The New Statesman Podcast, Subscriber Only Edition: Recent Episodes
The New Statesman
Andy Burnham's vision – to reground the Labour party in a sense of place, tradition and belonging – began over a decade ago, rising from the rubble of the Blair and Brown years.
Off the back of the party's 2010 defeat, figures now key to his government argued that Labour had become too centralised; too detached from working class voters.
Now, Burnham wants to revive "community" as both a value and a means of reforming the UK.
Is this the era of "Woke Blue Labour"?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by editor-in-chief Tom McTague.
Read: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2026/08/are-we-living-under-woke-blue-labour
Is supporting North Sea drilling an extremist position? Does Jeremy Clarkson have the right to ask benefit claimants for a thank you note? And should you grass on naughty neighbours breaking the hosepipe ban?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Oli Dugmore to discuss some of the biggest questions of the week.
📚 READ
Supporting North Sea drilling is an extremist position
https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2026/07/north-sea-drilling-is-an-extremist-position
The road to Nowhereville
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2026/07/the-road-to-nowhereville
In the summer of 2024, riots tore through British towns, and since then old questions have continued to resurface about who belongs in the country.
Taj Ali has spent years digging into a history that's rarely told in full: the long tradition of South Asian political activism in Britain.
His debut book, Come What May, We're Here to Stay, traces that tradition and asks what it means for Britain now.
Taj Ali joins Tanjil Rashid.
Why did Kemi Badenoch allow a man with a neo-Nazi past to stand as a council candidate? Is Andy Burnham running into his first bump in the road as Prime Minister over his pausing of the early release of prisoners scheme? And could Reform and Restore set aside their differences and form a pact?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by political correspondent Ethan Croft.
For ten years Gianni Infantino has run FIFA more or less unchallenged - cosying up to Putin, the Saudis, and above all Trump, and turning the World Cup into the most commercially aggressive tournament the sport has ever seen.
Then a few weeks ago, it emerged he'd been secretly negotiating to sell a fifth of FIFA's business to outside investors for $20 billion. The plan collapsed within days, under a revolt from football associations around the world.
For some time, Zack Polanski's tenure as Green Party leader had been largely characterised as a success.
But he's been having a turbulent time in recent weeks. He was accused of inciting violence with an Instagram post, failed to steal the Manchester mayoralty from Labour, and the party is becoming increasingly divided on the subject of defence of spending.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by political correspondent Megan Kenyon to discuss.
The best day of Andy Burnham's life, Chris Philp goes gonzo in the Channel, and more climate change denial in a burning country.
Anoosh Chakelian and Will Dunn round up some stories you might have missed this week.
Every year, more libraries across Britain close their doors.
As councils have their funding slashed, these are often the first spaces to go.
What do we lose when we stop reading and collecting? What is a library to a community, beyond its books?
Tanjil Rashid is joined by the University of Oxford's Bodley's Librarian, Richard Ovenden.
Andy Burnham's policy and comms blitz powers on - he is setting out his intentions early, and with a very different style than his predecessor.
Meanwhile, on his second week, his government is fully appointed, but the fallout is still rumbling away in the background.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Tom McTague to discuss.
For decades, hell, even centuries, there's only been one show in town for the British right - the Conservative Party.
But now, as the British electoral system complains and convulses and shudders and shrieks, a right-wing party has been at the top of the polls; it's just not the Tories.
Broadcaster, author and political commentator Iain Dale joins Oli Dugmore to discuss Reform, Restore, and the potential revitalisation of the Conservative Party.
Anoosh and Will are back for their weekly politics round up, this week includes: the tired spectacle of a new prime minister, Wes Streeting's hot mic moment, Gary Lineker's plea for higher taxes, and the ongoing saga of Stella Creasy's parakeet misidentification.
It's day 4 of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's premiership.
His cabinet is now appointed - With some notable appointments to the top jobs, plenty of reshuffling, and some loyal Starmer-ites out.
The PM has also begun to announce his measures to tackle the cost of living, from bus fares to energy bills, and a big clear target from the off: end rough sleeping.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Tom McTague to discuss.
Keir Starmer is no longer prime minister, Andy Burnham is.
What just happened? Why did it happen? And what now?
Oli Dugmore is joined by the New Statesman's editor-in-chief Tom McTague for a Starmer retrospective.
Today, Keir Starmer made his way from No 10 to Buckingham Palace to officially resign as Prime Minister.
He was closely followed by his replacement, Andy Burnham, who is currently in his first few hours in the job.
Anoosh Chakelian is in Westminster with Ailbhe Rea to discuss.
Keir Starmer has bowed out of his role as Prime Minister. At his final PMQs, an unusually convivial tone was struck.
As Starmer's political career draws to a close, Will Dunn and Tom McTague discuss his tenure, his final week, and ponder his unpopularity.
Throughout history, art, and artists, have caused moral outrage.
For a long time we had the liberal notion that we could separate great art from bad artists, but we do seem to live in a time of heightened moralisation around works of art and their creators. Why is that?
Tanjil Rashid is joined by Daisy Dixon, who has written the book Depraved: The Story of Dangerous Art.
Gary Stevenson, economic campaigner and YouTuber, is using this change in government to lobby for a wealth tax. Without one, he predicts, "society will collapse".
He joins Oli Dugmore on this episode of The Exchange.
Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of Homer's epic poem is one of the most anticipated films in recent cinema history.
But what is it about this story, first told maybe 3000 years ago, that so fascinates us?
Who really wrote it and why does it represent, with Homer's other great work The Iliad, the foundation of western literature?
Tanjil Rashid is joined by The Odyssey's latest translator, classical scholar and literary critic Daniel Mendelsohn
Nigel Farage, pollings' current front runner to win the next general election, has resigned as an MP.
However, he plans to stand as a candidate in the by-election this move will trigger. Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories have labelled this a "stunt" and won't stand in the contest.
Meanwhile, Andy Burnham is continuing to prepare for power…
Tom McTague is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Ethan Croft to discuss.
Over 1000 of Epstein's victims of sexual abuse and trafficking have now been identified; some have chosen to come forward publicly, and among them there was one voice which was the loudest. Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
In 2021, she decided she wanted to tell her own story, in its entirety. Joining forces with the ghostwriter Amy Wallace, she began working on Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
But in 2025, before publication, Giuffre was found dead in her home in Australia. She'd let it be known that should anything happen to her, she wanted her story to be told.
Amy Wallace joins Oli Dugmore to continue telling that story.
--
Statement from Sky Roberts as printed in Nobody's Girl:
"Just to straighten this out, I never abused my daughter and didn't know that Forrest —- did that either. If I had known about that, I would have been very angry and taken care of the situation. I gave my daughter every single thing she ever wanted and never ever touched her sexually, I never even knew what was going on with Epstein until I read about it online and getting calls from news agencies. There is so much they are getting wrong, even her middle name, it is Virginia Lee Roberts and not Virginia Louise. I am a moral person and believe that men who take advantage of young children should be prosecuted and then castrated. It really pisses me off that someone would write that I would ever abuse my children. As a father, I only tried to give my children a good life."
Statement from Giuffre vs Prince Andrew court case, 2022:
"Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks. It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over the years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims."
Nigel Farage loses his cool as he's grilled on his £5 million "gift", the "anti-woke" Davos and the elephant seal that's terrorising Tasmania.
Will and Anoosh round up the stories of the week.
READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2026/07/is-nigel-farage-losing-momentum
Hot dogs, fireworks, old glory, it's the 4th July. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the USA's Declaration of Independence.
What led up to these crucial events in 1776? Was the revolution truly American? And what does this anniversary represent today?
Tanjil Rashid is joined by Sarah Pearsall, historian and author of Freedom Round the Globe: How the World Made the American Revolution.
Some had dubbed Starmer as "the Trump whisperer", so how has this change in leader come across in the US? Do they even care?
Mehdi Hasan, founder of Zeteo, joins us on The Exchange to discuss the view from across the pond and how Britain became a punching bag for the American right.
Then social media came along. This is one of the reasons social psychologist Jonathan Haidt believes whole heartedly in the social media ban for under 16s, which has been rolled out in Australia, and will be brought into effect in the UK early next year.
But is the ban really working in Australia? Is banning a solution? And is there a way to let young people benefit from the opportunities of the internet safely?
This morning Andy Burnham delivered a speech criticising "Whitehall culture" and promising to rebalance resources between national and local governments.
On course to enter Downing Street in as little as three weeks, the former Greater Manchester Mayor laid out his vision for a "Number 10 North", promising "growth in every postcode".
But how will that work in practice? And how different is it from what's been before?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by political editor Ailbhe Rea.
Keir Starmer's turn at the resignation lectern, Peter Murrell's £400,000 shopping spree and Will Dunn's attempt at a "Man v Horse" race.
Will and Anoosh discuss the stories of the week.
READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/this-england/2026/06/one-small-step-for-man-much-further-for-a-horse
Tayari Jones is one of America's most celebrated novelists, twice chosen by Oprah, shortlisted for prizes on both sides of the Atlantic, and read by presidents.
Her newest book was meant to be a tale of gentrification in the American South, she found herself an entirely different story. Kin follows two motherless girls coming of age in 1950s Louisiana, the Jim Crow South.It's a novel about female friendship, class, race, and motherhood.
Jones discusses her latest book, about growing up "bourgeois and segregated" in Atlanta as the daughter of civil rights activists, and what it's like to watch America try to turn the clock back on progress as it approaches its 250th birthday.
From a by-election victory in Wigan, to the resignation of Keir Starmer, to an Avanti West Coast train bound for London, tracked by news helicopters - Andy Burnham's return to Westminster has been a remarkable spectacle.
Whilst Burnham's coup has overcome multiple challenges to get to this point, in many ways, the hard part is about to begin.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Tom McTague to discuss.
Yesterday morning Keir Starmer resigned as prime minister. Today is the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Britain will soon welcome its seventh prime minister in a decade.
Are the two events connected? Or is country's instability rooted further back in history? Editor-in-chief Tom McTague joins Oli Dugmore.
This morning, Keir Starmer stood outside No 10 Downing Street and announced his resignation as Prime Minister - the sixth to leave office since the EU referendum, which was ten years ago this week. He will remain in office until Labour selects a new leader.
The Prime Minister's likely successor Andy Burnham is sworn in as an MP today after his decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election last week. Burnham has already announced his intention to stand as a leadership contender.
How did the Prime Minister come to this momentous decision, and what happens next?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by political editor Ailbhe Rea and editor-in-chief Tom McTague.
The importance of branding in British politics, banning social media for under 16s and the Reform councillor who made "the biggest mistake" of his life.
Anoosh Chakelian and Will Dunn discuss the stories of the week.
READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2026/06/the-brand-is-back-in-british-politics
Andrew Marr and the New Statesman's art critic Michael Prodger join Tanjil Rashid to discuss the life and legacy of David Hockney who passed away last week.
A Bradford boy who became one of the most famous artists in the world. A gay man who made desire visible decades before it was safe to do so. A painter who took on the iPhone and the iPad and bent new technology to the oldest of artistic impulses. What do the pools, hedgerows and iPad drawings add up to?
Andy Burnham has won the historic Makerfield by-election, he's soon expected to speak to Starmer or trigger a leadership election.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ethan Croft in Wigan.
Tomorrow - the fate of the Labour government, and Keir Starmer's premiership, is in the balance as voters head to the polls in Makerfield for the most consequential by-election in a generation.
If Andy Burnham wins, what are his next steps? How will the following days and weeks play out?
Will Lloyd is joined by Ailbhe Rea to discuss.
