Keir Starmer, Will Hutton, Alastair Campbell and Sonia Sodha on How To Remake Britain

Britain is in big trouble. The country has dipped into recession, local councils are going bankrupt and trust in our politics has collapsed. Could Labour leader Keir Starter remake Britain after the next election?
According to political economist, writer and author, Will Hutton, and political strategist, journalist and co-host of The Rest Is Politics podcast, Alastair Campbell, a recovery is in our own hands. For this Intelligence Squared live event on how to remake Britain, Keir Starmer himself joins Hutton, Campbell and our host, Sonia Sodha, live on stage at London's Union Chapel to discuss the future of British politics and the themes of renewal found within Hutton's book, 'This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain', and Campbell's book, 'But What Can I Do?' which both look to inspire a new generation of political leaders.
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Intelligence Squared has established itself as the leading forum for live, agenda-setting debates, talks and discussions around the world. Our aim is to promote a global conversation that enables people to make informed decisions about the issues that matter, in the company of the world's greatest minds and orators.
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[@knobfieldfox]

The Proportional Representation question is very relevant, considering how fractured the political landscape has become. Judging by the applause, people seem to be warming to it too.

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

I don't understand why the discussion of electoral reform only includes PR as an alternative. Like what about ranked choice or IRV? PR has a lot of problems we need to answer for: being able to form a controlling majority, preventing in-term political horsetrading; encouraging parties to adopt broad, inclusive approaches to address complex issues comprehensively/coherently; answering to the electorate and not other parties; maintaining political accountability, a large reason why Britain is able to see through the Conservative mess (at last), is that there's no-one else to blame. I believe in electoral reform, but we need something that preserves some of that/at least grapples with it. PR doesn't necessarily heal political fracturing or improve collaboration if a coalition just ignores the issues they don't agree on, a big criticism of Germany is that PR prevented long-term strategy/dealing with big issues, Israel's PR is a mess, and more...

[@lenabo9929]

it depends on the sort of PR. People just say PR without any nuance. Election are for representation and stability. Pure PR brings a lack of stability. However, are current system is far to central and majoritarian we need more separation of power. I really like a mixed electoral system like scotland, where more seats are won on plurality and the about 1/3 are PR which is connected to how well you do within the region

[@JewxlOW]

although i don’t necessarily disagree the reaction from this crown is highly unrepresentative

[@col.hertford9855]

@@howmanybeansmakefiveranked choice is a way for large parties to take the votes people. Look at how it’s being abused in Australia, with changes to funding rules for minor parties and independents. STV is, quite frankly, a sham to embed two party systems for a new millennia. True PR is required, maybe linked to citizens assemblies, and an elected head of state with constitutional powers, rather than the illusion of constitutional powers.

[@buzzukfiftythree]

FPTP worked against the Conservatives last week where I live. The Lib Dems got 34% of the vote and got 22 council seats (and control of the council) whereas the Conservatives got 29% and got only 7 seats. Labour had 14% and got 5 seats.

[@ianworley8169]

Having lived through Wilson, Callaghan, Blair and Brown governments, I'm now more convinced than ever that the only way to fix Britain is to do away with FPTP. Every progressive measure introduced will be undone; every publicly owned asset built will be sold off by the next Tory government. Elected into unassailable power, as always, on a minority of the popular vote. Britain is so far behind now. Our rate of decline seems to accelerate exponentially. The only way to ensure the Tory asset strippers and wreckers are kept out of power, is proportional representation. Progressive parties need to work collaboratively to rebuild Britain, rather being made irrelevant by our profoundly undemocratic electoral system. So many criminally wasted votes. No wonder people feel disenfranchised and marginalised. We need to stop a small group of entitled, extremists from seizing control every decade or so only interested in dismantling the country for their own narrow self interest. Without PR its just a never ending cycle of one step forward, two steps back.

[@PatchesNjose]

Well said

[@stuplant6693]

Agreed

[@j.x.x.r3645]

I understand, but that would let ReformUK into parliament which may not be the best thing

[@seancrowe3353]

Reform is our best hope. So yes. Let's try PR

[@dazzle4708]

That’s moronic and you know it. The Tories will be replaced by reform and then we’re in legitimate trouble; it doesn’t matter how accurate their diagnoses of the problems are, they don’t know how to run a country. Labour will also collapse between the blairites and corbynites and this mess will be like a train wreck hit by a crashing plane when god knows how many other niche amateur parties spring up and get a couple seats. Weimar Germany all over again, and as the US retreats from the world and the global order loses the hand tipping it in favour of the west our economy will end up worse than it is now and exacerbate the political issues. Frankly the greens and the Lib Dems make too many, labour and conservative are good enough-history has proven that 1 or 2 factions is generally ideal. Populares v optimates, and so on.

