Public perception: Labour leads the Tories in opinion polls by four points. But the public remains to be convinced by Ed as a potential prime minister. With five million lost Labour voters since 1997, he needs to rally support from both the core and beyond.
Can Ed build on the qualities of openness, radicalism and empathy that endeared him to party electors, whilst showing passion, anger and inspiration? The Liberal Democrats seem a busted flush, but can he grapple skilfully with Cameron, whilst gaining greater gravitas as a potential Prime Minister? Ed has done well on phone hacking, and past leaders have grown into their role, but time is short as key elections draw near.
Party: Ed needs to rally and strengthen his party. Although not the Parliamentary Labour Party’s first choice, the vast majority are now firmly behind him. New parliamentary boundaries and party funding must be addressed, without becoming distractions.
Under New Labour, many party members felt ignored. Peter Hain’s Refounding Labour needs to fulfil Ed’s promise of a breath of fresh air, and avoid picking needless fights.
And affiliates? As squeezed middle-class teachers struck over pensions in June, Ed gained few friends in baldly condemning them. As November 30 approaches, can he befriend union members voicing national concerns, without appearing beholden to union leaders?
Membership has grown in the past two years. With an energetic new general secretary, Iain McNicol, and a positive National Executive Committee, Labour needs to be a growing, vibrant, soundly organised and diverse party, enthusing members and connecting with the wider community.
Policies: Ed declared the demise of New Labour, but what is in its place?
People want to know what Labour stands for. Liam Byrne has been “grinding exceeding fine” new policy foundations. Blue and Purple Labour have set out their stalls. (Will we hear from Red Labour, too?) Appeals to the “squeezed middle” and Promise of Britain have not yet fired the public imagination. Long before developing a full-menu manifesto, Ed must urgently find the key resonant proposals to define Labour as the party of social justice in the public mind.
Threats to the National Health Service, social unrest, eurozone instability and conflicts abroad all loom large. But the overwhelming issue for Britain is the economy.
With relentless Tory cuts, joblessness is growing, prices are rising and a double-dip recession is in the offing. Cuts are straining local services and communities. Coalition ministers have been getting away with a great lie that the deficit was caused not by the banking crisis but by Labour profligacy. Ed Miliband and Ed Balls must (acting as one) demolish this myth and challenge unjust and ultimately self-defeating Tory economic strategy, as it turns daily more sour, living standards are squeezed and confidence is shaken.
The problems are many and time is short. With party members willing him to succeed, and so much at stake, this conference provides a great platform for the Labour leader to shine.
