Labour’s Urban Left: The Challenge of Local Socialism

Abstract

A key development in local government during the 1980s has been the rise of a different style of Labour-controlled local authority. Councillors from within these authorities have been labelled the ‘Looney Left’ by their opponents but see themselves as building a new political force and imaginative solutions to society’s problems. The rise of ‘local socialism’ reflects a concern to provide not only an alternative to Thatcherism but also a challenge to the conservatism and paternalism of some traditional Labour politicians. It is also premissed on the belief that the rapid social and economic changes experienced in this country require a radical response. This chapter provides some insights into the practice and perspectives of the Urban Left.