We are excited to announce that all episodes of Lessons in Power: What can the new Labour government learn from the last one? are available now. Lessons in Power is a SPERI Presents... podcast. Listen to our here.
Former senior advisors and cabinet ministers during the Blair and Brown governments of 1997-2010 discuss what the new Starmer-led Labour government might learn from that era. Lessons in Power is hosted by Michael Jacobs, Professorial Fellow at Department of Politics and International Relations, and Mems Ayinla, Director of Student Influence at ºù«Ӱҵ Students’ Union.
Episode 1:
Lord Stewart Wood, former economic advisor at the Treasury (2001-2007) and Gordon Brown's foreign policy advisor (2007-2010) discusses diplomacy post-2008, the challenges of UK-EU relations, and how to position the UK amid the US-China trade war.
Episode 2:
Baroness Sally Morgan was Tony Blair's Director of Government & Political Relations (1997-2005) and Gavin Kelly was Deputy Chief of Staff under Gordon Brown (2007-2010). They discuss the challenges of the PM's diary, relations between No. 10 and government departments, and how Keir Starmer should hit the ground running.
Episode 3:
Former Secretary of State Lord David Blunkett reflects on his time as Home Secretary (2001-2004). He discusses the state of the Home Office in the wake of Windrush, negotiating with Nicolas Sakozy, and whether and how asylum seekers should receive the right to work.
Episode 4:
Former Secretary of State for International Development (1997-2003) boldly criticises the Foreign Office as a leader of international development, UK-US relations and reflects on the need for a new role for Britain in a changing world order.
Episode 5:
Former Special Advisor to Blair (2000-2005) weighs in on hotly contested approaches to tackling child poverty, calling for an end to the two child benefit cap, and discusses the need for sustainable institutions of government and reimagining social security.
Episode 6:
Former head of the No. 10 Policy Unit (2007-2010) and Special Advisor (2001-2007) explores what Keir Starmer should do to reform public services. They discuss taxation, the role of local and combined authorities, and the role of the civil service.
Episode 7:
Former Special Advisor to Robin Cook, Leader of the House (2001-2003) discusses the dynamic between the Prime Minister and Parliament, the need for reform in the House of Commons and the endlessly frustrating challenge of achieving meaningful reform to the upper house.
Episode 8:
Former Head of Policy in No. 10 (1997-2007) reflects on the need for multidimensional solutions to complex social issues, how Starmer should pursue his missions, the allure and limitations of incrementalism, and the challenges of a hollowed out Whitehall.
Episode 9:
Lessons in Power host Michael sits on the other side of the studio as this episode’s guest, with Mems being joined by doctoral researcher and co-founder of Labour for a Green New Deal, Chris Saltmarsh as co-host. Drawing on his time as advisor at the Treasury (2004-2007) and to Brown (2007-2010), Michael discusses the Climate Change Act 2008, the challenges facing Miliband, and the need for mass mobilisation for climate action.
Read Michael and Mems' blog about the series on the .