Coffee House Shots

Budget week is finally here but it's also the week of Hallowe'en so Patrick Gibbons asks James Heale and Michael Simmons: will Burnham's first budget be one of tricks or treats? There have been a drip-feed of announcements over the weekend, from pensions to rough sleeping, so what have we learnt about the Budget on Wednesday – and about Burnhamism more generally?

Plus: a sign of hope or the wrong message – we discuss whether John Healey should drink at the despatch box.

You can catch the Spectator's livestream events on Wednesday, following the Budget, at spectator.co.uk/tv

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

The Budget is fast approaching, and Andy Burnham wants to talk about freedom of movement.

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Just days after The Sunday Times revealed that five SAS soldiers were sent back into the war zone while under a three-year murder investigation, MPs passed the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which the SAS Regimental Association has threatened to challenge in the High Court. To understand it's implications, Tim Shipman speaks to Richard Williams, former commanding officer of the SAS, about lawfare, the chain of command and what it means for Britain’s standing with Washington.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Henry Lloyd

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Andy Burnham’s first Budget as Prime Minister is approaching – but have higher borrowing costs already made the sums more difficult for the Prime Minister and his Chancellor, John Healey? Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane joins Michael Simmons to warn that Britain has little room left to borrow more.

In this segment from the Reality Check podcast, they discuss what could appear in next week’s Budget, Andy's thoughts about a potential wealth tax and the difficulties faced by the Bank of England.

To listen to the full episode, search for Reality Check wherever you get your podcasts, or watch it on The Spectator’sYouTube channel.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Henry Lloyd.

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On today’s Coffee House Shots, James Heale reports back after spending 24 hours with Reform leader Nigel Farage. It’s a fascinating time to get access to Reform HQ: the party has been rocked by a succession of sting operations, they await the verdict on the £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne, and Farage's favourability ratings are in the doldrums. How is Farage holding up? And does he still have the zeal for campaigning?

Also today, Michael Simmons and Tim Shipman have written The Spectator’s definitive guide to next week’s Budget. What should we expect from the Chancellor?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Michael Simmons.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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A week before the budget, and hours after ministers approved drilling at the Jackdaw gas field, Andy Burnham faced off with Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions in what James Heale reckons was the PM’s first win in the Commons since taking office. James and Isabel Hardman join Tim Shipman to dispute the score, pick over what Badenoch missed on welfare and immigration, and work out why John Healey’s budget may be smaller than expected.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Kemi Badenoch has delivered a major speech on the economy ahead of next week's Budget, calling for welfare cuts to fund higher defence spending. But with some encouraging economic figures, is her attack on Labour landing?

Meanwhile, new polling suggests the Conservatives are reclaiming their position as the main opposition to Labour. Badenoch says she wants Reform voters back – but not its MPs. Are the Tories back in the conversation? And could Labour's divisions over immigration offer the Tories another opening?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Michael Simmons and Noa Hoffman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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For this live edition of Coffee House Shots, James Heale and Lara Brown are joined by pollster and strategist Scarlett Maguire at the Battle of Ideas Festival to unpack the party conference season and look ahead to the Budget.

Who emerged from conference season in the strongest position, and why are the Conservatives and Labour finding their feet while Reform and the Greens falter?

With the Budget looming, could suspected tax rises on the banks help Labour avoid a repeat of the political fallout from Rachel Reeves’s budget last year? Can Reform broaden its appeal beyond immigration and make the economy part of its pitch?

Plus: with Labour MPs seemingly united behind Andy Burnham, is this really the party’s last chance saloon?

Produced by Abigail Brierley.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Ministers react to Donald Trump's latest interventions in the war Russia-Ukraine conflict. And Zack Polanski is unapologetic in his reaction to the Green Party's 'Zionism is racism' motion.

Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.

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This week, The Spectator hosted a debate on the motion: This house believes Britain no longer has free speech.

Chaired by The Spectator’s Assistant Editor Isabel Hardman, the debate saw former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie and women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen propose the motion, with former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption and politician and commentator Ed Vaizey arguing against it.

In this episode, we hear Jonathan Sumption and Kellie-Jay Keen set out their cases before the panel goes head-to-head on cancel culture, the role of the police, overzealous lawyers and the responsibility of the press.

To find out more about upcoming Spectator events, visit events.spectator.co.uk.

Produced by Abigail Brierley.

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With the Budget fast approaching, is Labour about to pick a fight with the City? Could a new bank tax help John Healey plug the fiscal black hole – or would it risk damaging one of Britain’s most successful industries?

Meanwhile, the SNP party conference in underway in Aberdeen, and John Swinney is once again talking about Scottish independence. But could Andy Burnham pose a threat to the SNP's hold on Scotland?

Plus, Reform is facing fresh questions over misogyny after another round of undercover recordings. Can Nigel Farage get his party back on the front foot?

Produced by Abigail Brierley.

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As Andy Burnham rolls out the red carpet for Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street, he has publicly sided with Kyiv against the Trump administration, days after the US President called for Zelensky to be replaced. Noa Hoffman is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to weigh up the politics, and to ask whether Ed Miliband’s desire to be seen as a saviour over Israel-Palestine has backfired, with friends of Jonathan Powell, the National Security Adviser, now saying he is likely to quit.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Henry Lloyd

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After last night’s botched coup against the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, and a rather temperate Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, James Heale is joined by Isabel Hardman and Tim Shipman to review the events of the last 24 hours.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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The IMF has upgraded its forecast for UK growth – but is the good news all it seems? Michael Simmons explains why the assumptions underpinning Britain’s economic outlook may be far shakier than they first appear, as the government prepares for another difficult Budget.

Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll puts the Conservatives ahead of Reform. Is Kemi Badenoch finally beginning to turn the tide – and has the Tory strategy of targeting the ‘Waitrose woman’ started to pay off?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Michael Simmons and Noa Hoffman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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On this episode of Coffee House Shots, James Heale and Tim Shipman examine claims of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. What do we actually know about Moscow’s attempts to influence the vote – and did they make any difference to the result?

Plus: they discuss Andy Burnham’s foreign policy, Labour’s plans for a reset with the EU and Nigel Farage’s latest attempt to put migration back at the centre of the political debate.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson & Abigail Brierley

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For this special edition of Coffee House Shots, economics editor Michael Simmons hosts a panel from Conservative Party conference on Britain’s growing NEETs crisis: the hundreds of thousands of young people not in education, employment or training. He is joined by shadow education secretary Laura Trott, the CBI’s Megan Bulford, Spectator commissioning editor Lara Brown and the CPS's Daniel Herring.

Why are so many young people struggling to enter the labour market, and is the problem education, welfare, the cost of hiring or something deeper? The panel debate the value of university compared with apprenticeships, whether tax and employment regulation are shutting younger workers out, and whether Britain’s welfare system is making it too easy for young people to fall out of work altogether. Plus: are rising anxiety and poor mental health driving the crisis or are they symptoms of a labour market that is failing the young?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.

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Labour has held Holborn and St Pancras in the first major electoral test of the post-Starmer era – but what does the result tell us about the state of the left?

James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and More in Common’s Luke Tryl to discuss Andy Burnham’s appeal, Zack Polanski’s problems and whether the Greens have already missed their moment. Plus: are the Conservatives beginning to squeeze Reform, and is two-party politics making a comeback?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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What does it take to become a successful political leader – and are Britain’s politicians getting the training they need?

At Conservative Party Conference, Michael Gove was joined by former deputy PM Thérèse Coffey to ask how Britain can develop politicians fit for the future.

The conversation was organised in collaboration with the Institute for Government and was chaired by director of the IfG Academy, Vicky Elliott.

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Kemi Badenoch has just delivered her conference speech, bringing Conservative Party Conference 2026 to a close.

She very nearly almost announced the inheritance tax policy many had expected – instead beefing up the Tory offer to homeowners with a pledge to abolish inheritance tax on the family home. Beyond that, it was relatively light on new announcements: Kemi could hardly be accused of ‘policymaxxing’.

What was clear from the Leader of the Opposition’s rhetoric, however, was that there is now plenty of clear blue water between the main parties – setting British politics up for an intriguing run-in. Has Kemi finally found ‘the right way’?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman, James Heale and Lara Brown.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman, Michael Simmons and Lara Brown from the second day of Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. They discuss shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith’s pitch for a low-tax, low-regulation economy, Kemi Badenoch’s new ‘Britannia Shield’ defence proposal and whether the Tories are starting to recover some confidence. As Kemi seeks to assemble a more credible frontbench team, to what extent is this conference the beginning of a genuine Tory revival?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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James Heale, Tim Shipman and Tali Fraser record live from Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. As we pass the two year mark of Kemi Badenoch's leadership of the Tory Party, the panel discuss whether she has done enough to win voters over and whether the party is ready for an early general election. Did Kemi miss a trick in not pressuring new Prime Minister Andy Burnham for one – and could Kemi survive an election defeat?

Plus, the panel answer a variety of audience questions including: how to make Conservatism more attractive to younger people, how much the Manchester City scandal could tarnish Brand Burnham – and whether the pensions triple lock should be abolished.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Andy Burnham wants to scrap the pensions triple lock, and he's reopening the Brexit debate.

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James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Liam Halligan, Telegraph columnist and the new director of the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), to look ahead to Conservative party conference, which kicks off today. Kemi Badenoch’s latest attempt to draw clear dividing lines with Andy Burnham was through a tougher welfare offer aimed at the under-25s – as exclusively revealed by Tim in the Spectator this week. Will this, alongside tougher fiscal restraint and general plain speaking, appeal to the wider public?

Plus: how do the Conservatives outflank Reform while seeking to appeal to those in the centre-ground who may have turned to Labour at the next election? The panel also discuss the state of public finances, the role of think-tanks such as the CPS and what to watch for in Birmingham – from party donors and business representatives, to the mood of younger activists.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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James Heale reports from Green Party conference in Brighton, joined by More in Common’s Luke Tryl and Noa Hoffman. After a year in which the Greens appeared to be challenging Labour on the left, has their momentum begun to stall – and how much of that is down to Zac Polanski himself, compared to Andy Burnham winning progressive voters back to Labour?

