New Labour

Meanings

1. 1proper nounproperBritish

   The centrist rebranding of the British Labour Party from the mid-1990s, which moved away from older socialist policies toward the market and middle-class voters.

   Grammar: Proper noun, capitalised and used without 'a'; it may be followed by a singular or plural verb in British usage.

   Patterns

   • under New Labour
   • a New Labour government

   Taxes and public spending changed greatly under New Labour.

   Many older members felt New Labour had abandoned the party's roots.

   New Labour won three general elections in a row.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounBritish

   Connected with this movement, its leaders or its policies.

   Grammar: Used before nouns, often as a label: a New Labour minister.

   Patterns

   • a New Labour policy

   She was a New Labour minister during the early 2000s.

   The New Labour approach favored partnerships with business.

   Critics called the policy typical New Labour spin.

Common combinations

New Labour government

The New Labour government raised funding for schools.

under New Labour

Hospital waiting times fell under New Labour.

New Labour years

Historians study the New Labour years closely.

the New Labour project

Supporters defended the New Labour project.

New Labour and the unions

Relations between New Labour and the unions were often tense.

Synonyms and how they differ

Blairism

Blairism is the political approach of Tony Blair himself, while New Labour names the party's wider rebranding.

the Third Way

The Third Way is a broader international idea of blending left and right, and New Labour was one version of it.

Opposites

Word family

Labour proper noun

the British political party

Labourite noun

a supporter or member of the Labour Party

labour noun

work, especially hard physical work

Commonly confused: New Labour or Labor?

Practice

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