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Blue and Purple Labour Challenges to the Welfare State: How should ‘Statist’ Social Democrats respond?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2014

Matt Beech  and
Robert M. Page
Matt Beech
Affiliation:
School of Politics, Philosophy and International Studies, University of Hull E-mail: M.Beech@hull.ac.uk
Robert M. Page
Affiliation:
School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham E-mail: r.m.page@bham.ac.uk
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Abstract

This article explores two influential strands of thinking about the welfare state, Blue Labour and Purple Labour, that have emerged following New Labour's defeat at the 2010 General Election. It is argued that although both of these new approaches raise some important issues about the relational and associational dimensions of social welfare as well as diversity and pluralism, those committed to universal and egalitarian goals should not abandon the ‘Statist’ Social Democratic approach to the welfare state.

Keywords

Blue LabourPurple Laboursocial democracywelfare State
Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , July 2015 , pp. 341 - 356
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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