Children's laureate, screenwriter, author of Millions, architect of the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, and father of seven, Frank Cottrell-Boyce joins Oli Dugmore to discuss what childhood means in Britain today.
Over two years visiting schools, prisons and asylum hotels, he found a country that has quietly stopped looking after its youngest citizens. He talks about the NEETs crisis, furniture poverty, what summer holidays now mean to children who dread them, and why the most radical thing you can do for a child is sit on a sofa and read to them.
On Thursday, Makerfield goes to the polls in the most consequential by-election in a generation.
Can Andy Burnham finally gain the parliamentary seat he needs to enter the Labour leadership race? Will Robert Kenyon and Reform stop Burnham's charge to Downing Street and further cement their status as Labour's inevitable successors?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker to discuss.
The Makerfield by-election candidates battle it out to be the most "normal", the travails of journalists from the US to the NS and more crossover between the worlds of AI and politics.
Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up the stories of the week
"The traveller sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see."
Andrea Wulf joins us to discuss her new book The Traveller, about George Forster - the forgotten naturalist who sailed with Captain James Cook at seventeen and came back convinced of something radical: that all human beings are equal.
We ask why that idea was so scandalous in the Enlightenment, why Forster has been largely written out of history, and whether travel really does broaden the mind - or whether, as G.K. Chesterton suggested, it might do the opposite.
After the resignations of Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, Wes Streeting joins the Politics Show to reflect on why Keir Starmer is losing support from his loyal ministers.
Streeting resigned his own post as Health Secretary in May, and has said he would run in a future race to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader and Prime Minister.
Also in this episode, Tom McTague and Ethan Croft discuss the resignations and what they mean – for the UK's ability to defend itself, and for the future of the government.
The interview excerpt featured here is taken from an hour-long conversation with Wes Streeting which will publish next week.
READ: John Healey's resignation heralds the end for Keir Starmer, by Andrew Marr
Mariana Mazzucato is one of the most influential economists of modern times. An avowed progressive, her ideas impact the lives of millions of people, from the United States to sub-Saharan Africa. She was directly consulted in the creation of Biden's CHIPS Act, which is worth $280 billion. The World Bank's Mission 300, is straight out of her book Mission Economy.
Oli Dugmore sits down with her to discuss the hope for progressive change in our political and economic systems.
Ahead of the by-election in Makerfield on June 18th, polling expert Scarlett Maguire spoke to voters in the constituency for the New Statesman. This episode is made up of clips from these Makerfield locals.
Scarlett spoke to two groups, some who said they would be voting Reform, some who said they would be voting Labour.
They shared their concerns about the current state of the UK and its politics, and their opinions on the two main parties and candidates battling it out in Makerfield.
Andy Burnham's tucked-in t-shirt, a bonkers "festival of AI optimism" and which MP would make the best James Bond.
Will Dunn is joined by editor Tom McTague to discuss the stories of the week.
There is in Britain today a widespread mood of public despair, a deep premonition of imminent national decline. According to Ipsos, just over half of Britons feel worse off since Keir Starmer was elected. Going further back, 60% feel the country has gone backwards since 2022.
Are Britain's best days really behind it?
Pratinav Anil, Rachel Clarke, Tanjil Rashid, John Kampfner, Gary Stevenson, and Polly Toynbee debate the issue.
This debate was chaired by Anoosh Chakelian and recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival.
Find out more here: cambridgeliteraryfestival.com
The spectre of the Makerfield by-election on June 18th is hanging over British politics.
If Andy Burnham wins, he's in prime position to challenge Keir Starmer's leadership. However, a Burnham victory in Makerfield is all but certain. Reform and their candidate Robert Kenyon are mounting a serious challenge.
Tom McTague is joined by polling expert Scarlett Maguire and our political editor Ailbhe Rea to discuss.
Are AI companies the new empires?
Journalist Karen Hao says the parallels are striking. This disruptive sector requires vast amounts of land, minerals and water – not to mention data and content from individuals.
Hao interviews subjects ranging from those close to Open AI CEO Sam Altman to workers in the Global South who've been traumatised by their jobs in AI content moderation.
She joins Oli Dugmore on The Exchange.
What is the relationship between politics and the built environment? between the spaces inhabited by the public and the policies that govern them?
From parliaments to monuments… from open squares to closed off palaces… there clearly is a connection, but how that manifests itself remains deeply contested.
Tanjil Rashid is joined by Jan Werner-Muller, a German philosopher and historian, whose latest book, Street, Palace, Square: The Architecture of Democratic Spaces investigates this relationship between place, people and politics.
This week there's only one subject to discuss – and that's Tony Blair – who has written a blistering 5,000 word essay criticising everyone from Keir Starmer to Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband and Wes Streeting.
Tom McTague is joined by political editor Ailbhe Rea to discuss this "right wing" intervention.
Guy Standing is a British labour economist best known for coining the term "precariat" to describe the growing global class of people living with unstable employment, mounting debt, and chronic insecurity.
Standing's latest book, Human Capital, explores how the education system has been corrupted and privatised.
He joins Oli Dugmore to discuss this, as well as how his concept of the "precariat" differs from Marx's "proletariat", and how a bold, progressive politics must flourish to combat the rise of authoritarianism.
Nigel Farage's £5 million "reward" from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, the NHS "I feel lucky" syndrome and the Reform councillor who wants us to crack down on extra terrestrial activity.
Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up the stories of the week.
Political instability, democratic decline, the rise of populist movements - politicians and headlines today are quick to diagnose things as modern day Weimar. But what was Weimar actually like, and how did a city associated with culture and intellectual life become bound up with the rise of Nazism?
Historian Katja Hoyer joins us to discuss her new book on Weimar, the process of fascism taking hold at a local level, her previous book Beyond the Wall, and what today's politics, including the rise of Alternative for Germany, may and may not have in common with the past.
The spotlight of British politics is shining on Andy Burnham - and his "long coup" is underway.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer himself has to find a way to resume some semblance of government as usual.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Tom McTague to discuss.
Charleston Festival is running until May 25. Find out more here.
Ten years on from the referendum that redirected the course of British politics, the New Statesman's editor Tom McTague is joined by Caroline Lucas, Anand Menon and Marina Wheeler to consider how we should think about our relationship with Europe.
Andy Burnham is running in a by-election in Makerfield, which is likely to be held on 18 June, to return to Parliament as an MP. If he wins, he will be the frontrunner in a contest to replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
Burnham's personal brand of politics is often referred to as "Manchesterism". So, what is it?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by The New Statesman's editor-in-chief Tom McTague, who profiled Andy Burnham back in September.
Keir Starmer's never ending cycle of political chaos, Reform's suspended local councillors and Anoosh's heckle of Boris Johnson.
Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up the stories of the week.
Read: https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2026/05/will-progressives-ever-forgive-labour
https://www.newstatesman.com/business/economics/2026/05/the-bond-markets-will-not-save-keir-starmer
Donald Trump's political style has often been compared to reality TV - but what if the better comparison is professional wrestling?
Satirist Munya Chawawa joins Luke O'Reilly to discuss his new documentary, Wrestling With Trump, which explores the connections between WWE spectacle and modern American politics.
Wrestling with Trump is available to stream now on 4.
Wes Streeting resigned as Health Secretary on Thursday morning, but Ailbhe Rea says Keir Starmer is determined to fight on.
After days of speculation – and a 16-minute meeting at Number 10 – Wes Streeting has finally resigned from cabinet.
On the same day, Angela Rayner has announced she has been "cleared" of wrongdoing related to unpaid property tax, which would leave her free to run in a leadership contest if one is triggered.
However, sources inside Number 10 have told Ailbhe Rea that Wes Streeting does not have the backing of enough MPs to trigger a leadership contest. So what is the former Health Secretary hoping to achieve?
And if a leadership contest were triggered, who else would be likely to run?
Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the latest from Westminster in The Politics Show.
READ: Wes Streeting resigns with an excoriating letter to Starmer
Eric Schlosser is one of America's foremost investigative journalists, writing about everything from the prison system to nuclear weapons, exploring the hidden systems underpinning modern life.
25 years ago, he set out to investigate the economic model behind one of America's most recognisable industries: a system built on low-paid workers, dangerous conditions and the exploitation of migrant labour.
He joins Oli Dugmore to discuss America's complicated relationship with McDonald's, the rise of fast food as both a cultural symbol and an economic system, and how Britain seeks to replicate this.
Over 80 MPs are calling for Keir Starmer's resignation, reaching the threshold required for a contender to mount a leadership challenge, with ministers - including Jess Philips - resigning from government too.
After a high stakes meeting this morning, several cabinet members voiced their support for the Prime Minister, as he defiantly vowed to "get on with governing".
Will the Prime Minister survive the week?
Keir Starmer has pledged to "prove the doubters wrong" as he tries to head off a leadership challenge after the disastrous local election results last week.
Fighting for his political life, the PM announced plans for stronger ties with the EU, powers to nationalise British steel and a scheme to help young people find work. But will it be enough?
Many of his own party don't seem to think so, with his former Deputy PM Angela Rayner calling for Andy Burnham to come back to Parliament.
Backbench MP Catherine West even threatened to mount a leadership challenge against Starmer, but has now backed down and called on him to go by September.
Spies - and stories about spies - are one of Britain's greatest cultural exports. From Ian Fleming's James Bond, to the works of John le Carré and Graham Greene, it seems that in the world's eyes there is something quintessentially English about the double agent and his, or her, deadly deceptions.
Novelist and screenwriter William Boyd shares this fascination. He first explored the theme of espionage in his 2002 novel Any Human Heart and went on to pen a James Bond continuation novel called Solo.
His latest trilogy explores what happens when a travel writer becomes entangled in Cold War Espionage.
He joins culture editor Tanjil Rashid.
Results from the local and devolved are coming in. It has been, as many expected, a disappointing result for the Labour Party.
Meanwhile, the insurgent parties, the Green Party to an extent, but especially Reform, have delivered on their promise of snowballing momentum.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker, political editor Ailbhe Rea and editor-in-chief Tom McTague.
READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/may-2026/2026/05/live-results-map-wales-scotland-and-local-elections
The UK is gearing up for local and devolved elections on Thursday.
As Keir Starmer looks increasingly isolated as Prime Minister, much is being made of a potentially disastrous few days for the Labour Party. If results go as badly for Labour as some are predicting, this could be the end for the PM.
Meanwhile, the insurgent Reform and Green parties are looking to continue their surging momentum.
Rather than a relic of the past, Mary Beard sees the classical world as a powerful tool for understanding the present.
It's an idea she has explored in over twenty books on ancient history and numerous documentaries on the BBC and elsewhere, all of which have made her Britain's best known classicist.
She joins culture editor Tanjil Rashid in the studio.
Crowds of young people chant his name but the Green leader is "nervous", says Ailbhe Rea.
--
A year ago, Zack Polanksi was relatively unknown. Now, he's leading an "eco-populist" movement that has revitalised the Green Party and looks likely to propel a left-wing surge in the May local elections.
Ailbhe Rea profiled the Green leader for the New Statesman, meeting him shortly after he'd been addressing young activists. She found a "sweet, slightly nervous" man who admits he still has much to learn about running a political party.
Here Ailbhe speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about Zack Polanski's political position, his unusual background, and the lessons he might learn from Jeremy Corbyn.
LISTEN NEXT:
Attacks on Jews are an indictment of Keir Starmer's Britain
READ:
Zack Polanski is still learning
Parliament boozers, Morgan McSweeney vs Emily Thornberry, and King Charles' stand-up routine.
Will and Anoosh discuss another big week.
