Hain's losing strategy

Lots of people think Peter Hain merely an opportunist and, like Kristina in The Apprentice "altogether too orange to be taken seriously".

But I rather respect him.

He has consistently plugged away at the same themes over the last decade - his idea that there is a left version of New Labour. And he's at it again now there's a Deputy Leadership contest, setting out his themes in an article in the New Statesman. His central point is this:

Too often, the credo has been that winning the centre ground - itself unquestionably vital for electoral success - is, in part, achieved by Labour defining itself against the values of progressive Britain. This has always been a false choice. We proved in 1997 that it is possible to win both Middle Britain marginals and Labour heartlands; indeed, since then, we have lost support in both simultaneously.

This is frank. And frankly wrong.

In 1997, Blair didn't pull off some sort of magic trick. He wooed the centre and the heartlands hated the Tories enough to go along with almost anything. Follow Hain's advice and the centre will defect.