Blair: Social democracy needs 'narrative about the future'

When I asked Tony Blair whether he took the Thorning-Schmidt line or that of Angela Merkel, the German chancellor who ruled out any possible deal with the AfD, he gave a nuanced answer. 'It depends on what you're being asked to trade in terms of policy in order to go into that coalition', Mr Blair explained. 'If, for example, you know going into coalition with a right-wing party means you're going to adopt policies that are completely contrary to your principles then you shouldn't do it. 'If on the other hand by forming that coalition you're keeping out a more destructive right wing coalition then you might do'. Unsurprisingly, he castigates the current Labour leadership, and they reject his blueprint. But the Blair formula involves creating a compelling narrative for a future where the dizzying changes engendered by artificial intelligence, big data and robotics need to be channelled to create hope rather than insecurity.