The union leader who agrees with the Tory leader: Daniel Kebede
1/16/202644 min
The National Education Union's general secretary on banning social media, strikes and race
Daniel Kebede says he is "completely aligned" with Kemi Badenoch on social media policy but warns that the Labour government is on a "collision course" with teachers over pay and conditions.
Why does a former minister describe him as "disarming" while the press brand him as "militant" and a "hardened protester"?
Nick also presses Kebede on the blocking of a Jewish Bristol MP from visiting a school, past comments about Israel, and whether taxpayers can afford further pay rises for teachers.
Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Flora Murray Sound: Stephen Pontin Sound mixing: Robin Schroder Editor: Giles Edwards
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsNick Robinson· Host0:00
Hello, and welcome to Political Thinking. "Ban social media for children," said the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch this week, and she was supported by my guest on Political Thinking, the head of the UK's largest teaching union, the NEU, Daniel Kebede. He is the other half of that unlikely partnership. Unlikely, why? Well, because he describes himself as an agitator for industrial action, and his enemies, his critics in the media, describe him in other ways. The Telegraph, for example, as an avowed Marxist and hardened protester. He does believe that the British education system is fundamentally and institutionally racist, for reasons that you will hear. He's described Reform UK as a racist and far-right party, and prior to becoming chief of the NEU, he called on crowds at a Palestinian solidarity rally to globalize the Intifada. Now, the government is, in his words, "on a collision course" with the National Education Union over workload protections and indeed over pay. There's an indicative strike ballot due next month amongst his members. [upbeat music] Daniel Kebede, thank you very much indeed for joining me on Political Thinking.
Daniel Kebede· Guest1:20
Hello.
Nick Robinson· Host1:20
I was struck when we first talked- Yeah. -and I first did some research about you- Yeah ... that people said, people who fundamentally