Mike Phipps’s introduction, based on discussions with key insiders, looks at the way the manifesto was assembled and at the crucial role it played in transforming Labour’s electoral fortunes. It is followed by chapters that expand on each of the manifesto’s sections, written by specialists who are expert in their respective fields. The contributors discuss the strengths and shortcomings of the policies and look at the ways they have been tested by events since the election, including the government’s floundering negotiations on Brexit, the catastrophic Grenfell tower block fire, and the escalating crisis in the National Health Service.
For the Many … provides a vital tool for activists who want to see the policies of Labour’s 2017 election manifesto expanded and radicalised as the party prepares for power.
Mike Phipps is a long-standing member of the editorial board of Labour Briefing, a founding member of the Labour Representation Committee and a regular contributor to the website Left Futures. A long-term anti-war activist, he was a founder member of Iraq Occupation Focus and has edited its fortnightly e-newsletter for several years.