The Power Test

As the issue drives Nigel Farage’s return and the Conservatives seek to sharpen attacks on Labour in a last ditch attempt to breakthrough in the campaign, this week Ayesha Hazarika and Sam Freedman look into Labour’s pledge on immigration.Ayesha and Sam probe further into Labour’s policies on immigration with former Home Office adviser Matt Cavanagh and LSE economics professor, and former Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee, Alan Manning.For more visit THEPOWERTEST.CO.UK

On this special manifesto episode of The Power Test, Ayesha Hazarika and Sam Freedman are joined by two special guests: Nick Pearce, one of the authors of Labour's 2010 manifesto, and Claire Ainsley, who was Keir Starmer's policy guru from 2020 to 2022. Together, this quartet dissect and discuss the Labour party's 2024 manifesto (titled, simply, 'Change'). Does it live up to that name? What are the big policy areas it covers, from housing to the NHS? And are there any notable omissions from the a document that could be foundational to how a Labour government does business?Looking at whether this is a bold statement of the party's intention to change Britain for the better – the key question that The Power Test has been asking for three seasons – or a cautious testament to Starmer's "safety first" mentality, this is your breakdown of the first clear indication of where the country is headed.

The academic who inspired Blair’s “respect agenda" on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour urges Labour to ensure that there is effective investment in community support alongside law and policing.Talking to Ayesha Hazarika and Sam Freedman, Professor Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics, says he recognises the similarities between the approaches taken by Keir Starmer and Blair on crime and anti-social behaviour but fears that the economic circumstances make effective action much harder today. For more, visit THEPOWERTEST.CO.UK

Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika sit down with the Chief Executives of the The King's Fund and NHS Confederation, Sarah Woolnough and Matthew Taylor, to discuss Labour's health pledge on waiting lists and what lies ahead.This week as the general election campaign hits full swing, and The Power Test is focused once again on one of the top issues for the voting public: The NHS.To find out more visit ThePowerTest.co.uk and become a Power Member so that you can access episodes early and ad-free.

Schools expert, and Teacher Tapp co-founder, Laura McInerney, joins Sam Freedman and Ayesha Hazarika to speak about Labour’s commitment to recruit extra teachers by removing the VAT exemption on private schools - as well as the party’s other plans on education.With election fever setting in, The Power Test is not being knocked off course. With just six weeks until a new government will be in place, Sam and Ayesha look in detail about what Labour is offering and whether its plan adds up.Joined by McInerney, the team look at Labour’s pledge to recruit 6,500 extra teachers, a review of the national curriculum, the role of Ofsted, special needs education, and culture war arguments in schools.

With Labour under pressure from trade unions to remain committed to its 'New Deal for Working People', this week Ayesha Hazarika and Sam Freedman look at the party's relationship with the unions and the future ahead.They're joined by the General Secretary of the Prospect trade union, Mike Clancy, to look at Labour’s relationship with the union movement and how any future government can build a productive relationship to reshape the economy and support its growth mission.They also look at Natalie Elphicke's defection to Labour and the delicate balance Keir Starmer faces in holding together his broad church. In the Quickfire round, Mike nominates Barbara Castle to the Fantasy Cabinet and suggests that Labour should be less shy about facing the impact that Brexit has had on the British economy and society more generally.