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Who exactly are 'working people'? The Labour party's use of this phrase during the election raised questions over who they will really be levying taxes upon. With less than a week to go until the Budget, Labour in government is still struggling to give a clear answer as to who they mean. James Heale talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After Nigel Farage's overture to Tory councillors to 'defect', one already has. Farage has also been on manoeuvres, piling on the criticism against Labour for its volunteers campaigning for the Democrats in the US. James Heale talks to Katy Balls and Freddy Gray about the latest. Tickets are still available to join Freddy Gray and Nigel Farage on Thursday 24 October for their analysis on the US election. Get your tickets here . Produced by Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...
Donald Trump has made the extraordinary move to file an official complaint against the British Labour party for their volunteers campaigning for the Democrats. On this episode, James Heale talks to Katy Balls and the Financial Times's Stephen Bush about what's behind the Labour tradition of sending volunteers to other democracies, and why a second Trump presidency might be the defining theme of this Labour government. Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...
Another 1100 prisoners have been released today through the early-release scheme. How has this measure landed? With the news that former Conservative minister David Gauke will lead a review of prison sentencing, new Spectator editor Michael Gove joins Natasha Feroze and Katy Balls to discuss Labour's long term strategy. Can Labour learn lessons from America? Produced by Megan McElroy and Patrick Gibbons. Join The Spectator's Deputy Editor Freddy Gray for a special live recording of Americano on ...
This morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting launched the ‘biggest consultation in NHS history’ in a bid to get public input into how to save the UK’s flailing health service. The British public and clinicians are being asked to share their experiences and ideas to help 'fix our NHS'. After years of discussion and reviews, how likely is it that Labour delivers the urgent reform that the NHS needs? Elsewhere, there have been more signs of what might be in the budget at the end of the month. Who m...
Labour’s first Budget in 14 years will be delivered at the end of the month. The Prime Minister and Chancellor have already been warning that the public isn’t going to like what’s in it. But how will the Budget affect people? Will Labour break its manifesto commitment not to tax working people? And is it really true that things have to get worse before they get better? Kate Andrews is joined by Paul Mason, journalist at The New European . Produced by Megan McElroy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
The House of Lords contains 26 Church of England archbishops and bishops who possess an automatic right to sit and vote in the House, as established by ancient usage and by statute. But for how much longer? Labour have big plans for the Lords and have been pushing ahead with their crackdown on hereditary peers. But this week we learnt that Tory MP Gavin Williamson will table an amendment calling for them to reconsider the role of bishops as well. Gavin says that a clergy-free Lords would be more...
Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch, the final two candidates for the Tory leadership, went up against each other on a special GB News show last night. Kemi came out swinging in defence of her ‘culture warrior’ tag, but many wanted some more meat on the bones when it comes to her stance on policy. Meanwhile, Jenrick clearly had a message to land – but will the membership see through his plea to ‘end the drama’? And did either of them manage to change any minds? Katy Balls speaks to Lucy Dunn and Gi...
A scoop from Bloomberg has revealed that a number of Cabinet ministers have written formally to the Prime Minister to complain about the budgetary decisions they are being asked to make in their respective departments. Rachel Reeves seems to have an impossible task ahead of the Budget – but was this a trap of Labour's own making? Oscar Edmondson talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Starmer and Sunak debated Labour's position on China at today's PMQs, with Starmer denying going soft on the Asian superpower. Did Sunak draw inspiration from Katy Balls's cover article in last week's Spectator ? Katy and Isabel Hardman speak to Oscar Edmondson about the party dynamics behind the debate; how much pressure is each party under from their own China hawks? Isabel also gives an overview of the debate around the Assisted Dying Bill, which was introduced to Parliament today. Produced b...
The Budget is not due for a fortnight, yet with every day that passes its contents seem to become clearer. This morning Keir Starmer gave an interview to the BBC where he twice refused to rule out a rise in employer’s national insurance contributions in the Budget. Instead, he repeatedly stressed that Labour’s manifesto promise was specifically that it would 'not raise taxes on working people'. Can Rachel Reeves afford a national insurance hike? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Michael G...
This morning is the government's big investment summit. They pledged to have the summit within their first 100 days in an attempt to hit the ground running and show the UK as a sensible place to do business. The timing – two weeks before the budget – is interesting, and so is the U-turn from P&O, who will attend the summit despite comments last week by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh (she described the ferry company as a ‘rogue operator’). P&O's reported £1 billion worth of investment i...
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s politics shows. Jonathan Reynolds says Transport Secretary Louise Haigh’s comments are ‘not the government’s position’, and hints at possible employer national insurance tax rises. Robert Jenrick is asked about his previous anti-Brexit views. John Swinney pays tribute to Alex Salmond, after the death of the former Scottish first minister. And Lloyds bank CEO speaks about the issue of online fraud. Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill. Hosted on Ac...
Today marks Labour’s 100th day in office. But they are unlikely to be popping champagne corks in Downing Street – even if Lord Alli offered to pay for the Dom Pérignon. This has been a disheartening time for the government and those who wished it well. The promise of dramatic change has been overshadowed by a series of errors, misjudgments and scandals that one would associate more with an administration in its dying days than a government enjoying a fresh mandate, a massive majority and an abse...
It's another busy few days for the Prime Minister as he chairs the inaugural meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions today, marks 100 days in office, and hosts an investment summit on Monday. With the absence of Sue Gray looming large, James Heale unpicks the politics behind these milestones with Katy Balls and the Financial Times 's Stephen Bush. They share some lessons from history and the welcome, or perhaps unwelcome, comparison with former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Also on ...
