The Power Test

Apr 18 2024 280
The Power Test Podcast artwork

Ayesha Hazarika and Sam Freedman present The Power Test, the weekly political podcast for everyone crying out for a new government and a new start, exploring how Labour should win and change Britain for the better.
Follow @ThePowerTest on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThePowerTestFollow @AyeshaHazarika: https://twitter.com/ayeshahazarikaFollow @SamFreedman: https://twitter.com/Samfr
Subscribe to The Power Test substack for all the latest developments: https://thepowertest.substack.com/
For more information head to thepowertest.co.uk.
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Power behind the scenes

Apr 18 2024 37 mins  
Is Labour capable of reversing the curse facing centre-left governments around the world? Josh Simons, Director of the highly influential think tank Labour Together says the party must be ready to confront the challenge of thinking about how it can govern and win a second term.Josh joins Ayesha Hazarika and Sam Freedman to speak about how Labour is preparing for government and whet

Binfire of the Localities: a look at the local elections

Apr 11 2024 34 mins  
On this week's episode of The Power Test, we're looking at all things local elections - including bins! - New Statesman Britain Editor Anoosh Chakelian joins Sam and Ayesha on the pod and discussed how these will have an impact on Labour and whether it can deliver real change in government.Episode notes:The Tories are trying to make headway by putting the blame on Labour-run counci

Let's Get Fiscal!

Apr 04 2024 33 mins  
Following last week's episode with Ed Balls, former Treasury boss Nick Macpherson joins Sam and Ayesha to interrogate the economic environment facing the next government. We’re hearing a lot from Labour about economic security, fighting off the party’s reputation for ‘spendonomics’, but is the party being too far too cautious and harming its plans for growth?If you've enjoy

Levelling Up: Substance not slogans?

Mar 28 2024 41 mins  
As Labour announces its plans to reclaim 'Levelling Up', Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika are joined by Ed Balls to discuss the dual challenges of tackling economic and regional inequality and going for growthBoris Johnson’s claim to end the North-South divide has been a spectacular disaster in terms of going from a box office slogan to something of any substance at all. Councils

Full Fat Ermine

Mar 21 2024 31 mins  
In this first episode of 2024, the duo discuss the news that Ayesha will soon become Baroness Hazarika of Coatbridge in the County of Lanarkshire and the role of the House of Lords in legislating before focusing on the current political landscape and the challenges and opportunities ahead for Labour as the party prepares for its return to government.Notes: Sam Freedman and Ayesha H

On the brink of power: a year of change?

Dec 14 2023 52 mins  
Keir Starmer's former chief of staff Sam White and The Guardian's Political Editor Pippa Crerar are two figures who have arguably played as big a role as any in turning around Labour's electoral chances. Pippa broke the Partygate story that engulfed the Tory party for many months, while Sam was working behind the scenes to make Labour look like a government in waiting. Sam and Pipp

Reconnecting To The World: Can a Labour Foreign Policy Make Any Difference?

Dec 07 2023 56 mins  
Labour's former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw joins Sam and Ayesha to talk about the UK's standing in the world and how it could be restored under a Starmer premiership. What influence does the UK still have on the world stage? Is there such a thing as an ethical foreign policy? How might Labour work with populist leaders whilst keeping the party base happy? What would a second Trum

Can Labour deliver, Fair, Green Growth?

Nov 30 2023 46 mins  
Sam Freedman quizzes Ed Miliband live on stage at London's Inclusive Growth Conference in partnership with the Centre For Progressive Policy. The former Labour leader talks about how Labour's green agenda can deliver growth that benefits all parts of the country. Giles Wilkes, the former aide to Theresa May and Vince Cable, and Charlotte Alldritt, CEO of the CPP, join Sam for analy

Working The Machine: Whitehall Under Labour

Nov 23 2023 58 mins  
This week Sam and Ayesha explore how a Labour might operate the machinery of government following a successful election. With expert insight from Dr. Hannah Wright, CEO of the Institute for Government, and former Political Secretary to Tony Blair, Baroness Sally Morgan. The Power Test is a political podcast where each week Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika bring the biggest and most

The State We'll Be In

Nov 16 2023 54 mins  
Sam and Ayesha discuss the fall of Suella Braverman, the return of David Cameron, and much more besides whilst looking ahead to next week's Autumn statement. Joined by Jonathan Portes, the chief economist at the Cabinet Office under Gordon Brown, and Gemma Tetlow, the chief economist at the Institute for Government, they assess wether a potential Labour government could, would, and