Introduction

Big wins for Labour. Big losses for the Conservatives. But just how much should we read into this week’s local election results? The Guardian’s Rafael Behr joins the podcast team to crunch the numbers and examine what the votes mean for Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. 

The Labour leader is reported to have delayed plans for shadow cabinet reshuffle until the autumn – but is that the right call? A new IfG paper, which analyses the transitions of 1997 and 2010, sets out the steps Starmer should take to ensure his shadow team is best prepared for government – should Labour win the next general election.

And how can we all stay engaged with politics without getting enraged? What steps can we take to survive the toxicity of British politics? Rafael Behr explains why his new book can help.

Presented by Emma Norris.

With Cath Haddon, Peter Hourston and Grant Dalton.

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