Meet the money men with Britain's future in their hands. * Next week Rachel Reeves will deliver her budget and, for all the talk of fiscal rules, headroom and tax rises, there is a higher power she must contend with. When the Chancellor goes for meetings in the City, she is rarely introduced to the people whose job it is to press the button on buying or selling several hundred million pounds’ worth of gilts. It is to these people that we have been speaking in the run-up to the Budget. You would ...
Nov 19, 2025•35 min
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has set out her plans for the biggest shake up of asylum laws in 40 years. It divided the Labour party, impressed some Conservatives and even earned the home sec an invite to join Reform. But what will it mean in the long term for Britain, and for the families affected? Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our...
Nov 18, 2025•32 min
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has unveiled a series of changes to the migration and asylum system. The plans, which have been trailed over the weekend, have been met with scorn from within the Labour party. “This approach isn’t just morally wrong” the MP Richard Burgeon tweeted earlier today, “it’s politically disastrous.” Oli Dugmore is joined by Ethan Croft. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Ge...
Nov 17, 2025•26 min
"If he feels talking about his favourite novel is politically disadvantageous, that's a sad state of affairs" - David Szalay on Keir Starmer's reading habits. -- David Szalay is the winner of the 2025 Booker Prize for Fiction. He disputes claims that his novel, Flesh, is a tale of modern masculinity as reviewers have claimed. Though it certainly explores the male expression of emotion. In Flesh, Szalay's protagonist, István, navigates sexual grooming, violence and prison before rising to the ran...
Nov 16, 2025•22 min
We share our strategy advice for the Labour rebels allegedly trying to oust Keir Starmer. Ailbhe Rea and Luke O'Reilly join Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions. In this episode: What's the best strategy for Labour rebels hoping to dethrone Starmer? How much power does a party chair wield? Can any politicians affect positive change? 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 newsle...
Nov 15, 2025•19 min
After weeks of preparing to break their manifesto pledge, Starmer and Reeves have ditched their plans to raise income tax. They’re scared it would have angered their MPs and voters, amid a dire performance in the polls. How will Reeves plug the £30 billion gap in public finances if she doesn’t raise income tax? Oli Dugmore is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Will Dunn to discuss. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call/2025/11/whats-behind-labours-income-tax-u-turn LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Do...
Nov 14, 2025•28 min
The BBC is still reeling from the dramatic resignation announcement of its director general Tim Davie on Sunday. Rachel Cunliffe gets Lewis Goodall’s insider perspective, drawing on his time working on BBC’s Newsnight programme. Lewis also shares his thoughts on the leadership threats surrounding Keir Starmer. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/media/2025/11/trumps-attack-can-rescue-the-bbc LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question –...
Nov 13, 2025•34 min
Labour hit its lowest-ever poll rating last week, coming fourth at just 17 per cent. Westminster is full of chatter about a leadership coup at the hands of Wes Streeting. And Labour MPs and government aides alike are dismayed by Keir Starmer’s leadership and the state of No 10. Has the Prime Minister reached the point of no return? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by our new political editor Ailbhe Rea to discuss her cover story. Read: Does Keir Starmer realise how much trouble he’s in? LISTEN AD-FREE...
Nov 12, 2025•35 min
It's now "impossible" to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees. Can COP30 achieve anything material at all? -- Keir Starmer has been in Brazil ahead of COP30 - the world’s largest annual climate meeting - where world leaders were told it’s now “virtually impossible” to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. That’s according to the UN’s chief meteorologist. Brazil wants money to protect the rainforests, but Starmer doesn’t want to give it. Meanwhile China, India and the US – three of the biggest emit...
Nov 11, 2025•37 min
Yesterday evening, BBC director general Tim Davie resigned, as first reported in the New Statesman by our new political editor Ailbhe Rea, along with his head of news, Deborah Turness. In the end, it came down to a Panorama documentary accused of featuring a misleadingly edited speech by Donald Trump. But, having weathered years of BBC scandals, could Davie’s departure be described as death by a thousand cuts? Oli Dugmore is joined by Hannah Barnes to discuss. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New...
Nov 10, 2025•29 min
Has Labour let down Millennials? Are tax hikes on the horizon? And what would happen to the commonwealth if Britain dumped our King? Rachel Cunliffe joins Anoosh Chakelian to answer listener questions. Treat yourself or someone special to big ideas, bold politics and proper journalism from just £2 this Christmas when you subscribe to the New Statesman. Subscribe today at newstatesman.com/xmaspod25 Ask us a question LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ ...
Nov 08, 2025•26 min
“The dream of home ownership is closed off to younger people today” - Steve Reed, Housing Secretary Steve Reed exclusively tells the New Statesman about the seven billion pounds Labour are giving to the six mayoral combined authorities for social and affordable housing. In an interview with Oli Dugmore, Labour’s housing secretary outlines the plan, and discusses young people’s housing woes, abolishing landlords and his history with Morgan McSweeney. Treat yourself or someone special to big ideas...
Nov 07, 2025•30 min
Voters in New York City have elected a socialist, Muslim, 34-year old Mayor. Here's what Labour need to learn from Zohran Mamdani's campaign. -- Zohran Mamdani calls himself "Donald Trump's worst nightmare". In the UK, senior Labour figures including Wes Streeting have praised the young Democrat Mayor-Elect's campaign. But should Labour be celebrating a win in America's Democrat stronghold, when they can't win their own seat in Wales? George Eaton and Megan Kenyon join Anoosh Chakelian to discus...
Nov 06, 2025•25 min
A four-month investigation with Channel 4 News reveals harrowing failings at one of Britain’s most prestigious hospitals. Oli Dugmore speaks to the New Statesman's Investigations Editor, Hannah Barnes. Read: Britain’s next maternity scandal 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 acas...
