New Left Review I/30, March-April 1965

Giorgio Fanti

The Resurgence of the Labour Party

After 13 years, the biggest and most influential socialist party in the West has returned to power. What are the likely consequences of this event, in Britain and on the international scene? It is obvious to anyone who has followed at all closely the internal battles and evolution of the movement during the last decade that today the Labour Party is in certain ways a new party, a party whose inner balance of forces has changed considerably, a party with political, economic and social attitudes quite different from those imposed by Wilson’s predecessor as leader, Hugh Gaitskell. It is also true that these new elements are still in process of formation. The new balance of power in the Party has still to be consolidated, and might yet be overthrown. However, three main great problems, which mark the course of contemporary history, all appear destined to act positively upon the Labour Party, to stimulate its creative forces and to benefit in return from its influence upon them.

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