Lessons in Power: Immigration Policy w/ David Blunkett
Episode 3 - Lord David Blunkett joins Michael and Mems to discuss his time at the Home Office and immigration policy during Tony Blair's administration.
Debates about migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats dominated the 2024 general election. The Labour government will now face pressure from all sides to resolve the issue decisively but humanely.
Lord David Blunkett was Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1997-2001), Home Secretary (2001-4) and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2005). He joins Michael and Mems to discuss his time at the Home Office and immigration policy during Tony Blair's administration. They discuss whether the Home Office is fit for purpose, running the ministry in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, negotiating with France's Nicolas Sarkozy over asylum policy, and the debate around whether (and when) asylum seekers should receive the right to work.
Lessons in Power is a SPERI Presents... podcast. Professor Michael Jacobs and Mems Ayinla interview ministers and advisors from the New Labour administration (1997-2010) to tease out lessons on a range of issues for Keir Starmer’s newly formed Labour government.
Credits
- Chris Saltmarsh, Department of Politics and International Relations
- Remi Edwards, SPERI
- Frank Maracchione, Department of Politics and International Relations
- Emma Mahoney, School of Geography and Planning
- Dillon Wamsley, SPERI
- Andrew Hindmoor, Department of Politics and International Relations and SPERI
- Michael Jacobs, Department of Politics and International Relations and SPERI
- Mems Ayinla, Director of Student Influence at Sheffield Students' Union.
- David Aragón, tech support
- Andy Gambino, music and audio
- Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