Nov 05, 2025•34 min
Is Britain becoming a country of mass violence? On Saturday evening, a Doncaster to London train was forced to stop in Huntingdon after eleven people were injured in a stabbing spree. Anthony Williams, a 32 year-old British national, was charged on Monday with multiple counts of attempted murder. Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe. Read: Knife crime is creeping into Middle England LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a qu...
Nov 04, 2025•40 min
Today, Nigel Farage set out his updated vision for the UK economy. At a speech and press conference in London, The Reform UK leader talked tax, immigration, welfare, Brexit and his days working in the City. The New Statesman’s Ethan Croft was at the event. Ethan joins Oli Dugmore to discuss. 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 writin...
Nov 03, 2025•44 min
Is Build Baby Build doomed? Is Katie Lam running for leader? Where is Priti Patel? Can the UK really support 5 large leftist parties? Luke O’Reilly joins Anoosh Chakelian to answer listener questions. Ask us a question 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...
Nov 01, 2025•20 min
The Deputy PM believes that Labour can beat the threat of the populist right, Nigel Farage and Reform. Lammy says that Labour can achieve this by tackling the cost of living crisis, uniting the centre and left of British politics and putting security first. Oli Dugmore sat down with David Lammy to discuss his plan. Read: Nigel Farage can be stopped LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politic...
Oct 31, 2025•23 min
Which are the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and how might this map onto voter intent? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker, to discuss what we can learn from the English Indices of Deprivation. 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/priv...
Oct 30, 2025•24 min
Another bad week for Prince Andrew. You could say the man hasn’t had a good week since 2011. Although, actually, he does live in a 30-bedroom mansion in Windsor and enjoyed a million quid a year from his mum. In this week's cover story Will Lloyd makes the case for abolishing the monarchy , and that the Windsors have always been more involved with British politics than we know. He speaks to Oli Dugmore in this episode. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN...
Oct 29, 2025•47 min
With the Autumn budget looming, the government has some tough decisions to make. Rachel Reeves has to find a predicted £30bn in extra revenue to meet her self-imposed fiscal rules. But as part of its manifesto pledges, Labour promised not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT. And after a crushing defeat in Wales last week, what can the government actually get away with without angering the public further? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by polling analyst Steve Akehurst. Read: Just Raise Ta...
Oct 28, 2025•25 min
The Caerphilly by-election proves Reform can be beaten. But is Keir Starmer the man to do it? Last week voters in Caerphilly confounded pundits by electing their first Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS). Reform UK had expected to be the party to overturn Labour's 100 year dominance in the Welsh seat - but they were wrong. The loss was a disaster for Labour, but came with a glimmer of hope: Reform UK can be beaten. Now the party needs to ask whether their current leader, Keir Starmer, is the m...
Oct 27, 2025•26 min
The youngest winner of the Booker Prize fell silent. Now she's back with a new novel. -- With only her second novel The Inheritance of Loss , Kiran Desai won the 2006 Booker Prize, the leading literary prize in the global Anglosphere, becoming - at the time - the youngest person ever to do so. She was thirty-five. Then: silence. 19 years of it, before another novel emerged - this year. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. Desai joins Tanjil Rashid on The New Society to discuss her latest novel, an...
Oct 25, 2025•46 min
Is Welsh Labour dead? Plaid Cymru won a historic victory in the by-election, trouncing Labour who had been dominant for over 100 years. The "middle child" as Plaid's new MS describes them, also beat Reform, who pollsters expected to win the seat. In this episode, Harry Clarke-Ezzidio reports from Caerphilly to analyse the results of the election. He speaks to Rhun ap Iorwerth, Huw Irranca-Davies, Llyr Powell, and Dan Evans. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STAT...
Oct 24, 2025•29 min
After 14 attempts, Lindsay Whittle has won the Caerphilly seat in South Wales for Plaid Cymru. Reform came in second with over a third of the vote, and Labour trailed in third with 11%. A devastating loss for the party. Harry Clarke-Ezzidio is joined by Ben Walker in Caerphilly Leisure Centre. 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 writ...
Oct 24, 2025•17 min
Andrew Marr says he thought Labour would fix everything, but: "I was wrong". -- Andrew Marr is stepping down as political editor of the New Statesman. In this, his last regular podcast appearance (he'll be back, don't worry!) he reflects on the last three years in politics - and where we're heading next. He admits committing "the journalistic sin" of optimism when Keir Starmer was elected, and addresses criticism he's faced from media colleagues on both the left and right of the political divide...
Oct 23, 2025•46 min
Donald Trump's planned summit with Vladimir Putin is cancelled. Here's why. -- Less than a week after Donald Trump offered to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest, the proposed summit has already fallen apart. Officially, "there's no need" for the two presidents to meet, since their respective foreign ministers are conducting conversations. But what's really behind the cancellation? And what on earth is Donald Trump up to in Venezuela? Seven extra-judicial attacks on civilian boats, dozens dead witho...
Oct 22, 2025•32 min
James Schneider, the former director of strategic communications for Jeremy Corbyn, was involved in the founding of Your Party earlier this year. He has since stepped back from the project. In this episode he joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss the growing gap on the left of UK politics and who could fill it. 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 be...
Oct 21, 2025•53 min
Andrew had already stepped down as a working royal, after that disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, but he’s now gone a step further and agreed to relinquish the “title or the honours which have been conferred upon” him. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Lloyd and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss what these latest decisions, announced on the eve of the publication of Virginia Roberts Guiffre's posthumous memoir, mean for the Royal Family. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM...
Oct 20, 2025•26 min
A century on from the her birth, Tanjil Rashid sits down with the Iron Lady's official biographer, Charles Moore. 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....
Oct 18, 2025•45 min