For decades, James Baldwin has stood as one of the most piercing moral voices of the 20th century, But Baldwin himself has remained, in his own words, elusive.
A new biography by Nicholas Boggs - Baldwin: A Love Story - sets out to change that.
Drawing on newly uncovered archives and decades of research, Boggs reframes Baldwin's life through an intimate and sometimes unsettling lens: love.
Luke O'Reilly sits down with Nicholas Boggs to discuss Baldwin's loves and contradictions, the relationship between intimacy and politics, and why Baldwin's insistence that "love is the only reality" might matter more now than ever.
"It makes me furious," says New Statesman editor Tom McTague.
An attack in Golders Green, London, yet again exposes the rise of antisemitism in Britain. Anoosh Chakelian has been reporting from the borough, where local Jews fear for their safety, volunteer security guards patrol the streets and Jewish children have to pass through heavy security cordons to get to school. She tells editor Tom McTague about what she found.
Meanwhile, the rise of anti-Jewish hate is putting more pressure on a government still mired in the Peter Mandelson scandal. The Prime Minister has become deeply unpopular, the Iran War continues, and local elections loom.
Westminster has concluded Keir Starmer has two options: fight or flight. The New Statesman's political editor, Ailbhe Rea, says the Prime Minister has made a decision and raised his fists.
READ:
Terror in Golders Green, by Anoosh Chakelian https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/society/2026/04/terror-in-suburbia
We are under attack, by Rachel Cunliffe https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/society/2026/04/we-are-under-attack
In 2011, Ben Lerner stormed onto the scene with his debut novel, Leaving the Atocha Station, a winning blend of low comedy and high art. He has since firmly established himself as one of America's most acclaimed novelists and is a leading voice in so-called autofiction. Now he returns with his fourth novel, and it may be his most profound yet.
In Transcription, Lerner turns his mind to the nature of art, and of ageing. It's a novel about generations, of growing children, and dying forebears, and the way the secrets and gifts of life and art move from one era to the next.
It's also a novel about technology, and our increasing reliance on it, the way it shapes our speech, our thoughts, our memories and even our conceptions of ourselves.
In this episode, Tanjil Rashid sits down with Ben Lerner to talk about how we record our conversations, why novels may matter even more in the age of AI, and - in his words - the bankruptcy of political speech.
The inevitability of the Peter Mandelson scandal, Jacob Rees-Mogg's live show, and the rising cost of condoms…
Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up the stories of the week.
READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2026/04/whos-afraid-of-olly-robbins
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-sketch/2026/04/jacob-rees-mogg-relishes-the-limelight
The Resistible rise of Arturo Ui, Bertolt Brecht's darkly comic allegory of authoritarianism is a play that straddles past and present. Written in 1941, it was conceived as a warning; a grotesque gangster-inflected retelling of the rise of Adolf Hitler. It holds out the warning that such a rise is not, in fact, inevitable – it can be resisted.
In a new production, Mark Gatiss steps into the role of Arturo Ui, a character who is at once absurd, ridiculous, sinister, and terrifying. It's a part that delicately walks the tightrope between satire and menace.
So how does a play rooted in 20th century politics land in Britain today? What does it mean to stage breath in an era saturated with political performance and media spectacle? And can satire still function as a warning rather than just a mirror?
Tanjil Rashid speaks with Mark Gatiss in this fascinating and wide-ranging interview.
The Mandelson affair has become less about Peter Mandelson's alleged wrongdoing, and all about Keir Starmer's ability to run the country.
This week Olly Robbins, former chief civil servant at the Foreign Office, insisted the Prime Minister pressured him into clearing Peter Mandelson for the US ambassador post.
Yesterday, Starmer was forced to admit his former spin doctor Matthew Doyle, who was suspended from the Labour Party over campaigning for a convicted child sex offender, was also considered for a diplomatic role.
Labour MPs and even cabinet ministers no longer seem able to defend the Prime Minister.
But the frontrunners to replace Starmer are also, according to reporting by our editor Tom McTague, biding their time.
How long can they wait? How long can the country wait?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Tom McTague in the studio.
READ: Keir Starmer is all alone
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/labour/2026/04/keir-starmer-is-all-alone
Anthony Seldon, historian, educator and one of Britain's leading political biographers, has been for a long walk.
His new book, The Path of Light, recounts his extraordinary 1300 kilometre passage to Auschwitz.
Tracing stories of courage, resistance and moral clarity across a continent once consumed by darkness - it's a journey that speaks not only to the past, but powerfully to the world we're living in today.
Anthony joins Tom McTague to discuss his journey, as well as his biographer's perspective on Britain's recent Prime Ministers.
Does Keir Starmer deserve more credit for keeping us out of a third Gulf war? Is Farage's relationship with Trump hurting Reform's polling? And who are the bright young things in British politics?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Tom McTague and Ailbhe Rea to answer your questions.
Criticism of Labour's response to the global threat, Trump's AI Jesus and parliament's "summer of sex".
Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up this week's stories.
Any suggestions for next week's categories, please comment below.
📚 READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-sketch/2026/04/at-a-defence-conference-tech-execs-haggle-over-reducing-the-cost-to-kill
Or has the term lost its meaning?
It's a label that's everywhere now: used by political commentators, thrown around on social media, and increasingly a part of everyday conversation.
In recent months it's been used to describe matters including Indian cricket, Sainsbury's use of facial recognition, the 'Dubai Dream'.
But what did George Orwell actually warn us about, and how closely does our modern world resemble it?
Nick Harris speaks to acclaimed Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck, whose latest film Orwell: 2+2=5 revisits Orwell not as a distant, dystopian novelist, but as a deeply political thinker, shaped by his own life experience: his birth in colonial India, his immersion in the working class, his wartime fight against fascism.
For years, we have wrung our hands about the manosphere: the misogynist influencers like Andrew Tate exploiting a generation of disillusioned and impressionable lost boys.
But what about radicalised young women?
New, exclusive polling for the New Statesman has uncovered a huge difference in the political, economic and social outlook of women and men under 30 in Britain, created largely by women turning to the left.
Should we be worried about the "femmosphere"?
Joining me to discuss is Scarlett Maguire, founder and director of polling and research company Merlin Strategy, and our online editor Emily Lawford, whose brilliant report about this phenomenon will be out in this week's issue of the New Statesman.
Meet the Angry Young Women
https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2026/04/meet-the-angry-young-women-why-young-women-dont-want-to-date-me
Revealed: the new radicalism among young women
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/polling/2026/04/revealed-the-new-radicalism-among-young-women
Fatima Bhutto was born into exile - and into one of the most powerful political dynasties in South Asia.
Her life has been shaped by both privilege and profound personal tragedy.
Born in Afghanistan, she spent her early years displaced, after her grandfather, former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was executed under General Zia-ul-Haq's military regime.
Her childhood was marked by instability and violence. Her father, Murtaza Bhutto, became involved in militant activism linked to acts including a political assassination and a plane hijacking.
When the family returned to Pakistan, tensions deepened. Though it was his own sister Benazir Bhutto in power, Murtaza was killed in a police encounter - a death that Fatima has long held her aunt responsible for.
In 2007, Benazir Bhutto herself was assassinated.
Today, the Bhutto name still carries political weight in Pakistan. Her uncle is currently the president. But Fatima Bhutto has chosen a different path, as a writer - exploring her family's turbulent history as well as the emerging popular culture of the global south, and moving between memoir, fiction, and reportage. Now, she returns with her most personal story yet...
Last night, the Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 10-day mission to space and a lunar flyby. The voyage, which included the first woman and a non-US citizen to take part in a lunar mission, is part of a program to place humans once again on the Moon by 2028, a return after 56 years apart.
But why do we bother? Where does this fascination come from?
Can the moon teach us something about ourselves? Is it a hunger for something different?
Tanjil Rashid is joined by Rebecca Boyle, science writer and author of Our Moon: A Human History.
AI is embedded in the machinery of the British state: drafting legislation, shaping spending decisions, informing interest rate policy and writing speeches delivered in parliament.
Has Britain handed over political power without ever really deciding to, and without fully understanding to whom?
Tom McTague is joined by Will Dunn to discuss.
For decades, George Saunders was known for his short stories. In 2013, in a Time Magazine 100 most influential people listing, he was described as "the best short-story writer in English".
In 2017, he released his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, a reimagining of President Abraham Lincoln's grief in the aftermath of his son Willie's death. It's a genre-defying piece of literature, narrated by no less than 166 ghosts.
The bardo is a concept borrowed from Saunders ' adopted faith, Buddhism—an "intermediate state" between death and reincarnation.
In his latest novel, Vigil, Saunders returns to the in-between - this time through a dying oil barron, grappling with his morality at the 11th hour in a burning world.
Tanjil Rashid sat down with George Saunders to discuss faith: in his writing, as a means of optimism, and as a political weapon in today's world.
It's almost impossible to separate how we think about modern life from the phenomenon that is capitalism, and to think, what would life look like without it? Tanjil Rashid is joined by Sven Beckert, Professor of History at Harvard University and author of Capitalism: A Global History, to trace the long emergence of capitalism, and to ask what the world looked like before it took hold.
The pollution of Britain's waterways is well known, but the full extent of the carelessness and vandalism of Britain's biggest water company, Thames Water, is a catalogue of wrongdoing on an industrial scale.
Will Dunn speaks to the MP with the dubious honour of representing the constituency that is worst affected by sewage spills - Liberal Democrat MP, Charlie Maynard.
As the war in Iran enters its second month, President Trump has delivered a prime time address promising, simultaneously, that the conflict will be over "very shortly" and that the United States is preparing to hit Iran "extremely hard".
Thousands more US troops have arrived in the region in recent days, including a marine expeditionary unit as the president is reportedly weighing options for a potential ground assault, such as an attempt to seize the Iranian oil export hub on Kharg Island, which Trump has said the US could take "very easily."
But what options does the President actually have and what would be involved in an attempt to forcibly re-open the strait of Hormuz?
Katie Stallard is joined by Ruben Stewart, senior fellow for land warfare at the IISS think tank and a former infantry officer and UN peacekeeper.
Keir Starmer delivered one of his routine updates on the war in Iran in a press conference from Number 10 this morning - but this one was a little meatier than usual.
Will Lloyd is joined by Ailbhe Rea to discuss
Last week Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister and darling of the European left, turned 65.
He celebrated his birthday on stage in London, gathering figures from across the left together. Zack Polanski was there, so was Jeremy Corbyn.
Varoufakis' mission? To explore what resistance means today across the left.
In this episode of The Exchange Oli Dugmore sits down with Varoufakis to speak about resistance, his childhood in a fascist dictatorship, how this shaped him, whether he uses that word to describe the climate today, and the strategic importance of Cyprus for the war in the Middle East - for Britian, the US, Israel, Iran, Greece and Turkey.
Green Party support is surging after its by-election victory in Gorton and Denton last month.
But is Zack Polanski's party leaving its environmental principles behind?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Megan Kenyon to discuss.
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.
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.
Michael Pollan, a writer best known for his work on the effect of psychedelics, has taken a journey into the inner mind.
For much of modern history, we've understood the mind in comparison to our most advanced machines. Once it was clockwork, then looms, now computers. Each metaphor promises clarity - the ability to be mapped and modelled - but each, in its own way, falls short.
Drawing on philosophy, literature and his own experiments with altered states, in Michael Pollan takes aim at this habit of thinking.
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 intervene in our kids' social media use?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Hannah Barnes.
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.
Since leaving politics, Rory Stewart has become one of Britain's most prominent political commentators.