They discuss the tensions within the Greens’ increasingly broad coalition plus look ahead to next week's Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Will Polanski survive losing in London?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Suella Braverman joins Tim Shipman to discuss her new memoir Patriot, from growing up with imposter syndrome to her battles inside the Conservative Party and eventual defection to Reform. She reflects on immigration, Brexit and patriotism, her clashes with Rishi Sunak, and explains why she believes she could never work with the Tories again.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Tim Shipman has interviewed Kemi Badenoch ahead of Tory party conference this weekend. In the interview, the Conservative party leader exclusively reveals the Tories plan to ban benefits to under 25s who have never worked before. For this special episode of Coffee House Shots, here is an extract from the Spectator's Edition podcast, where Tim sat down with the Spectator's Lara Prendergast and Angus Colwell and the Telegraph's Poppy Coburn.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Andy Burnham delivered his first conference speech as Prime Minister in Liverpool yesterday, promising a sweeping expansion of public services and a fresh look at Brexit, to warm reviews from the hall. Patrick Gibbons is joined by Isabel Hardman and Claire Ainsley, Sir Keir Starmer's former director of policy, to weigh up what was promised and how the party is taking it.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Andy Burnham has used his Labour conference speech to set out his clearest vision yet for the country and it was a strikingly ambitious one. Noa Hoffman is joined in Liverpool by Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons to unpack a speech that ranged from a new National Care Service and reform of the pension triple lock to electoral reform, water and Britain’s future relationship with the European Union.

How radical is Burnham’s programme in practice and is the ambition matched in the detail? And what was missing from the speech?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Noa Hoffman is joined from Labour conference in Liverpool by James Heale and economics editor Michael Simmons to discuss Chancellor John Healey’s keynote speech. They discuss his attempt to sell fiscal discipline in distinctly Labour language, whether the government’s reindustrialisation plans add up and what the speech tells us about the economic argument Andy Burnham wants to make.

Plus, as the bars begin to swell on day two of the conference, can Labour's united front continue for Shabana Mahmood's speech?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Live from Labour conference in Liverpool, Noa Hoffman is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale to discuss the questions Andy Burnham still needs to answer. Can Labour tighten immigration controls while edging closer to Europe? How will Burnham pay for his social care ambitions? And is the party already thinking about an early election... despite what the PM might say.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

At the Labour conference, Andy Burnham has big plans for social care. But how will he pay for it?

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It’s Labour conference day one, and Oscar Edmondson and James Heale report live from the Pullman hotel bar. What’s the mood of conference so far? Will it be a dour affair like previous years, or will new measures to shorten the beer queues do anything to quell the gossip and plotting?

Andy Burnham has taken the opportunity this morning to announce a major policy on social care, proposing a system more closely aligned with the principles of the NHS with a free at the point of use model. But how would Labour pay for it?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Ahead of Labour Party conference, Tim Shipman is joined by former shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth to discuss the mood inside the party, Andy Burnham’s growing authority and whether he could be tempted to call an early general election. They also consider the pressures facing Burnham on tax, welfare, Europe and the North Sea – and why, sooner or later, he will have to start making enemies.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Andy Burnham pitched Britain to the UN this week as an 'honest broker' on artificial intelligence, only for Washington to ask OpenAI and Anthropic to make Britain's AI Security Institute wait its turn. Michael Simmons is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to discuss James's column on the backlash, data centres and whether Burnham's Makerfield test will make room for AI innovation.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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After fresh polling from YouGov put the Tories ahead of Reform UK today, the leader of the opposition has set out plans to get people off of unemployment benefits, and limit what successful claimants can spend it on. James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons to weigh up the policy proposal, another poll from Survation, and whether Andy Burnham will go to the country for an early election.

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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Donald Trump has forced a rethink of the Chagos deal, after publicly criticising the agreement during his meeting with Andy Burnham. Is Labour preparing to abandon one of Keir Starmer’s most controversial foreign policy decisions? And, with Labour conference approaching, could Burnham be tempted to call a general election? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Noa Hoffman and Tim Shipman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Andy Burnham is off to meet Donald Trump. What can he expect from his first face-to-face with the US president? Tim Shipman and Freddy Gray discuss the diplomatic choreography behind the meeting, the issues likely to come up – from Ukraine and Iran to the Houthis – and whether Burnham risks upsetting the Labour left with his stance on Saudi Arabia.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Patrick Gibbons is joined from Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton by deputy political editor James Heale and Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at RUSI and who is now the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone. They discuss Ed Davey’s attempt to put more substance behind the stunts, how the party can keep making gains across the south east and whether defence and national security can give the party a more serious national profile. Plus: has Brighton provided any clues to who might eventually succeed Ed Davey?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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From the hallways of the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, the Spectator's deputy political editor James Heale speaks to foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller MP about the party’s pitch on growth, what Andy Burnham means for the Lib Dems and why Britain should pursue closer defence ties with Europe.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Ed Davey talks popularity contests, and Bridget Phillipson defends the government ahead of Andy Burnham's first meeting with Donald Trump.

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Military and intelligence chiefs across Europe are sounding increasingly stark warnings about the threat posed by Russia, from cyber attacks and sabotage to drones and hybrid warfare. But is Britain taking the danger seriously enough – and are the armed forces actually ready for what might come next?

Patrick Gibbons is joined by Tim Shipman and Noa Hoffman to discuss Britain’s military preparedness, Andy Burnham’s approach to foreign policy and what to expect when the Prime Minister comes face-to-face with Donald Trump in New York next week.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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In this episode, we return to a live Spectator event asking: have women ever had it so good?