[@johndewhurst6609]

To remake Britian we need undo all the damage done by Margaret Thatcher. Selling of social housing ( which has forced people to rent from private landlords), deregulating the banks (which caused the banking crash in 2008), and privatising public services which helps shareholders not the country. Also we need to fight the poverty in the country, and stop attacking the poor.

[@VioletBagpipeSack-xf3ke]

Tony Blair you mean?

[@tancdiscovery9432]

Blair was a lot worse than Thatcher in this area, like Clinton was worse than Reagan.

[@cybergornstartrooper2157]

@@VioletBagpipeSack-xf3keThatcher deregulated the banks, it was called “The big bang” perhaps look it up before posting nonsense.

[@davestevenson9080]

mass deportation is the only way to stabilise house prices, how can housing become affordable while we import millions of people from the third world every year? lol, head in the clouds

[@michelemijat8260]

Under thatcher people could buy their own council house

[@stephenboothby7446]

Our whole political system needs reforming. It's based on a time when there were no phones, no computers and sending an MP to make our decisions (in a horse and carriage) over several years was the only way to do it. In 2024 we have the ability to have far more input into the decisions we have made on our behalf and should never be in a position where we have an unelected PM and a party in charge that has done nothing for the country for years. (It's actually harmed it.)

[@OnlineEnglish-wl5rp]

Re wealth taxation, the point needs to be repeatedly made that the last 45 years has seen unprecedented wealth funnelled to a tiny elite and that in 2008 when the banks collapsed, WE were forced to bail out THEIR imploded financial assets.

[@Chris-ht5ng]

Truth 👏

[@ajsctech8249]

In a word Housing. Reverse the Thatcher 80s council House reforms and implement in Law that 40 percent of all new builds in n a County or Local Authority must be social housing which is a Law that some German states have applied. Fix housing and solve a multitude of other social ills in the UK.Thats it

[@seancrowe3353]

No one will buy the 60%. I live on a new estate where 5% is social housing. The police are there every few days. If 40% was social it would be a ghetto

[@rory4605]

Great point! And I like your profile pic, I must ask though, do you think Keir Starmer looks and sounds like Peter O' Hanrahahanrahan?

[@ajsctech8249]

@@rory4605 No.He Looks like lesbian Pop Singer K.D Laing

[@oc1625]

Who will build under those terms? It won't be profitable enough for a developer. Maybe it could work if we had a nationalised developer that was a governed owned company like National Highways?

[@ajsctech8249]

@@oc1625 under what terms.The Terms stay the Same but only 60 percent of all new builds can be private in a year per local authority. Social Housing has to built in huge volumes but it would damage a Lot of the wealthiest in society If we did that. It needs happen to reverse some of the inequality in the UK. If you dont Change the UK housing system to vastly increase social Housing then WE will never improve inequality.

[@MattBrophy]

A bit of hope, please bring it back!

[@davidlundrigan1435]

Well that was quite informative. Labour definitely has my vote, I just hope they go further than they are saying. Big changes needed in this country.

[@alexturner4945]

Agree, I worry the Keir’s message of ‘fix the fundamentals’ isn’t as inspiring as it could be. Where is the vision of true potential of the country to get excited about? Gain a mandate for that and he will have genuine ability to make the changes necessary.

[@user-pf2vg2mp8r]

Keira Starmer is right about one thing and at the risk of upsetting him in the words of Mao Tse Tung, "Dreams without power will remain dreams". The great Nye Bevan said, "Where is the power and how do I get it?"

[@elkpaz560]

The problem with the so called 'progressive left' is that they refuse the lessons of Stalin, Lenin and Mao. Millions die and the masses are immiserated within a vicious centralised all powerful state.

[@VinceLammas]

It was interesting to see Keir Starmer clearly backing the concepts outlined by Will Hutton and using the language of Mariana Mazzucato, "Mission Government". He correctly identifies the people who will not beleive what he says (and they will make their comments here). I think he is correct in expressing how important it is to create an environment where private businesses will invest, triggered by a clear sense of purpose, political stability and targeted investment.

[@ianfraser6161]

Keir

[@VinceLammas]

@@ianfraser6161 Corrected - thanks

[@nicksimmons7234]

People underestimate Starmer The biggest problem with Starmer is he’s 60 and will only serve 2 terms before hopefully handing over to Darren Jones.

[@rory4605]

@@nicksimmons7234 or Wes Streeting. He seems like the kind of person who wrote down his dream cabinet on the back of a wet wipe when he was 5.

[@ken-ip4ih]

@@rory4605 haha!

[@andrewgoodall2183]

I've just come from polling booth. Voted Labour on what I'd consider a local election (East Midland Mayor). Never done that before. Only voted Labour once (never, ever Tory) before in my 50 years and that was tactical against perceived Farage threat. You better get this right, Starmer.

[@Chris-ht5ng]

Keir didn’t really seem to commit to taxing rich people. Real man of the people our Keir.

