Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock reflected on Labour politics, past, present and future, sharing his views on the Labour leadership, health, education, foreign policy, Lords reform - and why he opposes the government's decision to renew Trident - at a special Fabian members event.

Neil Kinnock would oppose the government's plans to renew Trident if he were still an MP, the former Labour party leader told a Fabian Society event on Monday night.

'I would not vote for the government line', said Kinnock, arguing that the government had failed to make a convincing case – 'in terms of defence, in terms of public expenditure or an assessment of the current and future threats facing the UK' – to justify spending billions of pounds.

Kinnock, who had reversed Labour's unilateral disarmament policy as leader, said he felt that postponement makes much more sense than either an argument to pursue complete nuclear disarmament, which I do not think is sensible, or signing up on the dotted line for renewal. Renewal would in fact increase Britain's nuclear weapons capacity and so was at odds with Britain's mutlilateral obligations as a nuclear power under the long-standing non-proliferation treaty.

Kinnock was taking part in a wide-ranging public conversation with The Guardian's Michael White and Fabian members, kindly hosted by the Institute of Education, reflecting on Labour history and his life in politics as well as the government's record in office and future prospects.

Kinnock also said that he 'bitterly regretted' Tony Blair's statement signalling his intention to serve a third but not a fourth term. 'I felt that he surrendered any degree of control over his own future', said Kinnock, attributing this to Blair being 'uncharacteristically demoralised' by political events and the pressures of office at the time.

Kinnock called for 'the Prime Minister to be categoric about the date as soon as possible', as the only way to halt 'avoidable damage' to the government and future prospects for the Labour party, and declared that 'the person most fit to be his successor, without any reservation or a shadow of doubt, is Gordon Brown'.

'David [Miliband] is being very wise. He is not going to run. That's it', said Kinnock. Asked whether he had himself taken on the leadership too young in 1983, aged 41, Kinnock said that his becoming leader so quickly would have been inconceivable at the time of the 1976 contest, when the Labour government had included Tony Crosland, Shirley Williams and Denis Healey but a 'chapter of accidents' had left him 'no alternative but to run for the leadership in 1983'.

Kinnock criticised what he called 'tribelets of retainers' around Number 10 and Number 11 Downing Street, arguing that mostly through anonymous briefings had given an impression of 'instability and internecine warfare between the principals which does not reflect the reality'.

There were 'tragic elements' to how significant achievements of the Blair government were being overshadowed. He highlighted the 'monumental achievements' in Northern Ireland, hailing 'Ian Paisley having to take responsibility for the first time in his life' as a victory for democracy. There had been 'gigantic' improvements in the NHS' and Kinnock said he 'grieved at the fantastic inverstion of reality' where the Conservative Party now had a small poll lead on health, where 'the evidence for improvement, investment and change is genuine'.

Kinnock was critical of the government's education agenda, arguing that the essence of reform should have been smaller class sizes for children of all ages, and secondly to transform the curriculum for 14-19 year olds, rather than the government's 'preoccupation with some form of market system'

On House of Lords reform, Kinnock praised the thrust of Robin Cook's 2003 reform bill , for presenting a vision for reform of a 'substantially elected' house which was also politically feasible. Kinnock envisaged 80% of members being elected while retaining some cross-bench peers, appointed transparently, and the representation of the Bishops, as being the approach which could prevent reform being derailed once again. 'We are not going to get any significant reform without embracing that hybridity', he said.

Neil Kinnock was in conversation with Michael White on Monday, 12th March, 6 – 7.30pm, Logan Hall, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL. Tickets were free for Fabian members and for new members joining the Society, to thank members for their support. The Fabian Society thanks our hosts, the Institute of Education, and our media partner The Guardian for their support for this event.

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