Will Hutton, the Guardian's economics editor, has produced a book which is part show-biz - it carries a passionate puff from Ian McEwan on the front cover and leapt straight into the bestseller list - and part political event: it clearly aims to provide a sweeping economic and political platform for Labour, has been elaborated with the help of Tony Blair's adviser, David Miliband, and sees Blair's election as leader as an epochal event, finally settling Labour's commitment to social democracy. All of which sounds very much as if Hutton hopes to become a key adviser in a future Blair administration, though the Tories may well want to know how much of the book really represents Labour policy. The State We're In will almost certainly be a powerfully influential book among Labour's élite, but many of its positions - particularly its out-and-out republicanism - are considerably bolder than any Labour's leadership is likely to own up to.

LRB 9 March 1995 | PDF Download