The death of Frank Field and David Marquand two weeks ago is a reminder that the left only governs well when it remembers its own best traditions. Both Field and Marquand were Labour MPs before leaving the party, and they shared a commitment to the communitarian, decentralist, participatory strands in the socialist tradition –... read full story
"saw his welfare proposals as a means of moulding an active, independent citizenry that practised the virtues of hard work, honesty and prudence. His fundamental principle was that receipt of welfare was to be dependent on what a person had paid into the scheme"