In this episode, the former diplomat and cabinet minister reflects on his upbringing, his unconventional path into politics, and what he learned from Westminster. He also discusses the Middle East, arguing that Western countries continue to misunderstand the region's history and dynamics.
The conversation turns to Britain, including growing intolerance towards Muslims and how that shapes political debate. Finally, Stewart shares his view on why Westminster often feels disconnected from the public and what needs to change.
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 historian and professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews.
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 raised over the speed of the response from the government.
Post-Covid, fear amongst the public of the spread of infectious diseases is heightened. This meningitis outbreak has served as a test, not just of public health response and communication, but of how the public understands risk in a post-pandemic Britain.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by investigations editor, Hannah Barnes.
READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2026/03/was-kent-prepared-for-meningitis
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 hot places"
In 2025, Elon Musk took on an extraordinary role inside Washington, leading something called the Department of Government Efficiency - or Doge.
What followed was a radical experiment: an attempt to remake the machinery of the state using the logic of Silicon Valley and the language of memes.
To understand that moment, it helps to understand Musk himself. This is a figure shaped by his upbringing in apartheid South Africa and by coming of age alongside the early internet. He built his reputation by disrupting entire industries - even extending his reach beyond Earth - by moving fast, ignoring convention, and pushing his teams to extremes.
So what happens when you apply that philosophy to the state?
Tanjil Rashid is joined by Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian.
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.
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
When Amia Srinivasan published The Right to Sex: Feminism in the Twenty-First Century in 2021, it sparked widespread debate about the politics of desire, consent, and sexual justice.
In this episode of The Exchange, the Oxford academic joins Tanjil Rashid to discuss how philosophy can illuminate some of the most contentious questions in contemporary culture: from incels and pornography to whether our desires are shaped by society.
Find more from Amia Srinivasan here
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 means for graduates, the economy and Britain's future.
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
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.
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.
Despite KPop Demon Hunters becoming Netflix's most-watched film in history and dominating music charts for months, it's also the kind of cultural phenomenon many people might never have encountered.
The animated musical feature has been cleaning up at awards season and this weekend it could pick up two Oscars.
In this episode of the New Society, we discuss how the film became a global hit and the rise of K-pop and fandom culture.
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 exposed a number of facts about the vetting process that were already reported by the New Statesman in February and have angered Labour MPs all over again, and prompted further calls for Keir Starmer's resignation.
Will the Prime Minister go?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe - who has read through every word of the files - do discuss what they contain, what they reveal, and what Keir Starmer must do now.
📚 READ Starmer, Mandelson and the missing puzzle piece
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.
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.
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 the Iran war will impact the global and the UK economies, and what – if anything – the Labour government can do about it.
READ: Oil prices mean Starmer must raise tax or face recession
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.
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.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss the fast moving situation in the Middle East, how the UK Government is wrangling with an unpredictable US President and also unpick the news of a new national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Is there a route to de-escalation between Israel and Iran?
--
YOUR NEXT LISTEN:
As Gaza faces famine, where does the US stand on Isreal?
--
On Friday, the 13th of June, Israel launched a surprise attack on multiple targets across Iran. Israel strikes hit missile sites and nuclear facilities, and more recently also targeted Iranian state tv.
The two nations have subsequently traded missile attacks over the following days, an escalation to the conflict, which is now the biggest between these two longstanding adversaries.
New Statesman editor Tom McTague meets Lawrence Freedman, Professor Emeritus of War Studies at King's College London, to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran.
--
READ
Netanyahu realises his lifelong dream by Megan Gibson
FREE
Get the best of our journalism straight to your inbox. Sign up for our weekly Saturday Read newsletter.
SUBSCRIBE
Listen ad-free, and access all our reporting and analysis from £8.99 per month - become a New Statesman subscriber now.
Andrew Marr, Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe review Rachel Reeves's latest financial statement.
LISTEN NEXT: What Keir Starmer can't say - NS editor Tom McTague on his profile of the Prime Minister https://pod.fo/e/2e40f0
--
Rachel Reeves unveiled her latest spending review this week. Andrew, Anoosh and Rachel unpack the winners and losers, and discuss what the spending review reveals about the government's priorities.
READ:
Rachel Reeves's economic credibility is on the line https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/06/rachel-reeves-high-stakes-spending-review
SIGN UP:
for a dose of political analysis every morning, sign up for our newsletter morningcall.substack.com
JOIN US:
Subscribe to the New Statesman to get all our reporting from £8.99 a month www.newstatesman.com/pod25
Keir Starmer had tears in his eyes as he spoke of the death of his brother.
The Prime Minister was talking with the New Statesman's new editor, Tom McTague, about how his personal life informs how he runs the country.
Tom has spent weeks accompanying and interviewing Keir Starmer for an extensive profile published in the latest issue of the New Statesman.
In this extended interview, Tom speaks with deputy editor Will Lloyd to discuss what he learned about the man who leads the government.
Read the profile on the New Statesman website: https://www.newstatesman.com
For a daily dose of political analysis, sign up to our newsletter: morningcall.substack.com
Jeremy Hunt held an extensive number of briefs in successive Conservative cabinets; culture secretary, health secretary, foreign secretary, and chancellor. He's now back on the back benches after just holding onto his seat, focusing his time on "reading and writing". Last week he published a new book "Can We Be Great Again? - looking at Britain’s global position, and in Hunt’s opinion, why it could be greater.
Is this part of his bid for the Tory leadership? And with the rise of Reform would he consider a coalition?
If you live in a new build, or know someone who does, who might already be all too familiar with the fact that Britain has a housing problem.
Yes we have a severe shortage of housing, and the government has promised to build 1.5million new homes by the end of parliament - but something which is affecting many people but remains underreported is the terrible quality of the houses being built.
Will Dunn is joined by Anoosh Chakelian who has written this week's cover story: Britain’s new-build nightmare
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
There's a gap on the left and several figures have stepped forward to fill it!
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to discuss, Andy Burnham's leadership pitch, Jeremy Corbyn's Gaza inquiry, dysfunction in no 10, and what the hell Robert Jenrick is doing on the internet.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
If there's one thing that the president loves, it's money. Recently, Trump has turned his attention to crypto - going into business with his sons and launching $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins.
But while this is one of Donald Trump’s latest passion projects, it joins a long, long list of business ventures over his lengthy career. A story that in reality involves a long list of failed business ventures, tax evasion, and multiple bankruptcies. So how has Donald Trump manage to fail upwards for more than half a century? And who pays the price when he does?
Katie Stallard is joined by Russ Buettner, investigative reporter at the New York Times and co-author of Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump squandered his father’s fortune and created the illusion of success.
With Reform being a right-wing populist movement, and splitting Tory voters. Why is there a lack of a strong left-wing populist party?, one listener asks.
And another listener, Damon, writes in to ask, Why are fishing rights on the agenda with regards to this latest EU deal? Do you agree that France has a disproportionate influence on the EU?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Winter fuel cuts? Two child benefit gap? Rachel Reeves' fiscal rules? Angela Rayner?
The team discuss what will stay and what will have to go for Labour in the coming weeks and months, and where Nigel Farage is lurking to capitalise on Labour and Tory struggles.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Last week, the Israeli military launched a major new ground assault on Gaza. The aim, according to Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is to force the surrender of Hamas, free the remaining Israeli hostages, and bring the entire territory under Israel’s control. The UK, France and Canada have demanded Israel halt "its military operations" and "immediately allow aid" in.
While Trump spoke about his support for Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu during his campaign, in recent weeks his patience seems to be wearing this. The US ambassador to Israel maintains Hamas is still responsible for starting the war by attacking Israel on 7 October 2023, and says the militant group must release the 58 Israeli hostages it is still holding. Meanwhile Hamas has been in private talks with the US about a ceasefire.
Katie Stallard is joined by Raja Khalidi and Rajan Menon.
The former Labour prime minister speaks to the New Statesman Podcast about how the government can reduce levels of child poverty.
Read: Gordon Brown: the moral economist
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Starmer has sealed the deal with the EU, U-turned on winter fuel, and made a marked departure on the UK's stance on Israel. This has been a big week for Labour, but how will it wash with the public?
Anoosh Chakelian is drawn by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, senior editor George Eaton, and senior data journalist Ben Walker.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Seven per cent of British children attend private school – a tiny minority – and yet they retain a grip on our elite institutions. The latest figures show that 65% of judges, 44% of newspaper columnists and 23% of MPs were independently educated.
Fee-paying schools, however, do not merely cater for the privileged few, but hard-working aspirational parents who want the best for their children. They also allow for a quality that is essential in all aspects of raising children: choice. Is this two-tier system an archaic injustice that needs total reform? Or is it the route to a better education for all?
This debate was recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival. You can watch and listen to more on cambridgeliteraryfestival.com
In our teenage years, music can be everything.
But as we age, our relationship with music changes.
Alice Vincent was a music journalist for many years, and in this frank conversation tells Kate Mossman how childbirth, PTSD and depression turned her love of music into something darker.
In her new book, Hark: How women listen, Alice recounts her quest to rediscover the power of music as an adult, a mother and after mental health battles.
In this conversation, Alice and Kate discuss how her quest took her from an anechoic chamber in south London to the Mojave desert - and how music is finally returning to her life.
Hark: How women listen is available to buy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/11114/9781805302063
Read Kate Mossman's review here: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/book-of-the-day/2025/04/sounds-that-shape-us
“Having moved on from Blue Labour, which other policies will Turquoise Labour adopt from the far right?"; “Given that they are a break on everything, should the Treasury department be abolished?”; “What would happen if Labour and the Conservatives got completely wiped out at the general election and the Lib Dems and Greens also had bad polling results and the Reform party suddenly lost its mojo? Could a government function or would King Charles have to step in?”
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
This week saw potentially the boldest moment of Keir Starmer’s leadership, as the Government announced its white paper - Restoring Control over the Immigration System. According to the Prime Minister, it marks a a significant overhaul of UK immigration policy.
The headlines, however, have been less kind - focussing on the wording of his speech announcing the plans, specifically on the phrase ‘island of strangers’...
Some were quick to compare this to Enoch Powell’s infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech in which Powell talks of white British people becoming ‘strangers in their own country’.
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe.
For the first time, the Conclave of cardinals at the Vatican have elected an American pope.
Pope Leo XIV has ascended to the papacy following the death of his modernising predecessor, Pope Francis.
Katie Stallard is joined by writer Madoc Cairns and the New Statesman’s Finn McRedmond to discuss Francis’s legacy and Leo’s future.
Mentioned in this episode: Pope Francis's illusions, Pope Leo XIV's centrist papacy
2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, widely celebrated as Britain's greatest landscape painter.
--
YOUR NEXT EPISODE:
The untold story of Picasso's muses
--
Yet, beyond the familiar image of the "painter of light", Turner was a complex figure whose radical art often baffled his contemporaries.
Tom Gatti meets the New Statesman’s art critic, Michael Prodger, to explore why Turner still matters – and how themes in his work like the power of nature, the impact of technology, and national identity resonate profoundly today.
READ: The second birth of JMW Turner, by Michael Prodger
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/art-design/2025/04/the-second-birth-of-jmw-turner
LISTEN AD-FREE
Download the New Statesman app: iOS / Android
STAY IN TOUCH
Get our best writing every weekend in The Saturday Read email newsletter
SUBSCRIBE
Get full access to the New Statesman by becoming a subscriber
The team answer questions on the Green party's charisma issue, how Reform's power in local council could hurt their overall polling, and whether too many Lib Dems are vegan.
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Ben Walker, Megan Kenyon, and George Eaton.