[@chriswills9437]

I always remember a quote from Will Hutton which seems truer than ever ´´The modern Conservative Party neither understand or know how to manage the modern economy´´. What doesn´t work is applying 18th Century economics to 21st Century problems.

[@johngilligan7336]

Everything happens in stages. Stage 1: winning the election. Stage 2: tell the country what you are really going to do

[@christinedyke5592]

All well and good. Being 68 that’s what I expected Blair to do but it did not happen!

[@tref51]

Nice to hear Keir Starmer....it was like listening to the adult of politics as opposed to the Tory nutters.

[@VinceLammas]

Hutton said that Rachel Reeves had recast the fiscal rules in the Mais Lecture and that was my interpretation of her statements. If he's right that investment opportunities can be taken, then it can be the "starting handle" that fires up the engine of growth.

[@KieranGarland]

i'm with and for Labour right now, but Labour needs to be brave enough to reimagine the deep structure of the UK economy, and also to find a little bit of poetry

[@kinolurtz542]

I think that's actually one of the most accurate and succinct summaries of how I feel about Labour at the moment too. Still, I like Keir, I hope he can make some real change in government.

[@kingeddiam2543]

I really hope that he begins to take Gaza seriously too, he cannot continue to arm Israel if he gets in

[@pennyyoung2291]

Poetry indeed, some witticisms would help too. Go Keir😍🤗🌷

[@mfs1011]

By Starmer’s own metric each Labour government has failed. Labour - the party of the worker has always left power with more people out of work than when they entered office. A fully verified fact.

[@BritainAus-]

working class vote for Torys then they wonder what happened. Hopefully it's a massive lesson learnt

[@dolmen6613]

too right -we'll be voting Reform next time

[@josephhilditch8792]

@@dolmen6613 from Tory to extreme Tory then 😂

[@davestevenson9080]

@@dolmen6613 why vote? every political party is intent on replacing the indigenous british with asians and africans. I've stopped paying my tax to rotherham council, they can come and get it. utterly destroyed the city

[@Brokout]

@@dolmen6613So the last lot weren’t extreme enough for you? Some people never learn

[@dolmen6613]

@@Brokout - far from "extreme " - they have more support than the Greens and Liberal Democrats -as the next election will show

[@nicksimmons7234]

What a great interview of Keir by Sonia, massive problem with her ear piece though.

[@rahuldahoob]

Is she the little Indian girl next to keir starmer?

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

I don't understand why the discussion of electoral reform only includes PR as an alternative. Like what about ranked choice or IRV, or STV (like Ireland)? PR has a lot of problems we need to answer for: being able to form a controlling majority; preventing in-term political horsetrading if parties are answering to each other over the electorate; disincentivizing extremism/party brinksmanship; encouraging parties to adopt broad, inclusive approaches to address complex issues comprehensively and coherently; maintaining political accountability, a large reason why Britain is able to see through the Conservative mess (at last), is that there's no-one else to blame. I believe in electoral reform, but we need something that preserves some of that/at least grapples with it. PR doesn't necessarily improve political collaboration if a coalition just ignores the issues they don't agree on like in Germany, a big criticism of Germany is that PR prevented long-term strategy/dealing with big issues. Israel’s PR is a mess, PR works for NZ but it is relatively homogenous (ideologically and otherwise), and more...

[@kingeddiam2543]

STV is the best option imo

[@fintanbeirne7261]

PR is an umbrella term

[@soulsphere9242]

The UK rejected AV/IRV in 2012. In Australia we have AV/IRV for the House of Reps and STV (which is a form of PR) for the Senate and it works pretty well. Voting is also compulsory.

[@R08Tam]

Sorry Will, joining the € would have been disastrous.

[@venmis137]

I think (maybe even hope) that Starmer has the makings of becoming "Labour's Thatcher". Someone who completely redefines the country, and sets the stage for the next 40 - 50 years of the country.

[@fighter0056]

In a good way hopefully

[@michelemijat8260]

Did someone mention the B word? Starmer: "I'm away thanks for having me"

[@teresajohnson5265]

Blister Camble you are brilliant!!!

[@nicksimmons7234]

38:00 people of Hartlepool said they’d had a Labour MP since 2010 and their Police station, Court and Hospital had closed that is what Starmer up against.

[@Salsta1]

They need to understand that their one Labour MP could never have overridden the Tory government. It's a Labour government that makes the difference.

[@j.x.x.r3645]

Yeah, a labour MP in opposition

[@rbailey6949]

They also praised the Tories for giving them food banks………..*cough*

[@paulinegibson7010]

Alastair -the fight to stop Genocide in Gaza IS a battle worth fighting

[@pennyyoung2291]

Thank you! Interesting discussion. I’d have liked more questions from the audience 🌷

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Thankyou.

