In 1989, following the shock resignation of the chancellor, Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatcher sat down with veteran broadcaster, friend, and former Labour MP Brian Walden for a 45 minute interview. It was a disastrous encounter for Thatcher, that ultimately spelled the beginning of the end of her 10 years in power – a year later she resigned. The story behind this is told by Rob Burley in his book Why is this Lying Bastard Lying to Me? Searching for the Truth on Political TV – which has now been a...
Feb 03, 2025•28 min
Last week marked the end of the sanctioned 6 month whip removal of 7 Labour MPs who voted against the two-child benefit cap in July. Andrew Marr is joined by one of them, John Mcdonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington to ask - what next? Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily po...
Jan 31, 2025•19 min
Rachel Reeves' latest growth speech has failed to convince one curious listener. George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes for a special listener questions episode. They tackle your questions on Labour's latest intervention on growth, which George describes as an "attempt" at a vibe shift. They also discuss whether Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have a charisma problem, as well as one listener who asks if the media should be giving the Liberal Democrats more attention. Ask a question f...
Jan 30, 2025•25 min
Last year Scunthorpe’s two blast furnaces Queen Anne and Queen Bess became the last remaining primary steelmaking facility in the UK. However there were reports that those facilities were soon to be mothballed - 2,500 jobs lost before Christmas. Despite those reports, smoke is still rising from the Scunthorpe Steelworks and talks about its future are continuing between Jingye - the Chinese company which owns the plant - and the government. But what is the government's plan for the future of Brit...
Jan 28, 2025•35 min
In 1966, to the chagrin of his fans and the folk music community, Bob Dylan went electric. The five years leading up to this moment is the focus of A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic from James Mangold. This indignation came at a time where folk was the language of protest, from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam war, but when did folk get left behind? What was Dylan’s lasting effect on the protest song? Tom Gatti is joined by Kate Mossman, senior writer at the New Statesman, and...
Jan 27, 2025•31 min
Freddie Hayward joins from Washington DC to answer listener questions on the new Trump administration. Following his inauguration on Monday January 20, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders to implement new policy or reverse work done by the Biden administration. Listeners have asked what the US president's actions will mean for Britain. Freddie joins Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes to answer your questions. -- 📚 READ: Trump's techno-futurist inaugural address https://www.newstates...
Jan 24, 2025•27 min
Is Axel Rudakubana a terrorist, or just a very disturbed individual? Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Jacob Davey of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue to discuss the trial of Alex Rudakabana, who has pled guilty to the murder of three young girls in Southport. Keir Starmer has responded to the guilty plea and ordered a new public inquiry - but critics say the Prime Minister waited too long to act. How should the government respond to the threat of self-radicalised attackers, and the...
Jan 23, 2025•23 min
This weekend, almost 500 days after the October 7th attack, a ceasefire came into effect between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But just how fragile is this peace? And what will determine whether it breaks or holds? Kate Lamble speaks with Sondos Sabra, Yair Wallach and Bruno Maçães. Follow the links to read more from Sondos , Yair and Bruno . LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our ...
Jan 22, 2025•24 min
Birth rates are declining around the world. Why? And what can - or should - be done? Tom Gatti meets authors Madeleine Davis and Anastasia Berg, who have both written on the changing attitudes to child-rearing, to explore the reasons behind these changes. They discuss why financial, social and romantic circumstances are leading fewer people to have children, and what governments and institutions can or should do to address the issue. Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/yo...
Jan 20, 2025•30 min
Keir Starmer is stuck between the UN and Donald Trump. Under pressure from the International Court, Labour are due to relinquish British ownership of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. But the islands house a strategic US airbase, and the Prime Minister needs to maintain good relations with the incoming Trump administration. Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer a listener's question about whether the government will rethink the Chagos Islands deal. They also discuss whether...
Jan 17, 2025•21 min
Rachel Reeves is under fire for her management of the country's finances. With suggestions of an impending income tax raise, some have called for her to resign. Andrew Marr and Will Dunn join Hannah Barnes to explain why the Chancellor won't quit - yet. Will Dunn also explains how government debt is calculated - and why the economic crash really might not have been (entirely) Liz Truss's fault after all. The team also discuss Tulip Siddiq's resignation, and whether Labour have a two-tier approac...
Jan 16, 2025•30 min
Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, Elon Musk - what do these men have in common? Just a few days from Donald Trump’s second inauguration as US President, hearings to confirm the team around him have started in earnest and the incoming 47th president has managed to pull together a coalition of competing interests - different groups with different priorities - all of whom see value in his Presidency. But can these opposing factions work together, and what happens when they start falling out? Kate Lamble i...
Jan 15, 2025•25 min
The 90's is often heralded as the era of Blur, Oasis, Pulp - but this decade belongs as much to boybands as it does to Britpop. But what was behind these manufactured groups? What does this era reveal about Britain's relationship with class and masculinity? And will Robbie Williams' legacy be a CGI monkey? Tom Gatti is joined by senior commissioning editor at the New Statesman, Anna Leskiewicz and writer Emma Garland. Read: Robbie Williams’ anti-redemption arc , by Emma Garland LISTEN AD-FREE: �...
Jan 13, 2025•26 min
Would it be politically safe to go back on their promise not to raise income tax if the increase only affected high earners?, a listener writes in to ask. Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr and associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, and in the first half of the programme we hear from senior data journalist Ben Walker about whether there has been a swell in youth support for Reform UK. The team also cast their predictions for the year ahead in UK politics. LISTEN AD-FREE...
