Episodes

  • Michael Gove on prisons: Starmer is in the position of Bane

    Michael Gove on prisons: Starmer is in the position of Bane
    Oct 22 2024
    Another 1100 prisoners have been released today through the early-release scheme. How has this measure landed? With the news that former Conservative minister David Gauke will lead a review of prison sentencing, new Spectator editor Michael Gove joins Natasha Feroze and Katy Balls to discuss Labour's long term strategy. Can Labour learn lessons from America?

    Produced by Megan McElroy and Patrick Gibbons.
    Show more Show less
    14 mins
  • Does Streeting’s NHS plan amount to anything?

    Does Streeting’s NHS plan amount to anything?
    Oct 21 2024
    This morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting launched the ‘biggest consultation in NHS history’ in a bid to get public input into how to save the UK’s flailing health service. The British public and clinicians are being asked to share their experiences and ideas to help 'fix our NHS'. After years of discussion and reviews, how likely is it that Labour delivers the urgent reform that the NHS needs?

    Elsewhere, there have been more signs of what might be in the budget at the end of the month. Who might the big winners and losers be? James Heale discusses with Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman.

    Show more Show less
    13 mins
  • Labour budget: are we heading for austerity?

    Labour budget: are we heading for austerity?
    Oct 20 2024
    Labour’s first Budget in 14 years will be delivered at the end of the month. The Prime Minister and Chancellor have already been warning that the public isn’t going to like what’s in it. But how will the Budget affect people? Will Labour break its manifesto commitment not to tax working people? And is it really true that things have to get worse before they get better?

    Kate Andrews is joined by Paul Mason, journalist at The New European.

    Produced by Megan McElroy.
    Show more Show less
    23 mins
  • Should bishops be booted out of the Lords?

    Should bishops be booted out of the Lords?
    Oct 19 2024
    The House of Lords contains 26 Church of England archbishops and bishops who possess an automatic right to sit and vote in the House, as established by ancient usage and by statute. But for how much longer?

    Labour have big plans for the Lords and have been pushing ahead with their crackdown on hereditary peers. But this week we learnt that Tory MP Gavin Williamson will table an amendment calling for them to reconsider the role of bishops as well. Gavin says that a clergy-free Lords would be more representative of modern Britain and is expecting to gain cross-party support, including from the likes of Jeremy Corbyn. The Spectator’s features editor William Moore thinks this is ‘institutional vandalism’ and opens the door to the removal of faith from parliament.

    Gavin and William join The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls to debate.

    Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.
    Show more Show less
    18 mins
  • Tory leadership debate: who came out on top?

    Tory leadership debate: who came out on top?
    Oct 18 2024
    Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch, the final two candidates for the Tory leadership, went up against each other on a special GB News show last night. Kemi came out swinging in defence of her ‘culture warrior’ tag, but many wanted some more meat on the bones when it comes to her stance on policy. Meanwhile, Jenrick clearly had a message to land – but will the membership see through his plea to ‘end the drama’? And did either of them manage to change any minds?

    Katy Balls speaks to Lucy Dunn and Giles Dilnot, editor of Conservative Home.

    Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.
    Show more Show less
    13 mins
  • Did Labour make its own Budget trap?

    Did Labour make its own Budget trap?
    Oct 17 2024
    A scoop from Bloomberg has revealed that a number of Cabinet ministers have written formally to the Prime Minister to complain about the budgetary decisions they are being asked to make in their respective departments. Rachel Reeves seems to have an impossible task ahead of the Budget – but was this a trap of Labour's own making? Oscar Edmondson talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu.
    Show more Show less
    15 mins
  • Starmer denies being soft on China

    Starmer denies being soft on China
    Oct 16 2024
    Starmer and Sunak debated Labour's position on China at today's PMQs, with Starmer denying going soft on the Asian superpower. Did Sunak draw inspiration from Katy Balls's cover article in last week's Spectator? Katy and Isabel Hardman speak to Oscar Edmondson about the party dynamics behind the debate; how much pressure is each party under from their own China hawks?

    Isabel also gives an overview of the debate around the Assisted Dying Bill, which was introduced to Parliament today.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.
    Show more Show less
    12 mins
  • National Insurance: Starmer’s first big U-turn?

    National Insurance: Starmer’s first big U-turn?
    Oct 15 2024
    The Budget is not due for a fortnight, yet with every day that passes its contents seem to become clearer. This morning Keir Starmer gave an interview to the BBC where he twice refused to rule out a rise in employer’s national insurance contributions in the Budget. Instead, he repeatedly stressed that Labour’s manifesto promise was specifically that it would 'not raise taxes on working people'. Can Rachel Reeves afford a national insurance hike?

    Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Michael Gove.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
    Show more Show less
    14 mins