[@heavytreaty]

This often seems to present a view that everything is the fault of the Tories. As a man in his mid-40s I can assure you it started long before this bunch. Furthermore I can assure you the UK will not be fixed by the coming Labour Goverment. Frank Zappa said politics was the theatrical wing of the military industrial complex and we can extend that analogy way beyond US politics to vested interest everywhere essentially running things for their own benefit. Enjoy the theatre everyone..this video is a small sketch in a much larger show! If anyone does come along to genuinely change things almost the entirety of what you see about them will be negative inorder to get rid of them and maintain the status quo…think of pigs at the trough and your money is the pig swill.

[@artie0]

lucky you, a middle aged white man have all the answers, you who feels these effects the least. The tories did make a difference, the new labour government will make change.

[@heavytreaty]

@@artie0 hopefully they will improve education…particularly reading and writing.

[@alainmgaulin5846]

Writing from Canada, I must say that from an environmental perspective, the problem with the position of Keir Starmer is his call for greater economic growth. In a world with finite ressources, growth can not be infinite. Yes, the economy in all Western countries is not working for the masses. Rather it works only for the rich. But staying on the path of massive economic growth is doing what we've been doing for some 200 years and this is exactly what had gotten us to we are : a world where the future of the next generations is not guaranteed. Going forward, we have to do things differently. Because, as Albert Einstein reportedly said, when you always do the same thing, you should no be surprised that you always get the same result.

[@Joe-og6br]

If a country attempts to have no growth then it becomes poorer and poorer compared to other countries. Therefore the cost of living will rocket.

[@jeremymanson1781]

There is more than one type of growth. Using less resources by becoming more efficient still counts as growth. For example recycling / reusing building materials still counts as a form of economic growth.

[@TimNield888]

Sounds level aren't right. Please boost the volume!

[@teresajohnson5265]

GREAT TALK!!!!!❤❤❤❤

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Thanks!

[@mattd8725]

Hope is unrealistic to voters. Protest is commonplace and can be provided by anyone with a social media account with no need for any promise of meaning or results. But better to appear to stand for nothing than to go waist deep into "spite" based politics.

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Thanks keep supporting

[@francescachristy8761]

Not sure how Will imagines it will help families living in London to pay more Council Tax, linked to massively inflated house values. Adding a few more bands at the higher end would make more sense

[@tayetrotman]

As a fellow Londoner I agree, but he’s looking at the big picture here. I assume, or at least I hope, that if this becomes more than theoretical that regional nuances would be factored in

[@tancdiscovery9432]

Much of what is wrong with politics in this country & Western Liberalism as a whole can be summed up by this panel. Pedestrian doesn't even begin to cover it.

[@rory4605]

Agreed, it's a complete lack of imagination, lack of creativity, and honestly, lack of spirit. I want my politicians to breathe fire and have big hearts. Starmer falls embarrassingly short of all these things.

[@davidnorton7437]

John Dewhurst spot on, glad to see you recognize the damage thatcher did to Britain.

[@aroemaliuged4776]

A floor and a ladder Shot speak from the middle class that have never understood the working class

[@paulbo9033]

We need to get Labour Friends of Isnotreal and co out of the Labour party. They are such a corrosive force, we cannot have foreign lobbies meddling in our democracy. Until then i cannot in good conscience vote for Labour. They can win back my vote if they address this fundamental issue though.

[@nudgenudgewinkwink3212]

what if the lobbyists were muslim.

[@paulbo9033]

@@nudgenudgewinkwink3212 I prefer to deal with the reality as it is. In an alternate universe where a Muslim lobby has as much power over our country as the Israel Lobby, and are murdering huge numbers of people in Palestine, then let me know and I'll answer that question.

[@robmetcalfe]

What have the Muslims done?

[@jeremymanson1781]

There are loads of Friends of or equivalent groupings in Parliament. Many MPs attend a number of groups. Some MPs are in more than one middle eastern group etc. Would you prevent MPs attending all groups? Friends groups are able to criticise and are more likely to be listened to.

[@paulbo9033]

@@jeremymanson1781 I would ban the ones with outsized influence and who are subverting and interfering in our democracy, yes.

[@FITZYIS]

Another Mr fix it ,! The last one got him his knighthood

[@aroemaliuged4776]

Labour have come from working class families and backgrounds too college students with rich backgrounds and privilege

[@aroemaliuged4776]

@philstabler6650 I have never been a Tory I am a working class white heterosexual man The far left label anything not progressive as misogynistic far right Being in the middle and trying too have a conversation is far right

[@jeremymanson1781]

The moment a working class person educates themselves and achieves something in life they become one of the hated middle class. Angela Rayner and Keir Starmer were in no way 'privileged' at birth. So it sounds like your dream is to 'level down' ?

[@ryanf6530]

I think the reality of proportional representation would be disappointing to many on the left who are asking for it. Few (if any) of the left wing policies mentioned in this discussion would get a majority in a PR House of Commons.

