New Labour and Equality: A Response to Hickson’

Abstract

Firstly, I would like to thank Kevin Hickson for his thoughtful reply to my article
(Hickson 2007) and the important points he makes concerning the general
theme(s) of the paper (Meredith 2006). The general thrust of his response is one
that has been central to arguments over the relative social democratic credo of New
Labour and the degree of continuity between so-called ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Labours—
that is, respective understandings and applications of equality, and particularly the
commitment of the latter to a general standard of equality established by the father
of ‘moderate’ social democracy, Tony Crosland.