Listen to our episode on constitutional issues
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Tom McTague, the incoming editor of the New Statesman, joins Andrew Marr to discuss Labour's rocky week following Reform's dramatic wins, the India and US trade deals, and also his vision for the future of the publication.
Read more: New Statesman International
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
The far right now makes up a third of terrorism convictions and a majority of referrals to the governments Prevent counter-radicalisation scheme
But what fuels the far-right and how influential are they becoming?
Harry Shukman, journalist and researcher at HOPE not hate, an anti-fascist organisation, went undercover with the British far right to find out how these groups operate, their plans for changing Britain, and the conversations that go on behind closed doors, far away from voters’ doorsteps.
Tom Gatti meets authors Sarah Churchwell and Erica Wagner to discuss why The Great Gatsby is still relevant a century after it was published.
Considered by many to be the great American novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic tale of ambition, class and the American dream continues to resonate today.
Sarah Churchwell and Erica Wagner joined Tom Gatti at the Cambridge Literary Festival to offer fresh perspectives on a timeless classic.
Watch more from the Cambridge Literary Festival at https://www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com/clf-player-watch-listen/
Yesterday elections took place up and down the country, for councils, six mayoral contests, and a by-election. What we’re looking at today is a big win for Nigel Farage’s Reform - and a seismic shift in British politics.
Hannah Barnes is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker and senior editor George Eaton.
Overnight, Ukraine and the United States have signed a long-awaited minerals deal.
Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr and international editor Megan Gibson to discuss what this means for Ukraine's security and the future of the conflict with Russia, and later in the episode the team look at Mark Carney's anti-Trump win in Canada and what this means for democracies around the world.
Read more: New Statesman International
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In the short period which has elapsed since Donald Trump took office (again) in January, he has slashed public health funding, gone after education, attacked media freedom, and challenged the authority of the legal system of the courts.
Some of this seems outright reckless, but some of the actions taken by this Trump administration mirror the political trajectories of countries like Hungary, el Salvador, Turkey, and Russia. Countries where democracy has crumbled and autocracy has taken hold.
Katie Stallard is joined by Kim Lane Scheppele, a scholar of law and politics at Princeton University and Lucan Way, distinguished professor of democracy at the University of Toronto.
The politics team answers listener questions on council tax, the voters ignored by Labour and the Tories, and the true value of billionaires.
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
After the purported 'Easter truce' fighting has resumed in Ukraine and Russia, meanwhile peace talks in the West have broken down with the US speaking to Russia separately.
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr to discuss this week in UK politics, and later in the episode by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to look at Reform UK's surging popularity ahead of the local elections.
Read: Can Reform grow up?, Steve Reed: “Reform is a symptom of broken trust”
China's modern history is also a story about trade. So how will the echoes of the past 200 years shape the trade war that Donald Trump has waged on the world's second largest economy?
Katie Stallard is joined by Rana Mitter and Kevin Xu.
Read: What will China look like in 20 years
Read: Interconnected
Former senior civil servant Jill Rutter joins the podcast to answer liatener questions on the inner workings of government.
This episode is hosted by the New Statesman's associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
How did a joke gone awry in 1967 forever changed the nation’s relationship with the truth?
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Phil Tinline, a regular writer for the New Statesman and author of the new book Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax that Duped America and its Sinister Legacy.
Major pharmaceutical companies - or Big Pharma - research, develop and distribute medicines and treatments that we rely upon. However, their pursuit of commercial interests has often led to accusations of prioritising profits over the healthcare of patients both in the UK and beyond.
Katie Stallard is joined by doctor and medical commentator Dr Phil Whitaker, and author/campaigner Nick Dearden.
The first of May is set to be a big day for local government with council elections, mayoral races, and even a by-election taking place.
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker to discuss what's being contested and where the polls stand at the moment.
Read more from Ben here
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Thanks to Donald Trump and his dodgy formula, last week tariffs were applied to countries all over the world. Consequently, the stock markets had their worst downturn since the pandemic. And economists warned of a weakened dollar, trade wars, and global recession.
The White House denied for days that the US would back down on the tariffs. Until yesterday, when Trump pressed pause on higher tariff rates, with a few notable exceptions.
To unpack what on earth is going on in Washington and around the world Rachel Cunliffe is joined by business editor and Will Dunn and US correspondent Freddie Hayward.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Rodrigo Duterte led a bloody war on drugs — now he faces The Hague. As the former Philippine president is brought closer to justice, what could his fall could mean for other powerful figures with ICC warrants, including Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu?
Katie Stallard is joined by photojournalist Basilio Sepe and political scientist Kelebogile Zvobgo.
The women who loved Picasso shaped his art in surprising ways.
--
YOUR NEXT EPISODE:
Why we can't let go of Never Let Me Go
--
"We look at paintings to imagine other worlds, other times. They are doors into an alternative, creative way of life."
So writes Sue Roe in her latest book, Hidden Portraits: the Untold Story of Six Women Who loved Picasso.
And if there was ever an artist who opened the door to an alternative view of the world, surely Picasso qualifies: unorthodox, exhilarating, and experimental, his art broke new ground and made him the most successful artist of the 20th century.
But as is so often the case, his work was underpinned by a series of women - remarkable women - whom Picasso loved, and seemingly attempted to control.
Sue Roe's book tells their stories in turn, unveiling their extraordinary lives, exploring the impact they had on the artist and he on them.
In doing so it reveals, without moralising, some patterns of behaviour by Picasso which one might conclude were, at best, controlling and manipulative.
This opens up the fashionable question in 2025: can we appreciate the art while recognising that the artist could be a very unpleasant human being.
--
BUY
Hidden Portraits: the Untold Story of Six Women who Loved Picasso
READ
Picasso's mistreated muses - book review by Sue Prideaux
LISTEN AD-FREE
Download the New Statesman app: iOS / Android
STAY IN TOUCH
Get our best writing every weekend in The Saturday Read email newsletter
As Putin wages a shadow war across the European continent—and the US commitment to NATO grows uncertain—we ask: would the West really defend the Baltic states if Russia advanced?
Andrew Marr is joined by Oliver Moody, Berlin bureau chief for The Times and author of Baltic: The Future of Europe.
Drawing on deep history, extensive reporting, and sobering military realities, Moody argues that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are not just small nations on the edge of Europe—they are a test of whether the West still believes in itself.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Yesterday the US president Donald Trump unveiled his plans for his long trailed tariff liberation day. After a lengthy ‘speech’ about the cost of eggs and why the rest of the world wont buy American chicken and beef, Trump unveiled the quote unquote reciprocal tariffs the US will impose in the coming week.
So do the figures add up? And what will these tariffs mean for the UK and for the global economy?
Andrew Marr is joined by economist and journalist Duncan Weldon.
Read more from Duncan Weldon
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
US President Donald Trump has his sights set on making Greenland part of the US, claiming the autonomous, self-governing territory of Denmark is essential "for national security and international security."
However, the vast majority of Greenlanders have said they do not want to become part of the US. Denmark has also strongly opposed the suggestion. Despite this, the US President has continued to pursue the issue - his vice president JD Vance recently visited Greenland to make the case for the US annexing the territory.
Katie Stallard is joined by Markus Valentin, a journalist based in Greenland, and Romain Chuffart, a professor of Arctic Studies, to discuss.
"Meet your heroes - it'll help you get over them"
Kate Mossman is known for her singular, surprising and ultra-perceptive interviews - in which she often reveals more about her subjects than sometimes they appear to know themselves.
And there is one breed of interview subject Kate has written about more than any other: the ageing male rock star.
If anyone knows about meeting their heroes, it’s her.
In her debut book, Men of a Certain Age, Kate Mossman collects and revisits the interviews she’s conducted with rock royalty such as Kiss, Jon Bon Jovi, Nick Cave, Ray Davies… and her teenage obsession: Roger Taylor of Queen.
In this episode of Culture from the New Statesman Kate join Tom Gatti to discuss her obsession with ageing rockers, and shares some behind the scenes stories of her time with rock royalty.
BUY KATE'S BOOK
Men of a Certain Age is available to pre-order here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/men-of-a-certain-age-my-encounters-with-rock-royalty-kate-mossman/7792527?ean=9781788705646
SEE KATE LIVE
Kate Mossman in discussion with Alexis Petridis, live in London
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/men-of-a-certain-age-kate-mossman-with-alexis-petridis-tickets-1270535970289?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&_gl=125lj0d_upMQ.._gaMTU1MDAwNzE1Ni4xNzQzMTg1MTYz_ga_TQVES5V6SH*MTc0MzE4NTE2My4xLjAuMTc0MzE4NTE2My4wLjAuMA..
READ MORE
Kate interviews Jon Bon Jovi: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2016/11/jon-bon-jovi-on-trump-bono-bieber-and-the-agony-of-his-split-with-richie-sambora
Kate meets Terence Trent D'Arby: https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2015/10/i-was-killed-when-i-was-27-curious-afterlife-terence-trent-d-arby
How Jeff Beck became a guitar hero by saying no: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music/2023/01/jeff-beck-interview-tribute-guitar-hero
LISTEN AD-FREE
Get the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB
SUBSCRIBE
Join the New Statesman from £8.99 per month https://secure.newstatesman.com/offer
How would it work? Can a state really find out how rich someone is? If Britain were to introduce serious wealth taxes, would the super rich simply leave?
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by the political editor Andrew Marr and business editor Will Dunn to discuss the prospect of a wealth text, and the implications of the Houthi PC small group on Westminster's Whatsapp addiction.
Read: Would a wealth tax work?, Westminster’s WhatsApp addiction must end
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Growth has halved, welfare has been cut, and defence is hoovering up more and more. Things are looking, and sounding, pretty grim for the Chancellor - and in yesterday's Spring Statement we learned what the fallout from this harsh economic reality will be.
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr and economist Ben Zaranko from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In today's Spring Statement Labour are having to make cuts - and welfare has been hit hard. Last week the health secretary Wes Streeting said that too many people were being written off work due to overdiagnosis. A statement which received considerable backlash.
But what do we really mean by overdiagnosis? And how is it affecting public health?
Hannah Barnes is joined by neurologist and author Suzanne O’Sullivan about her increasing fears of overdiagnosis and the impact it can have on both physical and mental health; what she thinks about those comments from Wes Streeting (and the reaction to them); and the relationship between public policy and health.
This conversation was recorded in partnership with the Cambridge Literary Festival.
If you’d like to register for tickets for the upcoming festival from 23-27 April please follow the link: cambridgeliteraryfestival.com
Kazuo Ishiguro's most popular novel is as relevant today as when it was published 20 years ago.
--
When it was published in 2005, Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go was acclaimed by critics and shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
Twenty years on – having been adapted for stage and screen and adopted as a set text for schools – it is Ishiguro’s most read work, and is considered a modern classic.
Why does this profoundly settling book continue to absorb us? And what does it tell us about the role novels play in helping us grapple with the ethical dilemmas created by advances in science and technology?
The critic David Sexton has been re-reading Never Let Me Go and joins Tom Gatti on the Culture from the New Statesman to discuss the impact of Ishiguro's most popular work.
RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE:
Winner of the 2025 Booker Prize, Samantha Harvey, on her novel Orbital - and how "political choices are sculpting the surface of the earth"
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/culture-podcast/2024/11/booker-prize-winner-samantha-harvey-political-choices-are-sculpting-the-surface-of-the-earth
READ
David's essay: Kazuo Ishiguro's everyday dystopia
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/book-of-the-day/2025/03/kazuo-ishiguro-never-let-me-go-everyday-dystopia
GO AD-FREE
Subscribers can listen to all episodes ad-free in the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US&pli=1
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
Get the best of our reporting direct to your inbox every weekend with The Saturday Read.