The Spectator’s commissioning editor Lara Brown is joined by Zoe Strimpel, author of Good Slut; Spiked columnist Ella Whelan; feminist writer Julie Bindel; and broadcaster and former Conservative MP Miriam Cates, as they debate women’s freedom, feminism, sexual liberation and the changing relationship between men and women.

We pick up the conversation as the panel turns to prostitution and pornography, and asks whether porn and feminism are fundamentally in conflict – or whether the two can coexist.

To find out more about upcoming Spectator events, visit events.spectator.co.uk.

Produced by Abigail Brierley.

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More voters than ever before say they are willing to vote tactically at the next election, according to new polling from More in Common, and the trend is not running Reform's way – even Conservative supporters are more ready to lend their vote to the Lib Dems than to Nigel Farage. James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by the pollster's executive director, Luke Tryl, to discuss the findings and whether a 'stop Reform' vote could keep Farage out of Downing Street.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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New inflation figures – showing the highest increase for several months – have done little to insulate John Healey from the stormy weather of the British economy. James Heale is joined by Michael Simmons and Tim Shipman to unpack what the rise might mean for Labour's upcoming budget. How much worse can it get?

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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Labour is facing growing criticism from rural Britain, with the Countryside Alliance calling for a ‘rural reset’ between the government and the countryside.

Noa Hoffman and James Heale are joined by Tory peer and Countryside Alliance chairman Nick Herbert to discuss why Labour has lost the trust of rural communities - from the family farm tax and trail hunting to plans to licence game shooting. 

They ask whether Labour’s new approach under Andy Burnham can repair the relationship, and examine why politicians need to stop treating rural Britain as the enemy.

Produced by Abigail Brierley.

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Reform UK received a record-breaking £72 million in donations over the weekend from two crypto billionaires – meaning the party has received almost twice as much in 24 hours as all political parties combined have received in donations this year.

Noa Hoffman and James Heale discuss how Reform will spend the money, the government’s plans to cap political donations from British expats, and what the public makes of the party’s massive cash injection.

They also examine Kemi Badenoch’s plans to potentially abolish inheritance tax, and how the policy could help the Conservatives distinguish themselves from Reform. Plus, what does Labour’s ambitious housing target mean for Angela Rayner and the party?

Produced by Abigail Brierley.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Reform have newfound riches. What does this mean for the future of political donations in the UK?

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Andy Burnham has announced his intention to change a law which bars him from advising the King on appointments to the Church of England. The Victorian-era law explicitly bars Catholics like Burnham, as well as Jews – but doesn't prevent those of other Christian denominations, other faiths – like Hindu Rishi Sunak, or atheists like Keir Starmer. So, if the law is going to be changed to address this anomaly, should it allow all Prime Ministers of any faith to provide advice – or should all non-Anglicans be barred? And what does Burnham's interest in the power tell us about his relationship with his faith – and his approach to the job?

The Spectator's James Heale and William Moore join Damian Thompson to discuss. This was originally broadcast on the Spectator's Holy Smoke channel.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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England's 15-year-olds came eighth in the world for science, ninth for reading and tenth for maths in Tuesday's Pisa results, though it took the education secretary, Lucy Powell, hours to send the congratulatory message. James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and the shadow education secretary, Laura Trott, to go through the numbers, why Labour wants to unpick the reforms behind them, and whether a vocational route at 14 would help the pupils it is aimed at.

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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James Heale joins Patrick Gibbons to react to the news that MPs have voted against Assisted Dying. The vote was close – 286 vs 270 – but not a knife-edge, and several MPs changed their minds compared with previous votes earlier this year. What conclusions can we draw?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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The topic of assisted dying returns to Parliament today, with a vote scheduled in the Commons this afternoon. Labour MP Lauren Evans has used her private member's bill to reintroduce it, after Kim Leaderbeater's attempt failed, running out of time during the last parliamentary session. Then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer voted for the Bill; now, Andy Burnham has pledged to abstain, saying that – as Prime Minister – he should remain neutral. So what are the chances of this Bill passing? And what does Burnham really think? Tim Shipman and James Heale join Noa Hoffman to discuss.

Plus: the team reflect on the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US and its consequences, 25 years on from that seminal moment.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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After plans emerged for the Cabinet Secretary, Dame Antonia Romeo, to consolidate power across the civil service this week, Oscar Edmondson is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman, to discuss this week's political column, in which Tim unpacks the potentials motives behind the new alpha at the very top of Whitehall.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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It's only Burnham's second PMQs and he's already dropped a clanger. He may have handed the Conservatives their next election slogan after declaring that ‘national security cannot come at the expense of social security’. Has the Prime Minister exposed the fault line at the heart of his government?

Noa Hoffman is joined by Isabel Hardman and Tim Shipman to discuss Burnham’s approach to welfare and defence, his increasingly ideological foreign policy – and whether his promise of hope and consensus can survive contact with political reality.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Ed Miliband has made his first major intervention as Foreign Secretary, with Britain set to announce a trade ban on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The move comes amid increasingly strained relations between London and Jerusalem – and marks Andy Burnham’s first big foreign policy fight.