[@blehoo1]

Completely agree with Alastair at the end there. No govt can be perfect. But ....one thing is absolutely certain - we have no prospect for real sustainable growth or security unless we get our relationship back on track with the EU and at the very least rejoin the single market. I would also say that a full throttle drive to build up our green energy capacity makes sense in every logical way in terms of our energy security, job creation and affordability for the consumer. All that is before you even get to the benefits for the environment. We just have to make the case to the electorate.

[@user-ez8bx6ly8v]

Excellent debate 😊

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Thankyou!

[@jackthemac132]

So Starmer was asked about what he's going to do about young people who face crippling housing costs and student loans, and his answer was that we need to equip young people with the skills they need and then went off on a tangent about Rwanda. I like Starmer and I hope he'll be a good PM, but this is a great example of why people find him totally lacking conviction. His answers for a lot of things just don't fill me with confidence. See how Biden forgave a lot of student loan debt in the States through executive action? That's the kind of leadership young people are looking for from Starmer but aren't getting.

[@Joe-og6br]

Starmer is shitting it about blowing the lead he has. If you think that's Impossible look what happened to May in 2017! He knows it's more difficult than what he's stating but he can't afford to give the Tories and right wing media the opportunity to say Labour will be fiscally reckless. You can hate the Blair/Brown government for Iraq but they actually did a lot of good to public services.

[@ProsecutorZekrom]

@@Joe-og6brI hope above all else you’re right and Starmer’s just being cautious

[@guymankowski3358]

Has Will got a book out? He should've said something. Seriously, I went in an hour from admiring his analysis to vowing never to buy anything of his; I've never seen such relentless self promotion

[@jeremymanson1781]

The discussion was arranged specifically in order to talk about his book.

[@ricellisfrost620]

Anything but the Tories, but I'm not convinced by Starmer... he's unelectable!

[@j.x.x.r3645]

Did you even listen to what he said here? also all polling for the last year and a half suggests that he is very much electable

[@heavytreaty]

How bad it was under Labour before the Tories…it was bloody awful then too. People seem to have amnesia. I dodged the London riots to get my visa to emigrate after 14 years of New Labour.

[@kinolurtz542]

How can Starmer be simultaneously unelectable and also almost certain to win the next election...

[@NPC-st7zv]

Was this in Mos Eisley?

[@nicksimmons7234]

Keir biggest problem is he doesn’t have a Alistair.

[@tayetrotman]

Idk about that. Certainly, he could use somebody to help him come across as a bit more charismatic, but I’d argue that what he really needs is to commit to more policies

[@nicksimmons7234]

@@tayetrotman why so the Tories can steal them? You sound like Rory Stewart.

[@tayetrotman]

@@nicksimmons7234 Until he gives me policies, how am I supposed to know if I want to vote for him? I want the Tory scum out, obviously, but without policies I can’t tell if I want to support Labour or just spoil my ballot. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually expect a full manifesto from him until the general election, but as Labour announcing the re-nationalisation of the railways demonstrates he can tell us some policies that the Tories wouldn’t want to steal, ones they’d consider politically unacceptable.

[@tayetrotman]

@@nicksimmons7234 I don’t expect him to provide us with a full manifesto, but the release of Labour’s rail nationalisation plan demonstrates they can give us some policies, ones the Tories wouldn’t steal because it’d be politically unacceptable for them. If people are to actually look forward to Labour in power instead of merely hating the Tories, we need a reason to trust Starmer will bring about real change.

[@nicksimmons7234]

People talking about Sure Start, but sure start wasn’t in the 97 manifesto but came in in 98. We need to trust Labour.

[@tayetrotman]

Trusting Labour is hard when Starmer flip flops and avoids committing so often

[@nicksimmons7234]

@@tayetrotman Corbyn fan club or Tory. Pretty much the same.

[@tayetrotman]

@@nicksimmons7234 What? Most Labour MPs dislike Jeremy Corbyn, that’s a large part of why he was such a poor leader because they frustrated him on everything. To describe the Labour party as the Corbyn fan club is ridiculous. And Corbyn and his supporters are nothing like the Tories, they disagree on basically everything. I do agree that Labour under Starmer and the Tories are basically the same, though,

[@nicksimmons7234]

@@tayetrotman what a load of rubbish. Corbyn fan club love a Tory government gives them something to protest. Labour are keeping their close until the election is call. Tories tried to steal childcare policy. Tories stole Non Dom’s but with loads of loopholes. Energy Immigration Private school. Grow Up

[@SportsRacer-du6ms]

wind generation for electricity isn't very economic due to wind speed and the replacement of parts by hours of use and the bird strike that is Not talked about, Atomic energy is cleaner

[@rorywilson656]

New Labour reset British politics in a way, i remember the hope and excitement in that era, too young to really remember the thatcher and major years but heard the horror stories. That hopeful era ended with 911, and the invasion of iraq. Suddenly the government of good and supposed social justice werent listening, were constantly downplaying the strong feelings, spin spin endless spin. The financial crash was the final blow to credibility, but it was Iraq that really killed New Labour. Deservedly, it has to be said. I remember thinking the country needed a change when Cameron won, but boy I had no idea what we were ushering in. 14 years of failure and damage. But the feeling of disillusionment precedes Cameron, it goes back to those foreign policy mistakes and how our country is meant to act. The situation in Gaza was a test for Starmer. For me, he didnt pass, and i struggle now to believe that new is automatically better.

