Liam's Speeches and Publications

SPEECHES

Putting our Values Centre Stage: Next Steps for the Government's Immigration Reform

Liam spoke at the Demos think tank about the politics of identity. Drawing contrast with the Conservative reliance on traditional institutions, Liam argued that the Labour party is best placed to represent both traditional and 21st century values that people hold. In his role as immigration minister, this means placing values (for example, tolerance) and standards (abiliy to speak the English language, obeying the law) at the heart of immigration/citizenship reform. The speech followed a tour of the country asking people what these values and standards are.

For Liam's speeches as Minister for the West Midlands please click here.

For Liam's speeches when he was a minister in the Department of Health please click here.

PUBLISHED WORK

British reason at its finest

An article Liam wrote for the Progress think tank's website on immigration reform - based upon the ideas of the British public.

Values Added

Liam's speech to Demos on putting values at the heart of immigration reform was accompanied by this article for The Guardian's Comment is Free website.

This century we can be world beaters

Article for The Guardian by Liam on his role as Minister for the West Midlands and the challenges the area faces admidst devolution of power from central government to the regions.

A Common Place

A new national day for Britain is one of the proposals in this Fabian Society pamphlet by Liam and Ruth Kelly MP. A Common Place argues that our liberalism and tolerance have never been unconditional and also suggests that migrants work towards earning citizenship with credits awarded for voluntary work and deducted for law breaking.

From choice to control: empowering public services

Liam and Ann Rossiter, Director of the Social Market Foundation, argue that the new challenge in the provision of public services is to deliver real personal control for individuals and their families. Their chapter was published in the book Public Matters: The Renewal of the Public Realm.

We must plot a new course

Article for The Guardian by Liam and Ann Rossiter to accompany their chapter in Public Matters (above).

Rise up, Englishmen

Liam's article for The Spectator encouraging English patriots to get behind the union.

A contest we don't need

Liam and Andy Burnham MP on party unity and the leadership eelection.

From Free Movement to Fair Movement: The Immigration
Debate in the UK

Liam's contribution to the pan-European pamphlet, Rethinking Immigration and Integration: a New Centre-Left Agenda published by Policy Network.

Fairness not fear must guide immigration policy

Prior to a conference they both addressed, Liam co-wrote this article with Jeroen Dijsselbloem - the Dutch Labour Party's Home Affairs spokesman - on why enforcing immigration rules helps develop strong socieites with opportunities for everyone.

An utterly false choice

Liam and Bill Rammell MP discuss the challenges the next general election will pose for Labour.

Working in the shadows

Liam on the global issue of illegal immigration and how it is not a victimless crime.

'Power to the People, Next steps for New Labour'

Liam co-wrote a pamphlet published by the thinktank Progress about how Labour should best address the election of David Cameron.

The pamphlet has been covered by both the Guardian and the Observer, and can be read online. You can also download a copy by clicking on the magazine cover above.

Why Labour Won: Lessons from 2005, What should Labour learn from the 2005 General Election, with its kaleidoscope of local results? Making sense of this uniquely complicated election has so far proved elusive. Drawing on internal Labour Party analysis of what happened on polling day, this paper shows that this was a triumph for the same electoral coalition that gave Labour victory in 1997, and warns that Labour's main threat in future will come from the Conservatives

Powered By Politics: Reforming Parties From the Inside. Parliamentary Affairs (Q2, 2005).  Views on how political parties must adapt for the future.

A chance to serve?, Progress magazine (July/August 2002). Argument for how political parties must connect residents with opportunities to change their communities.

Reinventing Government Again (2004), An update on Osborne and Gaebler's classic tract on public sector reform. A decade on, the Social Market Foundation commissioned distinguished authors to reflect on the the principles for entrepreneurial government that were set out in the original. Co-edited with Philip Collins.

Britain in 2020 (2003), Published by Forethought, Britain in 2020 summarises key trends that will shape public policy for the next 18 years, drawing on government documents and fresh research

Patrick Wintour on Britain in 2020.

Guardian leader on Britain in 2020

The Left’s Agenda for Science (Renewal, Vol.12 No.2 2004). Views on future of public policy and science, drawing on Britain in 2020

The Fate We’re In, Progress magazine (March 2003). Implications of Britain in 2020 for the Labour Party

New Strategies For Full Employment (2002), SMF pamphlet drawing on extensive research into America’s booming community venture fund industry, and proposes innovative policy solutions for increasing business start-up levels in poor areas and achieving the goal of full employment.

Information Age Government: Delivering the Blair Revolution, Fabian Society (1997), 1997 Fabian pamphlet explains how information technology can be used to redesign public services from the point of view of the customer and citizen, creating single points of access, coordinated information and ‘joined-up’ government. Access report here.

Social Exclusion Unit coverage