Steve Reed last night spoke out on Labour’s discredited attack ad – claiming Rishi Sunak does not want to lock up convicted paedophiles – on the News Agents podcast. He confirmed that he and his team provided the figures used and saw it before it went out, though the actual ad was created by Labour’s central office. He also said that Sir Keir was aware it was going out. When probed on the merits of the campaign, Steve said:
“I think it’s wholly legitimate. I think it’s part of politics to hold leaders to account for what they’ve done. The leader of the Conservative Party is accountable for the behaviour of the Conservative government that’s been in power for 13 years. I think it’s important that we explain to voters – to the public – what the government is doing wrong”.
Guido isn’t so sure he would consider blaming a person who was, at the time, working in a California hedge fund, over someone responsible for the sentencing decisions in question is “wholly legitimate”…
Lewis Goodall then asked if former Director of Public Prosecutions Starmer was more responsible for the justice system than Sunak – Steve insisted Rishi was. Leftie Lewis’s bemusement says it all.
Steve’s defence of his ads comes as today’s papers report on Labour’s internal delight at their descent into “gutter politics” – to quote Lord Blunkett. The i runs with a Labour source praising the impact of the ads, whilst The Times quotes a senior Labour source calling the campaign a “triumph” as “we’ve spent a week not talking about boats, not talking about trans”. Just don’t ask Yvette…
Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed when asked if it matters whether Rishi has private healthcare:
“I don’t think it does”
Over the weekend Labour continued to blatantly take their lead from the Tony Blair playbook – though not quite as Skwawkbox believed. Their latest policy, from shadow justice secretary Steve Reed, is an attack on the limpwristed years under Corbyn during which Labour “cared more about criminals than victims”. To counteract this, their latest policy proposal involves “naming and shaming” recreational drug users…
Guido’s old enough to remember Shaun Bailey announcing a similar policy during his mayoral run, albeit less invasive without naming individuals. At the time Guido suggested Shaun should lead the way, testing all the boys and girls at Tory HQ first from Ben Elliot down to the interns – then publish the results. Labour is no different. If they want to target the public with new extra-harsh drug laws it’s time for some truth and reconciliation over at Southside…
In June, Labour’s shadow housing secretary Steve Reed slammed the Tories for taking sizable donations from property developers, saying it was:
“yet more evidence of the cosy relationship between the Conservative party and property developers, who for their investment will be allowed to concrete over communities at will”
In a move that could be seen as blatant hypocrisy, however, Guido learns Reed will tonight be wined and dined by former Tory councilor-turned housing developer lobbyist Peter Bingle. An email invite sent to Guido reveals Reed will attend a dinner with Bingle’s lobbying group Terrapin tonight, an invite that praises Reed’s relationship with Bingle dating back to when the shadow housing minister was leader of Lambeth Council.
In 2018, The Guardian revealed Bingle was using a direct communication channel to the leader of the Tory Wandsworth council to help push through planning applications for luxury apartment developments. In 2011 he boasted “I probably sold more council properties than anyone else”. Why does Guido feel this comfortable relationship between Reed and Bingle won’t sit comfortably with many on the Labour benches…
Reed’s team chose not to comment…
Shadow cabinet members surely have no excuse not to have read Keir’s Starmer’s long-awaited, 15,000-word, magnum opus with keen interest – especially given they got a two-hour headstart after it was leaked in full on Twitter ahead of the embargo last night. Steve Reed, however, walked straight into the bear trap this morning:
Today: Do you think that many voters – Labour voters, lifelong, or prospective Labour voters and indeed Labour voters in the red wall at the last election who voted for Boris and Brexit – do you think they’ll be impressed that Keir Starmer has spent goodness knows how long writing a 14,000-word essay about the future of Labour rather than helping ordinary people improve their lives
Reed: Well I think… I’m not sure that many people are going to read the entire document…
Today: Have you read it?
Reed: I’ve skimmed it.
On the plus side, Steve, Guido can confirm it is in fact only 12,300 words long. Get revising…
Unlike Steve you can read Starmer’s essay in full below:
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government appeared on GB News this morning to talk about the National Insurance hike. When Tom Harwood suggested that “catch up funding does need to stop and the NHS budget would fall”, Reed agreed, stating:
“You would hope so but what we need is a timetable and a plan for delivering that”.
Things are getting confusing: Tories hiking taxes, Labour voting against them. Perhaps it isn’t so surprising to hear that Reed hopes to see the NHS budget fall…
