ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses New Labour’s ability to reshape dominant trends in the economy and society from the level of inequality to the crime rate. It examines economic growth, income inequality, educational participation, the rate of crime, the growth of migration and diversity and, finally, the Europeanisation of British national life. The Labour government’s strategy aimed to counter adverse trends following structural alterations since the 1970s. The United Kingdom was closely aligned with European union member-states, which affected secular trends influencing in economic and social policy. In relation to social investment and the welfare state, Britain conformed increasingly to European norms of protection and citizenship. The accusation that New Labour ‘normalised’ neo-liberalism in Britain barely stands up to scrutiny. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s success was to prevent the economy prematurely destroying the Labour government as occurred in the 1940s and 1960s.
