Starmer, Socialism & Diane Abbott - whose side is he really on?
Radical with Amol Rajan
BBC
4.5 • 919 Ratings
🗓️ 30 May 2024
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Nick has long thought that the most important question in politics is ‘whose side are you on?’
It turns out Keir Starmer might think the same. On The Today Podcast this week Nick looks into why the Labour leader highlighted that question in his first big speech of the election campaign.
Also – why did Starmer tell the BBC that he identifies as a socialist? And what will Diane Abbott do next?
And in a week when the Conservatives have promised national service for 18-year-olds and a pensioners’ ‘triple lock plus’, Nick looks at where the dividing lines are being drawn so far.
To dissect the strategies, Nick is joined by friend of the pod, pollster James Kanagasooriam – research director at Focal Data and a board member of centre-right think tank Onward – and by Andrew Fisher, who was Labour’s director of policy under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
Plus, Radio 5 Live’s Rachel Burden shares her moment of the week, ahead of her election night special broadcast with Nick. And Amol spills the secrets of his appearance on Doctor Who.
Episodes of The Today Podcast will land during the election campaign on Mondays and Thursdays. Subscribe on BBC Sounds to get Amol and Nick's take on the biggest stories of the week, with insights from behind the scenes at the UK's most influential radio news programme. If you would like a question answering, get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 4346 or email us Today@bbc.co.uk
The Today Podcast is hosted by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson, both presenters of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the UK’s most influential radio news programme. Amol was the BBC’s media editor for six years and is the former editor of the Independent, he’s also the current presenter of University Challenge. Nick has presented the Today programme since 2015, he was the BBC’s political editor for ten years before that and also previously worked as ITV’s political editor.
The senior producer is Tom Smithard, the producers are Hatty Nash and Joe Wilkinson. The editor is Louisa Lewis. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths. Technical production from Mike Regaard in London and Cameron Ward in Salford.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:04.9 | Now, here's a thing. |
| 0:06.3 | I'm on my way from London to Salford to broadcast the first of a series of election reports from a battleground here in the northwest. |
| 0:16.5 | And I read the text of Kirstarmer's first big election speech. |
| 0:22.9 | And it sounded awfully familiar. |
| 0:25.3 | Elections are about values, temperament, character. |
| 0:31.0 | And a bigger question. |
| 0:33.1 | Whose side are you on? |
| 0:34.6 | Whose side are you on? |
| 0:37.1 | Has he been listening? That's my line. |
| 0:38.3 | Forgive me if I've said this before on this podcast, the most powerful question in politics. |
| 0:47.3 | Who side are you on? |
| 0:48.3 | Whose side are you on? |
| 0:50.3 | Yes, it's true. |
| 0:52.3 | I've said it again and again and again and again. And we're going to talk about |
| 0:56.3 | why it's the most important question in politics and why Kirstama is taking sides. This is the |
| 1:03.2 | Today podcast. Let's do it. Hi, it's Nick up in Salford at Media City, and not here merely to extend the celebrations of Manchester United's triumphant win. |
| 1:24.4 | Old Trafford is, of course, just out of the window of this building here in Solford, |
| 1:28.9 | but because I'm going to be spending time in this election in a crucial constituency, |
| 1:33.9 | Bolton West, just up the road. My co-pilot Amel isn't with me this week, which is particularly |
| 1:41.0 | sad, because I would want to say, I told you so. |
| 1:45.5 | Just look at what's been happening in the few days since this election began. |
... |
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