Euston: Social Democratic Futures - 1 comment

The Euston Manifesto Group has been busy lately, expanding its web-site and attempting to advance (or rather, kick-start) thought on the Left.

Here's the latest idea: Social Democratic Futures:

[This] will help to develop a new agenda for left-of-centre democratic politics by hosting an international conversation as open as it will be intelligent, as passionate as it will be non-sectarian. Because it is dialogue we seek, each debate (or "carriage") will set off with an article, travel by way of responses or questions to the author, and arrive with a rejoinder by the author. Each journey, we hope, will prompt the next.

The first two discussions will both explore the modernisation of progressive politics in a transformed world:

• Shalom Lappin, co-author of the Euston Manifesto, will make the case for global trade unions and social trade agreements as the foundations of a new global social democracy.
  
• James Purnell, Minister of State for Pensions, will call for a candid debate on the future of modern social democracy, and open it with a defence of the reform of the public services as "modern methods within a modern setting", and as the best means to secure the ends of equality, liberty and solidarity.

Responses are strongly encouraged. It would have been nice to offer 'live' feedback in true blog style - and I will bring my influence to bear to improve this in the future - but for the time being details on how to email your submissions appear at the end of the article.