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Left policies were Labour’s most popular, report finds

CLAIMS that Labour lost the general election because it was seen as “too left-wing” were comprehensively debunked yesterday by the party’s official autopsy.

Veteran MP Margaret Beckett, who penned the long awaited “Learning the Lessons From Defeat” report, found that “some of our most left-wing policies were the most popular.”

The mansion tax, capping energy prices and public ownership of the railways are “the kind of policies the public expected from Labour,” she wrote.

Her explanation for the unexpected defeat was a failure to rebut the Tory “myth” that the last Labour government caused the financial crash by spending too much — the central criticism of Labour under Ed Miliband by the left.

The conclusions of the former interim Labour leader will come as a blow to critics of current leader Jeremy Corbyn, who wants Labour to offer a clearer alternative to the Tories.

Ms Beckett said: “The road to re-election is a marathon, not a sprint.

“If we learn the lessons of defeat in 2015, we can take the steps needed to rebuild a society in which the common good, and greater prosperity for all go hand in hand, and elect a Labour government.”

Labour stopped the slide in traditional working-class voters last May, although support remains well behind levels prior to Tony Blair’s election as PM in 1997.

And Ms Beckett singles out trade unions for praise in their contribution to the campaign, saying: “The benefits of working closely with trade union colleagues in key constituencies were identified.

“Efforts should be made to ensure that this is the norm in future campaigns.”

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