Anushka Asthana

Thank you very much for having me.

Thank you very much for having me.

Yeah, it's really tricky. And what I had to do basically was make the book about everything up to that point. So really, it's a book about how they got to the election, how they won the election. I did then attempt to book a chapter on governing and I read it back. It's not that bad.

Yeah, it's really tricky. And what I had to do basically was make the book about everything up to that point. So really, it's a book about how they got to the election, how they won the election. I did then attempt to book a chapter on governing and I read it back. It's not that bad.

I mean, I did argue that in theory, Sue Gray as chief of staff and Morgan McSweeney as chief advisor, as he was then. could be Keir Starmer's superpower because they had different skills, but also made clear that there were already tensions at the time.

I mean, I did argue that in theory, Sue Gray as chief of staff and Morgan McSweeney as chief advisor, as he was then. could be Keir Starmer's superpower because they had different skills, but also made clear that there were already tensions at the time.

To be honest, there was already people moaning to me at the time about, for example, contracts across government, which was one of the things that really did for Sue Gray in a way. Yeah. But it was all played down. It wasn't her fault. So I didn't go wildly into it. But you know what? I've got a paper back. You're going to get the full first year in detail next year.

To be honest, there was already people moaning to me at the time about, for example, contracts across government, which was one of the things that really did for Sue Gray in a way. Yeah. But it was all played down. It wasn't her fault. So I didn't go wildly into it. But you know what? I've got a paper back. You're going to get the full first year in detail next year.

I mean, yes, although in a way, things went right for him previously when he was ruthless and things have gone very wrong for him since he became prime minister. But that thread of ruthlessness has been there throughout. And when things have gone wrong for him in the past, he is... quite brutal in a way. So politically brutal.

I mean, yes, although in a way, things went right for him previously when he was ruthless and things have gone very wrong for him since he became prime minister. But that thread of ruthlessness has been there throughout. And when things have gone wrong for him in the past, he is... quite brutal in a way. So politically brutal.

And I do want to make that distinction because, you know, I spent time talking to one of his really good friends, Parvez Chabar, and he was like, Keir is the opposite of ruthless on a personal level. I mean, one person who used to work for him actually broke down crying when she was speaking to me because he'd been so kind to her when she'd lost a loved one.

And I do want to make that distinction because, you know, I spent time talking to one of his really good friends, Parvez Chabar, and he was like, Keir is the opposite of ruthless on a personal level. I mean, one person who used to work for him actually broke down crying when she was speaking to me because he'd been so kind to her when she'd lost a loved one.

He was the first guy on Neil Kinnock's doorstep when he lost his wife. So there's a personal compassion, as I said. But politically, I mean, just look at what he did step by step. So he made a decision to support Jeremy Corbyn when it's very clear that he didn't support that project. in hindsight, in order to win over the leadership.

He was the first guy on Neil Kinnock's doorstep when he lost his wife. So there's a personal compassion, as I said. But politically, I mean, just look at what he did step by step. So he made a decision to support Jeremy Corbyn when it's very clear that he didn't support that project. in hindsight, in order to win over the leadership.

And the minute he got the leadership, he sacked the General Secretary of the Labour Party, Jenny Formby, who I note in the book had been going through chemotherapy. She had cancer. She was struggling to work. I mean, to him, she was associated with all the things that went wrong for Jeremy Corbyn. Now, Jeremy Corbyn also wanted to sack the General Secretary when he became Labour leader.

And the minute he got the leadership, he sacked the General Secretary of the Labour Party, Jenny Formby, who I note in the book had been going through chemotherapy. She had cancer. She was struggling to work. I mean, to him, she was associated with all the things that went wrong for Jeremy Corbyn. Now, Jeremy Corbyn also wanted to sack the General Secretary when he became Labour leader.

It took him three years. Keir Starmer, 20 minutes. And he was on the phone to her. And then when things went really badly wrong in opposition, when they lost the Hartlepool by-election... I mean, again, and there's actually a scene there where Morgan McSweeney is sort of speaking at 100 miles an hour, according to the people around him and coming up with different ideas and writing on a board.

It took him three years. Keir Starmer, 20 minutes. And he was on the phone to her. And then when things went really badly wrong in opposition, when they lost the Hartlepool by-election... I mean, again, and there's actually a scene there where Morgan McSweeney is sort of speaking at 100 miles an hour, according to the people around him and coming up with different ideas and writing on a board.

Change labour, change labour. That's what we need to do. But Keir Starmer, again, acted really swiftly. I mean, he did do a reshuffle that went quite badly wrong at the time. And some people think, They want to highlight that a little bit more than maybe I did. The reshuffle was very much botched. But he just did it again.

Change labour, change labour. That's what we need to do. But Keir Starmer, again, acted really swiftly. I mean, he did do a reshuffle that went quite badly wrong at the time. And some people think, They want to highlight that a little bit more than maybe I did. The reshuffle was very much botched. But he just did it again.