What is Blue Labour, the controversial ‘culturally conservative’ group calling for support to shape the future of the party? The group, backing anti-immigration and pro-‘family’ policies, has reported a surge in Twitter followers since the election result

Blue Labour, an unofficial sub-group affiliated with the Labour party, has reported a surge in followers after Boris Johnson’s Conservative party won a huge majority in last week’s election.

The controversial campaign group has been accused of pushing old fashioned and bigoted policies that are disguised as being community-minded and patriotic.

But the group argues that the modernisation of Labour since the Second World War has left it massively out of touch with the electorate, and with what the vast majority of people care about.

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What does the group stand for?

Blue Labour describes itself as a “Labour Party pressure group that aims to put relationships and responsibility at the heart of British politics”.

It places emphasis on conservative (with a small “c”) and community-based values, and says it stands for equality and social justice, although the group has been accused of being against progressive policies that prioritise real equality.

“We know that things don’t only get better. We must renew our covenant with the working poor and build a coalition that can defeat fascism, resist the domination of capitalism, and deepen our democratic way of life.” END — Blue Labour (@blue_labour) December 15, 2019

Blue Labour argues the party has lost focus of the concerns of many ordinary voters and what really concerns them, and says it is instead focusing on internationalism ahead of local jobs and material equality over communities.

The group states the three key policy areas it is campaigning for are:

A new deal for welfare that prioritises personal responsibility

Levels of immigration that take into account the impact on communities

Support for conserving local institutions that bring meaning to people’s lives, from post offices and pubs to our local hospitals

The group is in favour of socialism and against the New Labour narrative under Tony Blair, criticising his approach to globalisation. It instead bases its own policies on family, the Christian faith and patriotism.

Its focus on stopping immigration and free movement has sparked anger among many Labour supporters, who argue the approach is thinly-veiled racism and is not representative of the vast majority of left-wing and socialist people.

Who is behind the group?

It was formed in 2010 by Labour peer Maurice Glasman, a political theorist, who also coined the “Blue Labour” phrase, which he said represented the core values of the party pre-1945.

Lord Glasman argued that, with the rise of the welfare state, Labour had lost touch with what he believed was the people that the party had been formed for – working class and community minded individuals.

In 2011 he suggested the party should establish a dialogue with sympathisers of the far-right English Defence League (EDL) in order “to build a party that brokers a common good”. He has also said that immigration should be temporarily halted.

In a Lords debate on the Brexit Bill in 2017, Lord Glasman said he had campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum.

According to the Blue Labour website, the group is run solely by volunteers in their spare time who are “establishing regional networks” around the country.

How much support does it have?

Blue Labour has been considered to be influential in the past but Lord Glasman’s anti-immigration comments in 2011 damaged its reputation.

The group faces a lot of criticism for its policies, which many see as being outdated and old fashioned as well as, worse, discriminatory, specifically its description of “cultural conservatism” which has led to accusations that the group pushes racist policies and is against equality for LGBT people and women.

An account called Blue Labour is calling for conservative socialism (socially conservative & economically socialist). Real socialists would proudly fight for my immigrant wife, biracial kids, gay brother & transgender friend. Conservative socialists wouldn't. They can fuck off. — RD Hale????I can't breathe… (@SkyeCity_) December 14, 2019

It is unclear how many members the group has but it is currently followed by more than 19,000 people on Twitter.

The group appeared to have a surge in supporters, or at least followers, after Labour’s landslide defeat in Thursday’s snap election.

As the election result sank in for many on Friday, the group tweeted: “Welcome to the hundreds of new followers that have followed in the past 48 hours. A socialism which is economically radical and culturally conservative is the future of the Labour Party.

“New essays and analysis will be published over the next few weeks. Glad to have you with us.”