Englishman in New York. Best known for #ClimateWeekNYC but you should hear my new stuff. Views my own. i_am_adam_lake on insta.
Joined March 2010
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If you randomly selected 100 people and put them through the same scrutiny as a politician, the full works of old social media posts, finances, problematic family members, what percentage do you think would survive? If it’s less than 50% then politics is broken. I’d hazard a guess that it’s closer to 20%, and ironically, it would be those with the cleanest slates who would make the worst representatives of people, yet make up the majority.
The fear of having your whole life judged and traduced keeps many out of politics, because what’s the point.
If the public wants better politicians it needs to stop judging but a false criteria of sainthood which only supports careerist drones and professionally deceitful hypocrites and charlatans.
Trump, Farage and Boris got away with it because it’s priced into their brand. But you should be able to be imperfect without making your imperfection the core of your identity.
But this isn’t on the politicians to fix. Or the media. It’s on the people. We get the leaders we deserve. And we’ve been recruiting terribly as of late.
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She is actually very brilliant.
Jun 2
Watch in full: @KemiBadenoch's powerful response to the murder of Henry Nowak and the shocking police bodycam footage ⬇️
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I read the Tony Blair essay last night. I thought it was a really clear articulation of the challenges faced not just by Britain, but the world. I found myself agreeing, strongly, with about 90% of it.
I am stunned by the response today. Now living in the US, I'm significantly less connected to the UK vibe, but I'm pretty astonished at the blinkers so many supposed political leaders force on themselves.
The main rebuttal seems to be that these global changes aren't as fun to talk about as traditional town hall politics. As Blair sets out, only utter irrelevance will come from this.
In the US, there are similar challenges, and too often politicians look to simplify the global situation. The difference is the private sector in the US is so vast, the scale and speed is so strong in these emerging markets, that it doesn't hold progress back.
The UK will never compete with the US or China on the AI revolution, but it is best placed to be a strong third. For the size of our economy, that should be seen as our number one pursuit.
To say, "Why are you talking about AI when you should be focussing on the NHS and the cost of living" shows a level of naivety that is crushing. If those voices lead the conversation in the UK, its future is bleak. It is the flat earth equivalent. Whether you like it or not, that is the reality. We can embrace it and reap the benefits for society, or ignore it and forever be a poor follower.
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She wouldn’t be the first woman to be totally unaware that her husband spends all his time online looking at Grinder.
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Adam Lake retweeted
May 24
Been living in New York City for around five years now.
Yes, it’s expensive, taxes are high, and there are some interesting characters walking around. Those are some of the costs.
Here’s what we get:
Access to the best restaurants in America, no matter what type of food you’re in the mood for.
Everything our family needs is just a short walk away.
You constantly get to see friends in person, as they’re always passing through.
Some of the best public and private schools in America.
The network you build here, just by going about your day-to-day life, is incredible. You run into some of the most interesting people doing the most amazing things at the highest level.
Access to the best doctors in the world.
The career opportunities here are immense, no matter what you do.
Central Park – my go-to spot – never gets old.
If you’re a shopper, there’s nowhere better in America.
If you’re an entrepreneur, this city forces you to think bigger on a daily basis.
Broadway, sports, concerts, comedy – the highest level of entertainment, right in your backyard.
The subway. Yes, the subway – and yes, millions of normal people take it every day – gets you around this place like a time machine.
It’s a wonderful place to raise kids. Every kids' activity you can think of is just blocks away. Our son loves the Natural History Museum, and endless playdates are available either in our building or within a three-minute walk.
Maybe all those folks who can afford to live anywhere in the world but choose to raise their families here aren’t so crazy after all.
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If I was the comms guy for Keir this would be my approach.
Every PM, apart from maybe Liz Truss, goes through a process (it can take seconds or years) when people reflect that they were actually very good.
That moment Gordon Brown walked out with his kids, Theresa shedding a tear, Blair at the final PMQs, Rishi just being decent.
The Keir approach should be to essentially comms that he is gone. People think he is gone, but he hasn't owned that yet, so he looks weak. He should continue the "business as usual" but be utterly decent to the likes of Andy and Wes, and try and get the benefits a former PM gets of "actually they were decent" while still in office. If he does that he might have a chance of turning things around. Not a big chance, but a chance. And that is what I'd do.
May 18
NEW: PM visited Labour HQ today & he’s coming out fighting. Starmer acknowledges tough results and that “it’s not been easy circumstances in last 10 days”
Makes it clear he’s carrying on with the job “to serve my country and to carry out my duties as Prime Minister of this country”
Says he’ll support the candidate in Makerfield 100%
Also uses the remarks to highlight his record - 2 child benefit cap, renters’ rights, NHS lists - and make point that many people just want govt ‘to get on with it’
Full quotes:
“I just wanted to come here to Labour Party headquarters to say a big thank you to you. The election results were not the ones that we wanted, they were really tough. But you worked your socks off.
“It’s not been easy circumstances in the last 10 days. But you have just got on with the job that we asked you to do.
