Progressive Shift: Lead by Donkeys is moving from critiquing the Tory government to promoting progressive solutions for society under a Labour government, focusing on discussing new ideas and good governance.
Lead by Donkeys, a politically driven group founded by activists, has shifted focus from critiquing the Tory government to envisioning what good governance could look like, especially under a Labour government. They believe the political landscape is changing and see a need to engage positively with new ideas that can address major societal issues like climate change and inequality. Although they initially gained support by opposing the Tories, they now aim to create constructive dialogue and promote progressive solutions that resonate with people across the political spectrum, demonstrating the importance of moving beyond mere opposition to actively shaping future policies.
Immigration and Poverty: Immigration requires compassion and effective policies that support both newcomers and struggling local communities. Addressing poverty and social inequality is vital to prevent populism and ensure that children have opportunities for a better future.
Immigration should be viewed through a compassionate lens, recognizing the humanity of individuals seeking a better life. However, the impact of immigration on local communities, especially those struggling economically, cannot be ignored. To address these concerns, we need policies that not only support immigrants but also uplift underprivileged communities. Tackling the growing gap between the rich and poor is essential, as poverty can fuel populism and resentment. Children must not be trapped in poverty due to harsh policies like the two-child benefit cap. Lifting such caps is crucial for a fair society and fostering a productive economy. We need a political contract that addresses the concerns of impoverished communities while also integrating immigrants effectively into society.
Accountability in Protest: Activists argued for the necessity of protesting Liz Truss, citing her alignment with far-right movements and attempts to evade responsibility for her economic policies, while emphasizing the importance of accountability in political discourse.
Activists reflected on their decision to protest against Liz Truss, emphasizing the importance of holding public figures accountable. They noted that Truss aligned herself with far-right movements and attempted to rewrite her economic failures, which justified their actions. While acknowledging her right to speak, they maintained that public criticism was necessary, especially as she continued to engage with controversial figures. They also pointed out that while they intervened during her speech, they did not infringe upon her freedom of expression, allowing her to continue speaking after their protest. The conversation highlighted the blurred lines of accountability and free speech, underlining the responsibility of former leaders to acknowledge their past actions. Activists insisted that criticism is a vital part of democracy, especially when public figures like Truss suggest that their mistakes are not their fault.
Housing Crisis: Addressing England's housing crisis requires urgent action and collaboration, while political accountability is vital to reflect public sentiment and values.
There are significant issues in the housing sector that need urgent attention. Claire Miller discusses the dire state of housing in England, where millions live in inadequate conditions, especially children. The government has ambitious targets to build more homes, but achieving them requires collaboration and priority focus. It’s essential for housing associations to balance affordable rents while securing stable income to finance new developments. Simultaneously, political events reflect tensions and reactions among leaders and their followers. Actions aimed at holding politicians accountable, like the protests against Nigel Farage, reveal deeper societal feelings against imperialism and unwanted influences. Ultimately, both housing and political activism are interconnected, emphasizing the importance of addressing immediate social needs such as housing, while also holding leaders accountable for their views and actions on global issues.
Navigating Messaging: Effective communication of complex issues often involves simple messaging, but care must be taken to ensure these messages are truthful and do not inadvertently support populism.
Communicating complex policy issues often requires simple messaging to engage the public, which can both inform and manipulate narratives. Organizations like Led by Donkeys balance the need for impactful engagement with ethical considerations, ensuring their messaging is rooted in truth, while being aware that similar techniques are used by populists. Careful research and compassion guide their work to distill nuanced arguments without descending into oversimplification, which can inadvertently bolster extreme political views. Their approach blends journalism, activism, and creative expression, aiming to spark meaningful conversations and promote progressive values in a challenging media landscape.
Exploitation of Grievances: Farage exploits public grievances without offering solutions, highlighting the need for electoral reform to ensure better representation and reduce extreme political influence.
Nigel Farage's actions since the Brexit campaign show a pattern of exploiting people's grievances without providing real solutions. While many people march for what they believe in, like Brexit, Farage often vanishes after creating division. Electoral reform is necessary to address these imbalances in representation, which have empowered figures like Farage rather than genuinely representing the public's views. A move towards proportional representation could help reduce the influence of extreme politicians and better reflect the people's will, showing that a fair electoral system can lead to more accountability and real political representation.
Media's Role: Mainstream media plays a crucial role in democracy despite its negative perception. Quality journalism, whether traditional or modern, is essential for informed citizenship, encouraging citizens to engage actively and responsibly with news sources.
In today's media landscape, the term 'mainstream media' (MSM) often carries a negative connotation, but it's important to recognize its value. Successful media creators rely on reputable mainstream sources for information. By promoting informed, active citizenship through engaging storytelling, we can foster a healthier democracy. By encouraging subscriptions to print journalism and supporting reputable sources, we reinforce the value of well-researched news and diverse perspectives. While quick, eye-catching content has its place, in-depth journalism remains crucial. Engaging with quality media is a responsibility for citizens who want to participate meaningfully in democracy and debate. Being informed is vital, and by combining traditional journalism with modern storytelling techniques, we can better connect with wider audiences. Everyone should strive to stay informed and critical about the media they consume.
Led By Donkeys: "Liz Truss was fair game"
Recent Episodes from The New Statesman Podcast
Ed Davey thinks he could be leader of the opposition
Conference season is underway and Ed Davey sat down with the New Statesman's Rachel Cunliffe to set out his party's ambitions to become the party of opposition.
We also hear from Wes Streeting and the political battle for NHS reform.
Hannah Barnes is joined in the studio by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.
Ed Davey: “The Conservatives are in our sights”
Wes Streeting: “I don’t want to be the fun police”
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Led By Donkeys: "Liz Truss was fair game"
Will Dunn meets the political pranksters who sent Liz Truss fleeing in rage.
**Follow on your podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they're released**
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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Why is US politics "so mad"?
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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Has Rachel Reeves made a “huge mistake”?
“She’s done an awful lot of damage to morale,” says Andrew Marr.
Hit “Follow” in your podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they publish
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:
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https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2024/09/rachel-reeves-great-gamble
Workers’ rights or growth: another tough choice for Labour, by Andrew Marr
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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Losing Gaza
“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”
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Mezna Qato: “Without our libraries and universities, how will we tell the story of Gaza?”
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Is Jeremy Corbyn trolling Keir Starmer?
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.
–
Read more:
Andrew Marr on Labour’s battle for Britain
https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2024/09/labours-battle-for-britain
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Grenfell prosecutions are now “essential” - Andrew Marr
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.
–
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
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Can Oasis bring back Cool Britannia?
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.
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"Things will get worse": is austerity back?
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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Should Labour push harder on immigration?
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:
Read more:
George’s interview with Sadiq Khan: “politicians need to be braver on immigration”
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