'Westminster is worse than I feared' | Owen Jones meets Mhairi Black 

Her enthusiasm and commitment are an inspiration. Well said Mhairi Black. The contrast with the majority of Westminster politicians is glaring. The status quo is not working, and driving a breakup of the UK.

Everyone saying she has no life experience should take a hard look at the prime minister and the many privileged Westminster boys. Her past is far more grounded in reality, and those who think otherwise are not.

Mhairi might not rate Parliament too highly, but she certainly gives them a good bashing, and from what I've seen, puts some of them in their place now and again. One of the very few politicians I find myself having a lot of respect for.

Wait, Owen Jones is over 20?

LOVE Mhairi Black! We need many more politicians like her.

A healthy distrust of authority is good thing in those who are in a position of authority.

I wanted the quick fire questions to be answers with "Wank, Wank Good guy, Wank" style.

Mhair is a diamond! And being where she is at the moment will help her polishing her skills. The future looks a little bit more hopeful with her in the picture.

What an incredible, impressive and relate-able woman. Great interview.

Am so humbled and so proud of Mairhi and she is now deputy leader of the SNP at Westminster along with Stephen Flynn.Amazing woman is our Mairhi.

I'm English ! I'd vote for this genuine, thinking, articulate individual in a blink !

Hopefully when Scotland finally becomes independent from the rest of the UK, this woman should either be the deputy leader or the leader of Scotland. She's a breath of fresh air in the world of politics!

Once you go Mhairi Black you never go back.

People will stand on her shoulders in years and years to come. How great that will be. I don't think she knows how inspiring she is. How life changing she is to younger people, the world over. Nice change from some young people with famous faces, who are all "me me me". She's so humble and that will never change. Her parents did a grand job. Mhairi even tilted my stand on Scotland going it alone, a little anyway, haha

Sorry, but at around five and half mins in, that was the Resolution Foundation who described the tax as progressive. I mistakenly said the Scottish TUC.

Should have asked if she'd prefer a Conservative Independent Scotland, or a Socialist UK. Just because Scotland would be independent, doesn't mean it'd be left wing.

I'm not young but I am pleased to see a younger generation take up the cudgels or run the gauntlet of politics, politicians and the press, in the struggle for common sense to prevail, and to prevail in a fair minded society. I have liked and respected both yourself and Mhairi Black since early video encounters and TV etc. - not because you were both so young [I know that you Owen, are a 30 something now] when you began, but because it was time for each of you to claim your part in your own future, and the futures of those, a large number, whom you both represent either in Parliament or by ideal. I have no advice for either of you except to keep on doing what each of you are doing; it is both a good thing and very necessary. Best wishes!

Stay the way you are please dont change like the rest of all mp's

Heroes. Go Scotland! (and take us with you please). Best wishes, Yorkshire

She is such an inspiration.

The young have been treated terribly in recent years, great to see folk like Mhairi representing them but we need more! If you're young and in Scotland join the SNP or whichever party you feel represents your views. Don't be afraid to come along to party meetings and make your voice heard, you'll be welcomed with open arms :-) It's your future - help build it.

Scotland seems to think the majority of Britain actually want this government. So much stronger to overthrow them together.

Mhairi Black is an inspiration to us all

Labour can't win a general election alone, it needs to work with parties like SNP, lib dems and greens in order to keep the tory out of power in 2020. A more proportional voting system would help toward that goal and I wish labout would officially support electoral reform .

As a young female about to start a degree in politics (from Manchester but will be studying at Glasgow), Mhairi is one of the few politicians I can honestly relate to. I'd like to think one day parliament will be filled with more MPs of her sort, without sounding too optimistic.

As the guy who suggested this to Owen, thank you for doing this. Mhairi as engaging as ever before.

