‘New Deal’, old concept – a history of different political visions

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

The New Deal was a series of programmes and public projects implemented by US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, right, during the Great Depression, in order to help the US economy back on its feet. Enacted between 1933 and 1939, the deal saw the creation of agencies tasked with dispersing aid to the nation’s most impoverished, temporary jobs and youth work. It also brought about sweeping reforms in industry, agriculture, finance, housing and labour, as well as massively expanding the scope of the federal government. It focused around the so-called “three Rs”: relief for the unemployed, recovery of the economy and reform of the financial system.

TONY BLAIR & GORDON BROWN

Shortly after coming to power in 1997, Mr Blair, right, set out plans for a major overhaul of the welfare system in a “new bargain” for the poorest people in the UK. It entailed jobs or training for 250,000 unemployed young people, on the proviso that those who turned down a

place would lose benefits. It was initially funded by a one-off £5billion windfall tax on utility firms. Originally aimed at 18-24 year olds, it was later widened to include over-25s who had been unemployed for 18 months or more; single parents; disabled people and the over-50s.

After succeeding Mr Blair, Mr Brown, below, announced the “Flexible New Deal” in 2009, mainly to fix issues with the old system.

It proposed tailored back-towork support for job-seekers.

JEREMY CORBYN

Ahead of the 2019 general election, the Labour Party under Mr Corbyn, right, committed to a Green New Deal following calls to tackle climate change. This included a target to hit net zero carbon emissions by 2030, although this was later watered down to an aspiration

in its manifesto following resistance from trade unions. The proposal included a £250 billion “green transformation fund”, paid for through borrowing, to create new environmental jobs and help industries transition to cleaner technologies.

BORIS JOHNSON

The Prime Minister, above, will today set out a “New Deal for Britain” by investing billions in major infrastructure projects, such as hospitals and schools.

The deal, which Mr Johnson describes as “positively Rooseveltian”, also includes investment in the courts and

prisons, road and rail, and extra funding for town centres. The Government says speeding up infrastructure projects will create jobs.

In a speech titled “Build, build, build”, Mr Johnson will announce £1.5billion for hospital maintenance, including building, as well as eradicating mental health dormitories and improving A&E capacity. Over £1billion has been allocated under a 10-year schools rebuilding programme. Mr Johnson will commit to planting over 75,000 acres of trees every year by 2025.