Every election offers lessons and this one is no different. Writing on the eve of voting, I can think of a number of lessons for Labour, regardless of the results. There is much for us to be proud of. The way Labour has fought the local elections signals the way forward for the renewal of the party in office and a third term that fulfils the promises we made to the British people just a year ago.
Especially in London, these elections have been fought as a series of by-elections, with issues and priorities differing from ward to ward. Such intensely local campaigning happens only when the campaign is intensely personal, with council candidates having frequent and direct contact with voters. Our candidates, whether current or aspirant councillors, have been acting as "community champions" in their neighbourhoods, listening to people's concerns and acting on what they hear. Each borough and ward has tailored pledges reflecting these local priorities: specific action against antisocial behaviour and dedicated neighbourhood safety teams in every ward; campaigns for new schools in Lambeth and Southwark; commitments on after-school sports clubs; and special recycling wheelie bins as part of the "Merton Menu".
So, three lessons from the localness of these elections. First, a powerful reminder that the things that matter are the things that people encounter in their daily lives, not their daily newspapers. Voters see the world from the perspective of their doorsteps, their commute to work and the state of the streets, parks and public services they use. Their take on politics is often ignored or trivialised by the Westminster village.
Second, to be effective, a strong council needs a supportive government. Not an overbearing, centralising government, but one which recognises local needs and aspirations and creates the framework for local partnerships to flourish. It is only where local people are fully involved in decisions and services, often through voluntary groups such as charities and faith groups, that community life works well. New Labour is living up to Nye Bevan's maxim that the purpose of winning power is to give it away.
Third, as we contemplate the results, we need to take a long look at our national politics. This week of 1 May marks the start of Labour's tenth year in office. It is rare for any government to last this long, and that speaks more to Labour's challenge than it does to Labour's achievement. The right to govern is hard won and easily lost, and only through understanding Britain, offering leadership and keeping in step with the times will a party deserve a fresh mandate. Siren voices in the media will cry for resignations and reshuffles, but their world is different from the private ambitions of individual voters who re-elected Labour a year ago and expect it to serve a normal term to deliver on its promises.
From the hundreds of people I have met on this campaign, it is clear there is still a real closeness between the values and ambitions and priorities of new Labour and most of the voters. There has been no seismic shift like the one in the mid-1990s, when the country decided it wanted a new government. Comparisons between the past week and the Tories' "Black Wednesday" are ludicrous, and people know it. So while we must avoid complacency, this is no time to lose our nerve.
New Labour has not just won three convincing election victories but also begun to enshrine a progressive consensus in Britain. Our values and ideas are in the ascendancy and we have forced the main opposition parties to compete on our terms. We welcome them on to the progressive centre ground but we take their competitive threat seriously.
We must work harder than ever to convince people that our record, and our next manifesto, represent the only realistic political choice for the natural majority who believe in prosperity for all, who care about the developing world and the health of our planet, and who believe that first-class public services underpin solidarity and social justice. And the way we "do politics" must change to match the way people now live their lives and communicate. Women, in particular, are turned off by political slugfests. We must invest time and money in profound ways of engaging with people, through new technologies and face-to-face encounters alike. We must build on the Labour Supporters' Network, reaching beyond committed members to other people eager to be informed and involved.
The soap opera of politics will continue, but the true tests for politicians are those set by voters, not newspapers. We have a mandate and, humble but unbowed, we will carry it out.
Tessa Jowell MP is Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and minister for women