[@Arthur-lq7ix]

Starmer may not have the charisma of Blair or Johnson, but I get the feeling that he is desperate to become PM to change this country for the better, not for personal ambition. I really hope the public warm to him during the general election campaign, as I think he will make an excellent PM. Labour has my vote for sure.

[@meislouis1381]

I really hope you are right

[@Tuelis97]

Same. Unfortunately, we have become too used to ‘charismatic’ strongmen like Berlusconi, Trump, Putin and Johnson and likability does not guarantee good political decision-making.

[@pastyman001]

Rwanda - Don't want ya (Tories)

[@user-bt8cz9nv4x]

The Attlee government had to borrow big from the Americans after WWII! We ended up with our beloved NHS! Where does the UK now get the money from after running such a huge deficit? A ‘green economy’ means less cars and more electric public transport! No car zones in cities?

[@leocurran5578]

Words of hope, words of inclusivity,

[@aleksandrzaviriukha5809]

Meaningless word

[@markpallister9882]

STARMERGEDDON 😂😂 Yes that includes Blair and Campbell

[@ChrispyNut]

Some Geezer told me to come.

[@bigjo9377]

Bravo Bravo

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Thankyou so much!

[@Bognorbabe]

It will only be remade when we rejoin the EU. What an act of self harm Brexit was and yes, FPTP needs to go. Keir Starmer has appalled me . He called for a second referendum at pro EU rallies, but now, because he wants to lead this broken country, he won't even agree to reiun the single market or the customs union. And as for the Tories...words fail me. But there are other parties with more sense, yet they never get a chance thanks to FPTP. I'm thinking of the Liberals and the Greens.

[@anthonychambers4399]

The largest house building period was after the first world war, not the second world war. It was all privately financed. Perhaps Labour will be the party that removes the disasterous Town and Country planning act.

[@aroemaliuged4776]

An applause?@14.06? Interesting 😅

[@kennethmaley2443]

Is that the same cambells lies about the weapons of mass destruction.

[@Joe-og6br]

When Starmer first got elected in 2015 I told my father that Starmer would be the next Labour Prime Minister. Wish I put a bet on that! Sure he lacks the charisma of 1990s Blair but most PMs lack it.

[@clarkkent4683]

It doesn't need remaking, it needs the infection removed.

[@FITZYIS]

and labours answer to the boats now starmer in 2003 took the labour party to court and got the asylum seekers rights to benefits and accommodation which they receive now ! FACT !

[@karenlp5867]

I think proportional representation is essential. But I disagree with making voting compulsory. People forced to vote won’t care what they are doing. They will just tick any box at random. Where is the sense in that?

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

I like Will, and his book, but I doubt the response to the lady from Peckham allayed her suspicions. Even his attempt to caveat/avoid misunderstanding came across a bit patronizing. (unintentionally I'm sure, but in that perfectly polite bumbling middle-class way.)

[@StratsRUs]

Growth

[@ChangesOneTim]

Mr Starmer, define 'working class' please. Your answer's important because I need to know where you think the middle class begins, ie the point at which your government will tax more. Socialists in Holyrood have used devolved income tax threshold freedoms to draw their own line on who they think are rich - where will you draw yours? The references to 'British capitalism' are interesting but miss the point. In 2024 there's no choice but to engage with and to win over global capitalism, where increasingly the real power over our daily lives is lying. Will Labour be bold enough to break this mould? Labour should work with global capital to incentivise private investment on terms that aren't loaded entirely to their advantage. Labour should reject the worst effects of globalism, which have served only to widen the UK's richest/ poorest divide and the overwhelming dominance of financial services sector, and to embrace internationalism instead. What will Labour do to curb dominance of low-quality gig economy jobs and severely control reliance on economic migrants? The doctrine of outsourcing public services to 'market forces' offshores control and removes true accountability away from politicians whom the people elected. And as the Thames Water fiasco shows, governments also have zero control over companies' future ownership at any time after outsourcing. The threats to effective regulation that come with private equity takeover of privatised companies was something that the Blair/ Brown government was warned about but kept quiet. Brexit: sold to voters on a false prospectus it might have been, BUT...it happened. A few months ago, someone in the Labour party party uttered 'make Brexit work'. So DO IT and stop remoaning.! Think hard about the various self-determination levers that the EU handed back to the UK, then use them to restore mutuality/ localism/ a sense of place, better vocational vs academic training, repatriate some jobs and technology. Making Brexit Work is almost certainly part of the solution in addressing some of the above ills. If Labour met this challenge head-on, it will surely be doing "British capitalism" a favour by opening up fairer opportunities for them as well as the people. My fear is that with the current dire state of the UK and of a governing party in meltdown, Labour will get in whatever it says pre-election; big up 'reform' but once elected stay wedded to globalist capital, giving us all pretty much more of the same but with competent leadership and without the arrogance/ scandals.

