“Since the 2008 financial crisis consent dropped away in the ruling order. We went from people thinking the system is okay but could be improved, to large groups of people thinking the system is hostile to their interests.”
In this episode, Chris Wright is joined by James Schneider, co-founder of Momentum – the movement that seeks to bring a more socialist agenda to the Labour Party. He was an advisor to former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and the discussion is built around his fascinating book Our Bloc: How We Win – written in the backdrop to Corbyn’s defeat to Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election. The conversation starts with the mess that Keir Starmer will likely inherit from over 14 years of Conservative rule in Britain. James and Chris dissect the taxation system to explain how Britain can provide ‘for the many, not the few.’ They analyse why Corbyn didn’t become prime minister, and Chris asks James whether young people are engaged enough in politics. How significant is the right-wing media establishment in keeping down progressive forces? Was Brexit a vote against the broader system rather than simply against the EU? They discuss why the Tories will terrifyingly keep moving even further towards the populist right. Finally, James gives a damning verdict on Keir Starmer, and takes us through his plan, quite frankly, to save the world through uniting progressive forces; expanded upon in his 2022 book Our Bloc: How We Win.
In this episode we discuss:
- “Two lost decades” under later New Labour and the Conservatives
- Increasing tax on the rich, wealthy companies, and capital gains to fund progressive reforms.
- Could Corbyn have become prime minister? And why he didn’t.
- Why are young people so disheartened by politics? James explains why it’s not their fault.
- How significant is the right-wing media establishment in keeping down progressive forces?
- Was Brexit a vote against the broader system rather than simply against the EU?
- Why the Tories will keep moving even further towards the populist right.
- James gives a damning verdict on Keir Starmer
- Saving the world through uniting the progressive forces; expanded upon in Our Bloc: How We Win.
