LONDON – In a powerful display of political engagement, Labour Home launched its inaugural event last night with a sold-out conversation featuring Metro Mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, drawing 600 attendees to a London theatre and signalling a strong appetite for a renewed, hopeful, and progressive politics.
The event, centred on the Mayors' book Head North, was chaired by the Daily Mirror’s Ros Wynne Jones. It marked the first time the two Mayors had discussed their “Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain” with a London audience, sparking a wide-ranging and at times emotional discussion.
The conversation wove personal history with political vision, from childhood stories and reflections on the Hillsborough tragedy to witty anecdotes and a robust defence of public ownership. Both leaders issued clear policy calls, including the renationalisation of Thames Water and the creation of a ‘Grenfell Law’ to establish a safe, secure home as a human right.
“It was refreshing to hear politicians talking about the need to take control of everything that was broken up—to bring all the essentials back into public ownership,” the event’s opener stated.
A central theme was the urgent need for redistribution without resorting to an anti-London narrative. The Mayors outlined the stark reality of the North-South divide and the "two-tier system" evident within London itself, where "millionaires and people relying on foodbanks live side by side."
Further specific policy demands included a mass programme of council house building to eradicate homelessness, halting the third runway at Heathrow, and scrapping the two-child benefit cap. “Use a gambling tax, a wealth tax—however you can do it, then do it, because it will make such a huge difference to so many hundreds of thousands of kids,” was the clear message from the stage.
Inevitably, the subject of national leadership arose, prompting a frank discussion on the need for the party to inspire its members and appeal to the electorate once more. The line was clear: the individual leader is less important than the need for immediate change, with a warning against the party’s “dangerous lurch to the right.”
The evening concluded on a note of hope, with a call to reinject optimism into politics and deliver policies that improve everyday lives. The public appetite was undeniable, as approximately 400 attendees stayed after the formal event to have books signed, take photos, and engage directly with the Mayors.
“The night certainly achieved its goal of uplifting and enthusing people about politics again,” a spokesperson for Labour Home said, promising that “Labour Home will be holding many more events like this.”
