The New Statesman: politics, ideas and interviews

Will Dunn meets the political pranksters who sent Liz Truss fleeing in rage.

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From films detailing Conservative hypocrisy projected on Parliament buildings, to remote-controlled lettuce banners unfurling over the head of the former Prime Minister, Led By Donkeys have been a regular fixture of political activism over the past decade.

Now with a Labour government in place after 14 years of Tory rule, will the group - with their predominantly progressive politics - change their approach?

The New Statesman's Will Dunn meets Led By Donkeys in this extended interview.

Led By Donkeys: Adventures in Art, Activism and Accountability is published by Thames & Hudson and available now.

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Freddie Hayward rejoins the podcast in his new role as US correspondent to answer listener questions on the weird world of US politics. 

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He speaks to Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss how Keir Starmer’s commitment to “tough choices” compares with the Kamala Harris campaign, and how US election campaigns use the vast amounts of money they receive in donations.

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Read more: 

Robert F Kennedy Jr and the end of the party

https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/08/robert-f-kennedy-tulsi-gabbard

Kamala Harris wants to make America nice again

https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2024/08/cnn-interview-kamala-harris

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We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus

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“She’s done an awful lot of damage to morale,” says Andrew Marr.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves secured a victory in Parliament for her proposed changes to the Winter Fuel allowance. 

But the move has divided the Labour party, angered voters, and possibly tarnished Keir Starmer’s authority. Is this a sign Rachel Reeves “is not very good at politics”? 

Andrew Marr and George Eaton join Hannah Barnes on this episode of the New Statesman podcast.

They also discuss Keir Starmer’s relationships with the trade unions following his speech at the TUC this week, and Freddie Hayward joins from the US to discuss the response to the Trump/Harris presidential debate.

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Read more: 

Rachel Reeves’ great gamble, by George Eaton

https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2024/09/rachel-reeves-great-gamble

Workers’ rights or growth: another tough choice for Labour, by Andrew Marr

https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/09/workers-rights-or-growth-another-tough-choice-for-labour

Kamala Harris made Trump look like a loser, by Freddie Hayward

https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2024/09/kamala-harris-donald-trump-debate-loser

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Submit a question:

We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus

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Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save

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“We cannot know what sort of human beings will emerge from this.”

Following Hamas’s deadly attack on 7 October 2023, Israel’s military response has been described as “inevitable”. Eleven months on, the scope and ferocity of that military response has stunned the world. 

In this episode of the podcast we speak to four of the writers who contributed to the New Statesman essay collection Losing Gaza.

Raja Shehadeh: “Palestinians are not treated as human beings deserving of human rights”

Ghada Karmi: “The physical damage of Israel’s assault is real enough. The mental trauma will be far worse” 

Raja Khalidi: “After the war, world leaders will need a new Marshall Plan for Palestine”

Mezna Qato: “Without our libraries and universities, how will we tell the story of Gaza?”

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The former Labour leader’s new coalition could be “a real force” in Parliament, says Andrew Marr.

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Jeremy Corbyn has formed a new “Independent Alliance” of MPs, united around opposition to the Gaza war. Answering a listener question on this “You Ask Us” episode, Andrew Marr says Corbyn could well attract more Labour MPs to his cause. This would make the Independent Alliance bigger than Reform UK, and could influence policy from the Left.

Andrew Marr joins Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe on this listener questions episode of the podcast. They also discuss Keir Starmer’s plans for UK-EU relations, and whether the Prime Minister will row back on some Brexit agreements. 

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Read more: 

Andrew Marr on Labour’s battle for Britain

https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2024/09/labours-battle-for-britain

Submit a question:

We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus

Become a New Statesman subscriber:

Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save

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The Grenfell report is damning. Will there finally be justice for Grenfell?

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After seven long years the Grenfell Inquiry has published its damning verdict: the 72 deaths caused by the Grenfell Tower fire were completely avoidable.

The 1500-page report names and shames companies and government bodies who’s choices and actions led to the deaths.

In this episode, Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes to discuss the findings of the inquiry and why justice must finally come for Grenfell.

They also review the Conservative leadership race following the first vote which saw former Home Secretary Priti Patel fall at the first hurdle. Andrew and Rachel report on view within Westminster of the remaining candidates, and why one in particular divides opinion among MPs in the Commons tea rooms.

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Read more: 

Megan Kenyon on the Grenfell report: failure on an industrial scale https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/09/grenfell-inquiry-failure-on-an-industrial-scale

George Eaton: the Grenfell report is damning for David Cameron

https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/09/the-grenfell-report-is-damning-for-david-cameron

Submit a question:

We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus

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Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save

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Noel and Liam Gallagher have managed the impossible. They've apparently buried the hatchet and announced that Oasis is coming back in 2025. Is this the return of Cool Britannia?

Rachel Cunliffe, associate editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, to answer listener questions about ex-MP's jobs, SPADs, and the politics of Britpop.

Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call

Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us

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On Tuesday morning Keir Starmer addressed the nation and warned that Labour’s first Budget “is going to be painful”, suggesting that tax rises are on the way. 

While the prime minister stressed that those with the “broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden”, he warned that he won’t “shy away from making unpopular decisions”, raising the question of whether Labour is bringing back austerity.

Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor.

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A listener asks: will Keir Starmer and the Labour government attempt to change the conversation around immigration, or continue with a more hawkish stance in an attempt to win over reform voters?

Hannah Barnes and George Eaton discuss in our latest listener questions episode.

They also answer questions on how the electorate might change by the next election and whether voting reform will have an impact in future.

Send us a question:

www.newstatesman.com/youaskus

Read more:

George’s interview with Sadiq Khan: “politicians need to be braver on immigration”

https://www.newstatesman.com/encounter/2024/08/sadiq-khan-politicians-need-to-be-braver-on-immigration

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Labour have agreed pay deals with NHS staff, public service workers and now train drivers - but they've handed the conservatives an effective attack line.

Are Labour really beholden to "union paymasters"? And can they sustain pay rises while cutting the winter fuel allowance?

Hannah Barnes and George Eaton discuss on the New Statesman podcast.

Also in this episode, Hannah and George look at the crisis in prisons, and Labour's plan to house inmates in police cells. Can Keir Starmer and new prisons minister James Timpson hold Britain's overflowing prison estate together?

Read Hannah Barnes interview with Charlie Taylor, Prisons Inspector, here: https://www.newstatesman.com/ns-interview/2024/07/the-prison-system-is-broken

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