[@christinedyke5592]

Anyone who works for a living and earns a wage (salary), barristers, drs, shop workers nhs workers. Anyone who isn’t part of the oligarchy which runs are country and takes all the money.

[@ChangesOneTim]

@@christinedyke5592 All doctors, all barristers - very funny! Like many people, I believe that today's 'working class' covers anyone who, after paying all essential costs of living, has no disposable cash left for savings, investments or nice-to-haves. [Cue blah blah blah re to what degree personal/family spending on holidays, sports, socialising and other wellbeing stuff is 'essential'....] Anyway, that's my view and I'm leaving it there. What matters is Starmer's definition, because that shapes Labour policies on everything from taxation, through housing, social welfare to student loans etc.

[@djtobs2]

Next book title "just a bunch of ex politicos taking politics.... Welcome the 2024 labour manifesto circa Gordon Brown....TBF still better than the last Two!!

[@kevinengland7444]

Is this meant to be ironic?

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Yes

[@aroemaliuged4776]

I might vote labour A centrist away from the feminists and the the tories

[@teresajohnson5265]

ALL EU children LEARN a FOREIGN LANGUA GE: GREAT FOR UNDERSTANDING CULTURES AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, SOOOO, BETTER BUSIINESS TOO!!!!🎉

[@GIRUxGIRU]

Average house prices 9x average salary, even worse in London. Rent expenses reaching record highs, most people spending 40/60% of their income just on rent alone, forget saving for a deposit for a house (avg time is 19 years) Financially impossible to start a family, young men are lost, young women feel isolated. NHS barely serviceable, they don't take you seriously if you're under the age of 50. Deep generational wealth inequality due to defined benefit vs defined contribution pension, list goes on and on "how will you address the issues young people face?" "we will.. uhh.. make better technical schools to train them.." way to talk about hope and then offer 0 hope

[@Nathan-in-Cwmbran]

I'll offer a word of caution. My town, which is in Wales, has a Labour-dominated council and a Labour-dominated parliament implementing Labour policies unabated since 1997. Billions of pounds of pre-Brexit EU investment and billions of pounds in devolved and central government grants later, and the town and county languish at or near the bottom of any meaningful socio-economic metric you care to use.

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

He bravely disposed Clown Jeremy.

[@joshua.910]

Cardiff can only spend the money handed down to them by no.10. They've been continually underfunded since god knows when.

[@maryfountain4202]

Hmmm £2-3 trillion to upgrade the grid.

[@odinallfarther6038]

Nothing will fundamentally change under the Lino party .

[@heavytreaty]

As I watch this I remember how bad it was under Labour before the Tories…it was bloody awful then too. People seem to have amnesia. I dodged the London riots to get my visa to emigrate after 14 years of New Labour.

[@benweston9158]

You must be living in a different world to the rest of us. The country was infinitely better under New Labour - the economy was strong, social mobility was the best it had ever been, poverty was relatively low, early years provision and support was robust, the NHS was actually funded, etc. The country is a wasteland after 14 years of Tory rule.

[@heavytreaty]

@@benweston9158 I think you need to realize that a government can only spend the money an economy provides. New Labour inherited a very good economy created by the Tories. This time the Tories didn’t fix the economic mess Labour passed on and so Labour will be unable to do much. That’s why Keir talks about 10 years of renewal. He is really just saying that we have to wait for the economy to improve if it does!

[@benweston9158]

​@@heavytreatyThat's not strictly true - you're applying Thatcher's flawed household economics to a country's economy. It's absolutely right that Labour inherited a much better, growing economy in 1997 but it was also well managed by New Labour up to, and including, the financial crash. The Tories very successfully pinned the global sub prime mortgage crisis on Labour and they still haven't shaken that off.

[@heavytreaty]

@@benweston9158 what’s not true?

[@benweston9158]

​@@heavytreatyIt's not true that a government can only spend what the economy provides. Governments do, and should, invest in their economies through borrowing. Most major and developing economies spend more than they ‘make’. That's the deficit.

[@markelmslie6832]

Don't let us down like Tony Blair Mr Starmer! You could be a great primeminister Blair wasn't!

[@teresajohnson5265]

You must join forces with LibDem and yhe Greens, PLEASE!!!!!

