[A-List] The Policy Network: French post mortem

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

It is rare to see such explicit reportage of activities like those
described in this article. Nevertheless, it says a lot about what
certain key UK interests are up to with regard to furthering British
interests within the EU. And, lest we forget, we are reminded of Peter
Hain's involvement in all this...


Jospin blamed for failure to modernise

Warnings on crime and race ignored

Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent
Wednesday April 24, 2002
The Guardian

Senior Labour figures yesterday expressed frustration and regret at the
way in which Lionel Jospin was prevented from taking the Blairite
modernisation route that would have seen off Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Labour officials argued that divisions within the French Socialist party
and the constraints of running a coalition government restricted Mr
Jospin's freedom, leaving him running an incoherent campaign.

Over the past two years efforts have been made to build links between
Downing Street thinkers and French socialist modernisers, on issues such
as pensions, tax credits and education, often through the London-based
thinktank Policy Network, headed by a Frenchman, Frederic Michel. But Mr
Jospin could not break his party's ambivalence about social democracy.

Mr Michel accompanied Philip Gould, the Labour pollster, when he
travelled to Paris in March to try to advise the Jospin campaign.

"I tried every which way to get involved, but perhaps I was too late. I
was blocked," Mr Gould said yesterday.

After attending focus groups in Paris, he warned the French socialists
that Mr Jospin lacked a "big message". He argued that Mr Jospin's
"individual social policies were powerful, but presented in isolation,
they were not part of a strategic whole. There was lack of a theme to
link them together and give strategic coherence."

Mr Gould said he did not underestimate the significance of Mr Le Pen's
surge, or the potential isolation of Mr Blair in Europe. "We now have a
real problem with the far right. We have right parties taking up to 18%
of the vote in Holland, France and Denmark.

"The rightwing response to economic problems, that we are being too soft
on immigration and crime, is very potent. The leftwing response, that
the state will help you through these difficult periods, is not quite so
powerful. We will win through, but it is tough."

He argued: "Because we in the British Labour party modernised ourselves
so thoroughly, we are not frightened to say we will be tough on crime,
or to talk about patriotism. Too many leftwing parties in Europe are
frightened because they have not modernised their parties."

Peter Mandelson also recalled yesterday being told by Mr Jospin's chief
of staff, Olivier Schrameck, that he feared the election would be fought
on crime and social behaviour, issues on which Mr Jospin had no strong
record. "There are sections of the left in Europe, just as there were in
Britain in the 80s, who are just not comfortable dealing with issues
like crime, asylum and immigration," Mr Mandelson said. "But if you
don't have a programme, or don't seem to be emotionally engaged with the
public's fears, you are bound to cede ground to those who shamelessly
exploit those issues to whip up emotion and paranoia. Blair put that
right for us in the early 90s."

The common factor behind the left's retreat in Europe, including in
Italy and Austria, was immigration and crime, he insisted. In that
context, he said, David Blunkett's immigration bill "could be the single
most important piece of legislation this parliament, both in terms of
what it will achieve and what it will head off."

The home secretary himself strongly defended his decision to require
immigrants to learn English and citizenship, as well as take an oath of
allegiance. "These are fundamental building blocks in creating trust and
confidence in what in France is called the political elite and what here
we would call those who happen to be elected to government."

The Europe minister, Peter Hain, is another Labour figure who has long
warned about the explosive cocktail of social insecurity and alienation
in Europe. Speaking from an EU meeting in Valencia, he said: "The left
has to realise there needs to be tough action against crime and that
must sit alongside strong welfare to work programmes, like the new
deal."

Unless the French socialists can recover in time for the June assembly
elections, Mr Blair and Gerhard Schröder could become the lone social
democrats of Europe, and Mr Schröder faces his own stiff test this
autumn.

Full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,689588,00.html

Michael Keaney
Mercuria Business School
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 Vantaa
Finland

michael.keaney@xxxxxx