Tuesday marks the 100th anniversary of the election that brought down the first ever Labour government, albeit it having been a minority in the House of Commons. During that century, the Conservatives had been in power for two-thirds of the time, and the Labour government elected on 4 July this year is only the fourth to have a substantial majority; the others being 1945, 1966 and the Blair/Brown government from 1997.
As we contemplate the difficult tightrope balancing act that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has to navigate on Wednesday, it is worth reflecting that balancing the orthodoxy of economic stability with the imperative of progressive political change has always proved to be a major challenge.
So often, Labour has been elected to clear up the mess or take on the daunting prospect of renewal from the legacy it has inherited. Bringing hope, underpinned by realism, has been the road to success and the price of re-election in the past. This week, 100 years on from 1924, could define the future trajectory of Keir Starmer’s missions for our country.
But there is one further twist that is worth reflecting on from that short-lived experience of government. Namely, what we now call “fake news”: the publication of the Zinoviev letter – supposedly from the head of the Communist International in Moscow – which purported to offer help to the Labour party. It was in fact a forgery, but did enormous damage at the time, and is a reminder of just how fragile our democracy can be.
David Blunkett
Labour, House of Lords
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