Launch of GEER Left Wing Think Tank

We are at a crucial point where we need to identify the best that Labour can be, recognising that we have to move away from the legacy of New Labour and the perception that we are only interested in 'middle England'.  We should now move beyond the politics of aspiration to establish a new narrative around genuine equality and social mobility.  GEER will set out a new direction for a Labour party that embraces the diversity of identities and values within our communities.  Our ambition is to represent a broad constituency with a message of tolerance, inclusion, and relevance.

80% of the population are women, working class or black or minority ethnic people and people are placing increasing emphasis on poverty, morality and the environment than before.  GEER will provide Labour with an opportunity to reconnect with a representative majority of the population who have the potential to return us back to power.

GEER aims to rebalance society to provide employment, green growth, and a fair economy whilst caring for the vulnerable in our communities.  We will help to foster positive relationships within society and look forwards to a fairer, more prosperous and sustainable future for all.

This is the right time to include those who are concerned about the interventionist, authoritarian and centralising approach of new Labour.  On issues such as the environment, overseas development, foreign policy, human rights, electoral reform and devolution, GEER will promote more inclusive policies.  Labour should also look to reform its own procedures, to give the grassroots within the party a greater voice.  Not only are each of these issues important in their own right, but by engaging with them Labour can reach out to voters.

This is an opportunity for us to build on the party’s achievements in power whilst rejecting that which does not resonate with ordinary voters.  We must focus on rebalancing policies to better represent working class versus middle class, grassroots versus parliamentary party and to give a greater voice to women, black and minority ethnic people.