Nick Cohen talks to John McTernan about the Labour Party's deep political crisis in the wake of the struggles, leadership challenges, and ideological direction. They explore athe implications of the Peter Mandelson scandal, the factionalism within the Labour Party, and the broader context of the collapse of Christian democracy, which has created opportunities and challenges for the centre-left. John McTernan emphasise the need for Labour to reconnect with its ideological roots and address key issues like housing and AI, while Nick highlights the importance of strong leadership and communication. They also discuss potential leadership candidates like Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham, and the broader political landscape, including the rise of Reform and the Greens. They discuss the urgency for Labour to define a clear purpose and coherent political economy to address the challenges of the modern era.

Labour's struggles under Starmer

John McTernan and Nick discuss the current dire state of the Labour Party under Keir Starmer's leadership, now plunged into dee crisis over the Peter Mandelson crisis. They criticise Starmer's administration for being overly factional and ostracising lmore eft-wing members like Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband. John suggest that the Labour Party needs to engage with more left of centre ideas to create a more balanced and effective political strategy. They emphasise the importance of owning the future and fairness in politics, which the Labour Party currently lacks. Nick and John agree that Starmer's government lacks a clear purpose and direction, leading to internal conflicts and ineffective governance.

John McTernan @Johnmcternan is a political strategist and commentator, and a former senior advisor to the Labour Party. John was Tony Blair's Director of Political Operations from 2005-2007 before acting as special advisor to two cabinet ministers under Blair's Number 10 successor - Gordon Brown. Other roles since then has been as a columnist at The Scotsman and as Director of Communications for Australia's Labor party prime minister Julia Gillard.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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