Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart: ‘Super shame’ major parties ignore poverty

Stewart, who has said he would serve in Keir Starmer’s government if asked, said: “I think Labor is missing a huge opportunity to be a party that represents better values and hopes, and that they could do that at a way that causes no harm. them in the elections, could even help them.”

Earlier this week, Stewart also said he was concerned that Labor would become an “austerity government – socially liberal and fiscally conservative – while the world moves in a very different direction”.

He added that appealing to former Conservative voters disgusted by Britain’s extreme poverty and homelessness, as well as the treatment of prisoners, could be a winning strategy.

“A new Labor government should be able to put that at the heart of its moral mission and project. It wouldn’t cost that much money,” he said.

Voters living in poverty are less likely to show up to the polls, but research shows they are also more open to switching parties. When they talked about the Big Problem early in the campaign, experts said it presented an opportunity for politicians willing to tackle the problem.

Echoing this point, Campbell said: “If people feel that they are not at the center of the election debate that they are hearing and following and bearing in mind, as we said yesterday, that many people are just withdrawing from the debate completely, then it makes it less likely that they will vote.”

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