I personally like Mhari Black but I have to call bullsh*t on her 'SNP cuts' line. She starts talking about the block grant that the Scottish government gets from Westminster. Yet the real pain of (SNP) austerity is being felt most keenly in local services, affecting everything from bin collections to social care to education to libraries. Who has controlled council tax since 2007? You got it, the SNP. They have implemented a council tax freeze for the last 9 years which may be popular (it is a populist policy after all) but puts Scottish councils in an even worse position than English ones. The SNP would rather fine councils like Highland council (where I live) rather than allow them to put up rates. The end result is thousands of job losses and local services going to the wall. IF THAT ISN'T AN SNP CUT THEN WHAT IS? The stuff about being taxed twice I really couldn't follow - it certainly doesn't seem to correspond with Labour and the Lib Dem plans to put 1p on income tax. Black says that her hands are tied and that she can't do anything because she doesn't have independence. How about taking some actual responsibility for the powers your government DOES have? There's a question I would've liked Owen to ask her! Those of us who are fighting tooth and nail against a level of cuts on a par with (if not worse than) those that George Osborne is foisting on England certainly resent SNP politicians like Black cheering those cuts on whilst trying to claim the moral high ground.

Cool interview Owen :) I'm not a fan of the SNP but as a young woman interested in politics I have a lot of respect for Mhairi :) It would be cool to see you interviewing more young people in the future, keep up the good work xx

She makes me want to move to Scotland.

Such an Inspiring ,sincere lady!

I ADORE her!

Mark of the lady - has an earth shattering, massive event and her response is to think of those others that had worked all of their lives to create that event. She really is amazing - well done on the interview Owen :)

Why is the SNP getting such an easy ride for having a pro-EU anti-UK stance? If Mhairi's argument for independence (i.e. no more compromise with centre right politics) is to be taken at face value, then how does she justify having a pro-EU stance? Even more absurdly, the SNP are saying that a Brexit vote could trigger another Scottish Referendum - as they are not prepared to remain within a centre right nation that is not prepared to remain within a centre right institution. They are fervently arguing for compromise, just not within the UK. They are not anti-establishment, just anti-British.

The Torys and Westminster are some of the reasons Scotland wants out of this unequal union. It also looks like N Ireland wants out as well

Politicians like Mhairi Black are worth their weight in gold whichever side you're on. She's passionate, honest and assertive, would make a great prime minister

I'm 17 and you're definitely encouraging me Owen. Thank you for this interview - fascinating and very inspiring. Can't wait for more!

I really wish she was a Labour MP :( she is amazing

I mean, If I was Scottish I'd agree. Just praying the Scots don't leave us with the Tories forever

e could do with quite a few more Mhairi Black's in Westminster and in particular in the Labour party. I have no doubt that one day she will be leading an independent Scotland...

Mhairi Black doesn’t really know what she’s talking about. There is NO way I am voting SNP if she is a future leader. Free tuition has meant fewer places for Scottish students. This is the reality. So many people go to University but they don’t end up being MPs on80k. Instead they compete in a race to the bottom.

Occasionally the camera focuses on the back of Owen's head: as lovely as he is, I'd prefer his head the other way round, or Mhairi. Other than that, great interview - I was initially skeptical, but to my surprise Mhairi's quite impressive.

I really admire and respect this woman, a great politician. Wish they would lower the Scottish boundary to include Cumbria, where I live!

"When I was 20 I was just lounging around in my pants, hungover" - Absolute gold! Great interview once again Owen. I totally agree that we need to well and truly pop the so-called 'Westminster bubble', too many Hooray Henrys playing games with vulnerable people's lives.

Love you Mhairi, you're the best!

Mhairi's just the best. I have a lot of respect for her even though, being a year younger than me, she does make me feel fantastically inadequate.

Let's have a couple of hundred more like her in Parliament and we might get somewhere.

I wish we had someone like that in Labour

Such an inspiration to young British women!

I admire her passion but the SNP simply don't want independence. If they had a proper plan for Scotland, with their own government and their own currency - real independence, then the people would vote for it and an independent Scotland would be a success... but the SNP are simply not offering that.

