Centre-left governments are often few and far between. So when they lose their way - the renewal has to be done swiftly, and at times bloodily.

Trapped in process and unable to communicate, McTernan says the left loses its way when it believes the state has became our friend, just because we are running it. Bureaucratic, talking about ‘delivery’, and using management speak, we forget who the enemy is and what the purpose of a centre-left government is all about. What is required, instead, is to junk the sacred cow that the state is the answer and offer a clear moral purpose as a progressive government - aligning ourselves with the people.

Join as we dive head-first into a long overdue debate about the future of mainstream politics on both sides of the Atlantic - no holding back, no pulling punches.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the Centre for Progressive Policy’s Inclusive Growth Conference on 28th November, this special episode The Power Test looks at where we are six months into the new Labour government and what it needs to do to deliver its promise of a decade of national renewal.

Following the Budget, the reelection of Donald Trump in the US, farmer protests, and a rumoured government ‘relaunch’, Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika, together with Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, CPP’s Director of Place and Practice Annabel Smith, and Power Test regular and Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal at the Progressive Policy Institute Claire Ainsley, look at what Labour needs to do to deliver, restore trust in politics and survive.

Most significantly, “voters need clear proof points on delivery that they can see in their own lives” said Ainsley, arguing that standard economic measures will not be enough to convince Britons to back Labour for a second term. “You have to improve living standards, not just infrastructure and GDP” - a lesson potentially that can be taken from Donald Trump’s victory in the US over an unpopular Democratic Party despite a booming economy on paper.

Labour also needs to be telling a story about its approach on the economy - “you need to constantly tell people what you’re doing. The Tories tried several different explanations of their approach - but at least they tried” - with the panel pushing the government to toughen up argument, even on politically challenging issues including taxes on wealth.

Smith also raised the somewhat untapped potential Labour mayors can offer the government - “we can reinvigorate Labour representation, with Labour mayors being part of how the government communicates its message”. Mayors are well-known, often well-liked and sometimes higher profile than new cabinet ministers. But Sam Freedman points out that with Andrea Jenkins defecting to Reform, it’s quite possible that Lincolnshire could well have a Reform mayor next year, and the party needs to get a move on - particularly with local elections and those in Scotland due within 18 months to two years.

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With Labour now firmly in the driver’s seat of government, Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika are joined by Power Test co-founder and former Chief Executive of the Centre for Progressive Policy, Charlotte Aldritt, and Ryan Wain, the Executive Director of Politics at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, to look at where Britain goes next.

How can Labour get Britain's creaky systems moving in the right direction, and put together a positive, proactive plan for power? From AI in the civil service to Martin Lewis in the (fantasy) cabinet, this is a wide-ranging final discussion for the series. And no season finale would be complete without a few guest stars, so we've invited a few special contributors to send a message to this new government, making their requests and offering their advice.

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