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'No left shift' say Labour rivals No left shift, say Labour rivals
(about 11 hours later)
Contenders for the Labour deputy leader job have dismissed concerns that the party has been lurching to the left.Contenders for the Labour deputy leader job have dismissed concerns that the party has been lurching to the left.
Appearing on BBC's Question Time, backbencher Jon Cruddas defended his focus, saying it was "contemporary Labour" rather than "Old Labour".Appearing on BBC's Question Time, backbencher Jon Cruddas defended his focus, saying it was "contemporary Labour" rather than "Old Labour".
Education Secretary Alan Johnson said the centre ground Labour captured in 1997 had moved to the left, where the Conservatives now wanted to follow.Education Secretary Alan Johnson said the centre ground Labour captured in 1997 had moved to the left, where the Conservatives now wanted to follow.
Hilary Benn and Hazel Blears said there would be no going back in time.Hilary Benn and Hazel Blears said there would be no going back in time.
In a special edition of Question Time featuring all six of the candidates, Mr Cruddas outlined concerns he thinks the party should address, namely social housing, minimum wage, private sector involvement in the NHS and having open discussion about Iraq.In a special edition of Question Time featuring all six of the candidates, Mr Cruddas outlined concerns he thinks the party should address, namely social housing, minimum wage, private sector involvement in the NHS and having open discussion about Iraq.
Our focus in '97 was about taking the centre ground and about keeping that centre ground Alan JohnsonEducation Secretary Our focus in '97 was about taking the centre ground and about keeping that centre ground Alan JohnsonEducation Secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6755197.stm">Labour contenders face fray
"I don't think that's Old Labour, I think that's pretty contemporary."I don't think that's Old Labour, I think that's pretty contemporary.
"[In] '97 we were brilliant at articulating the concerns of working people, but I think that's where we have lost our way, that we are not doing it in 2007.""[In] '97 we were brilliant at articulating the concerns of working people, but I think that's where we have lost our way, that we are not doing it in 2007."
'Our territory''Our territory'
But Mr Johnson disagreed, saying: "Our focus in '97 was about taking the centre ground and about keeping that centre ground.But Mr Johnson disagreed, saying: "Our focus in '97 was about taking the centre ground and about keeping that centre ground.
"The only traditions we broke with was Labour party losing elections, because that's what the Labour party did in the past."The only traditions we broke with was Labour party losing elections, because that's what the Labour party did in the past.
"We did that by capturing the centre ground and shifting it to the left. Issues like international development, national minimum wage, work-life balance would have been considered left-wing issues - now they're mainstream issues."We did that by capturing the centre ground and shifting it to the left. Issues like international development, national minimum wage, work-life balance would have been considered left-wing issues - now they're mainstream issues.
"That's why Cameron wants to get onto our territory. That's why we mustn't move off of it," he said."That's why Cameron wants to get onto our territory. That's why we mustn't move off of it," he said.
When asked whether other candidates should follow Mr Cruddas' "old Labour" principles, International Development Secretary Hillary Benn replied: "This is not about a lurch back to the left, because frankly I don't think [about] talking inequality, how we're going to further raise education standards, making our communities more secure - none of that is about going back in time. When asked whether other candidates should follow Mr Cruddas' "old Labour" principles, International Development Secretary Hilary Benn replied: "This is not about a lurch back to the left, because frankly I don't think [about] talking inequality, how we're going to further raise education standards, making our communities more secure - none of that is about going back in time.
"It is about talking about the things that people are concerned about in their lives...it's about showing that politics is relevant". "It is about talking about the things that people are concerned about in their lives... it's about showing that politics is relevant".
'I'm real Labour''I'm real Labour'
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain dismissed terms such as "new Labour" and "old Labour".Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain dismissed terms such as "new Labour" and "old Labour".
"I don't accept these labels. I'm real Labour, and I want to be a Labour government in the future that takes this country forward and builds on what we achieved.""I don't accept these labels. I'm real Labour, and I want to be a Labour government in the future that takes this country forward and builds on what we achieved."
He dismissed reports Gordon Brown had given him the cold shoulder because his ideas were too left-wing.He dismissed reports Gordon Brown had given him the cold shoulder because his ideas were too left-wing.
Asked if he supported increasing the tax system, Mr Hain said the government would have to listen to what people were saying.Asked if he supported increasing the tax system, Mr Hain said the government would have to listen to what people were saying.
Labour chairwoman Hazel Blears warned a return to "punitive taxes" would mean bad news for the party.Labour chairwoman Hazel Blears warned a return to "punitive taxes" would mean bad news for the party.
"We won three elections because we are in tune with the British people, there are new challenges around housing, climate change, international terrorism, but if we move away from that combination of a strong economy and social justice, if we go into punitive taxes, if we start to slide back into the territory, then that is a real warning to us.""We won three elections because we are in tune with the British people, there are new challenges around housing, climate change, international terrorism, but if we move away from that combination of a strong economy and social justice, if we go into punitive taxes, if we start to slide back into the territory, then that is a real warning to us."
Guantanamo BayGuantanamo Bay
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Harriet Harman called for a United Nations Security Council Resolution against the US government over Guantanamo Bay.Meanwhile, Justice Minister Harriet Harman called for a United Nations Security Council Resolution against the US government over Guantanamo Bay.
"Guantanamo Bay is quite wrong."Guantanamo Bay is quite wrong.
"No other country in the world has got 500 citizens from other countries locked up without the rule of law for five years"."No other country in the world has got 500 citizens from other countries locked up without the rule of law for five years".
Ms Harriet, who has previously expressed regret at voting for the Iraq war, said: "If it was any other state there would be a security council resolution against it and I think that should happen." Ms Harman, who has previously expressed regret at voting for the Iraq war, said: "If it was any other state there would be a security council resolution against it and I think that should happen."
She also said that British airspace should not be used by the Americans to transport people who have been taken without "lawful authority" and called for the renegotiation of the Chicago Convention on preventing hi-jacking.She also said that British airspace should not be used by the Americans to transport people who have been taken without "lawful authority" and called for the renegotiation of the Chicago Convention on preventing hi-jacking.