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Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps have signalled a shift in the British position towards the Israel-Gaza conflict, suggesting that British support for Israel's actions may be time-limited. James Heale talks to Katy Balls and Stephen Bush. Produced by Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday’s political shows. Baroness Michelle Mone admits she lied about her involvement in PPE deal but also claims she and her husband have done nothing wrong. Oliver Dowden rejects accusations of cronyism in government, but Wes Streeting says Labour would investigate pandemic corruption. Streeting also says the NHS needs reform not more money. And Rishi Sunak thinks Rwanda legislation is the ‘best thing we can get’. Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill. Hosted on...
The big economic news of the week was that the Bank of England has held interest rates at 5.25 per cent for the third consecutive time. This was the expected outcome of the Monetary Policy Committee’s latest vote, but it wasn’t unanimous. There were six MPC votes to hold rates but three to raise it to 5.5 per cent. Should we expect a rate cut any time soon? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
The big political news today is the Standards Committee recommendation against Scott Benton, meaning a likely by-election in Blackpool South. He was the MP caught on camera by the Times in April, allegedly boasting about lobbying ministers for cash to a gambling firm. When will Rishi catch a break? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Paul Goodman, editor of Conservative Home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
The Tories are reeling from a week of painful infighting over Rwanda. Who are the ‘five families’ of Conservative dissenters? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The government has won this evening’s vote on the ‘safety of Rwanda’ bill comfortably at 313 votes to 269 against. This means Rishi Sunak has managed to pass his bill at second reading after a day of negotiations with the various Tory tribes. Not a single Tory MP voted against the bill but 38 conservative MPs abstained. Katy Balls and James Heale discuss what comes next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rishi Sunak faces the first major test of his premiership today over the second reading of the Rwanda bill. How could the day play out? And what will happen if the Prime Minister loses the vote? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It was Rishi Sunak's turn at the Covid Inquiry today. The Prime Minister faced questions on Eat Out to Help Out, his relationship with No.10, tiers and PPE procurement. How did the former Chancellor come across? And how has his tone changed because he is now Prime Minister? Natasha Feroze speaks to Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday's political shows. On Wednesday Robert Jenrick resigned over the government's Rwanda legislation, so the focus this morning was on immigration. Jenrick says Sunak's bill is weak, Michael Gove says it's robust, and Liz Kendall says Labour have a better plan to cut legal immigration. Plus, Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska makes a plea for continued support. Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nick Robinson asked Suella Braverman on the Today programme this week whether the Tories had a death wish. She said no. But why is the party, when it's doing so badly in the polls, fighting among itself? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls ands Craig Oliver, former director of communications in No. 10. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rishi Sunak is stuck in a migration quagmire and will be spending the weekend drumming up support from MPs ahead of the vote on his amended Rwanda bill on Tuesday. He will be hoping for a Christmas miracle in the form of support from both One Nation MPs and those on the right of the party. Will Tuesday's vote be a de facto confidence vote in the prime minister? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Kate Andrews speaks to James Heale and Katy Balls about Robert Jenrick's resignation last night and whether this is another sign of Tory party implosion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It was a big day in the Covid inquiry as Boris Johnson gave evidence for the first time. Just as Johnson launched into an apology during his opening statement, protestors off-camera made their presence known. There were also revelations concerning the attention he paid to Sage minutes and Cobra meetings and the former prime minister defended his decision not to lock down sooner. What else did we learn? Was this a turning point in the perception of the inquiry? Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Hea...
As James Cleverly meets leaders in Rwanda to sign a new asylum treaty, the government has laid out a series of plans to bring down legal migration. Some Tories on the right would like the measures to go further, but are these policies too little too late? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Spectator writer, Patrick O'Flynn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This weekend Keir Starmer's team took the opportunity to discuss Margaret Thatcher in an op-ed for the Sunday Telegraph . Whilst Starmer also praised other former prime ministers – such as Tony Blair and Clement Attlee – his admission that ‘Margaret Thatcher sought to drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism', has ruffled a few feathers in the Labour party. Could this be a genius piece of politics to reach out to those on the right? Or is it a misfire? Also ...
