Why Starmer failed - and what Burnham needs to get right
7/17/202638 min
On the day that Keir Starmer prepares to hand over the reins to the King of the North, Westminster is still reeling from the murder of Ann Widdecombe. This Friday, Jon sits down with Labour MP Sarah Sackman, a close friend and ally of Starmer, to reflect on his legacy and the mistakes that defined his premiership.
What does Andy Burnham need to do to get Labour back on track? And has politics in Britain become too dangerous for those who serve in public life?
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJon Sopel· Host0:00
[upbeat music] This is a global production. The emotional scenes in the Commons on Wednesday, reeling from the shock about the circumstances of the killing of Anne Whittle.
Sarah Sackman· Guest0:11
When you look at the level of abuse that myself and other MPs, particularly women, particularly women of color, designed to hound you out of politics to not express what you really think on an issue, uh, it, it, it's corrosive 'cause I worry about what that means for our democracy. We have lost Jo Cox, Sir David Amess, now Anne Whittle. The odds aren't great for MPs. You know, when I speak at schools and I'm talking to that young Black girl, why would they go into politics knowing what I've just shared with you?
Jon Sopel· Host0:42
On the day that Andy Burnham takes over the reins from Keir Starmer, and Westminster is still reeling from the shocking murder of Anne Whittle, we speak to Justice Minister, rising star, and friend of Keir Starmer, Sarah Sackman. Welcome to the News Agents. [upbeat music] The News Agents. We're joined in the studio now by Sarah Sackman, the Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, the MP for Golders Green and Finchley, or Finchley and Golders Green. And Sarah, it's very good to have you with us, and we've had too few MPs from the '24 intake on these Friday episodes. So we're gonna come to your life in politics and all of that, and your brief.