Oscar Edmondson is joined by James Heale and Michael Stephens to discuss whether the sanctions will have any real effect, how far UK–Israel relations have deteriorated and whether Labour is simply moving with public opinion.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Sir Malcolm Rifkind joins Tim Shipman and James Heale to discuss the future of the conservatism and tells The Spectator why Kemi Badenoch is the person to bring the Conservative Party back from the brink. 

He explains why he thinks Reform is already losing momentum, why Nigel Farage is ‘not fit to govern’, and why Andy Burnham could actually help the Conservatives at the next election.

He also reflects on Britain’s relationship with Israel and the United States, criticises Labour’s approach to sanctions on Israel, and gives his verdict on Donald Trump second term. 

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Abigail Brierley.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Nigel Farage is on the defence again, after two senior Reform officials are forced to step down. James Orr and Dan Jukes were filmed arranging to break rules on foreign donations with journalists pretending to have access to money from an American businessman.

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Noa Hoffman, James Heale and Tim Shipman host a special live recording of Coffee House Shots from Reform conference. They discuss whether a damaging 48 hours for the party have breached the walls of Birmingham’s NEC, whether Nigel Farage can weather serious questions over Reform’s funding, and whether Zia Yusuf should throw his phone in the nearest river and get off Twitter.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson, Henry Lloyd and The Spectator’s events team.

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There are grey clouds over day two of Reform UK’s conference after a Channel 4 investigation caused heads to roll. The party announced this morning that Dan Jukes, Nigel Farage’s right-hand man, and James Orr, Reform’s head of strategy, have stood down and left the conference. ‘They have left the building and they won’t be coming back,’ chairman Lee Anderson said.

Footage broadcast by Channel 4 on Thursday night showed Jukes suggesting a way to get around electoral law in order to secure a foreign donation. A reporter posed as a UK-based son of an American benefactor, who was to give money to Reform via his 'son' after being wooed by both Orr and Jukes. Electoral law sets out that to be a permissible donor to a UK political party you must be a UK registered voter, or a company registered in the UK. So how damaging is this for Reform – and what happens next?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Noa Hoffman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Chris Philp joins James Heale to discuss what the Conservatives got wrong on immigration – and how they plan to fix it. The shadow Home Secretary argues that mass immigration risks making Britain ‘ungovernable’, says the last Tory government made a ‘catastrophic mistake’ after 2020 and explains why he thinks Reform still lacks a credible plan for government.

He also lifts the lid on his time inside the Home Office, from civil service resistance to the Rwanda scheme to the legal constraints he believes stop ministers controlling the borders.

Produced Oscar Edmondson and Abigail Brierley.

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After his first PMQs Andy Burnham came away relatively unscathed, although his dream of a 'new politics' may be rapidly falling apart. To dissect what went on in the chamber, James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman to go over today's more feisty exchanges.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson

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Politics is back – and it’s a bumper day in Westminster. Kemi Badenoch got ahead of the field yesterday by reshuffling her top team a day earlier than expected, and the changes are much more comprehensive than first thought. James Cleverly is off to run for the London mayoralty, while Priti Patel and Mel Stride have both been given the boot. Katie Lam takes over Cleverly’s housing brief, while Andrew Griffith will hope to bring some much-needed energy to the role of shadow chancellor. So what does the reshuffle tell us about Badenoch’s strategy – and what does it mean for the Tories’ economic offer?

Elsewhere, Keir Starmer has resigned as an MP. Listeners may remember that he used to joke that Rishi Sunak would be the one to leave politics behind for sunnier Californian climes. Now, the shoe appears to be on the other foot.

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman and James Heale.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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With two months to go until Andy Burnham and John Healey’s first Budget, speculation about tax rises is already beginning. But how much should we believe?

Michael Simmons looks at five facts about Britain’s tax system that should shape the debate – from a tax burden heading towards post-war highs to the surprising reality that taxes on the average worker remain relatively low. And with the wealthy already heavily squeezed, is there really anyone left to tax?

This episode is brought to you by Artemis Fund Managers, for more information on our fund range please click here https://www.artemisfunds.com/

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Reform has spent the summer taking lumps out of itself, with the battles leaking into public view, and it's position in the polls slipping to around 25 percent. Just in time for conference season, James Heale is joined by Nick Tyrone, whose new book The Rise of Reform is the product of 18 months trailing the party's candidates and activists, to discuss whether Nigel Farage can get the show back on the road before the May 2027 local elections.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Henry Lloyd

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Andy Burnham's first overseas trip as Prime Minister took him to Ukraine this week, offering the first real glimpse of what his foreign policy might look like. But with a budget and a party conference ahead, how much time can a PM elected on a domestic agenda really give to the world stage? Oscar Edmondson is joined by James Heale and the foreign policy analyst, Sophia Gaston, to assess Ed Miliband's early moves at the Foreign Office, why Jonathan Powell has made himself indispensable to Britain's allies, and who is in the running to replace Olly Robbins as permanent secretary.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Former veterans minister Al Carns joins James Heale to discuss the government’s handling of Northern Ireland legacy cases – and why the issue helped drive him to resign.

Writing in The Spectator this week, Al attacks the ‘two-track approach’ to legacy cases, which he says could cost taxpayers billions, and warns against allowing the history of the Troubles to be ‘rewritten through the courts’. He argues that Labour failed to listen properly to veterans before changing the law and sets out what more should be done to protect those who served in Northern Ireland.

