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A bold and balanced re-appraisal of New Labour in power.
Rewriting the story of New Labour, Glen O’Hara challenges the prevailing narrative to present a more balanced and positive assessment. New Labour, New Britain? is the first book to examine both the intentions behind New Labour’s domestic policies and their real-world effects, moving beyond the entrenched left-right debates that have dominated the party’s legacy.
The period from 1997 to 2007 marked a pivotal moment in modern British history, as New Labour sought to reshape Britain into a more cohesive and forward-thinking society. It saw the rise of socially liberal attitudes and flourishing public services under a government committed to rebuilding and investing in them. Yet New Labour’s track record was far from flawless and its legacy remains complicated and contested.
Through interviews with key players and rigorous archival research, O'Hara offers a new perspective on Tony Blair’s years in power. Painting a fuller picture of New Labour’s successes and challenges, he highlights its lasting impact on Britain and offers a thoughtful reassessment of its place in history.
One of the Financial Times' best new books on politics
‘Glen O'Hara convincingly paints a picture of Tony Blair's decade in power that is far more positive than his critics would have you believe.’
Robert McNamara, The Irish Times
'We may think we know just how badly Britain was governed after 2010. But it is good to be reminded of how much was thrown away.'
Ros Taylor, The New World
'O’Hara, a historian, offers a balanced and meticulously researched reassessment of Blair’s domestic legacy and reaches more charitable judgments.'
Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs
‘With customary wit and skill, Glen O’Hara has written the definitive history of the New Labour years. He delves deep in order to reassess the Blair government’s record across the landscape of domestic and foreign policy. The result is a compelling and stimulating work that fulfils the highest standards of contemporary historical scholarship.’
Patrick Diamond, co-author of Labour's Civil Wars: How Infighting Has Kept the Left from Power (and What Can Be Done About It)
‘A brilliant reassessment of a defining era in UK political history.’
Richard Toye, author of Age of Hope: Labour, 1945, and the Birth of Modern Britain
‘Glen O’Hara’s meticulous assessment of the Blair years explores the policy and ideology of New Labour while also capturing the people at its heart. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand Labour's view of its own recent history.’
Charlotte Lydia Riley, author of Imperial Island
‘The new Labour government will have much to learn from this account of the challenges of taking power after years of Conservative misrule. O'Hara offers a judicious, balanced and nuanced assessment of the New Labour years, addressing debates, divisions and delivery records in all major aspects of domestic policy. The book conveys the complexity without getting lost in the weeds. It benefits from previously unavailable documentation, including the author's interview with Tony Blair himself.’
Simon Szreter, co-author of After the Virus: Lessons from the Past for a Better Future
1 From Blair to Bliar
2 An end to boom and bust?
3 From poverty to exclusion
4 Saving the NHS?
5 ‘Education, education, education’
6 ‘Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’
7 Housing: chasing demand, falling short
8 ‘We were all New Labour now’
9 New Labour as history
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