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Governments do not usually need a reset after barely 12 weeks in office. But Britain’s Labour party went into what ought to have been a celebratory conference this week with its approval ratings, and consumer confidence, both tumbling thanks to political mis-steps and excessively gloomy messaging since its landslide victory in July. Speeches that were somewhat more upbeat and sure-footed from chancellor Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer may help to stabilise the government. More work lies ahead, however, to get its project back on the rails.
政府通常不需要在上任僅僅12周後進行重置。但是英國工黨在本週舉行本應是慶祝勝選的大會時，其支援率和英國消費者信心都大幅下滑，因爲該黨在7月取得壓倒性勝利之後的政治失誤和過度悲觀的資訊傳遞。如果財政大臣蕾切爾•裏夫斯(Rachel Reeves)和首相基爾•斯塔默爵士(Sir Keir Starmer)能夠發表更樂觀和穩健的演講，可能有助於穩定政府局勢。然而，還需要更多的工作來使其計劃重新上軌道。
The first step must be for Starmer to “take back control” — and bring to government the discipline that defined Labour’s election campaign. Vacancies in key Downing Street positions should be quickly filled. The prime minister needs a capable and trusted top team to begin serious policy delivery and make nimbler political judgments. Ministers may deem the recent furore over accepting “freebies” such as clothing a petty issue, especially after Tory-era excesses. But they underestimated the damage to public perceptions.
首先，斯塔默必須「重新奪回控制權」——並將工黨選舉期間的紀律帶入政府。唐寧街(Downing Street)的關鍵職位空缺應該迅速填補。首相需要一個能幹且值得信賴的高級團隊，來開始認真執行政策並做出更靈活的政治判斷。大臣們可能認爲最近關於收受「免費贈品」（如服裝）的爭議是個小問題，尤其是在英國經歷了保守黨時代的越軌行爲之後。但他們低估了這對公衆觀感的損害。
A second priority is to hone the communications strategy. Two years after Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget, and given historical market mistrust of Labour, the government has to pursue its commitment to fiscal discipline. But it should also avoid an undue pessimism that unsettles businesses, investors and households. The chancellor’s hint this week that she would tweak the government’s fiscal rules to allow higher capital expenditure was a welcome leavening of the message.
第二個優先事項是完善溝通策略。在利茲•特拉斯(Liz Truss)災難性的迷你預算過去兩年後，以及考慮到市場對工黨的歷史性不信任，政府必須堅持它對財政紀律的承諾。但它也應避免過度悲觀，以免令企業、投資者和家庭感到不安。本週，財政大臣暗示將調整政府的財政法規以允許更高的資本支出，這是一個受歡迎的資訊調和劑。
The prime minister’s vow, meanwhile, to be honest about the difficult trade-offs of governing was in many ways refreshing after years of Tory “cakeism”. A readiness to make unpopular decisions rather than offer deceptive but easy answers is a counter to rightwing populists. But trade-offs should be chosen with care. Agreeing costly pay settlements with rail unions — even as the government ends payments to pensioners for winter fuel — will seem questionable to many.
與此同時，英國首相誓言在治理過程中坦誠面對艱難的權衡，這在很多方面都令人耳目一新，尤其是在多年的保守黨「蛋糕主義」（cakeism，指不切實際地希望達成魚和熊掌兼得的結果）之後。願意做出不受歡迎的決策，而不是提供欺騙性但簡單的答案，是一種對抗右翼民粹主義者的態度。但是權衡應該謹慎選擇。與鐵路工會達成昂貴的工資協議——即使政府停止向養老金領取者支付冬季供暖費——對許多人來說似乎是有問題的。
Starmer the forensic ex-prosecutor should not underestimate what Bill Clinton called the “vision thing”. A government whose electoral victory rested on an unusually narrow portion of the vote still has to communicate more clearly the essence of its purpose. The prime minister went some way with his talk of a future-facing NHS, secure borders, clean energy, and new homes, roads and schools. But he needs to pull the strands together into a Big Idea.
前檢察官斯塔默不應低估比爾•柯林頓(Bill Clinton)所稱的「願景」(vision thing)。一屆政府的選舉勝利雖然依賴於選票的一個異常狹窄部分，但仍然需要更清晰地傳達其目標的本質。首相談到了面向未來的英國國民醫療服務體系(NHS)、安全的邊境、乾淨能源以及新的住房、道路和學校，這有點作用。但他需要將這些線索匯聚成一個「大理念」(Big Idea)。
When it comes to a key thread of his speech — the need for a more active government in Britain — Labour should tread carefully. The UK does require a government that ensures hospitals, prisons and housing are built, and trains made to work, and invests where necessary. But often this should be in conjunction with private business and funding. The goal must be to create the infrastructure for investment and entrepreneurialism to thrive so that growth can take off — but without overweening interference.
至於他演講的一個關鍵主題——英國需要更積極的政府——工黨應該謹慎行事。英國確實需要政府來確保醫院、監獄和住房建設，確保火車運行，並確保必要的投資。但這通常應與民營企業和資金合作。目標必須是爲投資和創業創造基礎設施，以促進成長——但不要過度干預。
Starmer’s Labour was embraced by many businesses in the run-up to the election. They appreciate stability and a growth agenda. But they need to see more commitment to the needs of private enterprise. A coming package on employee rights, which many companies fear will tilt the balance too far towards workers, will be a key test.
斯塔默領導的工黨在選舉前受到許多企業的歡迎。企業看重穩定和成長議程。但他們需要看到更多對民營企業需求的承諾。許多公司擔心即將出臺的員工權益方案會過分偏向工人，這將是一個重要的考驗。
An investment summit and Labour’s first Budget next month will provide further opportunities to reassure business. After again ruling out tax rises for “working people”, the government must avoid placing a stifling burden on wealth generators and scaring away investors. The woeful Conservative legacy means business, like the rest of the country, needs Labour’s project to succeed.
下個月的投資峯會，以及工黨的首個預算案將提供進一步安撫企業的機會。在再次排除對「工薪階層」加稅後，政府必須避免給財富創造者帶來沉重負擔，並嚇跑投資者。可悲的保守黨遺產意味著企業界——就像全國其他領域一樣——需要工黨的計劃來取得成功。