Youth membership for the Labour party has collapsed – from 100,000 to just 30,000 under Starmer’s leadership. The relationship between Labour HQ and its members on university campuses has soured over the past year, reaching boiling point following the prime minister’s decision to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Hattie Simpson. Read: Inside Labour students’ revolt over Gaza LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the ...
Aug 11, 2025•15 min
Whit Stillman is something of a cult film director. He rose to prominence in 1990 with his debut film Metropolitan , which became the first in the so-called “Doomed. Bourgeois. In love” trilogy: Barcelona came out in 1994 and The Last Days of Disco in 1998. Set among America’s so-called “Preppy” class, the films are comedies of manners in the tradition of Jane Austen, exploring the transitional phase of youth and a certain American identity. The films are now having something of a revival. Still...
Aug 09, 2025•50 min
Is Keir Starmer sucking up to Donald Trump, and what do politicians get up to during parliamentary recess? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to answer listener questions. Download the app 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 i...
Aug 08, 2025•19 min
New polling has found that Keir Starmer is now less popular amongst British voters than Donald Trump. Today, we’re talking about Keir Starmer’s first year in government and the rapid decline in his personal popularity. From a triumphant election victory to sliding approval ratings, where has it gone wrong for the Labour leader? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's senior data journalist, Ben Walker. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask...
Aug 07, 2025•22 min
Nine years after the Brexit referendum, the dream of 'Singapore-on-Thames' has quietly evaporated. Instead, we’ve got a Labour government embracing high taxes, stronger workers’ rights, even state ownership. What’s behind Labour’s European turn and is Starmer quietly reversing Thatcher’s legacy? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by 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 newslette...
Aug 06, 2025•17 min
The dormant Democrat party must find a way to revive itself if it is to have any hope of challenging the Maga movement, Donald Trump, and his eventual successor. The party is split on whether Trump is simply an aberration to endure, or whether he represents the death of democracy, justifying a dirtier form of opposition politics. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's US correspondent Freddie Hayward. Download the app LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW...
Aug 05, 2025•23 min
Parliament is in recess for the next four weeks, a time when Westminster usually goes quiet, but this year there’s one man who’s determined to keep working. Nigel Farage. Today the Reform UK leader delivered his third weekly conference as part of his campaign on “Lawless Britain”, broadening out (slightly) from the party's usual single-issue politics. Of course, much of the emphasis is still heavily on migration. But do these conferences tell us about the current contradictions in British politi...
Aug 04, 2025•22 min
Britain is in the grip of a housing crisis and politicians from all sides claim to have the solutions. But as prices rise, renters struggle and investors profit - are we seeing housing policy serve the public good? Will Dunn, the New Statesman's business editor, is joined by Susan J. Smith, the new president of the British Academy and honorary professor of social and economic geography at the University of Cambridge. Read: Britain’s new-build nightmare LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesm...
Aug 02, 2025•43 min
The team answer listener questions on the practicalities of the online safety act, a Labour-Lib Dem coalition, and the revival of the commonwealth. 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 morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 01, 2025•22 min
Asylum protests. NHS strikes. A faltering economy. Is the Labour government facing a summer of discontent? Last year, riots sparked by the brutal murder of three young girls at a dance class in Southport rocked the UK. Rioters targeted hotels housing asylum seekers, wrongly connecting the murders to Muslim immigration. Now, asylum protests persist. At the same time, the government faces strike action from NHS doctors, a struggling economy and political threats from both left and right. Rachel Cu...
Jul 31, 2025•25 min
The UK will recognise Palestinian statehood in September unless Israel abides by a ceasefire, commits to a two-state solution and agrees not to annex the West Bank.Yesterday, Keir Starmer marked a clear shift on the UK’s position on the Israel Gaza war. However, this has prompted backlash from all sides. So what is there to gain? Megan Gibson is joined by George Eaton and Megan Kenyon. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer the...
Jul 30, 2025•19 min
Once upon a time Donald Trump loved to talk about conspiracy theories. Now, well, not so much. Why can’t Trump shake the Epstein story - and what could it mean for his presidency? -- Last week, Katie Stallard and Freddie Hayward talked about how Donald Trump wanted his supporters to move on and stop talking about Jefrey Epstein, and how that seemed to be driving a wedge between him and the MAGA faithful. Since then, the US president has continued his attempts to distance himself from the convict...
Jul 29, 2025•28 min
As Donald Trump visits Scotland, world leaders - including Keir Starmer - flock to pay tribute at the emperor's feet. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2DHAQOeEg-Z-4trARDXHRA?sub_confirmation=1 The US President is on a 4-day trip to his golf courses in Scotland. He has met with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Wielding the "bully-boy" threat of trade tariffs, the President is enjoying unprecedented influence. Bu...
Jul 28, 2025•28 min
Director, writer and producer Peter Kosminsky, who directed of the BBC's adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, has worked in the television industry for 45 years. The BAFTA and Golden Globe winner is one of the most respected voices in the industry. Kosminsky spoke to the New Statesman's Hannah Barnes in a wide ranging discussion about the state of British television, and why he is calling upon the government to stand up for public service broadcasting against the might of the streaming giant...
Jul 26, 2025•51 min
Our Listeners ask: With Keir Starmer and his government under fire over their approach to Gaza, and the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's new party, why vote Labour? And with infrastructure and public services in such a terrible state, and the prospect of taxes and bills rising, what are we paying for? Tom McTague is joined by Megan Kenyon, George Eaton and Will Dunn to discuss. READ Corbyn and Sultana declare war on Labour from the left - Megan Kenyon LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download th...
Jul 25, 2025•38 min
This week - Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has identified immigration, economic insecurity and time spent online as key causes of unrest and rioting in the UK following last year's Southport attacks. Also, Can Rachel Reeves avoid another fiscal crisis? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to discuss. READ Can Rachel Reeves avoid a new fiscal crisis - George Eaton LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer ...