Sign up at saturdayread.substack.com
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER
Full access from £8.99 per month: https://secure.newstatesman.com/offer
Are Labour on track for their target of 1.5million homes? What is NHS England? Why can't the Green's electrify the left in the same way that Reform has done for the right? What will the consequences be of cutting international aid?
Hannah Barnes answers listener questions with the New Statesman's political editor, Andrew Marr, and associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe.
Read: Labour’s housing slump
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
The prospect of peace in Ukraine, Liz Kendall's welfare cut announcements, and while Kemi Badenoch flails as Conservative leader ... who's waiting around the corner for her job?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss this week in Westminster and beyond.
Read: A Labour welfare revolt is still brewing, Diane Abbott rails against Keir Starmer, What went wrong for Kemi Badenoch?, Who could succeed Kemi Badenoch?
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Since Nato’s inception in 1949, the US has always formed a central part of the alliance and been the biggest contributor to its defensive strength.
However, since his second term began, President Donald Trump has shifted the US’s allegiances towards Vladimir Putin’s Russia and away from Nato. Simultaneously, the US President has repeatedly criticised Europe’s defence spending and the continent’s reliance on the US.
This radical shift from the Nato status quo has brought the alliance’s future into question.
Katie Stallard is joined by David Reynolds and Max Bergmann.
Ask a question for us to answer in a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get more politics coverage every day direct to your email inbox by signing up for our daily politics newsletter: morningcall.substack.com
A fateful meeting at a village fête "tilted" the 20th Century "on its axis"
So argues Ian Leslie in his new book, John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs.
In the book, Leslie argues that The Beatles didn't just dominate pop culture - they redefined how we see ourselves.
He reframes the relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney as a kind of love story, which shaped the second half of the 20th Century and continues to influence us today.
Leslie joins Kate Mossman on Culture from the New Statesman to discuss the book, The Beatles and their legacy.
John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs is available from March 27 in book shops and online. Pre-order it here.
The author Deborah Levy has reviewed the book for New Statesman. Her review is available to read online now, and will appear in the March 20 issue of the New Statesman magazine.
Get the best of the New Statesman direct to your inbox every weekend for FREE by signing up to our newsletter, The Saturday Read. Visit saturdayread.substack.com.
Given the Rupert Lowe drama, what does the future look like for Reform and Farage?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to answer listener questions about trouble in Reform land and where to watch in the upcoming local elections.
Read: Inside the Reform civil war, Will the Farage-Lowe saga hurt Reform at the polls?, A Reform Labour showdown looms in the Runcorn by-election
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
This morning the PM announced that the state is overstretched and unfocused. The solution? NHS England has been scrapped, quangos are to be slashed, and the civil service shrunk. Do we finally have a vision of Starmerism?
Hannah Barnes is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and later in the episode by business editor Will Dunn to discuss Britain's work and benefits problem.
Read: Why Britain isn’t working
Listen: Why Britain isn't working - with Alison McGovern, Minister of State for Employment
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In recent weeks President Trump’s foreign policy pronouncements have been loud and abrasive.
American allies watched in barely concealed dismay as the US president shouted at Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval office.
Since then Trump has halted military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine and embarked on trade wars with Canada, Mexico, China - and perhaps next, the EU.
In this episode Katie Stallard reports on America First - the Trumpian turn in US foreign policy and the end of the world as we knew it.
Lady Gaga rewrote the rules of female pop stardom. Now she's back with a new album. Can she do it again?
Kate Mossman reviewed Lady Gaga's latest album, Mayhem, for the New Statesman and joins Tom Gatti on the Culture podcast to discuss the changing face - and powerful influence - of pop music.
Read Kate's review here: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music/2025/03/on-mayhem-lady-gaga-makes-a-chaotic-return-to-form
Mayhem by Lady Gaga is published by Insterscope Records.
Excerpts used in this episode are taken from the following for the purposes of criticism and review:
Disease (Lady Gaga)
Abracadabra (Lady Gaga)
Killah (Lady Gaga feat. Gestaffelstein)
Die with a smile (Lady Gaga feat. Bruno Mars)
Could Farage’s lack of criticism of Trump damage Reform’s prospects in future UK elections?
The team answer listener questions on Trump and Reform, the prospects of the Tories in the local elections, and the point of state visits.
Read: The The strange rise of the pro-Russia right, Tories’ anti-Farage opportunity
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
The politics team discuss Starmer's week on the world stage and whether he can be the pivotal bridge between Ukraine and the US, as well as the prospective welfare cuts which have been announced ahead of Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement.
Hannah Barnes is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and senior editor George Eaton.
Listen: Europe’s battleground: war or peace?
Read: Can Starmer make Labour the security party?
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Not even a week ago European countries were hailing the prospects of peace in Ukraine, but after a disastrous visit to the White House for President Zelensky, and the pause of aid from the US government - things have soured. In this episode we’re asking what role Europe can play in the future of Ukraine.
Kate Lamble is joined by Sam Greene and Hans Kundnani.
Reflecting on the passing of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, award-winning author Andrey Kurkov has written the diary for this week’s New Statesman magazine.
In this conversation, with Tom Gatti, Kurkov contemplates daily life in his hometown, Kyiv, and how the war has changed him as a writer.
Keir Starmer returns victorious from his meeting with Donald Trump. But was it the success it seems?
Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener questions on the New Statesman podcast.
Also in this episode:
- Has Zelensky "put one over" on Trump with the rare earth minerals deal?
- Trump's "mob boss" geopolitics
- How the UK could make a radical pivot towards Europe - and have Putin to thank.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Keir Starmer has promised defence spending will reach 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% in the next Parliament. There’s been some sparring over exactly how much money this equates to, has a maths crime been committed? And how far can this money go?
Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr and business editor Will Dunn, and later in the programme byt Phil Whitaker, GP and the New Statesman's health writer, to speak about the shake up at the top of NHS England.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Last week Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist for the first seven months of his first term in office, graced the stage at CPAC (the annual Conservative Political Action Conference) to rapturous applause.
"We're not going to retreat. We're not going to surrender. We're not going to quit. Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Although Bannon fell out of favour with the president back in 2017, he's managed to maintain great influence over the Maga movement, a movement he helped create.
His speech created headlines worldwide after he was accused of performing a Nazi salute to the crowd. Something he denies. He also called for Trump to run for a potentially constitutional breaching third Presidential term in 2028.
So what does he really believe Maga are still fighting for?
Kate Lamble is joined by the New Statesman's US correspondent Freddie Hayward, and Politico reporter Ian Ward.
The number of working age people out of work in Britain 2010 was around 9 million. In 2025? Around 9 million. But why is worklessness in Britain now deemed a crisis, and what can the government do to fix this?
Will Dunn, the New Statesman's business editor, is joined by Alison McGovern, Minister of State for Employment.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Donald Trump has reached out to Vladimir Putin, over the heads of Ukraine and Europe. The Western alliance is fracturing, so what comes next? Can European nations find the defence budget? And whose terms will this war end on?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of War Studies at Kings College London, and later in the programme by the New Statesman's associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, and the former justice secretary David Gauke to discuss the future of our prisons.
Read: The threat of peace
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Last Friday the US Vice President - JD Vance, took to the stage and railed against his country’s European allies, accusing them of not listening to voters on issues of migration and free speech. That speech raised serious questions about how the transatlantic alliance will be transformed.
But Vance also called into question the "democracy" of the firewall. In Germany, there has long been an agreed firewall against the far right. That centrist parties will not collaborate with them, to prevent far right groups from getting in to power.
This weekend Germany will head to the polls, and currently the far right populist - Alternative fur Deutchland or AfD are polling at around 20%. Could Germany’s far right break through the firewall?
Kate Lamble is joined by Hans Kundnani and Annette Dittert.
The novel is a living thing, argues author Deborah Levy in the New Statesman Goldsmith's Prize lecture.
Tom Gatti hosts Deborah Levy, author of Swimming Home and The Man Who Saw Everything, to deliver a special lecture live from the Southbank Centre in London.
Presented in partnership with the Goldsmiths Prize and the Southbank Centre, and recorded at the Southbank Centre.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHFN7ZY9lzM
Are local council changes "an attack on democracy"?
Rachel Cunliffe and Megan Kenyon join Hannah Barnes to discuss changes to the rules governing local elections, which Ed Davey and Nigel Farage have attacked as anti-democratic. They answer a listener question about why their local council can "delay my right to vote".
Also in this episode, Megan Kenyon meets Kim Leadbeater for an update on the assisted dying bill, and we answer your questions about the checks and balances that would apply if the bill were to pass.
Submit a question for us to answer on a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get our free daily politics newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.com
Subscribe to the New Statesman. Get your first five weeks for just £5 at www.newstatesman.com/feb25
Keir Starmer is making a radical shift to appease Reform and "blue labour".
"There has been a conservative revolution going on around the world," says Andrew Marr - and it leaves Keir Starmer with some hard choices.
Andrew joins Hannah Barnes to explain why the prime minister is making a "handbrake turn", and how a new group of MPs known as Blue Labour are having an outsized impact on Labour policy.
Hannah also speaks to Blue Labour member David Smith MP, who claims that the group has more members than are currently known.
Ask a question for us to answer in a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get more politics coverage every day direct to your email inbox by signing up for our daily politics newsletter: morningcall.substack.com
Save money on a New Statesman subscription to get full access to all our reporting and analysis from just £5 for your first 5 weeks: www.newstatesman.com/feb25
The freedoms that the UK's academy schools have been granted could be curtailed.
Labour's Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill proposes centralising and standardising decision making across state schools in the UK. The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, claims this will improve conditions for every student across the country.
Katharine Birbalsingh, who has been called "Britain's strictest headteacher", is highly critical of these developements, calling them cultural Marxism. However, senior educator Leora Cruddas - who leads an organisation representing two thirds of UK academies - has welcomed many of the measures in the bill.
Pippa Bailey is joined by Birbalsingh, Cruddas and the New Statesman's Hannah Barnes to discuss who should decide how and what are children are taught.
Ask a question for us to answer in a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get more politics coverage every day direct to your email inbox by signing up for our daily politics newsletter: morningcall.substack.com
Save money on a New Statesman subscription to get full access to all our reporting and analysis from just £5 for your first 5 weeks: www.newstatesman.com/feb25
Ten years ago the sunshine state was mainly known for its outlandish stereotypes: swamps, gators, retirees, Disneyland all the time. But now power is shifting.
How did that state that was once the political joke of America become the nation’s centre of power?
Tom Gatti is joined by Gary Mormino author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida, and New Statesman contributor Lily Lynch.
Read: Donald Trump's Florida project
US investment already owns much of the British high street. Are "ignorant" politicians "selling the UK down the river"?
As Donald Trump announces new tariffs on trading partners around the world, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe are joined by Angus Hanton, author of Vassal State, to explore how the UK economy is, in many ways, "in thrall" to the US.
They also discuss Trump's shock declaration of intent to "take over" the Gaza Strip. Later in the show they're joined by George Eaton to analyse Keir Starmer's great EU reset - and discuss whether the Prime Minister can please both Europe and the United States (spoiler: he can't).
Ask a question for us to answer in a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get more politics coverage every day direct to your email inbox by signing up for our daily politics newsletter: morningcall.substack.com
Save money on a New Statesman subscription to get full access to all our reporting and analysis from just £5 for your first 5 weeks: www.newstatesman.com/jan25
Andrew Marr is joined by the authors of Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer, Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire.
