Download the episode transcript here.
In the first episode of a two-part series, Professor Steven King (Nottingham Trent University) and Professor Glen O’Hara (Oxford Brookes University) discuss what lessons Keir Starmer might learn from the last time Labour was in government.
In this first part, the two discuss:
- What New Labour was and how it compares to the current iteration of the Labour Party
- How both New Labour and present Labour came to power after a series of major election defeats
- How Tony Blair and Keir Starmer compare in their approaches and characters
- New Labour’s attempts at welfare reform versus current attempts in 2025
- The aftermath of New Labour’s university policy
Part 2 will be coming out on 8 July so be sure to subscribe to the Policy Factory podcast so as not to miss the next episode.
The full transcript of the discussion can be found on the Policy Factory website here.
Glen’s new book, New Labour, New Britain? How the Blair governments reshaped the country is due to come out with Manchester University Press in February 2026. Copies are available to pre-order now via the MUP website