“If you look at just some of the figures that came out last week. We had growth figures that were the best in the G7. That's because of the hard work that we've done in government. On the economy we've got ourselves into a good position, having inherited a real basket case from the last government.
“The NHS figures were really good, which again vindicates what we did, which was invest in the NHS, which is what we said we would do.
“And that's on top of all the other things… The Employment Rights Act. The biggest upgrade in renters’ rights in a generation.
“And then of course all the work that we are doing around child poverty, of which I am really proud. What a game changer that will be for a whole generation and will be measured for years and years to come because the children will feel the impact for the rest of their lives. They will have chances they wouldn't otherwise have had.
“The election results tell us that people are frustrated, they don’t feel that their lives have changed quickly enough.
“We need to build up the urgency of what we do. We need a bit more hope in there. And we need to remember at all times what we are here to do. We were elected to government to serve the people of this country.
“And I remind myself every day that in July 2024 millions of people voted for us to come into government, to get on with the job, to govern, and to bring about the change that they want.
“So I am focused on the job that I was asked to do, which is to serve my country and to carry out my duties as Prime Minister of this country. Delivering for the very many people who voted us into office, who are saying, ‘just get on with it, get on with the job, get on with the change that I need to see in my life’. And that is what I am going to be doing.
“We now have an important by-election coming up. It is Labour versus Reform. We will know very shortly who the candidate is. Whoever they are I am going to support them one hundred per cent and I want every member, everyone in our movement to support them. A Labour candidate to beat Reform. That is the fight that we are in.”
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Example speech I would write to reflect this:
“Let’s just get real. We’re seeing a leadership contest right now without a vacancy. And you know what, I’m not stupid, there’s a reason for that and the reason is people think I’m on the way out. Significant parts of the country, and in my own party, just don’t think I’m delivering.
But if you think that makes me a lame duck Prime Minister you don’t know me. I know the challenge ahead, and I know I have nothing to lose, because out of all the people telling you what you want to hear about how they will make your lives better, I am the only one not campaigning to be leading this country. Because I am leading this country, and all I ask is you give my outcomes over the coming months the same scrutiny you give these promises.
I’ve never liked showing my process, I’m a lawyer. All that matters for me is not adulation over process but getting victory over the line. You might think I’m not the greatest communicator or the best politician. I’m not. But I thought this country didn’t like politicians. I’m not going to pretend to be something I’m not, and maybe I’ve failed in the past at trying to fit that mould, of looking too polished and normal when that’s just not who I am.
Forget what you think about me, it was never about me. Think about what you care about, what is important to you. Don’t judge me on whether or not you’d like to have a pint with me, judge me on how the IMF upgrading our growth forecast this week impacts your job security, what the promise of lower taxes and higher pay means to you. Judge me on the reduction in illegal immigration [cite figures] and how much safer that makes you feel walking in your communities at night. Judge me on [etc etc].
I’m not pretending to be the Messiah. I’m not pretending to be a naughty boy either. I’m not pretending to be anything. I’m the Prime Minister, I don’t need to do that. Look at what this country has been through over the last decade, the chaos, and ask yourself. Are we on the right track? The recent polling results suggest we are not. But politics have never been what have driven me. Is our country on the right track? Look at what is changing. If you thinks it’s not, do what you need to do. All I ask is you base your assessment on fact. Not vibes. I’m not a vibes based PM. I think our party needs to ask if that’s what this country really needs right now.
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I don’t understand how Labour women aren’t even being talked about in the new PM stakes. Rachel Reeves is Chancellor, nobody even suggesting it. Yvette Cooper is one of the most experienced politicians we have and is Foreign Secretary. Nothing. Angela Rayner seems to be described as nothing more than a Burnham supporter, she was Deputy Prime Minister. No disrespect to Andy or Wes, but you could absolutely argue that each of them is more qualified. It’s not even talked about. It’s just bizarre.
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Adam Lake retweeted
May 15
Give this man an interview already definitely following suit 😂😂😂🤌
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The line “frustrated at the pace of change” assumes the public understand and believe the specific change the government wants, and implies there are signs that movement in that direction is seen and believed, and people want more. People don’t know what change is promised.
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Without a single result out yet let’s just be clear about a couple of things regarding UK politics.
Reform and Green votes are largely protest votes, a significant thing, but not as significant as people make out.
Labour and the Conservatives have had their death rites read many times. It’s never true. There’s a generation of resilience built in. Neither party is dead, or close to dead.
This is a wake up call, a splash of water on the face and all the rest of it for the mainstream parties, but this isn’t X Factor, it’s the World Cup. Those parties with strong foundations can have bad years, but they’re built on strong foundations of local talent, and have much harder resilience than the popular guy about town - whether that be Nigel or Zack.
I know political commentators like to use the word seismic, perhaps we need to be honest that this is more of a rumble.
But as I say. No results in yet. But I remember when the “Conservative Party is over forever” after 1997 and I remember when “Labour will never recover from Corbyn” in more recent years.
Don’t panic. It’s just the process. It’s the lovely process.
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Adam Lake retweeted
Absolute classic! 🤣🤣
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