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from today's political shows. Winter means incoming trouble for the NHS. The health secretary blames industrial action for long hospital waiting lists, despite waiting times rising continually since 2010. Meanwhile, Starmer is praising Margaret Thatcher, Ndileka Mandela talks about 'climate apartheid', and the truce ends in Gaza as Mark Regev defends the IDF's actions in the face of rising civilian fatalities. Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill. Hosted on Acast. See ...
Former chancellor Alistair Darling passed away this week, aged 70. To discuss his career, life and legacy, Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and Catherine MacLeod, former political editor of the Herald , and later a special adviser to Darling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As Matt Hancock appears before the Covid inquiry for a second day, we take a look at the revelations from the former health secretary, including the allegation that involving the Prime Minister and former prime minister, Boris Johnson. Both are due to be up at the Covid inquiry in the coming weeks. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Heale. Produced by Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jeremy Hunt said last night that Labour’s economic plans are ‘fundamentally dishonest’. Is he right, and are the Tories really just as bad? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and the FT ’s Stephen Bush. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, long thought of as one of Rishi Sunak's closest allies in Parliament, hinted yesterday at a row with the Prime Minister. He had a plan to reduce immigration ready ‘last Christmas’, he said. Why didn’t Sunak take it anywhere? Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and Paul Goodman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
An extraordinary row has broken out between the British and Greek governments over the future of the Parthenon Marbles. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was due to meet Rishi Sunak in London today, but No. 10 cancelled the meeting at the last minute over comments that Mitsotakis made on the Laura Kuenssberg show. Is this whole row all part of a high-culture war, to win back the Red Wall? Or has No.10 lost its marbles? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale. Produced by Natasha Fer...
Rishi Sunak is on the defensive over legal migration. After figures late last week revealed net migration hit a record 750,000 in the year to December 2022, the Prime Minister is under pressure from his own side to act. This afternoon James Cleverly will address the House and is expected to lay out a series of proposals the government is considering. Can they shift the dial? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...
Figures out this week put net migration at 672,000 in the year to June 2023. Should the government cut the number of work visas, to immediately reduce this figure, or should it accept that high levels of immigration are needed to sustain the economy? Natasha Feroze speaks to Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There were riots in Dublin last night. Looters smashed shops, and burnt police cars in a night of unrest in the capital of Ireland. What provoked the angry crowd, and should the police have done a better job at stopping them? Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and Pat Leahy, political editor of the Irish Times . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After much Whitehall spin, the official figures are now in. Net migration in the year to June hit 672,000, down from 745,000 in 2022. A total of 1.2 million people arrived to live in the UK, whilst 508,000 moved overseas. The ONS says it's too early to call this a downward trend, but has migration to the UK peaked? Katy Balls speaks to James Heale and Kate Andrews. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
The Chancellor today delivered his fiscal update, branding it as an ‘Autumn Statement for Growth’. In it, he announced a series of tax cuts for both businesses and workers including the decision to make 'full expensing' permanent and a surprise announcement on National Insurance, which has been cut by two percentage points for workers and simplified for the self-employed. Fraser Nelson, Kate Andrews and Katy Balls unpack the details of Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...
This week it is the scientists’ turn to appear before the Covid Inquiry with Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer and Sir Patrick Vallance. James Heale speaks to Fraser Nelson and The Spectator's data editor, Michael Simmons to discuss the findings this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
James Heale, Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson look ahead to the Autumn Statement this week. Will Rishi Sunak commit to cutting taxes? And with barely a year to go before the election, would implementing any policies now be felt in time? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Katy Balls presents highlights from this week's political shows. It's an economy special, as Jeremy Hunt prepares to deliver his autumn statement next week. With tax at an all time high, which tax cuts will the government make, if any? Changes to benefits may see many lose out if they don't find jobs. Labour's Rachel Reeves says fixing the NHS is the way to get people back to work, and isn't impressed with potential inheritance tax cuts. And the government is desperate to make their Rwanda plan ...
HMP Bedford was issued with an urgent notification yesterday, meaning it must immediately make reforms to improve. It’s the fifth prison to receive such a notification this year. What’s going wrong in Britain’s prisons, and what will fix them? Max Jeffery speaks to former prison governor Ian Acheson and former prisoner David Shipley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