Totally admire this sensible young MP, Mharir Black. More young people like this in politics please!

Interesting to hear the dark side, as it were, of Parliament. The sexism etc. And, too, the bubble. The utter bubble of the privileged. I mean, the likes of Cameron and others, I think, lack empathy. Because they're privileged, spoiled and have lived in a perpetual bubble.

Brilliant interview. Really inspiring to see Mhairi so committed to helping people have a better life and putting up with such crap from Westminster to achieve it. Thanks for the insights Owen.

"Tradition over Reason"....concise summary of Westminster

The SNP to me are a breath of fresh air, even when I don't agree with them. They are the only party who genuinly have the interests of the electorate at heart. How anyone can support Westminster which is constantly stamping on the head of the disabled and vulnerable whilst giving themselves pay rises is beyond me. Lets break free from the monster that is Westminster.

Mhairi is fantastic. There are always going to be folk who use prejudice to persuade and control, but Mhairi will rise above this archaic practice of right politics and lead the way for the many she represents. I feel represented by her politics and I hope she can continue to persuade using her reason and compassion for her constituents and wider politic objectives. Thank you, Owen, for providing a platform for the left.

wow. She actually talks so much sense!

I don't understand why she's so pro EU when she gives an example of there always being compromise with 4 countries (surely a union with 28 countries is a lot worse, and much more dictatory!)

So Happy you got to speak to her, she should be the spearhead of how new MP's should be

I'm English and as much as I would like Scotland to stay in the UK, they don't tend to be as stupid as English people to not remember the past history of Tories when they lie, as soon as they read a Tory propaganda headline. You don't see many Scottish people crying on Question Time because they believed the Tories, as they remember that Tories have harmed more British people and society than anything from the EU. They know that Tories don't have the interests of most people at heart. They know that UKIP is made up of extreme ex-Tories who are against EU as it's stopping them from abusing British people, and their main policy is to get rid of human rights from all British people. If we leave the EU then Scotland will want to be a separate nation in the EU more than ever, and then Tories will then turn England into a USA state like they have done before, and make everybody else in the world hate us for reasons only the few at the top benefit from. Despite Tories first getting us into the European market when they thought it would only be good for the upper classes and their corporate donors, as soon as there were EU directives good for most people such as allowing workers enough breaks and making companies label GM food, Tories made the rest of Europe hate us and also Ireland on the other side when they made no attempt at a peace plan, dubbing out voices of N Irish politicians in the media so we didn't know other opinions, putting us all in danger. Lots of people go on about Blair and Iraq, but they forget that it was the Tories who made us so involved with the USA that we couldn't have left for the 2nd war if we wanted. Boris Johnson tells us what to do with the EU, when he can't or pretends to not remember what his own party has done, because on same TV show everybody made a fuss with his Germany never used chemical weapons comments, nobody noticed he said there wasn't a vote on the 2nd war against Iraq, when more Tory MPs voted yes to it that other parties. Thatcher made us the only country that allowed the USA to use us as an airport to bomb Libya which killed Gaddafi's child and led to Lockerbie. Other countries wouldn't even give them airspace and made them fly around. That was in the cold war when Russia was an ally of Libya, USA was planning the Star Wars protective shield but we would have nothing. I remember a lying question dodging Tory being asked lots of times on the TV what protection we would have in Reagan's Star Wars while being their lap dogs, and he eventually said we wouldn't have anything. Then John Major made us the 2nd largest force in the 1st Iraq war, and we were the only other country going on bombing raids with the USA in the region up until 2nd war, so that we couldn't have left all our commitments there on the day before USA decided to go to war a 2nd time. It's happening again now. We're arming Saudi Arabia while saying less brutal nations like Syria under Assad need to be overthrown, supporting the USA sending arms to extremists groups against Assad so that Islamic State are driving around Syria in trucks the USA sent there.

