Home Secretary visits Streatham

John Reid, the Home Secretary, took time to come to Streatham today for a “Let’s Talk” event, to make a keynote speech and meet local Labour activists.

Introduced by Lambeth’s Labour leader Steve Reed, we heard a considered and thoughtful speech, ranging widely from his Home Office portfolio to talk about a bigger picture for Labour supporters and activists as we prepare for challenges ahead, post Tony Blair.

He also took time during his speech to praise what we have been doing in Lambeth since May, mentioning our stated mission of “delivering quality and tackling inequality.” He also highlighted his approval of our decision to invest in more PCSOs to patrol the borough.

He also answered questions from his audience, ranging from human trafficking to the condition of local school buildings.

Some people who weren’t there have seen it as a gauntlet being thrown down for the leadership. I didn’t see it that way – more as a discussion about where the party goes a decade on from winning in 1997, and about the need to adapt to new challenges as we find and face them.

Whether or not people define themselves by New or Old Labour labels, he said our aim must remain “to show that we are as much on the side of those who were getting on, as we are for those who need help."

He said: "Though Tony may be stepping down, the underlying philosophy and direction of New Labour is one shared by all of us in government and all of us who form the leadership and will continue undimmed. New Labour did not and will not start and end with Tony Blair's leadership. It will continue."

"It's important we make that very clear indeed, because otherwise we will allow, by default, the impression to persist that New Labour is, and has been, nothing more or less than Tony Blair. Our opponents will try to sow that seed. They will personalise the whole issue."

"The Tories will try to argue that Tony Blair equals New Labour. Therefore they will say that when Tony Blair goes, New Labour goes. Wrong - and we have to make sure that people understand that that is wrong.

"The New Labour project was not the product of one person nor even a small group of people. It was the product of the efforts and energies of many people over a long period of time.”