The defeat of Sweden’s Social Democrats by the moderate right pledging to bolster public sector reform is a timely warning to Europe’s centre-left, including Britain’s Labour party as it looks to build on the record of Tony Blair, the prime minister.

It is not enough to be competent and to preside over a strong economy. We must continue to be ahead of the game on welfare and public service reform. In particular we must champion, and not merely tolerate, popular demands for greater quality in state-funded public services and for a modern social contract of responsibilities as well as rights in welfare provision.