Much of the discussion centred on the complex relationship between two classic social democratic values: equality and fairness. There was a degree of consensus that social democratic parties have developed a concept of fairness that is out of tune with public notions. For instance, when the children of British welfare recipients receive free laptops, those in work whose children do not get laptops find it very hard to understand how this policy might be construed as fair. One roundtable participant questioned why we have moved from the language of equality to the language of fairness. The reason, it was suggested, was because fairness is what the public are talking about. We have to move from a redistributive model of fairness to a contributory model more in line with public perceptions of what is right.

Part of the recent failures of European social democracy were seen as a result of the fact that social democratic parties had accepted that globalisation was essentially benign, when in fact it has led to such a degree of flexibility in labour markets that it left the traditional social democratic electoral base fundamentally insecure. This has led to centre-left voters staying at home, while the centre-right electorate has remained stable.

One face of this dynamic is the concern over immigration, and it was suggested by several contributors that the centre-left in Europe had failed to address people’s concerns over this issue. In particular, there has been no effort to engage with the issue on an emotional level. Simply exploding the myths about immigration does not address people’s emotional responses. The centre-left therefore has to re-engage with issues of identity in order to close off the opportunity which has been seized in many places by far-right parties. Our conception of equality has to be filled out with notions of solidarity if it is to make sense on an emotional level.

Several contributors noted that many social problems associated with globalisation and the rise of the far right had to with issues of masculinity. It was suggested that the social democratic narrative has to engage with young, jobless, angry men in a way that undercuts the appeal of the far right.

The issue of housing was touched on by several participants. The inability to formulate a coherent housing policy has been a major source of insecurity for traditional social-democratic voters, and this is an issue which centre-left parties have to tackle.

While some roundtable guests noted that elements of the European centre-right had responded to the insecurities associated with globalisation by making right-wing appeals to national identity (eg Sarkozy’s expulsion of the Roma), others claimed rather that the centre-right had recognised that their narrative had to have a social content. Centre-right politicians in Germany and Britain had therefore drifted to the centre and reaped the electoral rewards.

The roundtable was concluded by a recognition that the various crises facing social democracy – issues of identity, of developing a new political economy, and of collaborating across Europe – have to be linked up in order to form a coherent narrative. Only then will centre-left parties be able to tell an engaging story about fairness and equality.

This event was held in partnership with