Ian Dunt

See, I think that one of the reasons you can do that is because he's a really weird form of centrist. Like... All of the centrists are centrists on like the classic left-right split, state and market. You know what I mean? What's most efficient? What should you be relying on? They're all somewhere in the middle on that question.

See, I think that one of the reasons you can do that is because he's a really weird form of centrist. Like... All of the centrists are centrists on like the classic left-right split, state and market. You know what I mean? What's most efficient? What should you be relying on? They're all somewhere in the middle on that question.

He's way to the left, like I said earlier, of Tony Blair on that question. You just look at the basics. You look at the kind of changes to the fiscal rules that we think Rachel Reeves is going to bring in. they are way to the left of Tony Blair.

He's way to the left, like I said earlier, of Tony Blair on that question. You just look at the basics. You look at the kind of changes to the fiscal rules that we think Rachel Reeves is going to bring in. they are way to the left of Tony Blair.

I mean, 1997 comes at the end of a period of, you know, triumphant Thatcherism and Reaganism, the end of the Cold War, you know, Francis Fukuyama in the end, you know, just this feeling of like capitalism wins. Now, where are we? It's like, well, right, so financial crash pretty much bottomed out our entire sort of world economy. During COVID, who were you looking out for to help you then?

I mean, 1997 comes at the end of a period of, you know, triumphant Thatcherism and Reaganism, the end of the Cold War, you know, Francis Fukuyama in the end, you know, just this feeling of like capitalism wins. Now, where are we? It's like, well, right, so financial crash pretty much bottomed out our entire sort of world economy. During COVID, who were you looking out for to help you then?

Was it the markets? You know, what's the IEA's response to who helps you during COVID? Because it's going to be the state in the end.

Was it the markets? You know, what's the IEA's response to who helps you during COVID? Because it's going to be the state in the end.

Even Brexit, in a way, it was weirdly economically pushed to the left. Like when you look at the way that conservatives started speaking about, well, actually, no, we cannot mess with trade arrangements. We can do things that are economically not beneficial to the country if we decide that it has meaning. If the right can do it, then the left can do it too. So the whole narrative shifts.

Even Brexit, in a way, it was weirdly economically pushed to the left. Like when you look at the way that conservatives started speaking about, well, actually, no, we cannot mess with trade arrangements. We can do things that are economically not beneficial to the country if we decide that it has meaning. If the right can do it, then the left can do it too. So the whole narrative shifts.

However, there's another side to politics, right? Which isn't about left. And right, it's about up and down, which is usually like liberal versus authoritarian. But in recent years, we typically talk about open versus closed. Are you open to immigration? Are you open to trade? Are you open to international institutions?

However, there's another side to politics, right? Which isn't about left. And right, it's about up and down, which is usually like liberal versus authoritarian. But in recent years, we typically talk about open versus closed. Are you open to immigration? Are you open to trade? Are you open to international institutions?

That's the kind of populist, anti-populist sort of thing, whether it's Brexit, whether it's Trump or whatever. Now, some centrists like Macron position themselves on one side of that binary. Like Macron is just like, I am open. Like, I mean, admittedly, it's all gone wrong now because he's being forced into a, you know, basically being controlled by his enemy, Le Pen.

That's the kind of populist, anti-populist sort of thing, whether it's Brexit, whether it's Trump or whatever. Now, some centrists like Macron position themselves on one side of that binary. Like Macron is just like, I am open. Like, I mean, admittedly, it's all gone wrong now because he's being forced into a, you know, basically being controlled by his enemy, Le Pen.

But nevertheless, in terms of how he talks, he's like, I am the enemy of the nativists. I'm pro-open. Starmer is not like that at all. He is centrist on the up-down as well as the left-right. He's basically like, no, that shit, that culture war shit, destroys a left-wing electoral coalition.

But nevertheless, in terms of how he talks, he's like, I am the enemy of the nativists. I'm pro-open. Starmer is not like that at all. He is centrist on the up-down as well as the left-right. He's basically like, no, that shit, that culture war shit, destroys a left-wing electoral coalition.

It separates out our blue-collar voters, primarily in towns, from our white-collar, university-educated, much more liberal voters, predominantly in cities. It is the death knell of the left, if you allow that takeover. So what do we do? We do not fight the culture war. We don't fight on the up-down, like Macron used to do. Instead, we kill it as an issue. We just bury it as an issue.

It separates out our blue-collar voters, primarily in towns, from our white-collar, university-educated, much more liberal voters, predominantly in cities. It is the death knell of the left, if you allow that takeover. So what do we do? We do not fight the culture war. We don't fight on the up-down, like Macron used to do. Instead, we kill it as an issue. We just bury it as an issue.

We suck the emotions out. We find stuff from various elements to appease some of your concerns, but not to do too much damage over here. That is clearly the approach that he's going to take. Whether it works or not, fuck knows.

We suck the emotions out. We find stuff from various elements to appease some of your concerns, but not to do too much damage over here. That is clearly the approach that he's going to take. Whether it works or not, fuck knows.