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You're listening to Bloomberg UK Politics or bite sized guide to the Corridors of Power. I'm you and.

You're listening to Bloomberg UK Politics or bite sized guide to the Corridors of Power. I'm you and.

Potts and I'm Lizzie Burden. Welcome to the program. And it is all change in Westminster. And that was evident yesterday on the first day of Parliament. I thought it was really striking to see the scale of Labour's victory on full display in the House of Commons when MPs took their seats, and while they're all busy finding their lockers, you've had some of them being picked for Starmer's Goat Cabinet, the Government of all the Talents as it was known under Gordon Brown, although some of them didn't make the draft, Emily Thornbury a notable exception. But what was also striking, apart from how many Labor MPs there were, was how diverse this parliament is in terms of class and race and gender and sexuality. So really a new era in British politics.

Potts and I'm Lizzie Burden. Welcome to the program. And it is all change in Westminster. And that was evident yesterday on the first day of Parliament. I thought it was really striking to see the scale of Labour's victory on full display in the House of Commons when MPs took their seats, and while they're all busy finding their lockers, you've had some of them being picked for Starmer's Goat Cabinet, the Government of all the Talents as it was known under Gordon Brown, although some of them didn't make the draft, Emily Thornbury a notable exception. But what was also striking, apart from how many Labor MPs there were, was how diverse this parliament is in terms of class and race and gender and sexuality. So really a new era in British politics.

Yeah, and real political diversity in the Commons as well, more than any parliament I remember, really four MPs five from Reform on the other side of the political spectrum, and a cohort of independence including Jeremy Corbyn, not to mention, of course, the biggest third party grouping in one hundred years in the shape of seventy two Liberal Democrats. Of course, First past the Post has delivered Labor a chunky majority, so I don't think we'll be seeing many type votes in the next couple of years, but we can expect them all to be giving voice to a much wider range of views.

Yeah, and real political diversity in the Commons as well, more than any parliament I remember, really four MPs five from Reform on the other side of the political spectrum, and a cohort of independence including Jeremy Corbyn, not to mention, of course, the biggest third party grouping in one hundred years in the shape of seventy two Liberal Democrats. Of course, First past the Post has delivered Labor a chunky majority, so I don't think we'll be seeing many type votes in the next couple of years, but we can expect them all to be giving voice to a much wider range of views.

Yeah, it's interesting to think about diversity on all fronts, but also, of course we've got to talk about policy. Kis Starmer's had this twenty plus point poll lead for so many months, so plenty of time to plan for his first hundred days in office, and over the past couple of episodes we've been keeping listeners abreast of that slew of policy measures announced in just this first week. We've had scoops on them from our excellent Bloomberg UK government team reporting on what to expect, and Kirstarmer has been in Washington since yesterday at the NATO summit, sounding pretty hawkish, saying that Ukraine can use British missile to strike targets inside of Russia, which is you a notably more decisive tone than Rishie Sunak, who didn't explicitly say that the weapons could be used to hit targets inside of Russia. But then you also had Starmer still holding this line that the UK won't commit two point five percent of GDP to defend spending until the public finances allow. Even if he has promised more details on the timeframe, it hasn't really gone unnoticed, I don't think by Washington diplomats.

Yeah, it's interesting to think about diversity on all fronts, but also, of course we've got to talk about policy. Kis Starmer's had this twenty plus point poll lead for so many months, so plenty of time to plan for his first hundred days in office, and over the past couple of episodes we've been keeping listeners abreast of that slew of policy measures announced in just this first week. We've had scoops on them from our excellent Bloomberg UK government team reporting on what to expect, and Kirstarmer has been in Washington since yesterday at the NATO summit, sounding pretty hawkish, saying that Ukraine can use British missile to strike targets inside of Russia, which is you a notably more decisive tone than Rishie Sunak, who didn't explicitly say that the weapons could be used to hit targets inside of Russia. But then you also had Starmer still holding this line that the UK won't commit two point five percent of GDP to defend spending until the public finances allow. Even if he has promised more details on the timeframe, it hasn't really gone unnoticed, I don't think by Washington diplomats.

