was fact. So that probably didn't help!

[unexpsoc]

Errrr..... regarding the first point... it wasn't a myth. It was fact.

Cool. How was Labour responsible for the financial crash? My take on it was that the financial crash happened almost simultaneously in every Western country at the same time, and the contagion then spread across the globe. Is that wrong?

And if it's right and Labour were still responsible, how did Labour crash the economies of the US, Europe and the UK?

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

Ah the gold. There is a view that had Gordon Brown not sold the gold when he did, the global crash would have been sooner and possibly worse. There was an article about it some years ago in the Telegraph.

[unexpsoc]

ampp3d.mirror.co.uk/2014/04/11/the-final-word-on-gordon-browns-gold-sell-off/

Not quite as learned a tome as the telegraph, but, you know.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

It did lead me to the original article :)

blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/thomaspascoe/100018367/revealed-why-gordon-brown-sold-britains-gold-at-a-knock-down-price/

[LumelaMme]

Why did I stop voting Labour?
One word:
Iraq.

I also think they were foolish with the economy. From that Telegraph article:
The crash which began in 2007 and endures still was the result of an abdication of responsibility across the financial sector. This abdication ranged from the consumer whose thirst for goods pushed him beyond into grave debt to a government whose lust for popularity encouraged it to do the same.
Too much debt, at every level. Everyone blames the bankers, but the consumers and the government have to take a share of it.

Watching the current infighting and bloodletting is not encouraging me to vote for them ever again.

[unexpsoc]

Holy f*ck. I did not know that. It all is based on conjecture, but it is terrifying.

[unexpsoc]

Watching the current infighting and bloodletting is not encouraging me to vote for them ever again.

Is that what we are watching? Or is that simply the media impression. I have joined the Labour party - and so far seen very little infighting, but lots of talk of infighting.

It suits a right-wing media to suggest Labour are torn apart - ahead of the tories actually tearing themselves apart later this year.

[unexpsoc]

Too much debt, at every level. Everyone blames the bankers, but the consumers and the government have to take a share of it.

YY to this. Although we now have more debt. What is worrying is how much debt we are pretending NOT to have because of PFI.

[unexpsoc]

In response to some of the points here unexpectedsocialist.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/you-cant-trust-labour-on-economy.html - I will expand more when I have more time.