John Prescott writes:
Last week I didn’t do this column. The reason? Like every Labour supporter, that election defeat hit me hard.
For me it was as bad as 1992. And just like then the leader resigned prematurely before the successor could be elected.
To be within touching distance of getting back into power, only to see the British public decide to stick with the Tories, was hard to take.
You think of those five years of hard work, knocking on doors, campaigning across the country.
In 1992 we started on the road back to government with John Smith as our leader only to see him taken all too soon.
So 21 years ago, the Labour Party made a decision. To listen to the public, learn from our defeats and rebuild a party that was fit for purpose and for government.
Party members chose Tony Blair as leader and me to be his deputy.
I remember the Tories used to call him Bambi because of his youthful looks and cheery smile. But he had an inner strength and cast iron resolve to get Labour back in government.
Our new Clause 4 – the statement of our values – pledged to put power, wealth and opportunity in the hands of the many, not the few.
And we went on to win three elections. Putting the people first, helping them get on in life and renewing our crumbling NHS and education system.
This last election showed we failed to convince the majority of voters with our policies or our leadership.
Now we need someone to pick up this battered and bruised party, heal its wounds and listen to the public. It’s a huge job.
Before Tony became our leader, he spent 11 years as an MP.
In that time he learned his brief, gained the experience, handled the media and won the public’s trust with an overwhelming landslide.
I have seen a lot of those skills and qualities in Andy Burnham during his 13 years as an MP.
Many people talk about aspiration but Andy is a living example – a working class lad from Liverpool who went to a comprehensive and got a place at Cambridge University.
He worked as minister in the Home Office and the Treasury and became one of our best Health Secretaries.
Andy knows you need policies fit for the 21st century but true to Labour values.
That’s why his 10-year plan for an integrated National Health and Care Service was the best policy we had at the election.
It would have kept NHS treatment free at the point of need but reformed it for a changing and ageing world.
I believe Andy would take the same modern approach with housing, devolution, immigration, business and Europe – areas we were very weak in at the election.
A Labour government needs to help you and your loved ones get on in life.
Andy also has that one thing all leaders crave – the common touch.
I’ve seen him in small groups and big meetings. People instantly warm to the guy.
He’s a family man who loves his football. He’s not just faking it like Cameron to be popular.
Blair wasn’t the complete leader when he was elected. It took time and he made mistakes.
But he had the potential, the ideas, the experience and the determination to succeed. Tony was a winner.
We now need someone who can earn the trust of the public and has an insatiable desire to help everyone get on in life.
Not New Labour or Old Labour. We need someone to lead Now Labour.
That’s why I’m backing Andy to be our leader.
To unify our party, to lead our country and put our traditional values in a modern setting.
Last week I didn’t do this column. The reason? Like every Labour supporter, that election defeat hit me hard.
For me it was as bad as 1992. And just like then the leader resigned prematurely before the successor could be elected.
To be within touching distance of getting back into power, only to see the British public decide to stick with the Tories, was hard to take.
You think of those five years of hard work, knocking on doors, campaigning across the country.
In 1992 we started on the road back to government with John Smith as our leader only to see him taken all too soon.
So 21 years ago, the Labour Party made a decision. To listen to the public, learn from our defeats and rebuild a party that was fit for purpose and for government.
Party members chose Tony Blair as leader and me to be his deputy.
I remember the Tories used to call him Bambi because of his youthful looks and cheery smile. But he had an inner strength and cast iron resolve to get Labour back in government.
Our new Clause 4 – the statement of our values – pledged to put power, wealth and opportunity in the hands of the many, not the few.
And we went on to win three elections. Putting the people first, helping them get on in life and renewing our crumbling NHS and education system.
This last election showed we failed to convince the majority of voters with our policies or our leadership.
Now we need someone to pick up this battered and bruised party, heal its wounds and listen to the public. It’s a huge job.
Before Tony became our leader, he spent 11 years as an MP.
In that time he learned his brief, gained the experience, handled the media and won the public’s trust with an overwhelming landslide.
I have seen a lot of those skills and qualities in Andy Burnham during his 13 years as an MP.
Many people talk about aspiration but Andy is a living example – a working class lad from Liverpool who went to a comprehensive and got a place at Cambridge University.
He worked as minister in the Home Office and the Treasury and became one of our best Health Secretaries.
Andy knows you need policies fit for the 21st century but true to Labour values.
That’s why his 10-year plan for an integrated National Health and Care Service was the best policy we had at the election.
It would have kept NHS treatment free at the point of need but reformed it for a changing and ageing world.
I believe Andy would take the same modern approach with housing, devolution, immigration, business and Europe – areas we were very weak in at the election.
A Labour government needs to help you and your loved ones get on in life.
Andy also has that one thing all leaders crave – the common touch.
I’ve seen him in small groups and big meetings. People instantly warm to the guy.
He’s a family man who loves his football. He’s not just faking it like Cameron to be popular.
Blair wasn’t the complete leader when he was elected. It took time and he made mistakes.
But he had the potential, the ideas, the experience and the determination to succeed. Tony was a winner.
We now need someone who can earn the trust of the public and has an insatiable desire to help everyone get on in life.
Not New Labour or Old Labour. We need someone to lead Now Labour.
That’s why I’m backing Andy to be our leader.
To unify our party, to lead our country and put our traditional values in a modern setting.
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