Fabian Society - the UK’s oldest think-tank

The Fabian Society

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About Events

The Fabian events programme hosts some of the most prominent public events in British politics. We hold major conferences, lectures and public debates and small invitation only expert policy seminars, including our prestigious Fabian Policy Networks working with a wide range of partner organisations. The events programme can be viewed here , or in our online calendar.

Jemima Olchawski is Events Director, Ed Wallis, Fatima Hassan, Rosie Clayton are Events Managers and Ian Chapman is our Events Assistant. Please contact the Events Team with ideas for future Fabian events and to discuss partnership opportunities.

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"Obama not new politics"

Barack Obama is not inspiring a new type of politics and may struggle against John McCain, Hillary Clinton's advisor Sidney Blumenthal said at a Fabian event.

“Obama does not represent the so called ‘new politics.’ It’s a model that goes back 35 years to George McGovern and has never worked in the Democratic Party.”

“The problem that Democratic Party has faced in winning elections is the defection and alienation of working-class voters – the Reagan Democrats. Clinton has won these. Obama may not.”

“For good or ill, there is no consensus about who should be the nominee and we have a divided party,” he said, and he warned Democrats that they face a formidable opponent in John McCain who cannot be painted as offering a third Bush term.

Speaking to the Guardian's Jonathan Freedland at the launch of his new book, The Strange Death of Republican America: Chronicles of a Collapsing Party, Blumenthal defended Clinton's extended presence in the race for the White House and outlined his trenchant critique of the Republican Party and the Bush Administration.

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