SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Ed Miliband has become Labour leader at an opportune time, when a new progressive vision is required, when the labourism that dominated progressive politics for a century has run its course. There are many legacies to remove. But one should be at the heart of progressive renewal. The new generation must rescue work (productive and reproductive activities outside subordinated labour) from labour (‘jobs’), and reverse the trend to what should be called ‘labourfare’. It is not being too polemical to say that under New Labour and under the Coalition Government the trend has been towards forced labour by the precariat, the emerging class consisting of those in insecure economic situations without a sense of career or satisfactory balance between their education, aspirations and opportunities.