Peter Hain Answer's Glass House's Questions

Following David Cameron's lead, Peter Hain is now answering my questions over at LabourHome. Here's his answers:

Peter, what do you see as the three main challenges of being Deputy Leader?

First, to be loyal to the leader. Second, to provide a bridge between the top of the government and the grassroots of the party and the wider society - so we govern by partnership. Thirdly, to renew the progressive coalition which we won in 1997 and 2001, which has since fragmented. We have lost the trust of people on the centre-left, as well as people in middle Britain, and we need to win them back, and I think we can with a renewed Government and a renewed Party.


Peter, how do you think the next election campaign will differ from the 2005 election, strategically and tactically?

Politics is at once becoming more global and more local. The really tight fight with the Tories is going to depend on local issues as well as nat issues. But the main difference will be that the Tories represent a real threat to the reelection of the Labour govermnent, which wasn't the case at the last time.


If elected Deputy, will you pressure the leadership (whoever that might be or include) on the issue of electoral reform?

I've been a longstanding supporter of electoral reform, not PR, but a fairer voting system that preserves the link between indiv Mp and the indiv constituency, so the voters can kick the person out or re-elect them if they choose.

Not quite as frank as I was hoping. You can read his answers to other questions on this page at LabourHome.