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Sir Keir Starmer had to drop his “student” ideas when he became leader to prove to Britons that he can be a Prime Minister, his close ally Jenny Chapman says in a swipe at Labour leftwing activists.
Chapman also suggested that Labour might not campaign for an outright ban on zero hours contracts at this year’s expected general election after all but rather publish a “framework that works for everybody”.
The Labour leader has been heavily criticised for “flip-flopping” and dropping a number of pledges he made in the leadership contest triggered by the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn. These included dropping plans to abolish Universal Credit, take privatised services like Royal Mail, energy and rail companies into “common ownership”, and scrap student tuition fees.
Starmer had taken over “a burning skip of a party under Jeremy Corbyn” and made put the party on the brink of government, according to the polls.
Challenged over why he had junked these ideas, Chapman told GB News’ Chopper’s Political Podcast said it was “because he wants to be Prime Minister” and he had to move away from “student” politics.
She added: “This is a guy that’s serious about his politics. He is not there to lead a protest movement. His job is to say to the British public – ‘Trust in me, I will look after your future, your pensions, your mortgages, your kids’ futures’.
Jenny Chapman sat down with GB News for Chopper’s Political Podcast
GB NEWS
“These are serious, big things that we want to be trusted with. You cannot have someone who just goes around saying things that maybe they’ve believed when they were a student, or maybe things that are popular within the Labour Party.
“You’ve got to have a credible offer for the whole country. And that’s the journey that Keir, I say there has been a journey. I am completely upfront about that.”
On the possible ban on zero-hour contracts in the first 100 days of a Labour government, Chapman said: “We want a partnership with business.
“We do want to rebalance things as far as workers are concerned, because and I think a lot of employers will agree with this, that balance has tipped too far to disadvantage workers.”
Chapman admitted that Labour wanted to develop ‘a framework that means that it works for everybody’
GB NEWS
Chapman admitted that Labour wanted to develop “a framework that means that it works for everybody”.
She added: “The detail of that will be coming out. But this is about making sure it works for everybody. And that’s in the interest of business too.
“So we’re having some great conversations with business at the moment. We will get this right. We’re not going to rush it out. We’re not going to do this as a headline grabber. It’s going to be serious, well-thought through policy.”
Chapman also suggested that social media might be used to push Labour’s campaign messages rather than the old Labour’s old pledge cards which Tony Blair had promoted ahead of the 1997 election.
She said: “Pledge cards, obviously we love them because we remember them.
“But a lot of it now is about digital and making sure our social media coverage is right as well. So there’s a lot of work going on.”
Listen to Chopper’s Political Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts – and watch the interviews on GB News and YouTube.
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