Changes

A combination of the Labour Party's new-found moderation, Blair's personal popularity and the deep unpopularity of the Conservatives under [[John Major]] resulted in a landslide victory for Blair and his party in the 1997 general election, ending 18 years of Conservative government. Blair led Labour to easy triumphs in the 2001 and 2005 elections.  

A combination of the Labour Party's new-found moderation, Blair's personal popularity and the deep unpopularity of the Conservatives under [[John Major]] resulted in a landslide victory for Blair and his party in the 1997 general election, ending 18 years of Conservative government. Blair led Labour to easy triumphs in the 2001 and 2005 elections.  

The Labour Party remained a democratic socialist party under Blair's leadership. However, following Blair's successful effort to modify Clause IV of the Labour Party constitution, the Labour Party is no longer committed to widespread nationalisation and common ownership of the means of production. The current version of Clause IV limits the requirements of socialism to building "a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few..."

The Labour Party remained a democratic socialist party under Blair's leadership. However, following Blair's successful effort to modify Clause IV of the Labour Party constitution, the Labour Party is no longer committed to widespread nationalisation and common ownership of the means of production. The current version of Clause IV limits the requirements of socialism to building "a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few..."<ref>[http://www.labourcounts.com/clause4.htm Clause IV] Labour Counts</ref>

Blair coined the phrases "[[New Labour]]" and "[[The Third Way]]" to distinguish his own pro-business policies from the more collectivist platform of his leftist predecessors. He was often attacked by left-wing members of the Labour Party for "selling out" to conservative thinking, particularly in his support for privitisation and cooperating closely in the foreign policy of the United States in the [[Iraq War]]. On the other hand, some of Blair's policies were liberal by American standards: they have included increases in taxation, increases in government spending (particularly on state schools and Britain's [[National Health Service|public healthcare system]]), the introduction and subsequent increases of a minimum wage, and support for equal rights for gay people.

Blair coined the phrases "[[New Labour]]" and "[[The Third Way]]" to distinguish his own pro-business policies from the more collectivist platform of his leftist predecessors. He was often attacked by left-wing members of the Labour Party for "selling out" to conservative thinking, particularly in his support for privitisation and cooperating closely in the foreign policy of the United States in the [[Iraq War]]. On the other hand, some of Blair's policies were liberal by American standards: they have included increases in taxation, increases in government spending (particularly on state schools and Britain's [[National Health Service|public healthcare system]]), the introduction and subsequent increases of a minimum wage, and support for equal rights for gay people.