But while this is ostensibly the story of Starmer's Labour, who really runs the party behind the scenes?
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
For some with epilepsy, valproate is the only medication which can control their seizures. But for decades women say they were not made aware of the risk this drug posed for their unborn children.
Today we know around 11% of the children born to women who take valproate during pregnancy have major congenital disorders. 30-40% experience other conditions including delays in early development, poor language skills, and lower intellectual abilities. There’s also an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder.
Restrictions on how the drug should be used have since been tightened. But this week on Insight we hear from neurologists who believe the system might have overcorrected as a result of this tragedy, causing more harm than good.
Kate Lamble is joined by Janet Williams, Hannah Barnes, and Dr Dominic Heaney.
In 1989, following the shock resignation of the chancellor, Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatcher sat down with veteran broadcaster, friend, and former Labour MP Brian Walden for a 45 minute interview. It was a disastrous encounter for Thatcher, that ultimately spelled the beginning of the end of her 10 years in power – a year later she resigned.
The story behind this is told by Rob Burley in his book Why is this Lying Bastard Lying to Me? Searching for the Truth on Political TV – which has now been adapted into a two part dramatisation, Brian and Maggie, starring Steve Coogan and Harriet Walter. The show raises bigger questions, too: why does the political interview matter? And how do you solve the riddle of Margaret Thatcher on screen?
Tom Gatti is joined by TV producer and editor Rob Burley, and the New Statesman’s TV critic - Rachel Cooke.
Read: Rachel Cooke's review
Last week marked the end of the sanctioned 6 month whip removal of 7 Labour MPs who voted against the two-child benefit cap in July.
Andrew Marr is joined by one of them, John Mcdonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington to ask - what next?
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Rachel Reeves' latest growth speech has failed to convince one curious listener.
George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes for a special listener questions episode. They tackle your questions on Labour's latest intervention on growth, which George describes as an "attempt" at a vibe shift.
They also discuss whether Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have a charisma problem, as well as one listener who asks if the media should be giving the Liberal Democrats more attention.
Ask a question for us to answer in a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get more politics coverage every day direct to your email inbox by signing up for our daily politics newsletter: morningcall.substack.com
Save money on a New Statesman subscription to get full access to all our reporting and analysis from just £5 for your first 5 weeks: www.newstatesman.com/jan25
Last year Scunthorpe’s two blast furnaces Queen Anne and Queen Bess became the last remaining primary steelmaking facility in the UK. However there were reports that those facilities were soon to be mothballed - 2,500 jobs lost before Christmas.
Despite those reports, smoke is still rising from the Scunthorpe Steelworks and talks about its future are continuing between Jingye - the Chinese company which owns the plant - and the government.
But what is the government's plan for the future of British steel? How reliant are we on offshore production? And how did Scunthorpe come to own the latest poltical football?
Kate Lamble is joined by Megan Kenyon and Sam Alvis, as well as Ben Houchen, Nic Dakin, Tony Gosling, Andrea Jenkyns and Martin Foster.
Read: The cost of net zero in the town that steel built
In 1966, to the chagrin of his fans and the folk music community, Bob Dylan went electric. The five years leading up to this moment is the focus of A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic from James Mangold.
This indignation came at a time where folk was the language of protest, from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam war, but when did folk get left behind? What was Dylan’s lasting effect on the protest song?
Tom Gatti is joined by Kate Mossman, senior writer at the New Statesman, and Dorian Lynskey, writer and author of 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs.
You can read more from Kate and Dorian on newstatesman.com.
Freddie Hayward joins from Washington DC to answer listener questions on the new Trump administration.
Following his inauguration on Monday January 20, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders to implement new policy or reverse work done by the Biden administration.
Listeners have asked what the US president's actions will mean for Britain.
Freddie joins Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes to answer your questions.
--
📚 READ: Trump's techno-futurist inaugural address
https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2025/01/donald-trump-inauguration-techno-futurist-elites
🙋♀️ ASK a question:
We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting here, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
📧 FREE get our daily politics email
https://morningcall.substack.com
💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber:
Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save
Is Axel Rudakubana a terrorist, or just a very disturbed individual?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Jacob Davey of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue to discuss the trial of Alex Rudakabana, who has pled guilty to the murder of three young girls in Southport.
Keir Starmer has responded to the guilty plea and ordered a new public inquiry - but critics say the Prime Minister waited too long to act.
How should the government respond to the threat of self-radicalised attackers, and the changing nature of “terrorism”?
This weekend, almost 500 days after the October 7th attack, a ceasefire came into effect between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
But just how fragile is this peace? And what will determine whether it breaks or holds?
Kate Lamble speaks with Sondos Sabra, Yair Wallach and Bruno Maçães.
Follow the links to read more from Sondos, Yair and Bruno.
Birth rates are declining around the world.
Why? And what can - or should - be done?
Tom Gatti meets authors Madeleine Davis and Anastasia Berg, who have both written on the changing attitudes to child-rearing, to explore the reasons behind these changes.
They discuss why financial, social and romantic circumstances are leading fewer people to have children, and what governments and institutions can or should do to address the issue.
Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get the New Stateman's political analysis in your inbox every weekday by signing up to our newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.com
Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis: www.newstatesman.com/jan24
Keir Starmer is stuck between the UN and Donald Trump.
Under pressure from the International Court, Labour are due to relinquish British ownership of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.
But the islands house a strategic US airbase, and the Prime Minister needs to maintain good relations with the incoming Trump administration.
Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer a listener's question about whether the government will rethink the Chagos Islands deal.
They also discuss whether the New Statesman should regret backing Labour at the general election, and how the UK will be affected by new moderation rules on Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram.
Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get the New Stateman's political analysis in your inbox every weekday by signing up to our newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.com
Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis: www.newstatesman.com/jan24
Rachel Reeves is under fire for her management of the country's finances.
With suggestions of an impending income tax raise, some have called for her to resign. Andrew Marr and Will Dunn join Hannah Barnes to explain why the Chancellor won't quit - yet.
Will Dunn also explains how government debt is calculated - and why the economic crash really might not have been (entirely) Liz Truss's fault after all.
The team also discuss Tulip Siddiq's resignation, and whether Labour have a two-tier approach to discipline.
Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Get the New Stateman's political analysis in your inbox every weekday by signing up to our newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.com
Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis: www.newstatesman.com/jan24
Articles mentioned in this episode:
How damaging is the Tulip Siddiq affair for Labour?
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2025/01/the-tulip-siddiq-affair-is-a-blow-labour
Will the bond markets defeat Rachel Reeves?
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2025/01/will-the-bond-markets-defeat-rachel-reeves
Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, Elon Musk - what do these men have in common?
Just a few days from Donald Trump’s second inauguration as US President, hearings to confirm the team around him have started in earnest and the incoming 47th president has managed to pull together a coalition of competing interests - different groups with different priorities - all of whom see value in his Presidency.
But can these opposing factions work together, and what happens when they start falling out?
Kate Lamble is joined by Quinn Slobodian, Katie Stallard, and Freddie Hayward.
The 90's is often heralded as the era of Blur, Oasis, Pulp - but this decade belongs as much to boybands as it does to Britpop. But what was behind these manufactured groups? What does this era reveal about Britain's relationship with class and masculinity? And will Robbie Williams' legacy be a CGI monkey?
Tom Gatti is joined by senior commissioning editor at the New Statesman, Anna Leskiewicz and writer Emma Garland.
Read: Robbie Williams’ anti-redemption arc, by Emma Garland
Can Elon Musk reshape British democracy?
The X-owning billionaire has waded into one of the darkest scandals in recent British history: the horrific rape and abuse of thousands of girls across the UK by so-called “grooming gangs”.
Musk’s inflammatory posts on his social media platform, X, have prompted statements from Keir Starmer, questions from Kemi Badenoch in PMQs, and extensive coverage across the mainstream media.
How should the UK government respond to a foreign billionaire with a platform that amplifies misinformation to hundreds of millions around the world?
Andrew Marr joins Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe on Politics from the New Statesman.
📚 READ: How does Keir Starmer solve a problem like Elon Musk? - Andrew Marr
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/01/how-does-starmer-solve-a-problem-like-elon-musk
Donald Trump is talking about the 'Gulf of America' but in reality the US is no where near as powerful as it once was.
Kate Lamble is joined by this week's cover writer Robert D. Kaplan, as well as George Magnus and Jonny Ball.
Tom Gatti is joined by BAFTA award winning writer, director, and actor, Mackenzie Crook to discuss his acting career from The Office to Detectorists, as well as Crook's new book 'If Nick Drake Came to My House'.
This conversation was recorded at the recent winter edition of the Cambridge Literary Festival. To find out more about the festival, or to watch an extend version of this discussion, please follow the link: cambridgeliteraryfestival.com
Trump round 2, instability in Europe, and power struggles in the Middle East.
Hannah Barnes is joined by Katie Stallard and Wolfgang Munchau to take a look at the world in 2025.
Biggest gaffe? Dampest squib? Best political trolling?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to go through the highs and the lows of UK politics in 2024.
It's the last listener questions episode of 2024!
Hannah Barnes is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to discuss Elon Musk's support and intentions for Reform UK.
The team also consider how Children Not In School register could help increase children's safety and wellbeing, especially considering up to 300,000 children may have been missing from education entirely in 2023.
-
The podcast will be taking a break over Christmas but we'll be back on Monday to review the year in UK politics.
The team discuss two big political stories of the week; WASPI women and Prince Andrew's friendship with the alleged Chinese spy. And the New Statesman's policy correspondent Harry Clarke-Ezzidio sits down with Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
This conversation was recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival. To watch an extended version or to find out more about Cambridge Literary Festival please head to cambridgeliteraryfestival.com
-
The New Statesman’s business editor Will Dunn sat down with Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, and former chief executive of the Resolution Foundation - a think tank which aims to improve the standard of living of low-to-middle income families.
Torsten Bell also worked as Labour’s Director of Policy under Ed Milliband’s leadership.
His first book Great Britain?: How We Get Our Future Back, was published earlier this year.
First conceived in 1956 by Michael Bond, the marmalade-loving immigrant from Peru has become an iconic British cultural figure – treasured for his chaotic nature, impeccable manners, and proximity to royalty.
So, how did Paddington become the spokesbear for Britain, crossing political divides in the country, and one of the most commercially successful characters in the world?
Tom Gatti is joined by New Statesman contributor Amelia Tait, and Paddington screenwriter Jon Foster.
Read: The triumph of Paddington Inc
The team answer listener questions on the appointment of Heidi Alexander to transport secretary and whether the UK's mainstream centrist politics are at risk from the far-right.
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton.
Will Shamima Begum be able to return? Will Starmer's history as a human rights lawyer play a part? And why have all Syrian asylum claims been suspended?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to discuss Britain's reaction to the collapse of the Syrian regime and also Britain's trade talks with the EU.
On Sunday Morning the sound of gunfire filled the air in Damascus. The noise, not of fighting, but celebrations. President Bashar al-Assad and his family had fled to Russia. A family which ruled for more than 50 years, brought down by a rebel offensive which had begun less than two weeks earlier.
Kate Lamble is joined by Rajan Menon, Marcel Dirsus, and John Jenkins to discuss what's next for Syria, Assad, and the wider region.
Read: The fall of Assad represents a revolution in the Middle East, by Rajan Menon; Bashar al-Assad will find no peace in Moscow, by Marcel Dirsus; The Syrian crucible, by John Jenkins
Is the Church experiencing an existential crisis? And what is the role of Christianity in modern Britain?
