This essay examines three major criticisms of New Labour: i/ that it is “neo-liberal,” ii/ that it is over influenced by American approaches to economic and social policy, and iii/ that, as a consequence, its vision for Europe is wrong. It is argued that New Labour—by retrieving the 1945 notion of an enabling state—has gone beyond “neo-liberal” possibilities. It is also argued that critics have tended to over emphasise American influences on New Labour policy, at the expense of domestic demands and realities. Finally, given those demands and realities, NewLabour’s vision for Europe is probably the best any UK government could currently offer. It is a vision that—rather than condemning all to a residual workfare state—can allow a broad diversity of social policy approaches across EU member states.