Adam is joined by Chris, Faisal and Ailbhe Rae, Political Editor of The New Statesman to wrap up the week. This episode of Newscast was recorded as part of our 25-hour Podcast-a-thon for Children in Need. Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Joe Wilkinson. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham....
Nov 14, 2025•30 min
Today we look at the latest in claims of briefings coming out of Number 10. The prime minister's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney was not involved "directly or indirectly" in briefings against cabinet ministers and will not be leaving his job, sources have told the BBC. Some in government have blamed McSweeney for being the source of the briefings. McSweeney has not responded to calls for comment but people who have spoken to him have told the BBC: "He's done absolutely nothing wrong. He's not go...
Nov 13, 2025•35 min
Today, there has been extensive speculation about the extent to which Sir Keir Starmer was aware of the anonymous briefings attacking potential leadership challengers in his own party. Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he has "never authorised" attacks on his cabinet ministers, calling briefings against them "unacceptable". Adam and Chris are joined by Alex Forsyth to discuss why this could be a sign of deeper problems for the Labour government, rather than just Westminster bubble gossip. Plus Adam ...
Nov 12, 2025•34 min
Today, will the BBC actually end up in court against President Trump? Where would a potential lawsuit by President Trump against the BBC take place? Is $1 billion dollars a realistic figure? What are the calculations both sides are making? Adam discusses with BBC home and legal correspondent Dominic Casciani. And, the rate of UK employment has risen to 5%, the highest level since the pandemic. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has dropped the biggest hint yet he is about to scrap the two child benefit cap...
Nov 11, 2025•37 min
Today, President Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1bn. In a latter to the corporation Trump’s legal team demands the BBC “immediately retract” a Panorama programme which edited a speech he made calling it “false and defamatory”. It comes as BBC chair Samir Shah apologised for an "error of judgement" over the edit, and said the BBC was considering how to respond to Trump. BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of BBC news Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday night, after a leaked memo criti...
Nov 10, 2025•32 min
Today, Laura spoke to the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who has said she retains confidence in the BBC’s leadership, as the corporation prepares to apologise over the way it edited a Donald Trump speech. Adam and Henry discuss the political ramifications of that interview, as well as other accusations made in the letter by Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee. BBC chair Samir Shah will provide a response to the Culture,...
Nov 09, 2025•33 min
Today, the BBC announced that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is to unveil a major shake-up of the immigration and asylum system modelled on the Danish system, which is seen as one of the toughest in Europe. Political correspondent Iain Watson joins Laura and Adam in the studio to tell them about his trip to Denmark where he’s been speaking to the people responsible for, and affected by, those reforms. Also, Laura has interviewed the mother who is taking legal action against the compa...
Nov 08, 2025•33 min
Today, after another two prisoners were mistakenly released from prison - why is the justice system failing and who is to blame? Justice Secretary David Lammy is under increasing pressure after details have emerged that two more prisoners have been wrongly released. Why didn’t Mr Lammy explain the situation when he was speaking during PMQs? And what has gone wrong? Plus, after a week where it has become increasingly clear more tax rises are expected at the budget - what is the chancellor’s plan?...
Nov 07, 2025•30 min
Today, Adam is joined by the BBC’s climate editor Justin Rowlatt, and Daniela Relph senior royal correspondent, to discuss Keir Starmer and Prince William’s speeches at COP30. The Prince and the Prime Minister gave speeches that were slightly at odds with each other as Prince William called upon “the power of urgent optimism” whilst the PM warned that the “consensus is gone” on climate change. Plus Adam is joined by Alex who’s been deep diving into Reform led local councils and what their first ...
Nov 06, 2025•33 min
Today, news that two prisoners were wrongly freed broke after the Conservatives' James Cartlidge pressed deputy PM David Lammy in the Commons on whether any asylum seekers had been mistakenly released since Hadush Kebatu last month. Adam and Chris chat to home affairs commentator Danny Shaw on what we know about the release, the individuals involved and the political ramifications. Then Adam speaks to Sir Charlie Mayfield, lead of the 'Keep Britain Working' review and former Chairman of the John...
