‘This is the government’s mess, and it’s for them to sort it out’
In an interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning, Keir Starmer was keen to emphasise Labour’s commitment to change and reform. When Kuenssberg pressed him on a few specific issues however, he deflected the questions, saying they were the current government’s problem. He was also reluctant to go into any detail on Labour’s spending plans. Instead, Starmer insisted on fiscal responsibility, the necessity of growing the economy, and changes to the planning system.
‘The target date for clean electricity has not changed’
Kuenssberg also asked Starmer why Labour had decided to delay its pledge to borrow £28 billion to fund the transition to green energy, if he believed it was the most important issue facing the country. Starmer claimed the target date for the transition had not been delayed, and that acquiring the funding was not the only issue. He said Labour were still talking to partners about how to most effectively achieve the goal.
‘Countries have been queuing up to join this trading bloc’
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch stressed the significance of the government’s success in becoming part of the CPTPP trade group, the country’s biggest trade agreement signed since Brexit. Kuenssberg asked if it would change much, given the government’s assessment that the deal may only add 0.08 per cent to GDP. Badenoch said the agreement will have a big impact if it is properly used.
Should teachers have to tell parents if children want to change their gender?
Badenoch was also asked to comment on forthcoming guidance on trans pupils in schools. Kuenssberg asked her if there might be a situation where children are being ‘outed’ by their teachers against their wishes. Badenoch did not want to speculate on what will be in the guidance, but suggested that it should be parents doing parenting, not teachers.
The big question for the future is technology
Finally, in an interview with Sophy Ridge, Tony Blair focused on technology as an area in which the UK had a chance to significantly transform the economy, and reform healthcare. He argued that there wouldn’t be a lot more money to fix the problems with the NHS, but that advances in technology like AI could allow for a more efficient system that increasingly relies on prevention rather than treatment. He also called for greater cooperation between the private and public sectors in order to speed up innovation.
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