Connor Naismith: Why Blue Labour is True Labour

The recent Gorton and Denton By-election has triggered significant introspection within the Labour Party, particularly regarding calls to repudiate its 'Blue Labour' tradition. Labour MP Connor Naismith challenges the notion that 'True Labour' is synonymous with a purely progressive narrative, arguing that an overly narrow interpretation undermines the movement’s historic role as a vehicle for working people. He contends that dismissing the party’s socially conservative roots as an aberration risks alienating the very communities Labour was founded to represent. Naismith's perspective counters the view that Blue Labour is a foreign body, instead positioning it as an intrinsic element of the party's diverse ideological fabric.

Naismith firmly asserts that viewing Labour's history solely through a lens of 'relentless, linear progressivism' is a profound rewriting of its foundational narrative. He highlights that the party’s historic coalition has always encompassed a plurality of traditions, including Methodism, a deep commitment to trade union protectionism, and a strong desire for social stability. Citing the adage that Labour owes 'more to Methodism than Marx,' Naismith points to early pioneers who saw capitalism’s excesses as both an economic and moral failing, prioritizing the 'moral economy' – fairness, family, community, and national stability. This historical context suggests that traditional values are not 'alien' but central to Labour’s identity.

The MP argues against the neoliberal dichotomy that forces a choice between socially liberal left and socially conservative right, both often accepting free-market dominance. Instead, Naismith posits that Labour’s most impactful periods occurred when 'radical economic reform was fuelled by conservative social values,' making the two mutually dependent. He illustrates this with the 1945 Attlee government, which, despite its radical achievements like the NHS and welfare state, was culturally traditional. Their radical means served conservative ends: fortifying the British way of life, ensuring health, dignity, and stability for families. For working people, radicalism is not about disruption but a tool to achieve security and predictability.

Naismith concludes by stressing that purging 'Blue Labour' is akin to 'lobotomising the party’s own memory,' directly contributing to the 'Red Wall's' collapse as the party’s centre of gravity shifted towards metropolitan liberalism. He notes that voters seeking fairness, security, and tradition, including potential Reform voters, could find appeal in a Labour party that embraces these values. Blue Labour, for Naismith, reinforces that work is a vocation, relationships are paramount, and patriotism is a valid expression of solidarity. To win again, Labour must move beyond any single comfort zone, reaching out to the unifying desires for security, community, and a good life that resonate with its historic base, recognizing social conservatism as a 'foundation stone' of the British working-class experience.