Deputy Labour Leader Lucy Powell has issued a stark condemnation of what she describes as 'totally unacceptable' infighting within the party, calling for a fundamental shift in political culture.
A Call for a 'Cultural Reset' in Politics
Speaking out during a week dominated by a briefing war over Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, Powell demanded an end to the toxic atmosphere. She argued that the combination of social media pressure and attacks from within a politician's own ranks leads to poorer politics and ultimately, poorer politicians.
'There are horrible personal briefings that are totally unacceptable,' Powell stated in an interview with The Times. 'We do operate in quite a difficult environment for politicians now [with] social media, so then to have your own side doing that to you as well… we’ll just end up with poorer politics and poorer politicians.'
She emphasised the urgent need for a 'cultural kind of reset' in how political discourse is conducted, vowing to continue calling out the behaviour and ensure people are held accountable.
Personal Experience with Briefings and Sacking
Powell also revealed her belief that misogyny played a role in the briefings against her during the deputy leadership contest, which she won against Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. She described the attacks as 'really nasty and wrong.'
Reflecting on her own sacking as leader of the Commons by the Prime Minister, the Manchester Central MP said she had suspected her position was precarious. She recounted receiving a withheld call from Downing Street, knowing immediately what it meant.
'I knew that I was hanging by a bit of a thread, to be honest,' she said. 'I kind of gave an account of myself. I thought I’d done a good job and I thought I’d achieved stuff. I wanted to make the point that the reasons he may have been given from other people about why to sack me weren’t the right ones.'
Looking Forward: Public Priorities and Labour Values
Now a month into her role as Deputy Leader, Powell stated she has gained a strong grasp of public priorities. She expressed concern that the government is not clearly demonstrating its core Labour values.
'They just can’t understand why we’re doing some things and what we’re doing them for,' she observed. 'We’re not showing clearly enough the kind of Labour values and the 'labour' bit of the Labour government.'
On the political strategy concerning parties like Reform UK, Powell was clear: 'I think we’re all clear that we can’t out-Reform Reform, and that’s not a successful strategy.' Instead, she argued it is absolutely vital for the government to master the fundamentals, such as securing borders and controlling the immigration system.