What was it like fighting the issue from inside government? Did Keir Starmer understand the strength of feeling – and will Andy Burnham take a different approach?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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With Parliament returning next week, the Conservatives are in a much stronger position than they were this time last year. That said, questions remain – not least when it comes to Kemi Badenoch’s top team. A reshuffle is apparently scheduled and, while it won’t be a total overhaul, there could be a few surprises.

James Heale and Lord Goodman join Oscar Edmondson to discuss Badenoch’s improving position, why a Tory–Reform pact now looks increasingly unlikely, and who could be in line for promotion. Plus: could Penny Mordaunt be blocked from standing again – and does the Tory party have a growing talent problem?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Lee Anderson and Richard Tice fronted another Reform presser yesterday, this time on their plans for council housing, should they be elected to government. Included in the announcement was the desire to prioritise council housing for married couples with children, as well as 'British-born' citizens. To analyse this fresh distinction, Oscar Edmondson and James Heale are joined by Ameer Kotecha to go over the plans, and ask whether it is right to draw a line between the Brits who are born here, and those who are not.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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After spending his Saturday afternoon watching Everton win at home, Andy Burnham showed up in Kyiv this morning to hand a gift to President Zelenskyy in the form of missile blueprints. To dissect the PM's trip to the eastern Europe, James Heale is joined by Mark Galeotti to discuss the impact of the Storm Shadow plans, both for Kyiv, and for Moscow.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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One month on from Andy Burnham entering Downing Street and a lot has changed at the top of government. Starmer's old guard have been reshuffled or replaced, and Burnham's government have announced dozens of new projects, but the big challenges that he faces are largely the same. Noa Hoffman is joined by Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, the former shadow culture secretary, to review Andy's report card.

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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There’s more gloomy economic news for Andy Burnham as unemployment disappoints, inflation rises and the public finances take another hit. With welfare spending and debt interest climbing, how much room does the government really have to deliver on its promises?

Meanwhile, Burnham has pledged to be the ‘cost of living’ Prime Minister – but one Treasury insider tells Michael Simmons that there is ‘not a single special adviser in this government who understands economics’. Is optimism in No. 10 about to collide with economic reality?

James Heale, Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons discuss.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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It continues – thankfully – to be an interesting summer: there’s devolution news, Reform taking lumps out of each other and Sue Gray has broken her silence.

But first, Andy Burnham is shifting the machinery of government north, promising to put growth at the heart of his new Manchester operation. Will moving power out of Whitehall actually make a difference?

Elsewhere, tensions inside Reform spill into the open as Zia Yusuf takes aim at Shippers over his latest Spectator column.

Oscar Edmondson, Tim Shipman and James Heale discuss.

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There was never an expectation that Zack Polanski's alliance between the progressive left, the ecological environmentalists, and the conservative muslim factions of the Green Party would last forever, but today it seems that the war of dissolution may have finally begun. Noa Hoffman is joined by Andrew Gilligan to discuss what has been going down inside the Greens under Polanski, and how a boiling division in Bolton may well spill over into the rest of England and Wales.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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After saying that Zia Yusuf needed to 'become a team player' in an interview on Coffee House yesterday, Reform UK responded, and decided that they would rather Tim Montgomerie were not in their squad at all. After the story broke this morning that Montgomerie had his membership of the party suspended, Noa Hoffman is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale to react to the latest developments on the right of British politics.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Reform UK's Zia Yusuf spent last week putting a few noses out of joint, not least by calling the former Conservative defence secretary, Sir Ben Wallace, a traitor, a tweet Nigel Farage took the unusual step of criticising in public and which Yusuf declined to take down. Tim Shipman and James Heale are joined by Tim Montgomerie, founder of Conservative Home and now a Reform UK member, to ask whether Farage has fallen out of love with his home affairs spokesman.

In another exclusive for The Spectator, Montgomerie also announces the upcoming launch of 900 Days, the publication he is launching as a new independent online home for Reform UK.

Produced by Henry Lloyd and Oscar Edmondson

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Almost one year on from his election as leader of the Green Party, has Zack Polanski broadened its appeal? Communications strategist and Green Party insider Russell Warfield joins Noa Hoffman to discuss his new book The Green Socialist: Zack Polanski & the Battle for Britain’s Future.In it, Warfield makes the argument that Polanski marks more of a continuum for the modern British Green Party – a natural next step for a party seeking to broaden its appeal, rather than the more radical change candidate he has been portrayed as across parts of the media.

Polanski undoubtably achieved new heights for the party – Gorton & Denton was their first ever by-election win – but recent polls show them losing momentum, and the election of Andy Burnham as Labour leader is seen to have stunted their progress. What should Polanski do next?

Produced by Henry Lloyd and Patrick Gibbons.

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Shock horror: Nigel Farage has won the by-election in Calcton. Although you may be shocked by the scale of the victory. 

The Reform leader received 22,239 votes – 1,000 more than his total at the 2024 general election. His main rival, Count Binface – the ‘uniparty candidate’ as Farage says – secured a respectable 9,455 votes, a 26.7 per cent share.

Turnout stood at 44.37 per cent, the constituency’s lowest since 2010, but still pretty good for a by-election and such an unusual one at that. 

But the big questions remains: did Farage get what he wanted out of this by-election? Or is this the farcical end to an undignified episode in British politics? 

