The coalition of interests that led to Tony Blair's and new Labour's electoral success is no longer possible. No Labour leader can duplicate that trick. It was a once in a life time deal.
As Labour leader, Blair was able to count on the support Labour's traditional power base in the formerly strong trade union, industrial areas of the North East and the Midlands, on votes in Scotland and Wales and working classes in cities.
From this base Blair could reach out and appeal to "aspiring" middle classes many of whom did well under Thatcher but were uncomfortable with increased poverty around them.
To make this possible Labour had to jettison many of the ideas that would scare these voters. Clause 4 went and nationalisation was replaced with free markets and outsourcing. The left was purged, the unions were muzzled, minorities scapegoated.
The banks and Murdoch press were wined and dined and anything that smelt of a threat to the status quo was ditched to find their favour. While the economy was good Labour were happy to spend on public services and the banks were happy for them to. But there was a problem.
By ditching any policies that threatened the status quo Labour ditched anything that might help those in need. We didn't invest in crumbling towns devastated by Thatcherism and we failed to give Scotland the socialist policies they hoped for. Our vote and trust in Labour crumbled
When the economy, based on consumer debt not rising wages inevitably collapsed Labour didn't have the economic policies to cope (nor did the Conservatives) and they focussed on saving the banks at the expense of the rest of us leading to a huge sense of incompetence and betrayal.
Without that base to rely on no future leader can (or should attempt to) pull if the same trick. We can't take votes for granted like Blair did. We can't fall back on a "tried and tested" method because we burnt that bridge. We have to win the argument one voter at a time.
To do that we need to present a compelling socialist argument that no longer accepts any of the arguments of Thatcherism but makes the case for a better society organised through grass roots democracy not free market ideology and based on human need not profit.
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