The Debrief is our listeners’ chance to discuss everything about the latest show and deep diver into where we go next to change Britain for the better. Think Love Island’s Aftersun, or Big Brother’s Little Brother, except instead of fake tan and the Diary Room it’s a bunch of political nerds discussing the latest Power Test episode.
This week Power Test team members Flo Hutchings, Ed Owen and Charlotte Aldritt took a look at Sam and Ayesha’s discussion with former Treasury boss Nick Macpherson and whether anyone actually cares about fiscal rules, and whether Sir Nick’s relative optimism on Labour’s potential economic inheritance was misplaced.
“Economic competence is obviously very important for Labour to be focusing at the moment, but it’s really interesting hearing a former Treasury boss and a former Treasury minister saying fiscal rules are a bit of a mirage” says Owen.
“Ultimately this is politics to some extent and serves the purpose of supporting Rachel Reeves’ iron image, but I’m definitely interested by how constrained she will be in government by what she says now.”
Power Test listener Ian Mulheirn also saw Macpherson’s optimism on economic growth as “worth putting into context” - given that, “the OBR is already one of the most optimistic - predicting productivity will grow more than it ever has since the financial crisis”.
Aldritt, the former CEO of Power Test partner the Centre for Progressive Policy said, “it doesn’t give me joy, but when I was on the pod last season I said I feel we are trying to ebb towards something a little less bleak, and it feels like we’re still there now”. She reflected that “You can see though why Macpherson is such a safe pair of hands though - essentially saying ‘don’t panic minister’”.
“Labour could be at risk of feeling the same impact as the Lib Dems did on tuition fees” if it doesn’t try and communicate its plans more openly.
Labour also finds itself heading into government with a gap in terms of substantial cabinet and ministerial experience. And asked his pick to join The Power Test’s Fantasy Cabinet, Owen chose David Miliband. Hilary Mantel and Sandi Toksvig were also added to the list to build a “wide and open pool of experience beyond the usual party divisions which are being brought to life by issues such as the economic debate on fiscal rules”. While Mulheirn said “Whether government takes on more debt or not - that’s the dilemma we are all facing around the world right now. For that, I’d bring in John Maynard Keynes”.
Make your pick over on the Power Test website.
Next week we will deep dive into the local elections and their impact on the political landscape for the next government with Sam and Ayesha joined by The New Statesman’s Anoosh Chakelian.
The Debrief: Political realism and misplaced optimism?