As an English woman, I don't agree with all her politics but she is a great role model to girls. Inspiring stuff, she's an outstanding young politician.

A politician who actually answers questions - Exactly what Britain needs!

The saddest thing is...... almost all SNP supporters I know personally also support the Labour Party and were brought up in strong socialist leaning families and communities .... so when senior members of the current Labour Party are so antagonistic towards the SNP they are absolutely shooting themselves in the foot as we are one and the same! We should both be working together to oppose the Tories!!!!!!!

she is amazing, we need more people like her in Parliment

Going to be bizarre if and when Scotland gets another independence referendum; everyone will have to swap their "leaving a political union" arguments again. As others have said her arguments for leaving the UK can easily transfer to the EU especially on the issue of compromise. Still I've always liked her. She's someone I'd want in my corner.

Kind of weird that someone who thinks being part of a United Kingdom undermines Scottish sovereignty while advocating that it's vital to remain part of the EU.

I love this woman!

Can the North East become apart Mhairi Black's Scotland. It sound brilliant and anything is better than what we get from Westminster.

She would be an absolute force on the Labour Party. I love her unapologetic stance on nationalisation and education. Labour became too anglocentric and left a lot of Scottish voters out to dry. They turned to the SNP who offered a viable leftist alternative.

"There would have to be compromise" - NOOOOOO really? Compromise in politics and not always getting what you want? Does she actually think everything would work in an independent Scotland, everyone would agree and there would be no need for compromise when the majority of Scotland actually voted to stay in the UK? SNP politicians bitching about no one caring about Scotland when they're unwilling to compromise and their only response to everything is Scotland. They're like Pokemon!

The link between Trump and Weimar Germany in '33 MB made is an apt one. BTW, if Trump wins will I be able to immigrate to Scotland?

Love this girl a future leader,great interview Owen .

The SNP joined the liberals and Tories to win a vote of no confidence by 1 vote in 1979, forcing James Callaghan, the then Labour prime minister to have a general election. This ushered in 18 years of Tory government, which hollowed out manual jobs and killed of investment in Scotland. The SNP / Lib Dems split the vote and allowed the Tories back in - in 2010 , 2016 and again in 2019. The SNP always complain they don't have a voice because the Tories never invest in Scotland, but then split the vote with the Lib Dems and allow the Tories in. It seems the SNP don't mind this as it encourages the Scots to think about independence. After all, that's what Sturgeon want. If Scots have to suffer some more, what does she care if she gets her way and Scotland leaves the Union?

Yes Mhairi!!! Great interview. Thanks Owen.

I think Mhairi Black is wonderful! Too bad she can't be here in the U.S Congress!

She is a breath of fresh air!

Please Owen, use an Audacity filter to take the underground noise off your vídeo. It is very simple, very quick and will improve de quality a lot. Particularly for me, because i am a Brazilian, used to hear american english and when i hear an english talkin with a scott you might imagine how difficult it is for me to understand with all that noise. It would be like you understand a person from angola talkin to a portuguese when you are used to hear brazilians.

Love mhari black - hero

Unbelievable, amazing woman. Politicians 3x her age should be taking bloody notes.

she says young people should unite yet she wants to tag away from the rest of the young people in the UK. See you later then.

What she said about the Labour party then still stands. Soft Tories.

As we can't trust our MP's and our media, what makes you think that I'm going to listen to one word of what you ever say? You've proved time and time again that you're not on the public's side, so we're making our own way from now on, thank you very much!

The SNP has a lot of talented and able politicians and Mhairi is one of them. Scotland has provided Labour with good ones throughout its history as has Wales After the referendum when all the parties went into meltdown Nicola Sturgeon looked like the only one capable of leading the whole country. I always get annoyed with Labour for hating British and English nationalism and yet being in bed with Welsh, Irish and Scottish Nationalism.