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has published its yearly Green Budget , weeks ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s first fiscal event. It’s grim reading, for both the government and the public. For Labour to make good on its promise to avoid ‘austerity’, taxes are going to need to go up significantly: by £25 billion, the IFS’s reports, and that’s just to ‘keep spending rising with national income.’ Can Reeves square the circle? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Oscar...
Westminster is reeling from the shock result that James Cleverly has been knocked out of the Conservative Party leadership race, only a day after coming first in the previous round. Kemi Badenoch topped the poll, with Robert Jenrick second and only one vote behind her; Cleverly lost two votes. What on earth happened? To try and make sense of it all, Cindy Yu is joined by Katy Balls and new Spectator editor Michael Gove. Having worked with them all, what's his assessment of the candidates? Produc...
The Conservative party has narrowed down the leadership candidates to the final three, with James Cleverly taking a surprise lead over both of his more right wing rivals. With Cleverly all but confirmed to get into the members' round, which of Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick will join him? Cindy Yu talks to James Heale and Paul Goodman. Produced by Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who’s in charge in Downing Street? Until recently, the answer to that question would tend to reveal whether you were a Sue Gray or Morgan McSweeney supporter. Keir Starmer’s two most senior aides were viewed to be in a power struggle over the direction of the government. But with Gray's resignation this weekend, it is McSweeney who is running the show. What direction will he take No.10? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair. Produced by Osca...
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows. Conflict in the Middle East reaches a new crisis point as Israel bombs Lebanon and prepares to retaliate against Iran. We hear contrasting viewpoints from Israel, Iran, and the UK. Plus, Science Secretary Peter Kyle praises the government’s Chagos Islands deal, and Boris Johnson praises himself. Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Keir Starmer has not yet reached the 100 day mark but already he has lost his Chief of Staff. This afternoon, Downing Street has confirmed that Sue Gray is leaving her No. 10 role. Instead, she will be taking on an ‘advisory’ role as the Prime Minister’s envoy for nations and regions. In a statement announcing her departure, Gray referenced the media attention she had received as one of the reasons behind her decision to quit. Morgan McSweeney will take over from Gray in a move will be popular w...
In this special Saturday shots we hear from a panel discussion on Brexit, originally recorded at Conservative Party conference. Four years on there are successes to point to, namely eliminating the cost of membership, new trade deals and the speed of the vaccine rollout. Yet the prevailing sense is that the full potential of Brexit has not been realised. Where do we go from here? The Spectator's James Heale speaks to former MEP Lord Hannan, Telegraph columnist Sherelle Jacobs, Ian Duncan Smith M...
What Keir Starmer wants to be talking about today is his landmark £22 billion investment into carbon capture. Flanked by Ed Miliband and Rachel Reeves, his speech was an unusually personal one where he spoke about the impacts of deindustrialisation. But how new is this policy? And what does this huge investment mean for the £20 billion black hole? What Westminster seems more interested in talking about is the news that assisted dying is back on the agenda and the fallout of the deal to give the ...
Loyal listeners will know that as well as our concise daily political analysis, Coffee House Shots often delves deeper into the issues of the day. We don’t shy away from fierce debates on controversial issues. The most legendary of these debates have been between our former editor Fraser Nelson and economics editor Kate Andrews. As a parting gift to listeners before Fraser passes on the editors pen, Cindy Yu hosts a final contest between these two worthy debaters on whether we should be optimist...
The final day of the party conference saw all four candidates take to the stage in a bid to have a David Cameron moment. Back in 2005, Cameron managed to gain momentum at the party conference with an assured speech (no notes) and get one over on his main rival – the then frontrunner – David Davis. So, did anyone managed a similar feat in Birmingham? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
The mood at Conservative conference has been surprisingly jubilant considering the turmoil that the party finds itself in. Labour's misfortunes may have contributed to this, but there seems to be a genuine optimism around the four candidates vying for the leadership of the party. What's the latest? Have Kemi Badenoch's comments on maternity pay impacted her position with the members? Also on the podcast, this evening will see the Vance vs Walz vice presidential debate. They go head to head in an...
Jeremy Hunt is one of the few Tories at Conservative Party Conference willing to take the fight to Labour. In the second day, he sat down for an on-stage interview where the former Chancellor spoke about the winter fuel allowance, freebies, but also made some polite suggestions about where the Conservative party should go, and dropped a few hints about the former Prime Minister, Liz Truss. Natasha Feroze speaks to Kate Andrews and Isabel Hardman about Hunt's speech and some of the best bits from...
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows. Tory leadership candidates set out their visions for the party at the Conservative Party Conference. Badenoch says ‘not call cultures are equally valid’, and congratulates Netanyahu. Jenrick suggests immigration doesn’t make the country richer, and defends a £75,000 donation from a mysterious company. Rosie Duffield resigns from Labour, attacking Starmer on the way out. And Pat McFadden defends the prime minister, saying t...
The final four leadership candidates have arrived at Conservative Party Conference to make their final pitches. However, day one and Kemi Badenoch has found herself in an online row over comments made about maternity pay. Katy Balls, Kate Andrews and Fraser Nelson take a look at what was really said, and whether there is a clear frontrunner to lead the Tory party at conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Decarbonising power by 2030 is one of the flagship policies for Keir Starmer’s government. Whether this is achievable and how we go about the green transition will impact ten of thousands of jobs and everybody's energy bills. So just how do they plan on reaching this ambitious target? Gary Smith, general secretary of the GMB, argues that there is a fundamental dishonesty about the route to net zero, with communities being hollowed out and the working class left behind. All of this has resulted i...
