Alan Simpson got it spot on when he said Labour's huge majority has resulted in a "hope explosion outside Parliament". Labour's vote has brought with it huge expectations from its supporters. New Labour sought to dampen down these expectations before the election but the sheer size of our majority ignited the hope explosion.
But can socialists harness people's expectations to revitalize the Labour left? The combination of economic circumstances, Blair's economic policies and the European Monetary Union will bring the Labour Government into conflict with its own supporters. Judging by the debate on health, Blair looks set to dash a lot of expectations.
The backlash if public spending and welfare benefits are attacked could create a wider audience for left policies. But a plunge in support for Blair will not necessarily result in an upsurge for the left - unless we act decisively.
To make progress we must present alternative policies in ways visible both inside and outside Parliament. Alan Simpson made a good start on an alternative policy framework when he said that we must articulate a "pro-European agenda in opposition to the monetarist policies of European Monetary Union". This focuses on the origin of public spending cuts, laying the ground for an internationalist response.
Since Alan Simpson spoke on 31st May, Blair has effectively sided with Kohl against Jospin. European socialists were surprised to find themselves subject to a Thatcherite lecture from the newly elected Blair after he had sought an audience with the high priestess of Euro-scepticism - Thatcher herself.
Our alternative must be the creation of a Europe-wide defence of social provision, an approach that has been strengthened by the election of the French Socialist Party on a wave of opposition to the European Monetary Union convergence criteria.
In addition to promoting a viable policy we need to be visible - to date the Socialist Campaign Group has not developed a convincing strategy to raise its profile.
The Network Conference stated that the Socialist Campaign Group should continue. Such an approach must be right. But the SCG must be constantly alive to the possibility of working with labour movement campaigns in and outside of the Party.
Recent experience suggests that the broadest coalitions can be built around specific issues such as the defence of Clause IV rather than accommodating to the Hain or Short wing of the Party. Broad alliances must be built with those prepared to oppose Blair's policies in the Party.
Ken Livingstone reported the encouraging news that five new MPs had joined the group. The real question is what will the Socialist Campaign Group do now?
For a left voice to be visible within Parliament it is essential that at some point left MPs vote against the New Labour whip. The issues must be chosen carefully but a failure to oppose would cut the Labour left off from developments outside Parliament. The left outside Parliament does not have enough authority to be seen to provide an alternative and if only few or no MPs opposed cuts in social provision a movement against cuts in the welfare state would have little weight within the "official" labour movement. This would leave the Labour left sharing Labour's unpopularity alongside Blair.
The risks involved in opposing Blair within Parliament are enormous. The danger is a "Nellist scenario" repeating itself writ large, with left MPs losing the whip and eventually their status as Labour candidates. To avoid this, we would have to take the campaign in support of the left MPs into the unions. Such a strategy could rebuild the left within the Party based on - and closely linked to - the strength of the unions. The Labour left would find itself at last giving a lead to the movement outside Parliament.
The first question for left MPs is "How can we oppose Blair in Westminster? How should left MPs make links with public opposition?" The issues should be chosen with caution to provide the best possible focus within the unions. The aim must be to maximise support - not to create martyrs.
The stakes for the Labour left are high. If we fail to articulate a policy alternative in a visible fashion, our critics in the Socialist Labour Party may be right to proclaim the end of the Labour left. Is the Labour left up to it?