This time, no mistakes – Will Hutton to speak at the University of West London as part of Ruskin College Oxford 125 years celebrations
Intro
Political journalist and author Will Hutton will be speaking about his latest book – This Time, No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain - at the University of West London’s Ealing campus on 23 May 2024. His talk is one of a series of events celebrating the 125th birthday of Ruskin College.
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Ruskin is an institution Will has long admired, he says:
It was founded at almost the same time as the Labour Party and has an honourable tradition of supporting it. I am looking forward to seeing if ‘Ruskinites’ will take on board some of the things I argue in my book.”
A former editor of the Observer newspaper, Hutton says his book is fundamentally hopeful, at a time when many people are very gloomy about the state of the country:
We can rebuild Britain – if you want change, you have to demand it. I hope my talk will equip people to make better arguments to their friends, families, networks and colleagues.”
Having a line of sight on what's gone wrong, he explains, not just over the last 14 years, but going back decades, will help people to analyse the world around them:
Being part of the discussion and deciding what you think is important.”
There's widespread recognition that things have deteriorated, Will continues:
In business and finance, and in the trade union movement, people are acknowledging that actually we have our backs against the wall, and we've got to behave collectively to get ourselves out of the corner.”
Hutton is particularly looking forward to speaking to students when he takes to the stage at UWL and believes what he has to say will be instructive for those considering their future careers. He does not subscribe to the idea that young people are apathetic about their world, giving the example of the environmental activism seen in recent years.
If you're in your 20s, you've got to be completely engaged. I've never taken the view that people weren’t,”
he says.
When considering an upcoming UK general election and the prospect of a potential Labour government, as a seasoned political commentator, Will is optimistic if circumspect about the future.
I think if we can become a growth country, solve our problems in health, raise educational opportunity, make our streets safer and really drive towards net zero – I know all the reasons why we're going to be sceptical, but I'd buy that,”
he says, adding that the political hourglass is half full, not half empty.
I know people are saying Keir Starmer is boring and all the policies are the same. That the situation is too far gone, and he can't do anything. But I don't buy any of that and so come along to my talk and find out why.”
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