When will Britain feel the benefit of a Labour government? | Andrew Marr | The New Statesman

The UK "is no longer being actively destroyed" - but will Keir Starmer actually be able to fix things? A listener asks.

Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener questions on the New Statesman podcast.

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Andrew Marr is Political Editor for the New Statesman, and is one of the UK's most senior political journalists. He spent over 20 years at the BBC where he was Political Editor and hosted the wildly successful Andrew Marr show. He is now based in Westminster where he brings his deep experience of political reporting to his analysis of the most important events in UK politics. He also hosts Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC Radio.

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The New Statesman brings you unrivalled analysis of of the latest UK and international politics. On our YouTube channel you’ll find insight on the top news and global current affairs stories, as well as insightful interviews with politicians, advisers and leading political thinkers, to help you understand the political and economic forces shaping the world.

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[johnnevada]

I moved to Spain 35 years ago. I left a rich nation to live in a poorer - but sunnier - nation. But now, when I visit friends and family in England, I feel like I am entering a poorer, but more expensive, nation. How things have changed!

[andrewnorth]

Give young people a REASON to work. This country has invested nothing for them in half a century. While pensioners have been enjoying the triple lock, young people have been triple-gunned - university debt, low salaries and unaffordable housing. It's little wonder they - and the working population in general - are failing to function.

[clb]

I think something of note is how shockingly bad the mental health services in this country can be. We see absolutely shocking examples of people falling through the net and ending in disaster constantly. I'm surprised it didn't get a mention.

[deelawdazhahs]

working is not worth it for many young people, rents are too high and the UK has an acute Feudal problem with barely any housing going around. It takes away upto 60% of someone's income, add bills and there is barely anything left to even eat...easy for younger people to conclude that working isnt worth it in low paid, low productivity Britain.

[tusken]

I personally feel that the Cameron government and it's atrocious austerity policy, it's manifest failures on immigration, Europe, and defence is probably the single most important reason that Britain is in such a mess !

[alejandro_mery]

I wonder how much is neoliberalism to blame for the social decline and spiking inequality of the last decades on developed countries

[jonathancorbyn]

The decline is permanent. The U.K. is a poor country with a few rich people. Our per capita purchasing power used to be roughly equal to that of the U.S. in 2001. Now, the average American is so much wealthier than the average Britain, it's tragic.

[vietashroffoliver]

The gap between the haves and the have nots is growing exponentially each year. The government has forgotten that they're supposed to serve us not rule over us.

[george-broughton]

I'm not speaking for everyone on benefits when i say this, and i personally refused benefits when it became an option for me. The problem we face when it comes to sickness benefit takers is the fact our NHS has 10+ year long waiting lists for mental health treatment because it is disastrously under-funded.

It isn't like going to your GP and getting pills and being right as rain in 2 weeks. I'll be 39 by the time I get treatment for a condition that was discovered when I was 26 years old. I have receipts! If you want me to scan the letter I got from the NHS in November this year and present it to you, I can and will.

[gammondinosaur]

I'm desperate to work but can i find work? Nope. Why? Because i'm 65. The problem isn't solely layabouts on the dole. Employers have a lot to answer for.

[Paul-ebcl]

Stop blaming people. The solution is to create meaningful jobs paying a wage that allows people to cover at least the first four levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

[AllSeerAugustus]

Fixing our nation will take time. The medicine we need will be extremely bitter, almost like weening us off an addiction to decline. We need to be patient, get active in your community and be a part of making the changes we need instead of sitting and complaining about the government all the time

[Dayrile]

It's quite striking that the absolutely dire state of mental health services wasn't even mentioned in this conversation. Sure, lots of people are claiming benefits because they can't work, but that's predominantly because they can't get treated properly atm. The only treatment that seems to be available is basically antidepressants and CBT.

[davidvestey]

You’re right about the 2008 financial crisis. No bankers were punished, most seem to have received their bonuses but the reaper of us got austerity and Brexit.

[hamsticklehq]

It must be very easy for these wealthy individuals sat in their warm buildings wearing their warm clothes talking about poor disabled people.

[amient]

The difficulties for someone with chronic illness and disability in being able to sustain work is what makes it so hard. He's basically implying it's some feckless lifestyle choice.

[andrewhodgkins]

After14 years of tory misrule we may have to wait a little longer than 6 months for results.

[davidpiper]

They never were Boris Bikes, the scheme was Ken Livingstone's idea.

[ArtSmart]

0:52 I’m an experienced teacher who’s worked in education for 10 years and I can tell you now the teachers aren’t coming. Very lazy journalism from Andrew Marr

[DevonPixie]

In January-March I was signed off for 7 weeks with mental health issues. I went to my GP asking for support to get back to work. I was told that because I’m autistic, have ADHD, and other mental illnesses that it would be unwise for me to work. I changed GP and got support to return to work. Then in May took the decision to return near enough full time to the office. Arguably the best decision I made for my mental health. My social skills have come back to near pre Covid levels, my physical health was improving until I go and tear a ligament in my ankle 😫 but even at its worst I still took the decision to go into the office everyday. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by higher ups. Even my boss has noticed. I chose to give up a sport I love to prevent me having more sick as there’s a chance I’ll need surgery on my ankle at some point