In this article in London’s Daily Telegraph the Anglican bishops attack the failure of British socialism.

New Labour was voted into power in 1997 with great promises of making Britain ‘great’ again. The usual socialist manifesto was put into place: rob from the rich and give to the poor. Taxes went up. The nanny state increased its rules and regulations strangling initiative and rewarding indigence and immorality.
Now after ten years of Labour rule there are more poor people in Britain than ever before. Furthermore, the gap between rich and poor is increasing not decreasing. In addition there is more violent crime, more public drunkenness and disorder, more teen pregnancies, more abortion. Divorce and remarriage are sky high and the family unit is broken beyond repair.
Britain is in a mess and all the great promises of Socialism have proven empty. In fact, the exact reverse of what they promised has come about.
The frightening thing is that the USA has now elected our own Tony Blair. Obama is our version of the young, attractive, intelligent, well educated and charismatic leader who promises ‘change’. Change we will definitely get, but if the British example is anything to go by it won’t be change for the better.
Lest anyone think that I am advocating the Republicans, I’m not. I think they’re just about as corrupt, greedy and manipulative as can be. 
Any political system is only as good as the people in it. The real culprits are the old demons of greed, lust, ambition and lying.
What the West needs is not a change of politicians, but a change of heart. Only humility, repentance, a reliance on grace and a desire to love God and others can change our world.
Thomas a Kempis said, “Why do you wish to change the world when you cannot change yourself?”