[@stuartbudd5026]

Labour have fallen back to a 1950s type mindset that is selling aspiration for their core voters while the economic foundations on which the UK is built have been trashed with Brexit. So, expect the standard of living within the UK in relation to the countries nearby to fall for the vast majority but the difference between the living standards of those within the country to narrow for the majority. In short, Labour will probably have to request a loan from the IMF due to the inability to deal with the fall in tax receipts, inflation. They will also learn what English exceptionalism is quite quickly and isn't just a feature of some Conservatives. It is a sorry state really. The immediate issue is a UK food crisis.

[@aroemaliuged4776]

@16.00 was homeless!!!!!!!

[@andymrkipling]

Alastair Campbell should be in a prison cell.

[@DaveWynne-kn8kr]

This is very lightweight stuff. An hour and a half of statements and platitudes. Starmer states that wealth distribution is integral to a labour government. So what's the plan????? There isn't one!!!! I've been a Labour voter all my life but sadly Starter's party has lost me. Very depressing.

[@joshua.910]

Wish Mr Hutton wasn't breathing through his mouth quite so heavily.

[@fraserct533]

This looks like its going to be a Labour love in session!

[@nicksimmons7234]

Great isn’t it. Intellect party with an intellect leader.

[@oscarwilliams1738]

Intellect comment ​@@nicksimmons7234

[@Edward-cv2gw]

Alastair Campbells daughter tells me everything i need to know about him,his politics and his world view. Crude,vulgar and sweary.

[@benweston9158]

If you find Grace Campbell offensive, that says a lot more about you and your understanding of society in 2024 than it does her.

[@Edward-cv2gw]

@benweston9158 My understanding is crass,foul vulgarity isn't to be encouraged. What's yours ?

[@benweston9158]

@@Edward-cv2gw My understanding is that offense is entirely subjective and being hung-up on language and your perception of vulgarity probably detracts from slightly more important issues. Much of Shakespeare is pretty vulgar and crude. Get over yourself.

[@Edward-cv2gw]

@benweston9158 well its interesting to hear from someone on the left saying things like offence is taken and language is subjective, seeing as they're the same people who are usually determined to clamp down on conservative thought and opinion. I find her intriguing though,as I think her smutty nature outlines the real beliefs behind people like Campbell. The old conservative,proportionate,gentle, and decent nature is restrictive and stale in the lefts eyes...sex,drugs and rock n roll is the true belief system of the modern left.

[@user-bt8cz9nv4x]

And the right’s mantra? Money, money, money - above everything! Must be ‘funny’ in a rich man’s world!

[@ecknareal]

Keir so far has only shown his willingness to go back on his pledges, i'm voting green.

[@joshua.910]

Unless you live in Brighton you're wasting you're vote.

[@ecknareal]

@@joshua.910 And by continue to accept the best your vote will be is the 2nd worst party, you're condemning yourself and the generations that follow you to eternally accept a 2 party system. I'll waste my vote and vote for the party I believe in.

[@dolmen6613]

put Alastair C in charge - sorted!

[@VioletBagpipeSack-xf3ke]

These people exist

[@InstallaFriend]

He never finished his five points!

[@abapaper7416]

has keir starmer gained weight?

[@Bigtooly]

rebuilding trust aye keir and friends.. protip dont ever say green energy wind again, and dont ever say lock down sooner, and you might have a hope in hell

[@phillipc3286]

Future looks bright been sent tp sleep 😂

[@ralphpritchard5224]

War criminal

[@buzzukfiftythree]

We desperately need fundamental change, but Labour must first win the election and they won’t want to make too many freak waves before that. I do hope they get a sufficient majority to have some radical policies. Keynesian economics were dissed by past governments over the past 40 years or so, but they still have some merit. If you invest in public services and our infrastructure (transport, social housing etc.) then, in the right circumstances, it can kick start economic growth. The ‘multiplyer factor’ may be smaller but it does still exist. However, the key problem that Keir alluded to (the belief by so many of the electorate, that our country cannot be fixed) is very depressing. We simply cannot go on as we are right now. Our roads are in an appalling state, the NHS is collapsing around our ears and councils cannot cope with the level of funding they are given. We also treat the sick and disabled dreadfully and that has to be laid firmly at the Tories - divide and rule has always been their policy.

[@FITZYIS]

labour remind me of the titanic ! unsinkable till they sail !

[@sunrayisdown1690]

You mean remake England ? The arrogance of the English.

[@teresajohnson5265]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@IntelligenceSquaredclips]

Thankyou

[@dawnslingsby2324]

What a joke,,Campbell is the last person we need any where near parliament

[@elkpaz560]

Doctor David Kelly.

[@Ken-pi7qk]

One of the few people in the UK who makes any sense

[@gama69ful]

Liberal Fantasies.....doubling down on the same policies and ideology expecting different results! Sad lack of imagination!

[@haydoncooper3744]

Captain Flipflop is wearing specs now…..if he thinks it makes him come across as a clever bloke he needs to get a re-fund.I wonder if he claimed on his expenses?