Five hundred Spectator readers packed out Westminster’s Emmanuel Centre this week for Coffee House Shots Live: A Look To The Year Ahead. The event on Wednesday night, hosted by Spectator political editor Katy Balls, featured a panel made up of special guests the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick MP and Labour Together’s Jonathan Ashworth. The Spectator’s editor Michael Gove and economics editor Kate Andrews also offered their insight on the year ahead in politics.
Jonathan Ashworth, who spent 14 years in opposition, had plenty of advice for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
“When you’re in opposition, all you have is the power of your words and the extent to which you can use your word, your speeches, and your social media to capture attention and find an argument that strikes a chord with voters. And it is hard,” he told the audience. “The problem with Kemi Badenoch is that it doesn’t really feel like she is waking up each morning with that hunger.”
Katy Balls asked for a show of hands from the audience as to whether they felt the Conservative leader is doing a good job. The result was far from positive for the Tories: only a small number backed Badenoch.
Robert Jenrick, who was defeated by Badenoch in last year’s Conservative leadership contest, received a warmer reception, not least when he diagnosed the problem for the Tories: “I think the public is yearning for change. They think the last Conservative government failed. We didn’t bring down migration. The state is not working. Taxes are too high. The Conservative party has to reestablish itself and show it has learned its lesson.”
Jenrick was defensive of Badenoch, particularly when asked by Katy Balls to comment on reports that Badenoch is lazy: “I don’t think that’s fair at all. Kemi is doing a very good job. The problem is not Kemi Badenoch; it is the public’s view of the Conservative party after 14 years in office.”
Kate Andrews suggested that Badenoch’s strategy to take it slowly wasn’t entirely bad. “Kemi Badenoch has made a semi-smart decision not to rush public policy, but the days and weeks and years tick down very quickly,” she said.
Michael Gove said that the Labour government is also conscious that the clock is ticking. “The first six months of the Labour government were wasted, but nevertheless they have woken up and smelled what defeat might be like and are reacting appropriately,” he said. But is Keir Starmer doing enough to convince people that he is making the most of his landslide majority?
“I think it will be tough,” Gove said. “Unless the government is seen to deliver change, then that’s it. People were exasperated with us Conservatives, especially me, and kicked us out; they want change. If Labour merely occupy office and don’t do anything majorly wrong that won’t be enough.”
Jenrick was sceptical that voters are on board with Starmer’s strategy: “I don’t really know what Keir Starmer stands for and who is running the country right now,” he said.
But Ashworth – who ruled out an imminent return to politics – said that Starmer’s decision to cut foreign aid to fund a boost in defence spending showed that the Prime Minister could be bold: “That decision was difficult for a Labour government. People who join the Labour party generally do so because they are motivated by issues of poverty, both domestically and internationally, and they are motivated by issues around public service. Do not underestimate what a big move it is for a Labour government to take a big decision on international aid”.
One man whom the audience are convinced is doing a good job is Reform leader Nigel Farage. But Kate Andrews sounded a note of scepticism about the plan put forward by Farage’s party: “For all the traction they are getting, the economic side of their manifesto is fantasy: you can’t just keep spending”.
Jenrick said that he thinks voters are being pushed towards Reform because the Labour government is even worse than the one that preceded it. “Reform is raising issues that many people care about: crime, net zero, immigration.” But he insisted that a pact between the Tories and Reform is in neither party’s interest. “The Conservative party has to reestablish itself and show it has learned its lesson. That is my mission and that is what Kemi is working to achieve.”
The panellists concluded the event by taking questions from the audience, which included dozens of local sixth form students and members of Conservative and Labour societies from universities in London and Cambridge. Guests were also able to mingle with the panellists at the end.
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