Category Archives: Social Democratic Futures

Shalom Lappin replies to David Grant and Celso de Barros

Thanks to David Grant and Celso Rocha for their interesting comments. Here are some quick replies to the points that they raise. 1. David Grant suggests that I take free trade and the globalized markets that it is generating to be inevitable processes. This is not the case. They are the result of economic policy […]

David Grant responds to Shalom Lappin

This is, I think, the third piece written on the renewal of social democracy that Shalom Lappin has written. I have to say I’m no further forward in understanding what this advocacy of free-trade, trade unions and ‘preserving the integrity of the public sphere’ would amount to in practice and I’m not sure that this […]

John Davis responds to James Purnell

I am a retired civil servant who endured the dogmatic approach of the Thatcher Government to the privatisation of the public services, and who has observed at first hand the consequences of the failing of the Labour Government to understand the reasons for its failure.

Ron Glatter responds to James Purnell

James Purnell caricatures choice sceptics as being traditionalists who are fundamentally opposed to choice in the context of public services. In reality, hardly anyone holds such an extreme position.

Celso F. Rocha de Barros responds to Shalom Lappin

If global trade unions were to be organized, they would face two main obstacles.

Are choice and competition Labour?

Choice and competition can help create self-reforming public services and secure traditional social democratic values.

Towards the Renewal of Social Democracy

Global trade unions and social trade agreements are the foundations of a 21st century global social democracy.

Introduction to Social Democratic Futures

As part of the conversation we have started, we have created a new category of post on the Website: “Social Democratic Futures” will be vehicle for new Left thinking. The first two, very different, “carriages” of this train of thought are conducted by Shalom Lappin, a co-author of the manifesto and by James Purnell, Minister of State […]