Pod Save the UK Decency or division: Starmer takes aim at Reform
Oct 2, 2025
Zoë Grünewald, a dynamic political journalist, provides insights on the Labour conference, assessing Keir Starmer's strategy against Reform and critiquing Labour's immigration policy. Simon Opher, a Labour MP and GP, shares his recent experience of being denied entry to the West Bank and discusses the deteriorating healthcare in Gaza. He calls for a UK arms embargo on Israel while highlighting the importance of humanitarian access. The episode also touches on innovative healthcare solutions, including social prescribing, blending comedy and community well-being.
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Conference Mood Was Multifaceted
- Labour conference displayed multiple moods: public despondency, internal unity after Andy Burnham's challenge, and business anxiety about policy uncertainty.
- Zoë Grünewald says Starmer offered a clearer forward-looking narrative of 'progressive patriotism' that provided temporary reprieve.
Starmer Positioned Labour Against 'Grievance' Politics
- Keir Starmer framed the battle as national renewal versus the 'politics of grievance' personified by Nigel Farage.
- Zoë Grünewald argues this narrative gives Labour a clearer identity but won't automatically shift approval ratings.
Rhetoric Conflicts With Immigration Policy
- Starmer's warm rhetoric on inclusion clashes with punitive immigration moves happening behind the scenes.
- Grünewald warns 'contribution'-based immigration policy risks excluding survivors, disabled migrants and unpaid carers.