The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better. In this episode, Armando and Ailbhe Rea examine the place we make laws: parliament. Is it an old boys’ club, designed to exclude no...
Apr 13, 2022•41 min
As Rishi Sunak comes under investigation by the government’s standards watchdog, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the fallout from the revelations about the Chancellor and the tax affairs of his wife, Akshata Murty, and why it shows he is still naïve as a politician. Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about how Labour should respond to the story. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email [email protected] . Podcast listeners can subscribe to...
Apr 12, 2022•27 min
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by the senior data journalist Ben Walker to mark the launch of State of the Nation, the New Statesman ’s new data site for understanding Britain in numbers, maps, words and charts. Ben responds to listeners’ questions on what’s going on in the polls. Do they show an increase for Labour and Keir Starmer’s leadership? How much do Conservative MPs care about Boris Johnson’s popularity? And how has the cost-of-living crisis affected Rishi Su...
Apr 08, 2022•23 min
As the EU and UK debate further sanctions on Russia after evidence of massacres by Russian forces in Bucha, north of Kyiv, Ailbhe Rea speaks to the exiled opposition campaigner Vladimir Ashurkov. They discuss how London got its reputation for hosting the world’s dirty money, why it took so long for the UK to take the threat posed by Vladimir Putin seriously and how Russia uses corruption to undermine world order. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email [email protected] Podc...
Apr 05, 2022•21 min
As the fallout from Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement continues, New Statesman Political Editor Andrew Marr joins Ailbhe Rea to discuss why it was received quite so badly and whether it has ruined the Chancellor’s hopes of becoming prime minister. Then, as partygate returns to the news, they look at whether it is now too late for the Conservative Party to get rid of Boris Johnson. And in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about whether the MP Jamie Wallis coming out as...
Apr 01, 2022•22 min
This special episode of the New Statesman Podcast marks “A Dream of Britain”, the New Statesman ’s latest issue . It is guest edited by Michael Sheen and explores class, culture and identity in Britain today. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the writer and academic Gary Younge, the Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, and the New Statesman editor-in-chief Jason Cowley to discuss why it is so difficult to understand what is meant by “Britishness” today....
Mar 29, 2022•32 min
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement as the Office for Budget Responsibility warns the UK is about to face the biggest rise in the cost of living since records began. They discuss why Sunak still wants to be seen as a low-tax Chancellor, whether any of his measures will make a difference and why he seems so averse to using Universal Credit to help the people worst hit by price rises. Then in You Ask Us they tackle Labour’s response and whether the ...
Mar 24, 2022•24 min
Ahead of his guest-edited issue of the New Statesman , the actor and campaigner Michael Sheen speaks to Anoosh Chakelian for a special episode of the New Statesman podcast. Titled "A Dream of Britain", the magazine explores what British identity means in 2022. They discuss why he wanted to tackle the idea of our national story, how widening inequality and the British obsession with class limits diversity in the arts, why he thinks Tony Blair and Jeremy C...
Mar 23, 2022•30 min
P&O Ferries caused outrage last week (17 March) when it sacked 800 crew members to replace them with “cheap agency workers from eastern Europe” overnight. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, Karl Turner, who has been on King George Dock advocating for local workers who lost their jobs. They discuss the stand-off between the company and workers who refused to leave their ships, working conditions for foreign agency staff who can be ...
Mar 22, 2022•22 min
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been reunited with her family in Britain, having been imprisoned for years in Iran on charges of seeking to overthrow the country’s government, which she has always denied. Her release along with another dual citizen, Anoosheh Ashoori, came after the payment of a long withheld £450m debt owed by the British government to Iran. Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Richard Ratcliffe’s tireless campaign to free his wife, how a deal was...
Mar 18, 2022•22 min
As the government scrabbles its policy together for Ukrainian refugees, the Labour peer and refugee campaigner Alf Dubs tells Anoosh Chakelian that the response has been a "disgrace". He discusses how the government finds itself on the wrong side of public opinion, why Priti Patel is the worst Home Secretary he's worked with, and why he'd like to see a "more robust" approach to welcoming refugees from the Labour leadership. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcast...
Mar 15, 2022•22 min
The owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, and leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska are among the seven wealthy and influential Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the UK over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman ’s associate editor of business, Emma Haslett, to discuss the UK’s history of welcoming and protecting Russian wealth , why repeated attempts to reform the system have fallen short , and whether the Economic Crim...
Mar 10, 2022•23 min
As parliament rushes through the Economic Crime Bill in an attempt to toughen sanctions on Russian oligarchs, investor and anti-corruption campaigner Bill Browder talks to Anoosh Chakelian about the impact of sanctions on Russia. He opens up about whether the UK has gone far enough, the psychology of Russian oligarchs, and why we should boycott McDonald’s. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email [email protected] Podcast listeners can get a special discount on ...
Mar 08, 2022•23 min
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters a second week, the New Statesman ’s polling expert Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea to talk about the latest polls. They discuss exclusive polling for the New Statesman published today on Boris Johnson’s approval rating since the war began, as well as public attitudes to the UK government’s stance on Ukrainian refugees and economic sanctions against Russia. Then in You As...
Mar 03, 2022•25 min
As the UK considers further sanctions on oligarchs linked to Vladimir Putin, Ailbhe Rea speaks to the journalist and author Oliver Bullough about how London became the home for so much Russian money. They talk about the ways in which the huge volumes of money corrupt all parts of public life, the spotlight that the invasion of Ukraine has shone on the problem and whether a meaningful attempt will now be made to tackle it. Oliver’s book, Butler to the World: How Britain Became...
