UK Labour to rethink Welfare State?

Mr Mallard picks up on a a debate that has been running for some time in the UK Left about the purpose and design of the Welfare State. Those readers who persevere with me will note that this is a theme I've addressed several times over the last three years, as people return to the original thinking behind the Beveridge approach. I've likened that to a 'trampoline' model - a mechanism that 'bounces' people who are able to contribute back into a useful role as promptly as possible. The intention was never to provide a counterpoint to gainful employment - it was, after all, welfarism under Capitalism. However, I have also argued before that such is the ideological baggage around welfarism, we should consider a basic income model instead, as one way to move the debate into new territory. This is a debate that the NZ Labour Party should have now, for, as i wrote in 2009, Opposition is when you develop radical new policies.