Nov 05, 2025•42 min
Today, Rachel Reeves has refused to rule out tax rises in a speech laying the groundwork ahead of the budget. The Chancellor told gathered journalists “the world has thrown even more challenges our way” in a speech which seemed to confirm tax rises on 26th November. Labour had previously pledged not to hike income tax, VAT or National Insurance in it’s general election manifesto. Adam and Chris are joined by deputy economic editor Dharshini David. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speake...
Nov 04, 2025•34 min
Today, Kemi Badenoch joins Newscast to mark 1 year since she became Conservative Party leader. What has she made of her first year? Has she had to re think her approach to PMQs? Is Reform an existential threat to her party? And, will she stay on as leader regardless of the results in May’s elections? You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here...
Nov 03, 2025•46 min
Today, Alex joins Laura to discuss what we know about a stabbing attack that took place on board a Doncaster-London train on Saturday evening. The police have said "there's nothing to suggest" it was a terrorist incident. Two British nationals are being held in custody on suspicion of murder. Plus we continue yesterday’s conversation about politicians weighing into royal affairs, as the Defence Secretary, John Healey, tells Laura that the King wants Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to lose his militar...
Nov 02, 2025•30 min
Today, we discuss how the saga the led to Prince Andrew becoming Andrew Mountbatten Windsor might have led to a shift in the relationship between politicians and the Palace. Pressure is also mounting on Andrew from politicians in the US as members of a congressional committee investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case have intensified their calls for Andrew to answer questions about his links to the late sex offender. Alex steps in for Paddy who’s away. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart spea...
Nov 01, 2025•24 min
Today, why did the King choose now to strip Andrew of his titles? Adam, Alex, Ben Chu of BBC Verify and Matthew Doyle the former Downing Street communications director react to the news that Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Will we see him in public life again? The panel also discuss the possibility of tax rises in the upcoming budget. And whether the labour government have backed themselves into a corner with their tax promises. You can now listen to Newscast on a ...
Oct 31, 2025•30 min
Today, Buckingham Palace has announced it has stripped Andrew of his title of “Prince”. He will be now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor - effective immediately. He will also have to leave his official residence, Royal Lodge. Adam is joined by Victoria Derbyshire, Newsnight Presenter and BBC Royal Correspondent Daniela Relph. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Ne...
Oct 30, 2025•26 min
Today, Rachel Reeves rental arrangements came into question, after it emerged her rental property didn’t have the correct licence required by the local council. Adam is joined by Newsnight’s Nick Watt to discuss how the story about the Chancellor’s rental property has unfolded throughout the day. Later on Thursday, Rachel Reeves's letting agent released a statement apologising for not getting the necessary licence for her property - but does the Chancellor still have questions to answer? Adam an...
Oct 30, 2025•29 min
Today, President Trump has arrived in South Korea ahead of his meeting with President Xi Jinping at APEC. The two are set to discuss a possible trade deal which could bring the US and China back from the brink of a global trade war. Adam is joined by China correspondent Laura Bicker and Americast host Anthony Zurcher, both in South Korea, to discuss TikTok, tariffs and soybeans, as they analyse how the two countries might finalise a deal. Plus, climate editor Justin Rowlatt joins Adam to explore...
Oct 29, 2025•33 min
Today, hundreds of asylum seekers could be housed in two military sites in Inverness and East Sussex as the government seeks to end the use of hotels. Ministers are considering housing 900 men in the Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough army training camp in East Sussex. There are around 32,000 asylum seekers currently being housed in hotels. Adam and Chris discuss whether this will help with government’s pledge to end the use of asylum hotels by 2029. And, there are fears of mass killi...
Oct 28, 2025•34 min
Today, the government has announced an independent investigation into how a migrant sex offender was released from prison. Speaking in the House of Commons the Justice Secretary David Lammy told mps that the release appears to have been “human error”. The Conservatives have called the mistake a “national embarrassment”. Adam and Chris are joined by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It ...