PS: Amazing interview. The Scottish Referendum was a turning point in my life. I used to live in Edinburgh (Manchester now). My former boyfriend and I went through the referendum in daily contact. He got really worked up. When it was lost I said "Well, you're passionate about, do something - stand in the election in May [2015". He turned the question round - why don't I? So I did. I know you hate my party but I genuinely see me and others like me are there to turn the party around and remove the unsavoury part - or at least side line them. Watching that interview gave me a twinge of "what if I had been elected". I really think she is amazing - her speeches on pensions and pensioners is really world-class. Well done with the interview - we should definitely meet one day, I am sure we would get on like a house on fire [wink, wink, hint, hint]

Standard SNP rhetoric. My heart wants an independent Scotland but the SNP is wholly unconvincing - I cannot agree with someone that would rather have an independent Scotland than create a socialist UK. Not only this but the SNP party politics is closer to the Conservatives than to Labour, they simply add a sprinkling of populist nationalism of profuse blaming of London for all of our problems. It's disheartening to hear an MP simply quoting her leader and not producing a single original thought.

Crucially from June 8th, Labour will become a force in Scotland again, now Scottish voters realise Labour actually are left-wing. Mhairi acknowledged this around 9:00 in, there's no compromise required in England any more. 42% of the English vote went to a totally left wing manifesto. I fully agree with the Scots who voted SNP, Labour weren't adequate to represent their views as a country generally, however Corbyn has rectified this, and I can't wait to welcome them back and give the Tories a kicking.

Owen you're doing a great job ! All power to you and thanks for bringing the genuine politicians forward

Her point about Scotland having to follow what England wants. It's not even that--it's what Southern and rural England want. As a Northerner, in an area of the country that would never elect a right-wing party into government, I have to suffer the same thing. It's always what some provincial, parochial, reactionary Southerners want. This is why the historical area of Northumbria should also fight for devolution and eventual independence.

You should interview Sian Berry. Interesting issue there with her policies being closer to Jeremy Corbyn's than Sadiq Khan's are, but if Khan loses that would be seen as a rejection of Corbyn.

FINALLY!!

Maaaan I wish she would come to England and join the Labour Party. We need motivated young socialists. It's the only way this country can prosper. Redistribute the wealth ✊🏼

On first impression I like Mhairi Black and I find all her positions sympathetic. But I always want someone to ask left-wing nationalists if they're not concerned about the people who will be left behind if Scotland becomes independent. What about all the working-class Labour voters who will stuck in right-wing England? I find it hard to believe that Mhairi Black believes that only Scottish people are deserving of socially just political arrangments.

Impressive lady, The Sturge' must be proud.

You need to start a new party in England called The Progressive Party, and align with the SNP in most policies.

Vote fir Mhairi or she'll batter yer cnut in

Take Mhairi's initial comments about democracy in the UK and apply them to the UK in the EU. Conclusion: we have to leave.

NO tuition fees isn't true. And I'm a SNP member and supporter but that one thing isn't true.

So theere would be no compromise in an independent Scotland? Sounds naive...

Labour was in power for 13 years and because of the result of the 2010 and 2015 elections the scottish lefties solution is leaving the country because they don't like the party in power? I don't like the people in power and independence from our great unified island is not answer. We can all get a government that we are relatively happy about as long as we get proportional representation. Think about it. If we had coalition governments the Scottish would be having a better deal and the rest of us would too. The woman in the video even hints at the problems of first past the post (seeing as it's almost a two party system and how you have to either vote one or the other to keep out the other) . I'm a ukip supporter myself (please don't lynch my Owen Jones fans) and I feel we'd be much happier (especially the Welsh and Scottish) if we had a better voting system

Admirable lady...go Mhaire!

I am totally against the primary goal of the SNP which is to separate Scotland from the rest of the UK but it's the likes of Mhairi Black that politicians and aspiring politicians in the Labour Party could learn a lot from