WILL STARMER SURVIVE AS PM? His Crises, Scandals & Prospects Explained
The Ponsonby and Massie PodcastShow Notes
Alex “The gap between theory and reality is often wide. Phase two has begun unpromisingly.” “Is he, as Kemi Badenoch put it at Prime Minister's questions this week, In office, but not in power.” “The journey from five MPs to 300 plus at the next election should be required to put Nigel Farage into Downing Street is the kind of leap that hasn't been made in an awfully long time, if indeed ever, in British politics.” “it's the Prime Minister's judgment that is the issue here much more than it is Peter Mandelson's judgment.” “it is always easier to blame the advisors than to blame the monarch himself. But most of the time, if there's a problem with the advisors, that is actually a reflection of the problem with the monarch itself.” “If Keir Starmer was a factional leader, that would be fine.” “So it's a government that is all things toward people and therefore absolutely nothing.” “it is never a good thing when you are resetting your Government for the reset to require a reset.” “the mere fact that we are even entertaining such speculation at this stage in the parliament is the real story there.” “the difference between a conviction politician and one who is a manager who doesn't like management, which is one of the problems with Keir Starmer.” “I still think it is more likely than not, but it is no longer completely inconceivable that he would be replaced… I think the chances have gone up from sort of 5 % to 25 % if I had to put numbers on it.” Bernard “Is the problem the Prime Minister himself? And I think with every passing month that becomes absolutely clear that the issue is indeed the Prime Minister himself.” “there is no such thing as Starmerism. He doesn't have any real ideological anchors within the Labour and Trade Union movement.” “this is a Prime Minister who... can't even sack a cabinet minister properly… These are not the actions of somebody who is on top of the job.” “I am increasingly of the view that he can't change because he doesn't have the political skill set and that at some point in this parliament the PLP will go into revolt.” “that now becomes a potentially very embarrassing visit… which would turn the visit into potentially a diplomatic disaster.” “At the end of the day, this was a decision of the Prime Minister. And therefore the key question, it's always that cliched questions, what did he know about Mandelson and when did he know it?” “Mr. Mandelson seems to have a penchant for people who are stinking rich.” “The content of some of those emails are on some levels beyond embarrassing and on other levels, plain revolting… and yet he's to be the British Ambassador.” “what they cannot accept is that this is all self-inflicted and a lot of it is self-inflicted in such a way where the current lot look every bit as incompetent and every bit as sleazy as the last lot.” “the buck stops with the guy at the top. The buck stops with the prime minister.” “you have to entertain the possibility that Reform UK might, might win a general election.” “and the parliamentary party will have its collective head and its collective hand and it will, I think at some point say, he has to go.” “both Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch will not lead the respective parties at the next general election.”
Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast
SNP CONFERENCE – INDY GROUNDHOG DAY? Is the SNP trapped in independence Groundhog Day? As John Swinney prepares to address the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie ask whether Scotland's governing party has any credible route to another independence referendum — and Bernard reflects on the SNPs historical stance and asks whether we're watching a repeat of Nicola Sturgeon's failed strategy. In this week's Ponsonby & Massie Podcast: SNP Conference: Is John Swinney promising another independence breakthrough that he simply cannot deliver? Independence Groundhog Day: Alex argues that the SNP is recycling the same strategies while failing to persuade Scotland to change its mind. The SNP's record in government: Why poor polling on the NHS, housing, the economy and the cost of living makes independence an attractive distraction. Currency, mortgages and pensions: The difficult questions that the independence movement still hasn't answered since 2014. Nicola Sturgeon Mark II? Bernard examines decades of SNP constitutional manoeuvring and asks whether Swinney is repeating the mistakes of his predecessor. A new constitutional convention? Bernard proposes a route towards answering the big questions about Scotland's constitutional future. Kemi Badenoch's survival: Why Bernard now thinks the Conservative leader could survive until the next general election — and the challenge posed by Reform UK. Andy Burnham in Scotland: Why Labour's Prime Minister is competing for the headlines during SNP conference. An early general election? Could Labour benefit from going to the country before 2029? And finally… art at taxpayers' expense? An SNP MSP's plan to employ an artist-in-residence prompts some colourful suggestions from Bernard and Alex. Political analysis, historical perspective and a few laughs from two of Scotland's most experienced political commentators. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction – SNP conference, Badenoch and Burnham 02:07 SNP conference: Independence Groundhog Day? 05:52 Bernard's history of SNP constitutional deadlock 10:56 Independence: The unanswered currency and mortgage questions 14:53 Why the SNP lost the 2014 referendum 16:48 Bernard's proposal for a constitutional convention 20:15 Pensions, devolution and Swinney's political strategy 25:09 Kemi Badenoch: Could she survive after all? 28:05 Conservatives vs Reform UK – the battle for the right 30:07 Andy Burnham's Scottish electoral challenge 32:22 Will Labour call an early general election? 36:29 And finally… an SNP artist-in-residence? 37:59 Public money, political art and constitutional crayons 39:16 The sexism row, a political mime artist and Shetland poetry 41:00 Closing thoughts Join the conversation: Is the SNP stuck in independence Groundhog Day? Can John Swinney change anything? And should parliamentary expenses pay for political art? Subscribe for weekly Scottish and UK political analysis with Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie. #SNP #ScottishPolitics #ScottishIndependence #JohnSwinney #SNPConference #PonsonbyAndMassie Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Have the Greens damaged their own momentum through extreme resolutions and accusations of "racism"? Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie examine Labour’s Holborn and St Pancras by-election victory, the Green Party’s explosive Israel and Zionism debate, and mounting questions over Zack Polanski’s leadership. Following the Green Party conference motion declaring that “Zionism is racism”, Bernard and Alex challenge the party’s position, discuss Peter Tatchell’s objections and examine the implications of Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer’s support for that proposition. Meanwhile, has Kemi Badenoch put the Conservatives back in the game? They assess the Tory conference, her rejection of a deal with Nigel Farage and Reform UK, and the politics behind proposals on inheritance tax and the £100,000 income tax threshold. At Holyrood, Stephen Flynn faces fresh scrutiny over the Glen Sannox ferry gas leak. What does his handling of parliamentary questions reveal about his readiness for government—and his ambitions to lead the SNP? Independent analysis and forthright debate on Scottish politics, Westminster and the choices facing Britain’s political leaders. CHAPTERS 00:00 This week: Labour, the Greens, the Conservatives and Stephen Flynn 02:06 Labour holds Holborn and St Pancras: a reality check for the Greens? 04:30 The by-election result and what it means for Andy Burnham 06:50 The Green Party split and questions over Polanski’s leadership 09:15 “Zionism is racism”: Alex challenges the Greens’ position 11:51 Peter Tatchell’s objections to the conference motion 15:43 Israel, a two-state solution and the implications of Green policy 18:24 Can the Greens withstand greater scrutiny? 22:18 Kemi Badenoch and the Conservative recovery strategy 26:56 Reform UK, tactical voting and the prospects for an electoral pact 31:06 Tax promises, inheritance tax and the £100,000 threshold 35:52 Badenoch versus Polanski: contrasting styles of leadership 37:23 Are Labour and the Conservatives heading back to the 1970s? 40:02 Stephen Flynn, the Glen Sannox gas leak and ministerial scrutiny 43:29 What Flynn must learn if he wants to lead the SNP 45:41 Closing thoughts Subscribe to the Ponsonby & Massie Podcast for weekly political analysis from Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie. Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Acast. #ScottishPolitics #UKPolitics #PonsonbyAndMassie Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Andy Burnham has lifted Labour’s spirits—but can he afford to deliver? Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie examine what comes after the conference applause: pension reform, social care and the prospect of a tax-raising Budget. Bernard argues that Burnham has shown how to sell difficult political choices by explaining what voters will get in return. Alex asks whether the speech’s emotional appeal and promises for after the next election leave the government’s immediate financial problems unanswered. Would replacing the state pension triple lock with a double lock raise enough to fund a National Care Service? Which voters is Burnham trying to win back—and could his approach create an opening for Nigel Farage? Could electoral reform fundamentally reshape British politics? In Scotland, John Swinney faces difficult choices of his own. Bernard and Alex challenge the SNP’s pension argument and examine the looming battles over public sector jobs, compulsory redundancies, council reform and the cost of public services. Plus: the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, Kemi Badenoch and the Conservative Party conference. Subscribe to Ponsonby & Massie for independent analysis of Scottish and UK politics. Can Burnham turn renewed Labour confidence into delivery—and can Swinney persuade Scotland to accept painful reform? Share your thoughts in the comments. #PonsonbyAndMassie #ScottishPolitics #AndyBurnham Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With Labour’s conference approaching, Bernard and Alex discuss Andy Burnham’s first Budget, the speculation about an early general election, and whether a divided opposition could help Labour hold on to power.
Michael Marra has been elected as the new Scottish Labour Leader. Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie take a deep dive into the issues he'll face. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.