Yeah, another thing to find money for. That's just the foreign policy front. We've had a flurry of announcements on domestic issues or before the Starmers have even had a chance to unpack the boxes in number ten, among them scrapping the de facto onshore wind band in England, ditching the Rowanda deportation scheme, and launching a seven billion pound National Wealth Fund. Worth remembering that we're still less than a week into the new government. I think the volume of announcements, Lizzie does suggest a fair amount of pre planning has gone into these first one hundred days. And that's before you even mentioned the meetings with the leaders of the nations and regions and the Metro Mays and all those phone calls with the leaders of other countries. BlimE me, it's all E's autly just talking about it. I think we need to bring someone else into help, and who better than Bloomberg's UK Politics editor Alex Morales. Alex, the football's on tonight, So let's start with who's on the pitch and who's on the bench. Hat to Lizzie for that one. What were the big surprises for you? Obviously we knew quite a lot about the big announcements that were coming. What were the more interesting ones.

Yeah, another thing to find money for. That's just the foreign policy front. We've had a flurry of announcements on domestic issues or before the Starmers have even had a chance to unpack the boxes in number ten, among them scrapping the de facto onshore wind band in England, ditching the Rowanda deportation scheme, and launching a seven billion pound National Wealth Fund. Worth remembering that we're still less than a week into the new government. I think the volume of announcements, Lizzie does suggest a fair amount of pre planning has gone into these first one hundred days. And that's before you even mentioned the meetings with the leaders of the nations and regions and the Metro Mays and all those phone calls with the leaders of other countries. BlimE me, it's all E's autly just talking about it. I think we need to bring someone else into help, and who better than Bloomberg's UK Politics editor Alex Morales. Alex, the football's on tonight, So let's start with who's on the pitch and who's on the bench. Hat to Lizzie for that one. What were the big surprises for you? Obviously we knew quite a lot about the big announcements that were coming. What were the more interesting ones.

The one big surprise at cabinet level Lizzie's already touched on was sort of a big snub for Emily Thornbree, who's been around for a long time. She's been I think she's been the most the longest standing member of the shadow cabinet actually over the past period. In opposition, she had been Shadow Attorney General, but was overlooked in favor of a human rights lawyer who kissed Arma installed in the Lords to take up the position of Attorney General. That's a man called Richard Hermer, who's who's sort of famous for his cases against corporations and against the government actually on various things. So he was the biggest surprise. Emily Thornbury. I think she tweeted her reaction. She was clearly upset, although she acknowledged that he has he brings qualities to the role that she perhaps didn't.

The one big surprise at cabinet level Lizzie's already touched on was sort of a big snub for Emily Thornbree, who's been around for a long time. She's been I think she's been the most the longest standing member of the shadow cabinet actually over the past period. In opposition, she had been Shadow Attorney General, but was overlooked in favor of a human rights lawyer who kissed Arma installed in the Lords to take up the position of Attorney General. That's a man called Richard Hermer, who's who's sort of famous for his cases against corporations and against the government actually on various things. So he was the biggest surprise. Emily Thornbury. I think she tweeted her reaction. She was clearly upset, although she acknowledged that he has he brings qualities to the role that she perhaps didn't.

I mentioned the goats as well. Alex, You've got the likes of James Timpson, who most people would know as a cobbler appointed for Prisons Minister. What about these retread these experienced figures from government's past as well.

I mentioned the goats as well. Alex, You've got the likes of James Timpson, who most people would know as a cobbler appointed for Prisons Minister. What about these retread these experienced figures from government's past as well.

Well. I mean, actually you bring so James you bring in that's one of the more interesting appointments. It's not cabinet level, but he's been brought in this Prisons Minister. He's, as you said, he's famous for running this chain of companies for our international listeners. Timpson's is sort of a chain of they do shoe repairs and key cutting and famously he's whilst in charge of that company, he's brought in prisoners to sort of rehabilitate them and getting into the workforce. And he's now been brought in as Prisons and Probation Minister. And that's clearly a signal of intent that Starmer want to look at who we're sending to prison and whether there are better things we can do with them, to train them up, to get them into jobs, and to stop this recidivism and so you know, reduce eventually the number of people who need to be sent to prison in the first.

Well. I mean, actually you bring so James you bring in that's one of the more interesting appointments. It's not cabinet level, but he's been brought in this Prisons Minister. He's, as you said, he's famous for running this chain of companies for our international listeners. Timpson's is sort of a chain of they do shoe repairs and key cutting and famously he's whilst in charge of that company, he's brought in prisoners to sort of rehabilitate them and getting into the workforce. And he's now been brought in as Prisons and Probation Minister. And that's clearly a signal of intent that Starmer want to look at who we're sending to prison and whether there are better things we can do with them, to train them up, to get them into jobs, and to stop this recidivism and so you know, reduce eventually the number of people who need to be sent to prison in the first.