Jan 10, 2025•23 min
Can Elon Musk reshape British democracy? The X-owning billionaire has waded into one of the darkest scandals in recent British history: the horrific rape and abuse of thousands of girls across the UK by so-called “grooming gangs”. Musk’s inflammatory posts on his social media platform, X, have prompted statements from Keir Starmer, questions from Kemi Badenoch in PMQs, and extensive coverage across the mainstream media. How should the UK government respond to a foreign billionaire with a platfor...
Jan 09, 2025•23 min
Donald Trump is talking about the 'Gulf of America' but in reality the US is no where near as powerful as it once was. Kate Lamble is joined by this week's cover writer Robert D. Kaplan, as well as George Magnus and Jonny Ball. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
Jan 08, 2025•28 min
Tom Gatti is joined by BAFTA award winning writer, director, and actor, Mackenzie Crook to discuss his acting career from The Office to Detectorists, as well as Crook's new book 'If Nick Drake Came to My House'. This conversation was recorded at the recent winter edition of the Cambridge Literary Festival. To find out more about the festival, or to watch an extend version of this discussion, please follow the link: cambridgeliteraryfestival.com LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app M...
Jan 06, 2025•32 min
Submit a question for us to answer on a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus Get our free daily politics newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.com Subscribe to the New Statesman. Get your first five weeks for just £5 at www.newstatesman.com/feb25 LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday H...
Jan 01, 2025•33 sec
Trump round 2, instability in Europe, and power struggles in the Middle East. Hannah Barnes is joined by Katie Stallard and Wolfgang Münchau to take a look at the world in 2025. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 30, 2024•30 min
Biggest gaffe? Dampest squib? Best political trolling? Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to go through the highs and the lows of UK politics in 2024. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 23, 2024•22 min
It's the last listener questions episode of 2024! Hannah Barnes is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to discuss Elon Musk's support and intentions for Reform UK. The team also consider how Children Not In School register could help increase children's safety and wellbeing, especially considering up to 300,000 children may have been missing from education entirely in 2023. - The podcast will be taking a break over Christmas but we'll be back on Monday to review the year in UK politics. L...
Dec 20, 2024•19 min
The team discuss two big political stories of the week; WASPI women and Prince Andrew's friendship with the alleged Chinese spy. And the New Statesman's policy correspondent Harry Clarke-Ezzidio sits down with Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every mornin...
Dec 19, 2024•28 min
This conversation was recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival. To watch an extended version or to find out more about Cambridge Literary Festival please head to cambridgeliteraryfestival.com - The New Statesman’s business editor Will Dunn sat down with Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, and former chief executive of the Resolution Foundation - a think tank which aims to improve the standard of living of low-to-middle income families. Torsten Bell also worked as Labour’s Director of Po...
Dec 18, 2024•35 min
First conceived in 1956 by Michael Bond, the marmalade-loving immigrant from Peru has become an iconic British cultural figure – treasured for his chaotic nature, impeccable manners, and proximity to royalty. So, how did Paddington become the spokesbear for Britain, crossing political divides in the country, and one of the most commercially successful characters in the world? Tom Gatti is joined by New Statesman contributor Amelia Tait, and Paddington screenwriter Jon Foster. Read: The triumph o...
Dec 16, 2024•30 min
The team answer listener questions on the appointment of Heidi Alexander to transport secretary and whether the UK's mainstream centrist politics are at risk from the far-right. Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...
Dec 13, 2024•17 min
Will his history as a human rights lawyer play a part? Will Shamima Begum be able to return? And why have all Syrian asylum claims been suspended? Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to discuss Britain's reaction to the collapse of the Syrian regime and also Britain's trade talks with the EU. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy t...
Dec 12, 2024•17 min
On Sunday Morning the sound of gunfire filled the air in Damascus. The noise, not of fighting, but celebrations. President Bashar al-Assad and his family had fled to Russia. A family which ruled for more than 50 years, brought down by a rebel offensive which had begun less than two weeks earlier. Kate Lamble is joined by Rajan Menon, Marcel Dirsus, and John Jenkins to discuss what's next for Syria, Assad, and the wider region. Read: The fall of Assad represents a revolution in the Middle East , ...
Dec 11, 2024•32 min
Is the Church experiencing an existential crisis? And what is the role of Christianity in modern Britain? Tom Gatti is joined by Pippa Bailey, David Sexton, and Madeleine Davies. Read: Conclave: this papal power struggle is high entertainment Read: The race for Lambeth Palace Read: The rise of cultural Christianity LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjo...
Dec 09, 2024•35 min
Hannah Barnes is joined by Will Dunn and Katie Stallard to answer your economics questions AND try to make sense of some big world events this week. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 06, 2024•30 min
Former Labour strategist and architect of the Labour missions, Peter Hyman, joins the New Statesman podcast to discuss Keir Starmer’s “plan for change” speech on Thursday. Hyman discusses the difficulties Labour will face in implementing their missions and is scathing about Whitehall, saying resistance from staffers is stifling innovation: “Three permanent secretaries I've heard in the last month have been resisting having outsiders come in to help,” he says. “I don't blame civil servants, parti...
Dec 05, 2024•30 min