Oct 27, 2025•37 min
Today, we look at the rearrest of migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu, and discuss what his mistaken release means for confidence in the government. Kebatu had been mistakenly released on Friday from HMP Chelmsford, where he was serving a 12-month sentence for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, Essex. We also discuss an apology from Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin, after she said: “it drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people”. Labour cabinet...
Oct 26, 2025•37 min
As promised, this is the full length interview that Laura Kuenssberg did with the former US Vice-President Kamala Harris. Harris makes her strongest suggestion to date that she will make another presidential bid in 2028 after losing to Donald Trump last year. She also said she believed predictions she made about Donald Trump behaving as a fascist and running an authoritarian government had come true. Something the White House has called ‘lies’. And she’s questioned on whether her old running mat...
Oct 26, 2025•21 min
Laura and Paddy reflect on Laura’s interview with Kamala Harris, in which she gives the biggest hint yet that she might run for president again. She also calls Donald Trump a “tyrant”. They discuss the White House’s response to her comments. It has said “people don’t care about her absurd lies”. Laura also shares thoughts on Harris’s memoir and the differences between political interviews in the US and UK. Chris Mason also joins to discuss the Labour deputy leadership result, as Lucy Powell is e...
Oct 25, 2025•34 min
Today, Plaid Cymru have won a by-election in an area Labour haven’t lost in for 100 years. Adam and Chris discuss what it means for Welsh Labour, and for Reform who came second. Plus they are joined by Alex and Joe to round up the political week. Is the political pressure on Prince Andrew’s living situation sustainable? Is Keir Starmer re-thinking how to sell digital id? And, Newscast welcomes a major celebrity into the studio. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to li...
Oct 24, 2025•44 min
Today, ‘Soldier F’ a former member of the Parachute Regiment has been found not guilty of murdering two people on Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland in 1972. The judge, Patrick Lynch, found that the evidence presented fell “well short” of what was needed for a conviction. However, he said that members of the Parachute Regiment had shot dead unarmed civilians and that those involved should “hang their heads in shame”. Adam is joined by Ireland correspondent Sara Girvin, who has been reporting on t...
Oct 23, 2025•29 min
Today, concerns are growing over the government’s handling of the set up of a national inquiry into grooming gangs. Two potential candidates to chair the inquiry have withdrawn their names from the process and four survivors have quit the panel assisting it. Adam and Chris are joined by special correspondent Judith Moritz to discuss why this has become such a challenge for the government. Plus, economics editor Faisal Islam explains why the price of orange juice has risen by 134% in the last 5 y...
Oct 22, 2025•35 min
Today, details have emerged about how Prince Andrew can afford his Windsor mansion as pressure builds over whether he should be allowed to keep it. The new document reveals that instead of paying annual rent, Prince Andrew made large lump sum payments up-front, including for renovations. Adam is joined by politics and investigations correspondent Joe Pike to discuss whether political pressure is building for him to give up the property. And, Boris Johnson has been giving evidence at the Covid In...
Oct 21, 2025•37 min
Today, we discuss the allegations made in Virginia Giuffre’s memoir against Prince Andrew. Virginia Giuffre passed away in April after taking her own life, but finished writing the book before her death. The book goes into detail about the allegations she has made against Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell. Prince Andrew denies all of the allegations made against him, but gave up his royal titles on Friday. What does Giuffre say in the book, and how have the Royal Family respon...
Oct 20, 2025•26 min
Today, new allegations against Prince Andrew have appeared in the Sunday newspapers, accusing him of asking his police protection to investigate Virginia Giuffre just before the newspaper published a photo of her alleged first meeting with the prince. Prince Andrew has not commented on the reports, but consistently denies all allegations against him Victoria Derbyshire and Simon Jack stand in for Laura and Paddy, joining Henry to discuss the latest accusations as well as what options are left fo...
Oct 19, 2025•26 min
Today, we look at Prince Andrew’s announcement that he is giving up his titles. He has recently come under increased scrutiny over his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after new allegations about his behaviour have emerged. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing. Laura and Paddy are away, so Americast’s Marianna Spring and Justin Webb discuss the events leading up to this decision and whether or not this will be the end of the heightened attention towards the former duke. Plus, U...
Oct 18, 2025•38 min
