Labour Lays it’s (Pledge) Cards on the Table
Labour launched its six ‘first steps for change’ yesterday…forget everything you know about the power of three in persuasive communication - six is now the magic number.
Deliver economic stability
Cut NHS waiting times
Launch a new border security command
Set up Great British Energy
Crack down on antisocial behaviour
Recruit 6,500 teachers
On the eve of Starmer’s speech, Labour figures briefed senior journalists that these are not ‘pledges’, nor are they promises. Its a list of ambitions the party has identified as the areas that need addressing in order to get the country back on track.
Call them what you like, the small card Starmer was brandishing at the event looked very much like the fabled New Labour pledge card of 1997 - with a 2024 twist - you can now download the card to your wallet on your phone to sit handily alongside your credit cards…
Its easy to see why the party is embracing this particular messaging tool. Philip Gould, Political adviser and pollster and arguably one of the architects of New Labour spoke in his book about the importance of the pledge cards to the victory in 1997.
Timing is important however. When Labour published their cards back in the 1990’s they accompanied the manifesto and were used as a boiled down version of the key promises to hand out on the campaign trail - a ‘doorstep’ ready campaigning tool if you will.
This version has pre-empted the publication of the party’s manifesto and there is always some risk in putting your cards on the table (pardon the pun) this early ahead of an election.
Events could overtake the party’s position and require a change in the manifesto. Equally it gives their opposition time to make matching promises on these areas and effectively eat up the fertile campaigning ground and points of differentiation.
The calculation will be that with a Conservative party in power for over 14 years theres very little room for the Governing party to seize the initiative and come up with a matching set of pledges with greater credibility.
Equally with an uncertain election date going early gives the Labour Party a hook for media coverage and something for candidates to hang their hats on while hitting the doorstep over the summer.
The Prime Minister has an advantage in terms of deciding the date of the ever-looming general election and Labour will want to be on the front foot.
With the entire shadow cabinet assembled behind Starmer for the speech the event felt very much like a formal campaign launch and perhaps more importantly an opportunity for Labour to seize the initiative and take some control of the timelines ahead of the election.