Could Farage’s lack of criticism of Trump damage Reform’s prospects in future UK elections? The team answer listener questions on Trump and Reform, the prospects of the Tories in the local elections, and the point of state visits. Read: The The strange rise of the pro-Russia right , Tories’ anti-Farage opportunity 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 TH...
Mar 07, 2025•24 min
The politics team discuss Starmer's week on the world stage and whether he can be the pivotal bridge between Ukraine and the US, as well as the prospective welfare cuts which have been announced ahead of Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement. Hannah Barnes is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and senior editor George Eaton. Listen: Europe’s battleground: war or peace? Read: Can Starmer make Labour the security party? Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: M...
Mar 06, 2025•21 min
Not even a week ago European countries were hailing the prospects of peace in Ukraine, but after a disastrous visit to the White House for President Zelensky, and the pause of aid from the US government - things have soured. In this episode we’re asking what role Europe can play in the future of Ukraine. Kate Lamble is joined by Sam Greene and Hans Kundnani. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our dai...
Mar 05, 2025•31 min
The rapid rise of generative AI has revolutionised creativity while also raising significant challenges. The rapid rise of generative AI has revolutionised creativity while also raising significant challenges. In this episode, we explore how responsible innovation can reduce misinformation's impact and protect creators. Host Jon Bernstein is joined by Adobe’s Head of Policy and Government Relations EMEA Stefanie Valdés-Scott, Vale of Glamorgan MP Kanishka Narayan and AI and deepfake expert Henry...
Mar 04, 2025•20 min
Reflecting on the passing of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, award-winning author Andrey Kurkov has written the diary for this week’s New Statesman magazine. In this conversation, with Tom Gatti, Kurkov contemplates daily life in his hometown, Kyiv, and how the war has changed him as a writer. 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 ...
Mar 03, 2025•27 min
Keir Starmer returns victorious from his meeting with Donald Trump. But was it the success it seems? Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener questions on the New Statesman podcast. Also in this episode: Has Zelensky "put one over" on Trump with the rare earth minerals deal? Trump's "mob boss" geopolitics How the UK could make a radical pivot towards Europe - and have Putin to thank. Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call Submit a question fo...
Feb 28, 2025•21 min
Keir Starmer has promised defence spending will reach 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% in the next Parliament. There’s been some sparring over exactly how much money this equates to, has a maths crime been committed? And how far can this money go? Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr and business editor Will Dunn, and later in the programme byt Phil Whitaker, GP and the New Statesman's health writer, to speak about the shake up at the top of NHS England. Sign up to the New Statesman...
Feb 27, 2025•27 min
Last week Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist for the first seven months of his first term in office, graced the stage at CPAC (the annual Conservative Political Action Conference) to rapturous applause. "We're not going to retreat. We're not going to surrender. We're not going to quit. Fight! Fight! Fight!" Although Bannon fell out of favour with the president back in 2017, he's managed to maintain great influence over the Maga movement, a movement he helped create. His speech created headli...
Feb 26, 2025•26 min
The number of working age people out of work in Britain 2010 was around 9 million. In 2025? Around 9 million. But why is worklessness in Britain now deemed a crisis, and what can the government do to fix this? Will Dunn, the New Statesman's business editor, is joined by Alison McGovern, Minister of State for Employment. 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 F...
Feb 21, 2025•30 min
Donald Trump has reached out to Vladimir Putin, over the heads of Ukraine and Europe. The Western alliance is fracturing, so what comes next? Can European nations find the defence budget? And whose terms will this war end on? Hannah Barnes is joined by Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of War Studies at Kings College London, and later in the programme by the New Statesman's associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, and the former justice secretary David Gauke to discuss the future of our p...
Feb 20, 2025•37 min
Last Friday the US Vice President - JD Vance, took to the stage and railed against his country’s European allies, accusing them of not listening to voters on issues of migration and free speech. That speech raised serious questions about how the transatlantic alliance will be transformed. But Vance also called into question the "democracy" of the firewall. In Germany, there has long been an agreed firewall against the far right. That centrist parties will not collaborate with them, to prevent fa...
Feb 19, 2025•26 min
The novel is a living thing, argues author Deborah Levy in the New Statesman Goldsmith's Prize lecture. Tom Gatti hosts Deborah Levy, author of Swimming Home and The Man Who Saw Everything, to deliver a special lecture live from the Southbank Centre in London. Presented in partnership with the Goldsmiths Prize and the Southbank Centre, and recorded at the Southbank Centre. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHFN7ZY9lzM LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE...
Feb 17, 2025•46 min
Are local council changes "an attack on democracy"? Rachel Cunliffe and Megan Kenyon join Hannah Barnes to discuss changes to the rules governing local elections, which Ed Davey and Nigel Farage have attacked as anti-democratic. They answer a listener question about why their local council can "delay my right to vote". Also in this episode, Megan Kenyon meets Kim Leadbeater for an update on the assisted dying bill, and we answer your questions about the checks and balances that would apply if th...
Feb 14, 2025•28 min
Keir Starmer is making a radical shift to appease Reform and "blue labour". "There has been a conservative revolution going on around the world," says Andrew Marr - and it leaves Keir Starmer with some hard choices. Andrew joins Hannah Barnes to explain why the prime minister is making a "handbrake turn", and how a new group of MPs known as Blue Labour are having an outsized impact on Labour policy. Hannah also speaks to Blue Labour member David Smith MP, who claims that the group has more membe...
Feb 13, 2025•30 min
The freedoms that the UK's academy schools have been granted could be curtailed. Labour's Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill proposes centralising and standardising decision making across state schools in the UK. The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, claims this will improve conditions for every student across the country. Katharine Birbalsingh, who has been called "Britain's strictest headteacher", is highly critical of these developments, calling them cultural Marxism. However, senio...
Feb 12, 2025•22 min
Ten years ago the sunshine state was mainly known for its outlandish stereotypes: swamps, gators, retirees, Disneyland all the time. But now power is shifting. How did that state that was once the political joke of America become the nation’s centre of power? Tom Gatti is joined by Gary Mormino author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida, and New Statesman contributor Lily Lynch. Read: Donald Trump's Florida project LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesma...
Feb 10, 2025•29 min
US investment already owns much of the British high street. Are "ignorant" politicians "selling the UK down the river"? As Donald Trump announces new tariffs on trading partners around the world, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe are joined by Angus Hanton, author of Vassal State, to explore how the UK economy is, in many ways, "in thrall" to the US. They also discuss Trump's shock declaration of intent to "take over" the Gaza Strip. Later in the show they're joined by George Eaton to analyse Ke...
Feb 07, 2025•30 min
Andrew Marr is joined by the authors of Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer, Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire. But while this is ostensibly the story of Starmer's Labour, who really runs the party behind the scenes? 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 poli...
Feb 06, 2025•28 min
For some with epilepsy, valproate is the only medication which can control their seizures. But for decades women say they were not made aware of the risk this drug posed for their unborn children. Today we know around 11% of the children born to women who take valproate during pregnancy have major congenital disorders. 30-40% experience other conditions including delays in early development, poor language skills, and lower intellectual abilities. There’s also an increased risk of autism spectrum...
Feb 05, 2025•29 min
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
