“It will happen in the first Queen’s Speech” – Chuka Umunna’s interview with LabourList

Recently LabourList interviewed Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna, with questions submitted by LabourList Grassroots members. The interview covered a wide range of topics, including zero-hour contracts, a possible coalition deal and that Sun picture.

You can watch the full interview, which has been available to members of the Grassroots members since last Tuesday, here:

In his role, Umunna has built a reputation as one of the more business-friendly faces in the Shadow Cabinet – and here he spoke positively about building a narrative focussing on aspiration in the next year, saying that “aspiration has to be at the centre of everything we do”.

The idea of Labour having a “narrative” is something he obviously sees as vital to success. This is especially on the doorstep, where he seemed unconvinced by the scripts activists have to work with – believing that a smarter way to build relationships with voters is by talking about personal values when out doorknocking.

On the topic of building a narrative, he said:

“Policy is important, but you’ve got to knit that together in a story of what the country is now, and what we want to do in the future, not just in the country but for your community and your family. One of the things you’re going to see from us between now and the general election is knitting it together in that story.”

But what will these policies be? Asked about what timescale Labour had planned for improving the minimum wage, the Streatham MP wasn’t afraid to speak candidly about how long he felt it would take – and why:

“We’ll set a target [for the minimum wage] in terms of the percent of the median income we want the Low Pay Commission to work towards, and we’ll get them to do that over five years. Now why five years? Why not immediately? Because we want to give employers time to increase productivity and plan for an improved rate.”

On zero-hour contracts, however, he was clear that a Labour Government will waste no time in tackling the exploitation of workers, even if they are keeping the intricacies of what that will involve to themselves for now:

“It would require legislation – that is something that will happen in the first Queen’s Speech.”

To get content like this first, and have the opportunity to put your own questions to senior Labour figures, join the LabourList Grassroots Programme now for as little as £1 a week.