While mid-term local elections are always a tough sell for any government, the Labour Party is being told that it needs to completely revisit its brand in the wake of its poor performance.
The latest count puts Labour down by 211 seats, with 84 of 166 councils declared, with the party blaming the poor showing on the war in Iraq. Labour could be set for some cheer later today if, as expected, Ken Livingstone wins a second term as London mayor, vindicating Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to readmit him into the party.
The branding consultancy , has said that New Labour has lost touch with its mission to involve people in government and is now seen as a slick spin machine.
"New Labour is known as a slick campaign machine but voters have lost the connection of what the campaigns are all about. Winning votes seems to be the beginning and end of political aspirations. It is no wonder the apathy party wins every election," Alec Rattray, director of Henrion Ludlow Schmidt, said.
Labour's most recent election campaign kept Blair's involvement at a minimum and mainly focused on telling voters that despite having a new leader in Michael Howard, the Conservative party are still the same old Tories.
But Henrion Ludlow Schmidt says that it is time for Labour to reinvent itself again, as it did in the early 1990s when it became known as New Labour.
The consultancy says that there are several issues it needs to look at when considering its new image. Primarily, deciding what its stand is on the European Union, and whether it will be "Labour Nouveau" or "Red, White and Blue Labour".
With the mass membership via trades unions eroding, the Labour Party also needs to look at how it can once again be the party of the people.
"The New New Labour party should rebrand itself as the party that really believes in democratisation: taking an elevated, optimistic and humanistic view, not indulging in 'petty party politics'. This way Labour can give people faith in voting and faith in themselves," Rattray said.
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