Labour's New Wave

Angela Eagle denies contributing to disillusionment within her party

In a HARDtalk interview on 19 January, British Labour MP Angela Eagle tells Jon Sopel why she thinks Tony Blair's government needs to change its style.

The word on the political streets in Britain is that this is the month that will make or break Tony Blair's leadership.

There is much opposition to the government's proposed Higher Education Bill and some of Mr Blair's fiercest critics are coming from within his Labour party itself.

This is not about personality. It's about policy, ideas and direction Angela Eagle

More worrying for Mr Blair is the fact that the critics are not the 'usual suspects' of renegades from the left-wing of his party.

Angela Eagle is a former minister who has formed her own pressure group to demand a change in policy from the current government.

She is the co-founder of a group called New Wave whose aims are to continue the electoral success of the Labour Party - but by shifting policy away from New Labour's Third Way and back to a more moderate left.

New Wave

Speaking to Jon Sopel, Ms Eagle admitted there was discontent in the party over public sector reform and "the way which policy is sprung, fully formed on the party without consultation".

In order to prepare the manifesto for what she hoped would be a third term in office, Ms Eagle said that Tony Blair needed to 'let go a bit' and allow party members, the parliamentary party and the wider Labour movement to have more of a voice on the direction of the Labour party.

However, she denied that any of this was about changing the leadership.

'This is not about personality. It's about policy, ideas and direction and the lack of input the party members are having."

When asked by Jon Sopel whether she was contributing to the disillusionment within the Labour party, Ms Eagle denied it and replied she was contributing to positive serious political debate and any criticism in her pamphlet was balanced with positivity.

This programme was broadcast on BBC News 24 on 19 January 2004.

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 04:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 19:30 GMT and 00:30 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30