Oscar Edmondson, Tim Shipman and Noa Hoffman discuss. 

Produced by Oscar Edmondson. 

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Politicians are increasingly turning on the journalists who scrutinise them. After investigations into Nigel Farage’s finances, Reform figures have accused reporters of waging a political ‘war’ – while Arron Banks has hired private investigators to look into Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund. Is hostility towards the media becoming a feature of modern politics? And is the relationship between politicians and the press becoming more poisonous?

Gabriel joins Oscar Edmondson and Tim Shipman, who writes for the magazine this week about the fraying contract between society and its fourth estate.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Andy Burnham's summer bonanza continues as he announces plans to empower local councils and hopefully improve Britain's High Streets. The government wants to make it easier for councils to refuse certain types of businesses – but is the plethora of vape shops, betting shops and barbers a cause of Britain's High Street decline, or just a symptom? If there are no businesses to replace those, will the public prefer empty shops to those they see as less desirable?

Noa Hoffman and Michael Simmons join Tim Shipman to discuss. Plus: the Prime Minister attempts to grip the migration crisis, as small boats numbers rise across the summer – but can he get his facts straight?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

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Nigel Farage is heading back to the polls in Clacton after resigning to trigger a by-election over questions surrounding his £5 million gift. With the main parties refusing to stand, Farage looks set for a comfortable victory – but will his popularity in Clacton translate to the rest of the country? And have voters simply stopped caring about the controversy?

Meanwhile, Andy Burnham is facing the first major tests of his premiership. As questions mount over how he will pay for his ambitious domestic agenda, Burnham has intervened again over plans to release prisoners early, insisting that the killers of PC Andrew Harper should remain behind bars. Is his willingness to respond to public pressure a sign of how he intends to govern?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Noa Hoffman and the Financial Times’s Lucy Fisher.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Nigel Farage is trying to seize the summer agenda with a new crackdown on crime and immigration. Reform wants to send foreign national prisoners to countries such as El Salvador, deploy the Navy in the Channel and leave the ECHR – but how much of the plan could actually work?

Meanwhile, hopes of a reconciliation between Reform and Rupert Lowe’s Restore appear to be fading. Farage has ruled out a deal while Lowe remains surrounded by figures he regards as being on the extreme right. Could the continuing split ultimately play into Andy Burnham’s hands?

Tim Shipman speaks to Noa Hoffman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Jonathan Ashworth is a former Labour MP and shadow cabinet minister. On today's podcast James Heale and Jonathan discuss Andy's first few weeks as Prime Minister, how he's changed since the Blair-Brown era, whether Burnham's promises in devolution stack up and they discuss whether Morgan McSweeney is right to change his mind on the Conservatives, rather than Reform being the greatest threat to Labour.

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Andy Burnham has made it clear that social care is at the top of his agenda, as are pensions. Michael Simmons is joined by James Heale and Spectator contributor James Kirkup to discuss so called 'death tax', cross party efforts on tackling social care, and whether the government can get round the thorny issue of who will pay for this.

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Kemi Badenoch found herself in warmer water this week after backing a former neo-Nazi to stand as a local council candidate, before he subsequently pulled out – he has now been appointed as an anti-extremism advisor to the Conservative Party's Culture and Integration Commission. Natasha Feroze is joined by The Spectator's William Atkinson, and the former Editor of Conservative Home, Paul Goodman, to reflect on the story, and the wider Keminisation of the Conservative Party, as commented on by James Heale in this week's political column.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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The Treasury has plans to kick start the economy with a £9bn borrowing bonanza – something Michael Simmons wrote about in The Spectator in June. Could this reveal something about Burnaham and Healey's plans for the upcoming budget? Also Ed 'Miliwatt' heads to Washington. How will he get on with his American counterparts? James Heale speaks to Michael Simmons and Isabel Hardman.

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The government has revised its early prisoner release scheme – now 1000 fewer prisoners with convictions related to rape or child sexual abuse will be let out early. Controversially, PC Harper's killers will be released this year under the new plan, despite calls for manslaughter cases to remain in custody. Natasha Feroze speaks to James Heale and the journalist Danny Shaw about the details of the scheme and take a look at the options Burnham is reviewing: IPPs, women's prisons & foreign nationals.

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After some weeks on the periphery of British politics, Nigel Farage and Reform UK are back in the spotlight with the debut of 'Operation Fortess' – their plan to deploy the Navy to stop the small boat crossings in the channel. Is it just a headline-grabbing gimmick or will it actually work – and is it even a new idea? To answer the important questions, James Heale is joined by Christian Calgie, Senior Political Correspondent-at-Large at the Daily Mail, to talk over the plans set out this morning.

Produced by Natasha Feroze and Henry Lloyd

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Is Andy Burnham the country's first catholic Prime Minister, and how might it influence his leadership? Despite his faith drawing him to Labour, he doesn’t attend mass and rarely emphasises his religion publicly. To unpack his faith and where it might take him, Lara Brown, The Spectator's commissioning editor, is joined by the chief political commentator at The Times, Patrick Maguire, and The Spectator's religion editor, Damian Thompson.

Produced by Henry Lloyd and Ed Parker.