Place, because of course the prisons are overflowing.

Place, because of course the prisons are overflowing.

Actually, it was just going to bring in. The other interesting sort of junior ministerial appointment is Sir Patrick Valence, who British people will know is the chief scientific advisor during the coronavirus pandemic. He was on our TV screens almost every day ubiquitous present. But clearly Starmer's focus is on bringing expertise into into these these sort of key government roles rather rather than political appointments who might not actually have much connection with the subject matter that they're working in.

Actually, it was just going to bring in. The other interesting sort of junior ministerial appointment is Sir Patrick Valence, who British people will know is the chief scientific advisor during the coronavirus pandemic. He was on our TV screens almost every day ubiquitous present. But clearly Starmer's focus is on bringing expertise into into these these sort of key government roles rather rather than political appointments who might not actually have much connection with the subject matter that they're working in.

Yeah, I think quite quite a bold, bold appointment on the on the prisons front, really sort of a signaling of a tent that the government intends to go down the path of reform, which is very much a break from the last government. I wants to turn to the policy roll out. What are the the standouts for you on Matt alex Well.

Yeah, I think quite quite a bold, bold appointment on the on the prisons front, really sort of a signaling of a tent that the government intends to go down the path of reform, which is very much a break from the last government. I wants to turn to the policy roll out. What are the the standouts for you on Matt alex Well.

I mean, it's hard to say with standouts because actually I don't think they've done anything which they hadn't promised they were going to do. But certainly what's noticeable is at the pace at which they're going, you know, pretty much as soon as he was appointed the defense actually design of playing to Ukraine to announce a bit more aid and to sort of to reinforce the UK's support for Ukraine and say that's unchanging from the previous government. That's quite important from Labour's perspective, actually because Rishie Sunak, the outgoing Conservative Prime Minister, and his team sort of made a big play on how the UK isn't going to be safe, how Labour couldn't be trusted with defense and security, So that that's clearly an early marker on the board that Kostama wanted to get. But there have also been announcements on We've had Rachel Reeves and Monday announcing all these big planning reforms which you alluded to in your intro. Has scrapped a sort of de facto ban on on shore wind, which hopefully opens up the way for a lot more green energy. And also they've promised to loosen planning restrictions that sort of prevent houses from going up because that's been one of the big problems is the UK's not built enough houses for probably decades.

I mean, it's hard to say with standouts because actually I don't think they've done anything which they hadn't promised they were going to do. But certainly what's noticeable is at the pace at which they're going, you know, pretty much as soon as he was appointed the defense actually design of playing to Ukraine to announce a bit more aid and to sort of to reinforce the UK's support for Ukraine and say that's unchanging from the previous government. That's quite important from Labour's perspective, actually because Rishie Sunak, the outgoing Conservative Prime Minister, and his team sort of made a big play on how the UK isn't going to be safe, how Labour couldn't be trusted with defense and security, So that that's clearly an early marker on the board that Kostama wanted to get. But there have also been announcements on We've had Rachel Reeves and Monday announcing all these big planning reforms which you alluded to in your intro. Has scrapped a sort of de facto ban on on shore wind, which hopefully opens up the way for a lot more green energy. And also they've promised to loosen planning restrictions that sort of prevent houses from going up because that's been one of the big problems is the UK's not built enough houses for probably decades.

Actually, so there's a policy blitz. The breadth is there, but what about the depth. Because Alex for so long labor carried this ming vase, the pole lead masking quite a vague policy agenda. Are we actually getting the detail that we've waited for for so long or you know, when we look towards the budget, I think we're expecting it in ten weeks from the new chancellor Rachel Reeves, do you expect a surprise there, a Boe independence moment, a rabbit out of the heart.

Actually, so there's a policy blitz. The breadth is there, but what about the depth. Because Alex for so long labor carried this ming vase, the pole lead masking quite a vague policy agenda. Are we actually getting the detail that we've waited for for so long or you know, when we look towards the budget, I think we're expecting it in ten weeks from the new chancellor Rachel Reeves, do you expect a surprise there, a Boe independence moment, a rabbit out of the heart.

