1 Social justice remains a fundamental concern of any Left of Centre party today – it is one of the main things that defines it as such. Make no bones about it, social justice involves redistribution, the reduction of inequalities. New Labour must embrace a redistributive project, just as Old Labour did.

2 The reasons for this are both ethical and deeply practical. Ethical, because we are all citizens of the same political community, sharing a common identity. Practical, because the very integrity and continuity of a society is threatened if inequalities grow too large. Many social ills come from extreme inequalities – high levels of crime, the deterioration of neighbourhoods, lowered life expectancy etc.

3 Old style redistribution – tax and spend – is not the best way to tackle inequalities today. This is because:

• Most went on welfare state spending. The welfare state, however, was never as effective at redistribution as it might have been – many studies show this.

• There is no longer a large working class needing to be brought into the wider society. Less than 20% of the working population are now in blue-collar work. There is now a much larger and diversified middle class.

• It makes sense to define inequality as exclusion, because there are some 10-15% at the bottom economically, and spatially, excluded from the position of the majority.

• People live freer and more open lives than they used to do – heavyhanded collectivism is a thing of the past.

4 Redistribution should be redefined as the redistribution of life chances – providing the possibilities for individuals to realise their potential. Hence the centrality of education, and active labour market policy. There is also a need to deal with the problems associated with the welfare state itself – for example, the fact that benefits can frustrate the very aims they were supposed to achieve.

5 However, social justice can never be defined only in terms of equality of opportunity, or only in relation to the labour market. At any one time there are many people outside the labour market and government has an obligation to protect the vulnerable. Redistribution of life chances here means creating the means of living a decent life – not just adequate personal resources, but community renewal, provision of local services and reducing crime.