As ministers and backbenchers criticise Shabana Mahmood’s immigration plans, is Labour about to water them down? And what is behind the splits over the policy? Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea go behind the scenes of Labour’s battle over immigration reform. 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...
Mar 30, 2026•32 min
Morgan McSweeney’s stolen phone, Kemi Badenoch’s council tax claims and the UAE defence attache, Group Captain Sandy Sandilands. Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up their stories of the 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....
Mar 28, 2026•38 min
Follow The Exchange on Spotify , Apple , and YouTube for more episodes like this. 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....
Mar 27, 2026•1 hr 9 min
What does the Instagram and YouTube verdict mean for the UK's proposed social media ban? A California jury has found Meta and Google liable in a case that accused them of building intentionally addictive platforms. Here in the UK, the government is consulting on whether to ban children from using social media. Australia and Spain have already implemented similar bans, and France has backed a ban for under-15s. So, are the social media giants facing a reckoning? And should the government interven...
Mar 26, 2026•23 min
Ed Miliband, everyone would agree, is a central part of the Labour government. The ex-Labour leader is a hugely popular figure within the party. Is his power and influence greater than we realise? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Lloyd to discuss. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2026/03/a-certain-idea-of-ed-miliband 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 newsl...
Mar 25, 2026•36 min
Donald Trump is grappling with the consequences of staging a military intervention in Iran without a clear plan. Modern conflicts are often driven less by coherent national interest than by the instincts and ambitions of powerful leaders. From the Strait of Hormuz, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to the tension between China and Taiwan - miscalculation, overconfidence, and the enduring unpredictability of war are reshaping global power. Katie Stallard is joined by Philips O’Brien, American hist...
Mar 24, 2026•26 min
Earlier this month, a meningitis outbreak in Canterbury, Kent, led to the tragic death of two young people. So far there have been 29 confirmed or suspected cases in total. It’s thought that a “super-spreader” event at a nightclub is the source of the outbreak. Since then, there has been a mass rollout of vaccines for Meningitis B and preventative antibiotics. Thousands of students and contacts have been treated. Cases now appear to be slowing or stabilising, however, some questions have been ra...
Mar 23, 2026•24 min
Anoosh and Will are back with this week's round up of the politics stories you might have missed. This week: Housing Secretary Steve Reed has the perfect opportunity to "build, baby, build" Misinformation powerhouse InfoWars is officially over - just like the Metaverse Pete Hegseth seems to encourage the US army to commit war crimes Rachel Reeves takes a gamble on building "an army of Burnhams" READ: Anoosh's Thomas Hetherwick interview Will's sketch on Pete Hegseth - "the boss of tough men in h...
Mar 21, 2026•47 min
Angela Rayner has called Shabana Mahmood’s immigration plans un-British. Is this the beginning of the dilution of these reforms and even of a leadership campaign? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ailbhe Rea 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 writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
Mar 20, 2026•22 min
Keir Starmer’s cost of living crisis At the beginning of this year, Keir Starmer vowed to bring down the cost of living. But as other PMs learned before him, this is often out of the government’s control. The Iran war is threatening to ruin his strategy and Starmer now finds himself in a bind. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by political editor, Ailbhe Rea. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2026/03/keir-starmer-is-struggling-to-keep-his-new-years-resolution LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Do...
Mar 19, 2026•26 min
Yesterday, Keir Starmer met Volodymyr Zelensky to sign a new defense partnership. The Ukrainian President said he faced a missile shortage due to the war in Iran and Keir Starmer resolved to remain focused on the fight against Russia. But is the war in Eastern Europe only the first act of a much wider conflict? Oli Dugmore is joined by Will Lloyd, who visited Ukraine last month. Read: https://www.newstatesman.com/international-content/2026/03/the-new-world-war LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New...
Mar 18, 2026•31 min
The Treasury Select Committee has announced an inquiry into Student Loans. It comes after Rachel Reeves announced a freeze on repayment thresholds meaning more graduates will start repaying once they earn just over the living wage. It's an issue that doesn't just affect today's students and graduates but is increasingly becoming a political issue the government cannot ignore. Tom McTague is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to discuss what the inquiry might achieve - and what the student loans issue mea...
Mar 17, 2026•39 min
Oil prices have spiked following the outbreak of war in Iran, with crude oil jumping to over £75 a barrel. This is having a huge impact around the world, and is set to get worse. Megan Gibson is joined by Rory Johnston, oil market researcher and author of the Commodity Context newsletter, who argues that this scenario could lead to a global depression. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily pol...
Mar 16, 2026•31 min
After a massive 17 years reporting on politics for the New Statesman, George Eaton joins Anoosh Chakelian the podcast for a farewell episode. Anoosh and George discuss his highlights from covering the past 17 years in British politics, from the post-crash austerity years, through Labour civil war and ultimately Keir Starmer's Labour election victory in 2024. They reflect on the lessons learned, what's changed... and what's stayed the same. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE F...
Mar 15, 2026•19 min
Hereditary peers scrapped, tech overlord villainy, Tory hypocrisy and camel pageant botox cheating. It’s another weekly round up from Anoosh Chakelian and 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 our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 14, 2026•39 min
Keir Starmer apologised for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. Is it enough? After a vote by MPs forced its hand, the government has released the first batch of files relating to Mandelson’s appointment. They revealed that the Prime Minister was told the Labour peer posed a “reputational risk” because of his relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and that his national security adviser raised concerns about the appointment. The so-called “Mandelson files” also exp...