I would be very surprised if there weren't a surprise in a chance's first budget. You can imagine there will be something, some sort of rabbit. Now what it is, it's hard to say, because they spent the entire campaign being very reticent about various taxes that they weren't planning to raise, and that their plans didn't require them to raise these taxes. But you can imagine that if they want to do a whole lot of spending stuff that will be sort of demanded by Labor us through, especially given the size of the majority that the pressure will grow on Rachel Reeves. I mean, one thing I'd watch out for is there's this cap, the two child benefit cap, which again they said during the campaign that they wouldn't remove. But it's something that really the grassroots feel very strongly about. You know, there are all sorts of studies showing how much it would alleviate child Pobviously, you know, it sort of presses all these labour buttons. I would be very surprised if she hasn't done it by her second budget. Whether she has the leeway to do it in her first budget, I don't know.

I would be very surprised if there weren't a surprise in a chance's first budget. You can imagine there will be something, some sort of rabbit. Now what it is, it's hard to say, because they spent the entire campaign being very reticent about various taxes that they weren't planning to raise, and that their plans didn't require them to raise these taxes. But you can imagine that if they want to do a whole lot of spending stuff that will be sort of demanded by Labor us through, especially given the size of the majority that the pressure will grow on Rachel Reeves. I mean, one thing I'd watch out for is there's this cap, the two child benefit cap, which again they said during the campaign that they wouldn't remove. But it's something that really the grassroots feel very strongly about. You know, there are all sorts of studies showing how much it would alleviate child Pobviously, you know, it sort of presses all these labour buttons. I would be very surprised if she hasn't done it by her second budget. Whether she has the leeway to do it in her first budget, I don't know.

That's interesting because I think the cost of that is something like one and a half opinion, isn't it, which is not huge in the scale of things. As lot of turn to foreign policy, Keir Starmer has really not, through his own team doings, found himself as the kind of the grown up in the room. Hasn't He's turned up with you know, Biden's in trouble, Macron's in trouble, Schultz has got the tricky situation back in Germany. How is he gonna take to that? It's weird to be a new leader, but sort of the person coming in with the strongest mandate, isn't it. Yeah.

That's interesting because I think the cost of that is something like one and a half opinion, isn't it, which is not huge in the scale of things. As lot of turn to foreign policy, Keir Starmer has really not, through his own team doings, found himself as the kind of the grown up in the room. Hasn't He's turned up with you know, Biden's in trouble, Macron's in trouble, Schultz has got the tricky situation back in Germany. How is he gonna take to that? It's weird to be a new leader, but sort of the person coming in with the strongest mandate, isn't it. Yeah.

I mean he's obviously in his honeymoon period. He's got a massive majority that you know, we haven't seen the likes of since nineteen ninety seven. He's clearly got a very strong mandate, if not percentage of the vote wise, certainly seats in parliaments wise, which is what Labor fought the election to win. So yes, and all these, as you said, the all these other world leaders are struggling with their domestic situation at the moment, I feel like it's a status quo on UK foreign policy. You know, he's coming in with the same priorities as Richie Sunac had as Conservative, so he's not making grand changes. I guess the one place he will be making changes is he's he's going to be a bit more upfront about seeking closest highs with the EU. And I mean we'll probably get onto this a bit later, but you know, he wants to improve the security relationship. He wants to negotiate things that just ease trade a little bit more, bring them perhaps closer to what they used to be when the UK was an EU member. So there are all these these things that he'll want to get on and do. But of course, you know, if his negotiating counterparts are having problems, that may affect the pace at which he can do this stuff.

I mean he's obviously in his honeymoon period. He's got a massive majority that you know, we haven't seen the likes of since nineteen ninety seven. He's clearly got a very strong mandate, if not percentage of the vote wise, certainly seats in parliaments wise, which is what Labor fought the election to win. So yes, and all these, as you said, the all these other world leaders are struggling with their domestic situation at the moment, I feel like it's a status quo on UK foreign policy. You know, he's coming in with the same priorities as Richie Sunac had as Conservative, so he's not making grand changes. I guess the one place he will be making changes is he's he's going to be a bit more upfront about seeking closest highs with the EU. And I mean we'll probably get onto this a bit later, but you know, he wants to improve the security relationship. He wants to negotiate things that just ease trade a little bit more, bring them perhaps closer to what they used to be when the UK was an EU member. So there are all these these things that he'll want to get on and do. But of course, you know, if his negotiating counterparts are having problems, that may affect the pace at which he can do this stuff.