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After appearing to have been fired on by the French coastguard, and having objects thrown at him by an alleged people smuggler, the shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, sat down with Noa Hoffman to talk about his recent trip across the channel. In today's episode, Noa asks Chris why the French gendarmes refused to intervene while migrants set off from their beaches, and what he would do differently now, compared to when he was a Home Office minister under the last Conservative government.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Continuing his tour across the country, Andy Burnham has been in Barrow-in-Furness backing Starmer's investment plan into nuclear submarines. This ties together with a commitment to reindustrialise Britain and promise more apprenticeships for NEETs. But despite policy pledges on employment, the economy and social care this week – small boats have been a story dominating the headlines. Natasha Feroze speaks to Noa Hoffman and James Heale about why Burnham has avoided this issue of immigration so far, and whether the fun could be over for the Prime Minister next week.

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It's Wednesday, which means there's another announcement from Downing Street. Yes, another one. Today, Andy Burnham is talking social care, and this time, he wants to build a 'cross-party consensus' to fix the broken system. Unfortunately neither Kemi Badenoch nor Sir Ed Davey were able to attend in person, but in a far more successful assemblage, James Heale, Tim Shipman, and Isabel Hardman have come together to talk over the details of what was announced. Tim also assesses what direction the new PM may be heading in over assisted dying legislation.

You can read Isabel's piece on Andy's social care plans here

Produced by Henry Lloyd and Ed Parker.

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It's a day dedicated to the NEETs (again) with the Prime Minister announcing his plans to prevent swathes of future NEETs coming to the fore. With proposals to widen the participation and provenance of his Manchester Baccalaureate, and giving more powers to Mayors over education, Andy Burnham is seeking to break with Blair, as he pushes vocational skills over academia. Natasha Feroze is joined by James Heale and Michael Simmons to talk over the plans and dig into the numbers underlining the ongoing crisis.

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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A week on from the start of Andy Burnham's premiership, and Westminster is bracing for another innings of announcements from the government. Among them, after meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy today, the PM will be announcing fresh decisions on defence spending on Thursday. The government are also plotting out their plans for changes to adult social care this week, while Whitehall is still suffering from the recent influencer outbreak. James Heale is joined by Noa Hoffman to pick up on the key stories, and assess how they might play out in the coming days.

Produced by Henry Lloyd and Natasha Feroze.

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Tim Shipman is joined by Sir Nick Clegg, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, as part of The Spectator's new event series, Tim Shipman Meets the Party Leaders.Tim challenges Sir Nick on the decisions that defined his political career, from his passionate support for Europe to the failed referendum on an alternative voting system, and those famous coalition years. Reflecting on his record, Sir Nick offers a candid assessment of the decline of the two-party system, the upending of global alliances and even the looming threats of AI.

Watch the full conversation here.

Highlights produced by Henry Lloyd.

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In the magazine this week, James Heale writes that Kemi Badenoch was in an upbeat mood when she addressed her troops last week. ‘This time last year,’ she told the 1922 Committee, ‘people said Jenrick was taking over the party, Starmer was steady and Farage would be the next prime minister. A year later, Rob is under police investigation, Starmer has resigned and Farage is not even an MP.’

It is a reminder of how quickly the wheel of politics can turn. So what is Badenoch’s grand plan for taking on Burnham?

Also today, No. 10 North is officially open for business – but has anyone really thought it through?

Noa Hoffman speaks to Tim Shipman and James Heale.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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It is day three of Andy Burnham’s premiership, and we have had a tranche of policy announcements and funding commitments. A VAT cut for energy bills, £2 bus fares, and today a business rate cut for pubs and hospitality businesses. But are any of them actually funded?

Michael Simmons joins Tim Shipman and Oscar Edmondson to walk through the promises made, and how, if at all, they will be funded by Burnham’s new government.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Henry Lloyd.

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In a busy week for British politics, LBC’s Iain Dale joins Tim Shipman and James Heale to discuss his new book, Have I Said Too Much? Iain speaks frankly about standing as a Conservative candidate at two general elections – and his fateful attempt to fight a third. James asks what makes a good political book, while Tim delves into the 2005 Conservative leadership election and Iain’s role in approving the infamous ‘It’s DD for me’ T-shirts.

Iain also reflects on his friendship with the late Ann Widdecombe, and on how she came to be defined both by the strength of her convictions and her renowned sense of humour.

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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Appointment into Andy Burnham's new cabinet went late into the evening: Wes Streeting to defence, plus the comeback queens – Louise Haigh, Lucy Powell and Angela Rayner all into senior posts in government. Noa Hoffman, James Heale and Tim Shipman discuss the new appointments and Andy Burnham's morning policy announcements.

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Andy Burnham has continued to announce his new cabinet: John Healey as Chancellor, Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary and Shabana Mahmood remains in the Home Office. Now ten of Starmer's most trusted ministers have either been sacked or quit. What could come of Angela Rayner? And what could be the consequences of having some of the most powerful people in Labour on the backbenches? Natasha Feroze speaks to Noa Hoffman & James Heale.

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As Andy Burnham unveils his first Cabinet, join Tim Shipman and James Heale for a special live edition of Coffee House. Who’s in, who’s out? What do the appointments reveal about Burnham’s priorities, and might they hint at the likely direction of his premiership? Along with a panel of familiar faces and special guests, get the only analysis you’ll need as the political implications begin to unfold.

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