At a recent meeting we discussed this, in fact the topic brought a few people along that had not been active for a while, just as this topic has brought me back to my blog.
This incredible loss, both in London and across the country is an opportunity for renwal, not for more of the same. Its certainly what the conservatives have done.
Gordon Brown has made an excellent chancellor but he is not PM or leadership material, its time we faced it, if you dont look good for the media you just wont be successful, he can be intelligent, clever, politically astute and so on but the media must love you, better to have Gordon as the man behind the throne than on it.
But who ever leads the party, the Labour Party needs to decide and understand what its for.  Blairs unity and policy as well as Tory corruption got us back and allowed us to hold power, but we have lost our way, nothing in what we do gives clarity to who we are and what we feel about how society should be.
Nothing could make this clearer than the 10% tax debacle.
The face of politics has been changed by the overload of information via tv and now mainly the internet.  Appearing in some awful video on you tube is not going to change that, it is self delusional to think this will make us popular with the “kids”.  A young man at my place of work who is 18 in the middle of May said to me the other day “I wish they would stop calling us kids”.
It seems to me, after a period in power politicians at the top are surrounded by the wrong people, and they make decision based on a misguided view of holding onto power rather than policy that will be to the benefit of a fairer society.
So what is labour for, what do they stand for, at the discussion, there was a desire for radical policy that made for a fairer society, the gap between rich and poor was mentioned a lot.  Education was mentioned, not just in schools, but a civic education, that stressed our social and community responsibilities.  People did mention our history of representing the working class and there was debate around the word socialism and whether it could be reclaimed in a positive way. 
Some mention was made of real politic and the desire of national politicians , to be at the seat of power and the fear that if we really put into practise some so called “left wing” policy that we would be removed in a Chris Mullin “very british coup” sort of way.  The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. 
So we have 2 years in which to reestablish an identity and a direction one that looks good in the media and is backed by a radical substance. Labour needs to be seen to recognise the everyday needs of a population, and their everyday concerns, to provide services and support that meet those needs and concerns…. all those at a disadvantage, however unpopular this might seem, need to prioritised, at the same time, middle england must be persuaded that the disadvantaged are their responsibility too, because their is no society unless we create it together, and we badly need a fairer society.
2 years, in which to create some radical policy, we need to challenge poverty and challenge the causes of poverty, to stand up for those that work hard and want to be party of a caring community, and be seen to support those that support the fabric of our community from nurses to roadsweepers,  prison officers to firefighters  and the police to small business.
Stand up for those that can’t do it for themselves, and bind them to gether, Labour for me has always been about the power of the collective, speaking a truth to power,
2 years, to get it right, because otherwise come 2010 we will lose and lose big, maybe we will lose anyhow, but at least we can say we finished the job.  
I remember the empty shops and mass unemployment where I live, I remember being our of work, I remember the changes Labour brought, but I am also aware of what they did not do, nows the chance to do it.
(and one small question, why did we not bring in PR in the national elections when we had a chance, )
So what are Labour for and what do we stand for…at the moment not alot,  the past is gone, a handful of dust, we must move forward, with radical steps to create a fairer society, do I beleive browbn is the person who can do this…..YES, but can he front it….I am not sure, an ideas man but not a leader.
Labour: For a Fairer Society