Belabored Podcast #129: A New Dawn for Labour? With Ronan Burtenshaw

Ronan Burtenshaw joins us to discuss last week’s election upset and what’s next for the UK left.

Jeremy Corbyn (right) and Diane Abbott at the Labour party Human Rights conference, December 10 (Steve Eason / Flickr)

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Okay, maybe the UK election results—in which Labour defied all expectations, confounded the pundits, and snatched away the Tories’ absolute majority—weren’t exactly a sweep for the left per se, but after months of transatlantic electoral heartburn, the vote marked at least a taste of sweet victory for progressives. We spoke to Jacobin Magazine Europe Editor Ronan Burtenshaw for post-election analysis of how a new progressive populism is challenging the status quo in Britain and perhaps the United States. And we look at the challenges facing Labour and Corbynism as they seek not just to go against all odds, but to win.

In other news, we examine the healthcare reform implosion in Washington, NAFTA’s impending Pandora’s Box, and the gender tax on college debt. With recommended reading on Ivanka’s shady factory and America’s class blinders.

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News

Michelle: NAFTA Is Broken. Trump Has All the Wrong Fixes. (The Nation)

AP sources: Trump tells senators House health bill ‘mean’ (Associated Press)

The GOP’s secret health care bill is going to get us all. (New Republic)

The college trap ensnaring women and minorities (CBS News)

Women’s Student Debt Crisis in the United States (American Association of University Women)

Conversation:

Ronan Burtenshaw, Jacobin Magazine Europe Editor

Max Shanly and Ronan Burtenshaw: The Blueprint (Jacobin)

Ronan Burtenshaw and Novar Flip: Grime for Corbyn (Jacobin)

Argh, I Wish I’d Written That!

Michelle: Richard Reeves, Stop Pretending You’re Not Rich (New York Times)