Jul 24, 2025•20 min
She was the Tory saviour. Now, by November, she could be gone. Where did it all go wrong for Kemi Badenoch? -- For this week's New Statesman magazine, Will Lloyd has written a powerful and revealing profile of the Nigerian immigrant who rose to lead the Conservative Party. Will joins Tom McTague to discuss what he discovered in the course of his reporting, including why Conservative grandees first celebrated, then turned against, Kemi Badenoch. They explore whether racism plays a role in the way...
Jul 23, 2025•41 min
Could Donald Trump’s plea to his support base to “not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein” finally drive a wedge between the US president and his MAGA faithful? And what are Trump and Vice President JD Vance doing in the UK this summer? Katie Stallard is joined by the New Statesman’s US correspondent Freddie Hayward to discuss. READ A conspiracy theory that Donald Trump can't control - Freddie Hayward LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a que...
Jul 22, 2025•40 min
Water regulator Ofwat is to be abolished - but Labour should go further. *** On Monday the results of an independent review of the water industry were published. The results were damning for the regulator, Ofwat, which will be abolished in response to the report. Megan Kenyon attended the announcement for the New Statesman and joins Anoosh Chakelian and George Eaton on the podcast. They argue that while provision of water in the UK clearly needs drastic reform, the government needs a more radica...
Jul 21, 2025•21 min
As Keir Starmer's government appears to be buffeted by internal storms, multiple factions are influencing the flow of power. Not least, the oxymoronically-named 'Blue Labour'. But what is Blue Labour? And what do those in the movement actually want? In this episode, Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe are joined by the author Morgan Jones, who specialises in reporting on the politics of the Labour Party. She's also the co-editor of Renewal, a Labour-aligned journal. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download ...
Jul 20, 2025•27 min
The government are pursuing AI developments, but at what cost? Why aren't Labour rebels protesting about stealth taxes? And will Jeremy Corbyn join the Green Party? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Will Dunn and Andrew Marr to answer your questions. READ Magic and divination in the age of AI - Will Dunn 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 ou...
Jul 18, 2025•24 min
On Wednesday, the prime minister removed the whip from the group of MPs for breaches of discipline. The group of MPs have persistently rebelled against the Labour leader. The government are also reckoning with a revelation that leaked information compromised the safety of Afghans who supported the British military, and inflation has risen higher than expected. Plus: Labour introduce plans to lower the voting age to 16. Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr, George Eaton and Will Dunn to discu...
Jul 17, 2025•29 min
Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption, served on the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2018. He has written a powerful and sobering essay for the New Statesman in which he argues that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza. In this exclusive interview, Tom McTague meets Jonathan Sumption to discuss why he has come to this conclusion now, and what it means for the international community. Read Jonathan Sumption's essay here: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2025/07/a-...
Jul 16, 2025•39 min
English literature no longer makes the top ten of A-level subject choices. English departments at universities are regularly closing. Studies show dramatic drops in literacy and reading, particularly amongst teenagers. Today we’re asking: is English literature dying? The New Statesman’s deputy editor Will Lloyd is joined by the New Statesman’s new culture editor Tanjil Rashid and columnist and critic James Marriott. READ English literature's last stand - James Marriott LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Downloa...
Jul 15, 2025•37 min
Nigel Farage and Reform UK are a real threat to Labour and the Conservatives alike. We've heard a lot about the strengths of the challenger party - who would be likely to form the next government if an election was held tomorrow. But one political polling analyst has been exploring where the Reform brand is most vulnerable to attack - and he reveals his results exclusively in this episode of the New Statesman podcast. Steve Akehurst is founder of the non-partisan research initiative Persuasion U...
Jul 14, 2025•22 min
In a New Statesman exclusive, two of the Green Party's leadership candidates, Zack Polanski and Adrian Ramsey, present their visions for the party to host Anoosh Chakelian. READ Can the Green Party ever work with Jeremy Corbyn? - Megan Kenyon Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call 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...
Jul 13, 2025•50 min
As the UK faces economic and technological change, building a skilled workforce is critical - but what should that workforce look like? And how can employers, educators and policymakers align to prepare people for what’s next? Host Zoë Grünewald is joined by Pearson’s UK Lead Sharon Hague and Vice Chair of Skills England Sir David Bell, to explore the future of skills in a rapidly evolving economy. Their discussion explores the economic cost of skills gaps and the opportunities to boost national...
Jul 12, 2025•24 min
Our listeners ask: How will Zarah Sultana's new party on the left ever be able to square wildly different views among those involved? Also in the show, listeners ask how well, or badly, have Labour been dealing with the media and whether Reform will now pull their support for voting reform. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and Megan Kenyon to answer all. Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call LISTEN A...
Jul 11, 2025•25 min
With resident doctors set to strike yet again, the courts log jammed and the OBR sounding the alarm over Britain's financial trajectory, what can and should be done to arrest the decline? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by colleagues George Eaton, Rachel Cunliffe and Will Dunn to unpack the latest symptoms of the British State's interminable malaise. READ Britain is growing old disgracefully - Will Dunn The five-day doctor’s strike is the last thing Labour needs - Rachel Cunliffe Sign up to the New S...
Jul 10, 2025•28 min
'Some of his views are pretty extreme... I found it pretty sinister' - Harry Lambert, contributing writer to the New Statesman, talks to Anoosh Chakelian and Will Lloyd about his cover story profiling the Conservative MP and leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick. Can he really become PM, why is he so popular online and how did his politics get so radicalised? READ Inside Robert Jenrick’s New Right revolution - Harry Lambert Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call LISTE...
Jul 09, 2025•32 min