Mar 01, 2022•25 min
As Russia invades Ukraine, Boris Johnson has come under fire from allies and critics alike for his feeble attempt to clamp down on Russian wealth in the UK. In an address to the nation this morning (24 February), the Prime Minister vowed that Britain “cannot and will not just look away” ahead of the announcement of further sanctions against Russia later today. Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by Alix Kroeger, the international managing editor at the ...
Feb 24, 2022•34 min
The New Statesman ’s Britain editor Anoosh Chakelian interviews the satirist and broadcaster Andy Zaltzman, the host of Radio 4’s The News Quiz and the podcast The Bugle . Ahead of his Satirist for Hire tour, they talk about the history of political comedy, whether there are some topics too serious to joke about, and if you can really have political balance in comedy. Plus, they discover what Zaltzman and Boris Johnson have in common. You can find out mo...
Feb 22, 2022•19 min
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea host a special episode to say goodbye to Stephen Bush. Kir royales are sunk and Stephen takes an audio trip down memory lane, featuring a rendition of “American Pie”, this time about Scottish Labour, as well as his teenage Harry Potter fanfiction and his honest opinion on “Devil with the Devil”. Then in You Ask Us, former hosts make a special appearance to ask Stephen some questions. Hosted on Acast. See acas...
Feb 18, 2022•40 min
As Theresa May’s final chief of staff, Gavin Barwell knows what it’s like to see a party oust its leader first-hand. He speaks to political correspondent Ailbhe Rea about what it takes to get rid of a leader, where Boris Jonson is going wrong, and whether the Conservatives still feels like his party. Then in a special We ask Stephen, Ailbhe asks the New Statesman 's political editor Stephen Bush why Sadiq Khan finally ran out of patience with Cressida Dick . I...
Feb 15, 2022•38 min
As parliament enters recess, against all the odds Boris Johnson has clung onto his premiership . Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the PM's various survival strategies, the ongoing police investigation into parties held in Downing Street and the political calculations of leadership contenders . Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what is Jacob Rees-Mogg's plan given his recent loyalty to Johnson. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email &nbs...
Feb 11, 2022•36 min
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the latest events in the crisis surrounding Boris Johnson, including the appointment of the MP Steve Barclay and the former GB News presenter Guto Harri to key Downing Street jobs. They explain why the resignation of Munira Mirza from the No 10 Policy Unit was so important and whether the appointments are simply rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about why Boris Johnson commi...
Feb 07, 2022•23 min
The New Statesman’s incoming political editor Andrew Marr makes his New Statesman podcast debut to discuss his cover story on Boris Johnson’s moment of peril with Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor. They talk about what’s gone wrong for Johnson, whether the current crisis is terminal and who could be the next Prime Minister. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email [email protected] Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the N...
Feb 04, 2022•22 min
With a trickle of letters to the 1922 Committee chairman and Labour pivoting to take the Conservative Party to task for low economic growth and an incoming tax rise, could Boris Johnson soon face a vote of no confidence after all? Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the Prime Minister’s fate and the catastrophic impact of the forthcoming energy price cap rise. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what will happen if the Northern I...
Feb 03, 2022•34 min
A special episode of the New Statesman podcast recorded immediately after Boris Johnson’s announcement on the published Sue Gray report. A heavily censored version of Sue Gray’s report has finally been published, as 12 of the 16 alleged gatherings at Downing Street are currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police. Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss the hostility of MPs on all sides to Johnson’s statement in the House of Commons, and what the report’s f...
Jan 31, 2022•18 min
Ailbhe interviews the Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, who dramatically defected from the Tories to Labour at the height of partygate. They talk about why he did it, what the reaction has been from friends as well as new colleagues, and how the whips threaten new MPs. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 31, 2022•33 min
As Westminster waits for Sue Gray’s report on Downing Street’s lockdown-breaking parties, the Metropolitan police has announced that it will begin an investigation into the alleged incidents. Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Boris Johnson’s confident performance at Prime Minister’s Questions and why the investigation matters. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether Keir Starmer can create a guiding political project and rise in the polls w...
Jan 27, 2022•29 min
The New Statesman’s Scotland editor Chris Deerin joins Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush to discuss the growing rift between the Scottish Conservatives and the national party in Westminster. They talk about how the Scottish Tories have become alienated from the party, whether it could harm them in the local elections in May, and whether they could eventually form a breakaway party. Then in You Ask Us, the team answers a listener's question on the Welsh government’s review into radical federalism. If y...
Jan 24, 2022•23 min
The senior Conservative MP William Wragg has accused government ministers of intimidating and attempting to blackmail colleagues who they suspect oppose the Prime Minister, adding that the incidents should be reported to the police. While Christian Wakeford’s defection appears to have united Conservative MPs to help Boris Johnson survive another week, the PM is not in the clear yet. Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the extraordinary allegations and the cost of&nb...
Jan 21, 2022•26 min
A special episode of the NS podcast recorded immediately after a dramatic Prime Minister’s Questions. Boris Johnson is facing an escalating leadership crisis over allegations that a string of parties were held across Whitehall during lockdown. Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, defected to Labour just minutes before PMQs, while in an equally dramatic moment David Davis urged him to “in the name of God, go” . These damaging moves come as members of the...
Jan 19, 2022•18 min
The New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush to talk about the latest polls in the aftermath of the No 10 party revelations. They discuss whether this could do long-term damage to the Conservative Party, how soft the labour lead is and why Ben was wrong on North Shropshire. Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question on how well Keir Starmer is doing compared to other opposition leaders If you have a q...
Jan 18, 2022•29 min