Mar 13, 2026•23 min
Is the UK going through the “fourth great disruption” to its geopolitical position? In this unprecedented moment, we take a look at how history can shed light on the current conflict, and which politician is best placed to handle the crisis. Editor-in-chief Tom McTague is joined by John Bew, professor of history at King’s College London and former foreign policy adviser to four different British governments, and our political editor Ailbhe Rea. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app M...
Mar 12, 2026•1 hr 9 min
Were the strikes on Iran illegal? What's next for the controversial courts bill? Are Labour leaders aware of the existential crisis within their party? On this week's episode of The Exchange, we speak with Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy. To listen more episodes of The Exchange find us on Spotify , Apple , and YouTube . LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our dail...
Mar 11, 2026•45 min
Trump is bombing Iran. Oil prices are volatile. Is the world heading for recession? Oil prices peaked after the US and Israel started their war on Iran. Around a fifth of the world's oil supply relies on one tiny shipping lane in the Middle East called the Strait of Hormuz, and shipping firms are refusing to use it for fear of attack. Meanwhile, Britain remains in the grip of inflated prices and shoppers fear the war in Iran will only make things worse. Anoosh Chakelian and Will Dunn discuss how...
Mar 10, 2026•31 min
Angry about the lack of support for his war in Iran, Donald Trump stated that he didn’t need any help from the UK, despite using British airbases for strikes. In an angry social media rant, he also called Keir Starmer a “loser” and “no Winston Churchill”. Just a day later, the two leaders had a call to discuss military cooperation. Can relations be repaired? And is Westminster telling us the whole story? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by US Correspondent Freddie Hayward. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download ...
Mar 09, 2026•28 min
Despite Dubai’s proximity to Iran, is it safer than Sadiq Khan’s London? Do young people have a different perspective on class? And could the corgi be banned? Will and Anoosh round up their picks of news stories from the 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 ...
Mar 07, 2026•36 min
On Tuesday 10 March, MPs will debate the Courts and Tribunals Bill, in what could be the biggest shakeup of the justice system since the 1970s. To tackle the Crown Court backlog of over 80,000 cases, the government has put forward proposals to radically reform which cases are heard where, including restricting the right to a trial by jury in all but the most serious cases. Sarah Sackman, Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, speaks to Rachel Cunliffe to discuss the legislation and its...
Mar 06, 2026•31 min
Labour is losing the voters it used to count on, a new study reveals. In the aftermath of the Green Party’s triumph in the Gorton and Denton by-election, and with local elections in London councils and other major cities coming up, Labour is losing the left progressive voters it could once rely on having “nowhere else to go”. Now, the biggest study ever of these voters – shared exclusively with the New Statesman – reveals the true risk to Labour’s future of leaving them behind. This work, done b...
Mar 05, 2026•20 min
Yesterday, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her spring statement - an economic update - to the commons. With the news completely dominated by conflict in the Middle East, you would be forgiven for not noticing. In fact, many have deduced that this was exactly what the government were hoping for. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Dunn 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 pol...
Mar 04, 2026•23 min
Yesterday afternoon in the Commons, Keir Starmer took a stance against Trump's attacks on Iran. The US President has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister. Is a rift developing? Should the UK be pivoting away from the US and towards Europe? And should talk of the "special relationship" be banned from the government's parlance? Oli Dugmore is joined by journalist, author, and ex-Foreign Office special adviser Ben Judah to discuss. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app ...
Mar 03, 2026•32 min
While the US bombs Iran, the Kremlin will see immediate advantages for Russia. Vladimir Putin expressed “deep condolences” to the people of Iran over the killing of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by US and Israeli forces. The Russian president – currently leading his own brutal and illegal war in Ukraine – condemned what he called Khamenei’s “assassination” as a “cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law”. Russia and Iran are long-term “strategic partners”. Th...
Mar 02, 2026•23 min
Fiona Hill, former presidential advisor, joins Megan Gibson. 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....
Mar 01, 2026•45 min
To mark Rare Disease Day, this special Spotlight episode explores why rare diseases - affecting an estimated one in 17 people in the UK – still face years of diagnostic delays and limited treatment options. Host Sarah Dawood speaks to CEO of LifeArc Dr Sam Barrell and Terry Pirovalakis, whose son Michael has been diagnosed with the rare neurological disorder SPG50. Their discussion looks at the reality of the “diagnostic odyssey”; gaps in data, investment and regulatory pathways; and the financi...
Mar 01, 2026•21 min
Martin Lewis ambushed Kemi Badenoch, Your Party think bureaucracy will stop nuclear war, and the Sea Bass handling committee have released exciting new guidance. Anoosh Chakelian and Will Dunn round up the week's political news you might have missed. READ: Abandon all hope at the Your Party hustings 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...
Feb 28, 2026•34 min
Does the Greens' decisive victory in Gorton & Denton spell the end of Keir Starmer's Labour? After the worst possible outcome for Labour in the Gorton & Denton by-election, Ailbhe Rea joins Tom McTague on Daily Politics from the New Statesman. They discuss what this means for Keir Starmer, for the Labour party - and for the future of politics in Britain. READ: Inside the Greens' seismic Gorton and Denton win LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓...
Feb 27, 2026•51 min
