Unpacked – Darren Jones: from Lawrence Weston to Starmer’s right-hand man

Bristol North West MP Darren Jones is a man whose political rise has been rapid.From growing up in a Lawrence Weston council flat to representing his home turf as an MP, and since September assuming a new role as Keir Starmer’s chief secretary, Jones’ story is rooted in Bristol. In this week’s episode he talks to Neil about that journey and how his early experiences shaped his politics.But Jones’ recent promotion comes as Labour faces plummeting public support in the face of policy flip-flops, challenges from Reform and, from some sections of the electorate, from the Greens and Lib Dems. He’s said his role is to “fix government delivery, help improve communications and help change the country”.What does Jones make of Labour’s gloomy polling figures and the missteps that have fuelled them? How can the government connect with the public – and why is he turning to YouTube in an attempt to reach younger voters? Tune into the first episode of a new Unpacked season to find out. The Bristol Cable is Bristol's community-owned cooperative newsroom - fiercely independent journalism that puts people before profit. Since 2014, we've been holding power to account through investigative reporting, community campaigns, and democratic media ownership. Because when journalism serves the community, not shareholders, real change becomes possible.Support independent journalism and help us bring more vital conversations to Bristol: become a Bristol Cable member.