Thangam Debbonaire: 'We will be the greenest government ever if we get in next week'

By Amaan Ali and Annie McNamee, Co-Editors-in-Chief

The July 4 General Election could see Labour wins sweeping across the nation. Polls predict they could gain literally hundreds of seats, but in Bristol things are different. Bristol Central could be a loss for Labour.

Thangam Debbonaire has served as an MP since 2015, and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport last year. She's running for re-election, but her road to victory has not been as clear as many of her labour peers. Support has been growing in Bristol for Carla Denyer and the Green party, leading to what has become an incredibly tight race.

Thangam met us in the Courtrooms to discuss what she had to offer to you, the students. She had a firm handshake, and between her scarlet lipstick and bright red dress, there was no question who she represented. Strong-minded and very passionate about the arts, she seemed immediately like the exact type of person you'd imagine when you picture a local public servant.

Throughout her tenure as MP she has been a staunch advocate for social justice, housing, and education. Her campaign now focuses on a lot of issues which matter to students, from the importance of improved mental health services to a robust support for the arts and culture. With a background in music and a track record of active community engagement, it was clear that she knows her constituency pretty well.

But is she right for students in Bristol? That's for you to decide.

‘A Decade of National Renewal’ 

Stabilising the economy has been at the heart of Labour’s policies for this election, and Thangam’s vision for Bristol follows the party line in that respect. 

‘Keir Starmer has talked about a decade of national renewal, and unfortunately, after 14 years of Tory chaos and division and economic mismanagement, it will take a decade,’ she explained, ‘but I know the people of this country are desperate for change and desperate for hope.’

Debbonaire reinforced that Labour’s plans are not just short-term fixes but long-term strategies, designed to rebuild and strengthen a nation at breaking point.

'The people of this country are desperate for change and desperate for hope.'

And according to Debbonaire, we’ll be paying for the Tories’ mistakes for years to come. Speaking on the Liz Truss-Kwasi Kwarteng budget, she said, 'it sent the pound plummeting, interest rates skyrocketing, and with that, mortgage rates and rents which affect students so profoundly going up and up as well.'

‘It's so important that we have a government that provides financial stability,’ she stressed.

Labour's approach, she continued, will focus on restoring confidence in the UK’s financial management through stringent fiscal rules. These rules would aim to stabilise the pound, control inflation, and ultimately, lower mortgage rates and rents. Debbonaire asserts that achieving economic stability is essential if we truly want to see things in the country improve.

Saving the NHS

We all need the NHS, and we all know it doesn’t exactly work very well at the moment. Thangam noted the dire state of NHS waiting times, explaining Labour’s plans to invest in new diagnostic equipment and increase weekly appointments by 40,000, thus bringing down waiting times. ‘There are currently 7.5 million people waiting for treatment. That's just not good enough,’ she asserted. 

'We will bring those waiting lists down by investing in new diagnostic equipment so people can get diagnosed earlier and hopefully get less sick and treated quicker… but also by making sure that we can offer 40,000 more appointments each week in the NHS.'

Combating Crime

Crime reduction is another key priority for Labour, with Debbonaire highlighting the commitment to boosting police numbers and tackling violence against women and girls.

‘We will put 13,000 new police officers back on the streets and establish policing hubs in every neighbourhood,’ she promised.

'Every student I've spoken to has said they want rid of the Tory government. There is a way to do that. It's by voting labour on the Fourth of July.'

Additionally, Labour aims to halve violence against women and girls within a parliamentary term and address the issue of dangerous knives: ‘we will tackle violence against women and girls with a multi-pronged approach that will help bring down rates of violence against women and girls.'

On the Housing Crisis 

Housing is a huge concern for Bristol students, most of whom feel they are paying too much for not enough space or quality in their home. Labour’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes in the first term of parliament may help them lower house prices, but it may not be enough for students who don’t feel they’ll ever be able to buy a house anyway.

Thangam doesn’t see it that way. ‘The key way to tackle the cost of housing is by increasing supply,’ she explained. 

For the benefit of renters, the party will, ‘scrap unfair section 21, or ‘No Fault’, evictions, where the landlord suddenly decides they want to get rid of the tenant, and often it will be a young person who's trying to complain about poor quality or has just been there a while, and put the prices up.’

‘We will also tackle some of the most appalling ways that renters in particular are treated,’ continued Debbonaire. 

‘So many students talk about their poor quality accommodation, and we will make sure that landlords have to provide good quality accommodation by tackling things such as mould and landlords' failure to deal with mould and damp.’

If that all sounds pretty convincing to you, you’re not alone. According to the hopeful MP, she was ‘stopped in the street just the other day by two students who said they were voting Labour because they want to be able to own a home of their own one day, and we are offering that possibility.’

