The UK has a new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who replaced Keir Starmer after he resigned just two years due to general lack of support. On today’s show, guest hosts, Adrienne Pagac and Pete Ramand, are in conversation with David Jamieson about British politics, the future of the Labour left, and how all this corresponds to US politics.

Burnham promises to transform the UK economy, but he inherits all the same problems that plagued Starmer’s time in office. Many consider Burnham to be on the “soft left” of the Labour Party, but there are concerns that Burnham and his new team will liquidate the welfare state and funnel state funds into the arms industry.

Where does this leave the Labour left? Jamieson says the Labour Party has become very centralized as neoliberalism and regional inequality fracture voters, potentially pushing the left out of the party or into the Green Party. Jamieson says that the treatment of democratic socialists by the US Democratic Party is similar to the treatment of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK. He’s noticed a growing hysteria about democratic socialist candidates, but reflects that voters want authenticity and independent politicians.

They also discuss the phenomena of New Labour under Tony Blair, Burnham’s appointments like former defense secretary, John Healey, the US’s interference in UK politics, figures on the far right, and more.

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David Jamieson is a journalist and socialist activist based in Scotland and co-editor of Conter.

Featured image of 10 Downing Street via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

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