Clarke urges Labour to forget about Blairism and move forward to survive

Charles Clarke has some harsh words for his party and any attempt to return to Blairism in the New Statesman this week

the term "Blairite" is being deployed to characterise the policies and personalities of some who question the party's current direction and urge Labour to face the future.

said the former Home Secretary

The party must move on from Blairism whose tax cutting agenda he blames for the debacle over the 10p tax rate.Blairism will also not help the country during the economic downturn according to Clarke.

there is no Blairite plot, despite rumours and persistent newspaper reports. There is, however, a deep and widely shared concern - which does not derive from ideology - that Labour is destined to disaster if we go on as we are, combined with a determination that we will not permit that to happen.