A conversation with Polly Toynbee (Parts 1 & 2)
TMP Thu Nov 08, 2007 at 12:17:14 AM GMT 
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Polly Toynbee is invariably referred to as one of the most influential commentators of the New Labour era, reviled and revered in equal measure. This doyenne of the Left was formerly BBC social affairs editor and an associate editor of the Independent before rejoining the Guardian in 1998, where she had spent many years earlier in her career and where she still resides. In this in depth interview with Polly - the first for many years - Chuka Umunna, editor of TMP (the online political magazine) and Compass management committee member, talks to Polly about life and her views.
In the first part of the interview , Chuka spoke to Polly about:
· her political activism in the 1980s and membership of the SDP – “we always knew we would either help bring the Labour Party to its senses or we would win”
· her career – “after it all ended in [a proverbial] car crash, I joined the BBC in 1988 as social affairs editor, which gave me an elegant reason for leaving the [SDP]”
· her views on her profession - “we’ve had a peculiarly right wing, distorted press, owed by a small handful of very nasty people deliberately making us xenophobic, horrible, nationalistic and small minded”
· her take on the Paxman/Humphreys approach to politicians – “I think when they are at their most aggressive they are not [well-briefed] and they resort to abuse and bullying”.
To read the first part of their conversation in full, click here – http://www.tmponline.org/?p=254
Today, in the second part of their conversation:
· Chuka puts to Polly the accusation that she contradicts herself – “Some people say you are a bit all over the place and that you often contradict yourself”
· Polly justifies her claim that the Brown government has left social democracy for dead – “I think Brown has decided (and Blair had done so already) that he is not a social democrat”
· Chuka asks her about the electoral viability of the equality and fairness agenda she promotes – “How can the government sell ideals of equality and fairness in an electorally viable way?”
· Chuka invites her to speculate on which “young turk” will succeed the Prime Minister – “Who are the two you’d mark out as future leaders?”
To read the second part of their conversation in full, click here – http://www.tmponline.org/?p=255.
· her political activism in the 1980s and membership of the SDP – “we always knew we would either help bring the Labour Party to its senses or we would win”
· her career – “after it all ended in [a proverbial] car crash, I joined the BBC in 1988 as social affairs editor, which gave me an elegant reason for leaving the [SDP]”
· her views on her profession - “we’ve had a peculiarly right wing, distorted press, owed by a small handful of very nasty people deliberately making us xenophobic, horrible, nationalistic and small minded”
· her take on the Paxman/Humphreys approach to politicians – “I think when they are at their most aggressive they are not [well-briefed] and they resort to abuse and bullying”.
To read the first part of their conversation in full, click here – http://www.tmponline.org/?p=254
Today, in the second part of their conversation:
· Chuka puts to Polly the accusation that she contradicts herself – “Some people say you are a bit all over the place and that you often contradict yourself”
· Polly justifies her claim that the Brown government has left social democracy for dead – “I think Brown has decided (and Blair had done so already) that he is not a social democrat”
· Chuka asks her about the electoral viability of the equality and fairness agenda she promotes – “How can the government sell ideals of equality and fairness in an electorally viable way?”
· Chuka invites her to speculate on which “young turk” will succeed the Prime Minister – “Who are the two you’d mark out as future leaders?”
To read the second part of their conversation in full, click here – http://www.tmponline.org/?p=255.
A conversation with Polly Toynbee (Parts 1 & 2) | 3 comments (3 topical)
A conversation with Polly Toynbee (Parts 1 & 2) | 3 comments (3 topical)