Addressing Mental Health

Recognizing the mental health epidemic among young people, Debbonaire advocated for early intervention, stating the party’s intent to ‘have a mental health specialist in every secondary school.’ She also mentioned the importance of youth hubs, which would offer mental health support, careers advice, and other essential services.

'These are not right wing policies, they are left-wing.. These are really radical left-wing proposals that the Tories absolutely hate.'

Debbonaire also validated the issues young people face today which might lead them to need mental health support. Labour’s approach prioritises early intervention, as Thangam explained that she wished to ‘tackle the problem of young people's mental health much earlier, as young as primary school.’ 

She said that Labour will provide support before problems escalate by creating youth hubs which would provide a holistic support system, offering not just mental health services, but also career advice and other essential resources.

Rebuilding Trust with Young People

A growing number of young people are turning away from politics altogether after a youth which was defined by ‘unprecedented’ political events. 

Thangam thinks that Keir Starmer could strengthen young people’s trust in politics. She explained that ‘Keir Starmer wants to clean up politics… He has a history of setting tough, high standards and holding people to them. That's part of who he is. He's a man of great integrity and great leadership skills.’

'We will be the greenest government ever if we get in next week.'

‘I know that young people are hoping that we're going to take on the climate crisis, offer them hope of a future of good jobs, of having a home of their own, or good quality rental accommodation.’

‘All of those are in our manifesto.’

She also highlighted Labour’s green policies, including the establishment of Great British Energy, public ownership of trains, and investment in renewable energy.

'We will be the greenest government ever if we get in next week.'

The establishment of Great British Energy aims to provide a sustainable and publicly-owned energy solution, while public ownership of trains is intended to improve reliability and affordability. Investments in renewable energy further highlight Labour’s commitment to a green future, positioning the party as a leader in climate action.

'A responsible political party knows that only an irresponsible political party writes a manifesto without fully costing.'

Thangam also rejected the idea that Labour are turning further to the right than they have been before, as some commentators have accused them of doing.

‘Bringing trains back into public ownership, tackling the NHS waiting list, creating a publicly owned renewable energy company. These are not right wing policies, they are left-wing.. These are really radical left-wing proposals that the Tories absolutely hate.’ 

Balancing Fiscal Responsibility and Progressive Policies

Despite arguing that Labour remain firmly left of centre, Thangam admitted that the party must always put fiscal responsibility first, meaning that progress must be made in an economically responsible way.

‘A responsible political party knows that only an irresponsible political party writes a manifesto without fully costing, full of pledges that they know they are never going to be held to account over because they know they're never going to do them.’

The money needed to make Labour’s plans work will come from targeting tax loopholes and increasing taxes on profitable industries like oil and gas. Debbonaire assures that the party is aware of the financial struggles many face and is committed to not increasing taxes on those who are already under economic pressure. This approach seeks to balance fiscal responsibility with social equity, ensuring that those with the greatest ability to contribute do so.

Passion for the Arts

Thangam lit up when we began to discuss the arts. Clearly passionate about the topic, she was angry as she denounced Rishi Sunak’s dismissal of so-called 'Mickey Mouse' degrees, calling it ‘outrageous'.

‘That is a disgusting way to treat people who have aspirations to work in the creative industries. But it's also stupid, because the creative industries are potentially one of the fastest growing industries we have, and people, young people, who want a future in those jobs, deserve to be treated better than that.’

LGBTQ+ Rights

There's a huge community of LGBT people at Bristol university, and an even wider group who would consider themselves allies. Equity and respect for LGBT people is essential for many student voters, who will be glad to know that Debbonaire spoke strongly of her support of banning conversion therapy.

'We believe that that people who are who are gay, who are lesbian or trans, should be able to get support, not conversion therapy and forced practices like that,' she explained.

She also made clear that the Tories have fallen short in protecting Trans rights and made it clear that Labour would update the gender recognition act.

'The last Labour government brought in the gender recognition act, but we know it needs updating, and the current government has refused to do anything about it. That's what Keir Starmer has pledged to do.'

As we began to wrap up our chat, Thangam had a direct message for Epigram readers who are sick of the current Conservative government: Every student I've spoken to has said they want rid of the Tory government. There is a way to do that. It's by voting labour on the Fourth of July.'

We shared another firm handshake and said our goodbyes, agreeing that we hope to see each other at the polls this Thursday.

It is clear that Labour aims to bring hope and change to our country, and that they have a clear idea of the best way to do so. Whether Bristol agrees with them or not will be revealed on Friday morning, as the results start to roll in.

Who will you be voting for on July 4?