Yeah, Alex, this is one of the things that I'm complaining about. You know, Labor were very cagey about how they were going to get closer ties with Europe before they were in government. Do we have more signs of what that relationship will look like now that they're in Do we know what Starmer's priorities are going to be going into this European Political Community summit next week?

Yeah, Alex, this is one of the things that I'm complaining about. You know, Labor were very cagey about how they were going to get closer ties with Europe before they were in government. Do we have more signs of what that relationship will look like now that they're in Do we know what Starmer's priorities are going to be going into this European Political Community summit next week?

The Electorate may not have had clarity on what Starmer wants to get out of Europe, but certainly his team have spent months and months and months meeting with different European governments, with European unificials. So I think how the UK's European counterparts will have an idea of the direction of travel that Starmer wants to head in and it's perhaps more important that they know than that the UK Electricate note when it comes to the EPC summit next week, I mean it's sort of a it's not really a forum for negotiation, but obviously it's the classic talking shop. But it doesn't come out with communicator agendas and things. So our understanding is that the UK is going to go there and present it's sort of proposal for how a UK EU Security Pact would look like. I don't think we have much more detail than that, but clearly that's an area that Starmer really wants to work much more closely with the EU on. And it stands in their benefit too, because the UK is one of the biggest defense spenders in Europe. Well probably in absolute terms, it's the biggest in Europe, and so clearly that's something that is in the interest of both parties to sort of pin down. But when it comes to the European Union in general, I mean we sort of know the areas that they want to get closer ties in. They want a veterinary agreement which will help sort of ease the trade of fresh, fresh foods. They want to ease the ability of UK performers because we've got huge creative industry in this country, ease their ability to tour around Europe. So you know, there are sort of areas that can be topics for discussion.

The Electorate may not have had clarity on what Starmer wants to get out of Europe, but certainly his team have spent months and months and months meeting with different European governments, with European unificials. So I think how the UK's European counterparts will have an idea of the direction of travel that Starmer wants to head in and it's perhaps more important that they know than that the UK Electricate note when it comes to the EPC summit next week, I mean it's sort of a it's not really a forum for negotiation, but obviously it's the classic talking shop. But it doesn't come out with communicator agendas and things. So our understanding is that the UK is going to go there and present it's sort of proposal for how a UK EU Security Pact would look like. I don't think we have much more detail than that, but clearly that's an area that Starmer really wants to work much more closely with the EU on. And it stands in their benefit too, because the UK is one of the biggest defense spenders in Europe. Well probably in absolute terms, it's the biggest in Europe, and so clearly that's something that is in the interest of both parties to sort of pin down. But when it comes to the European Union in general, I mean we sort of know the areas that they want to get closer ties in. They want a veterinary agreement which will help sort of ease the trade of fresh, fresh foods. They want to ease the ability of UK performers because we've got huge creative industry in this country, ease their ability to tour around Europe. So you know, there are sort of areas that can be topics for discussion.

Okay, Alex Morales, Abloomberg UK Politics Editor, thanks for joining us. I think it's interesting to see where Stars happened to become the most powerful leader in NATO, almost by accident. Whether he's going to have more Sway going forward, perhaps on Ukraine and the Israel Hamas War. But that's all we've got time for today. If you like the program, don't forget to subscribe and give it five stars so other people can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

Okay, Alex Morales, Abloomberg UK Politics Editor, thanks for joining us. I think it's interesting to see where Stars happened to become the most powerful leader in NATO, almost by accident. Whether he's going to have more Sway going forward, perhaps on Ukraine and the Israel Hamas War. But that's all we've got time for today. If you like the program, don't forget to subscribe and give it five stars so other people can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

This episode was produced by TEAA, Ada Bayer and not All the Engineer, with us Shaun Boster Makin, I'm you.

This episode was produced by TEAA, Ada Bayer and not All the Engineer, with us Shaun Boster Makin, I'm you.

And Potts and I'm Missy Burnin. We'll be back with more tomorrow.

And Potts and I'm Missy Burnin. We'll be back with more tomorrow.

This is bloom Ware Bloomberg UK Politics. Listen weekdays at noon on DAB Digital Radio in London

This is bloom Ware Bloomberg UK Politics. Listen weekdays at noon on DAB Digital Radio in London