Tom Gatti is joined by Pippa Bailey, David Sexton, and Madeleine Davies.
Read: Conclave: this papal power struggle is high entertainment
Read: The race for Lambeth Palace
Read: The rise of cultural Christianity
Hannah Barnes is joined by Will Dunn and Katie Stallard to answer your economics questions AND try to make sense of some big world events this week.
Former Labour strategist and architect of the Labour missions, Peter Hyman, joins the New Statesman podcast to discuss Keir Starmer’s “plan for change” speech on Thursday.
Hyman discusses the difficulties Labour will face in implementing their missions and is scathing about Whitehall, saying resistance from staffers is stifling innovation:
“Three permanent secretaries I've heard in the last month have been resisting having outsiders come in to help,” he says.
“I don't blame civil servants, particularly individual civil servants… What I do blame is the system. At the moment, there is a culture that is not geared towards innovation. It is geared to business as usual… a lot of civil servants are incredibly paranoid about taking any risks because they fear they'll be called in front of a select committee.”
📚 READ: Starmer’s pledges leave his government exposed, by Rachel Cunliffe
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-staggers/2024/12/starmers-pledges-leave-his-government-exposed
Keir Starmer must remember his mission, by Peter Hyman
https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-essay/2024/11/keir-starmer-must-remember-his-mission
🙋♀️ ASK a question:
We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting here, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Labour’s white paper on how further devolution might work is due to be released in the next few weeks. It has been reported that the government is considering a reorganisation of local councils including abolishing some councils and replacing them with larger unitary authorities
However, there have been suggestions Labour’s plans to bring power to the people, could actually make it more distant than ever.
Kate Lamble is joined by Matthew Engel, Megan Kenyon and Jack Shaw.
Banquet Records, in Kingston South-West London, are probably the most influential record store in the UK right now at helping an artist or a band secure a number one. How did they do it?
Tom Gatti is joined by Hannah Barnes to discuss the kingmakers of the UK album charts, and also as December is upon us, how to get a Christmas number one.
Read: Kingmakers of the album charts
Read: Forty years ago, Band Aid brought mad excitement to my generation
And what can Keir Starmer learn from Theresa May's relationship with Trump? (keep hands firmly in pockets)
Read: Andrew Marr's weekly column
As Starmer contends with a fraught political landscape, he has increasingly turned to figures from the Blair administration: Jonathan Powell, Liz Lloyd, Peter Mandelson, Alan Milburn. What will this means for the factions within the current Labour government?
We are also midway through COP29 which is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Keir Starmer was only one of two G7 leaders to appear at the conference (where he announced new plans for the UK to cut its emissions by 81% compared to 1990 levels by 2035. How are Labour going to stick to their pledge of going green?
Read: The return of the Blairites
Last month Russia gained the most Ukrainian territory since March 2022 when the war was in its infancy. At least 10,000 North Korean troops have also joined the fight, which will do little to replace the roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers killed or injured daily. And among all that Donald Trump was re-elected as US President.
Kate Lamble is joined by Chris York, Wolfgang Munchau, Angela Stent, and Mex Bergmann.
Read: Putin stares down the west by Wolfgang Munchau
Why are we all becoming increasingly angry? And what did Donald Trump understand about harnessing this emotion to win back the presidency?
Tom Gatti is joined by New Statesman columnist Sarah Manavis and psychoanlyst Josh Cohen.
Nicholas Harris reports from the new Labour seat of Southport, which was rocked by riots three months ago. There he found anger and resentment towards migrants. A listener asks if Reform UK now pose as much of a threat to Labour as they do to the Conservatives.
Plus Rachel Cunliffe joins Hannah Barnes and Nicholas Harris to answer a listener who asks whether Donald Trump's win is good news for new Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch.
Class? Gender? Economy? What did the Democrats get wrong, what did Trump get right, and how will the UK respond to this?
Hannah Barnes is joined by senior editors George Eaton and Katie Stallard as the dust settles on the US election.
The US has headed to the polls and we want to ask what’s at stake - what will a Trump or Harris victory mean for America, international diplomacy, even your finances.
Kate Lamble is joined by senior editor Katie Stallard and New Statesman columnists Jill Filipovic and Sohrab Ahmari.
What was behind the Washington Post's shock decision not to endorse a presidential candidate? It's owner, Jeff Bezos, has cited reasons of impartiality and a perception of bias. Others have suggested that the decision was financially motivated, made out of fear of losing support and contracts from a Trump government.
Tom Gatti is joined by Alison Phillips, former editor of the Daily Mirror, to discuss the impact of this choice and also what drives the handful of men who have controlled our media throughout history.
Read more from Alison Phillips on the New Statesman here
David Gauke reveals his pick for the Tory leadership “not without reservations”.
As Labour deliver “hard decisions” in their first budget in 14 years, a listener asks if Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are reliving Nick Clegg’s 2011.
David Gauke, who served with Nick Clegg in government, gives his take.
He joins Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes on our weekly listener questions episode, in which they also discuss the Conservative leadership election and David Gauke reveals who he, reluctantly, voted for.
The long awaited budget has arrived ... Andrew Marr and George Eaton go over the politics of the first Labour budget in almost 15 years and Ben Zaranko from the IFS reviews the economics.
One week from the US Presidential Elections, the race remains tight. There’s been renewed focus on Trump’s political rallies.
At Madison Square Garden in New York Trump spoke to tens of thousands about the enemy from within, others who appeared likened Kamala Harris to a prostitute with pimp handlers, called her the antichrist and described Puerto Rico an island of garbage.
The rally drew comparisons to a fascist event held in the same arena on the eve of the Second World War in 1939. Are these comparisons accurate, and if so, what does this mean for the future of the Republican party and American conservatism?
Kate Lamble is joined by New Statesman writers Freddie Hayward, Sarah Churchwell, and Sohrab Ahmari.
A new film from Steve McQueen is about to hit cinema screens: Blitz. Set during the devastating German bombing raids of 1940 to 1941, it follows Saiorse Ronan as east end mum Rita, and her son George, played by Elliot Heffernan, as they travel across London searching for each other.
In some ways, it’s a new look at history, Rita’s son is mixed race – and issues of race, class, and gender are present throughout McQueen’s film.
But Blitz also takes its place in a long tradition: almost 80 years on from the end of the Second World War, Britain’s role in both world wars still dominates British culture and retains a central place in our national psyche, and our politics. Why is this?
Tom Gatti is joined by journalist and academic Gary Younge and historian David Edgerton.
Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe hear from a focus group of voters in a marginal Kent constituency, to get their views on Labour's first three months in government. They reveal why they're struggling to trust "posh" Keir Starmer, whether they regret their vote, and which public figure they would love to see in parliament.
Ben Zaranko, senior research economist from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, takes us through the numbers ahead of next week's budget, and the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr takes us through the politics.
We’re just two weeks from the 2024 US Presidential election. Donald Trump is up against Kamala Harris. Polls are vanishingly close. They suggest Harris has a 53% chance of moving into the Oval office. But after years of incorrect predictions, can they be trusted?
In this episode of Insight, Kate Lamble speaks with Scott Keeter from Pew Research centre as well as the New Statesman's data journalist Ben Walker about what can be gleaned from the polls, and if they are more trustworthy than the past two election cycles. Later on in the programme we hear from the New Statesman's Megan Gibson and Katie Stallard about what, or rather who, doomed Harris from the start.
Donald Trump has reshaped American politics. But who shaped him? A new film has some answers.
The Apprentice, written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali Abasi, charts the rise of a young Trump (Sebastian Stan) under the caustic tutelage of bulldog lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong).
Megan Gibson interviews writer Gabriel Sherman to discuss the creative challenges of putting Trump on screen, and Tom Gatti speaks to New Statesman film critic David Sexton to explore whether star Sebastian Stan is right that “the first three-dimensional portrayal” of Trump has done the presidential candidate a favour.
This is the first episode of a new weekly series, Culture from the New Statesman, hosted by Tom Gatti.
With "normal" James Cleverly out of the Tory leadership race, a listener asks if a Badenoch or Jenrick leadership would split the Conservative party in two.
Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener questions in our weekly episode, You Ask Us - published every Friday.
Also in this episode: do journalists talk about Westminster gossip too much? Our own gossipy journalists give their answer!
The health secretary Wes Streeting has suggested this week that weight loss injections should be used to get Britain back to work. Is this a good idea? And what does it miss from the root of the problem?
Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr and business editor Will Dunn.
Read: Wes Streeting can’t solve unemployment with weight-loss drugs
This is a deeply personal, deeply divisive issue; and today a private members bill to permit assisted dying in the UK is being presented to the House of Commons.
Politicians will have a free vote on the issue later this year. The New Statesman this week asks whether the UK and its care system is ready for such a law.
In this episode we speak to those who've lost loved ones and are left with questions about whether an assisted death would have been better, as well as palliative care experts.
Andrew Marr sits down for an exclusive interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. And later on in the episode the team discuss what we might have missed from Labour's first 100 days in power.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Power shifts inside Number 10, a Tory leadership shock twist, and Sturgeon reviews Johnson’s book.
follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode
Keir Starmer has made changes at the top of his Number 10 team. Sue Gray has been ousted as chief of staff and replaced by the Labour campaign supremo Morgan McSweeney.
George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes to explore what this means - including what exactly a chief of staff does, and who Morgan McSweeney is.
A shock twist in the Tory leadership race saw James Cleverly defeated leaving Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick as front-runners to replace Rishi Sunak. Was this a disastrous miscalculation by “camp Cleverly”?
And Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister of Scotland, reviews Boris Johnson’s memoir, “Unleashed”, calling it “gut-wrenching” and “craven”.
Mentioned in this episode:
What is “the grid”?
https://pod.fo/e/1e70c5
Nicola Sturgeon video interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58jB3BSeQE4
The two sides of Boris Johnson: Nicola Sturgeon reviews “Unleashed”
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/book-of-the-day/2024/10/the-two-sides-of-boris-johnson-unleashed-review-nicola-sturgeon
Morgan McSweeney, the permanent insurgent
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/labour/2024/10/morgan-mcsweeney-permanent-insurgent
More links
Ask a question: https://newstatesman.com/youaskus
Sign up for our FREE daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/
Right now the Republic National Committee is involved in around 120 legal cases across the US connected to the upcoming 2024 elections. It's predicted that we won't know the results of the election for days after the vote. And when we do it might very well be challenged. This is set to be the most litigious election in US history.
So what does this mean practically? And is the scene being set for more political violence?
Read more from Jill Filipovic
Read more from Katie Stallard
"If we don't like it, we should demand it changes," one listener writes in.
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to answer listener questions, including if Andrew stands by his comments from February that Starmer would be radical, and whether Lebanon has a right to self-defence.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
And why is democracy a low priority for American voters?
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr, George Eaton, and Katie Stallard.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
On the 7th October Sharone Lifschitz's parents were taken as hostages by Hamas. One year later her father, along with almost 100 other hostages, have not returned and the entire region stands at a crossroads.
Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced by the ensuing conflict as Israel have conducted air strikes, first on Gaza, currently on Lebanon and Yemen.
How did this conflict escalate so drastically? On this episode of the podcast Sharone Lifschitz and Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, join from London, and speaking from Beirut we hear from journalist Hanna Davis and Yalda Hakim, lead world news presenter at Sky News.
This episode was recorded prior to Iran's missile attack on Israel on the 1st October.
In a 2022 poll, a majority of Americans said they believe their government was corrupt and rigged, and more than a quarter believed it might soon be necessary to take up arms against it.
Conspiracy theories have ripped across America’s political landscape for decades, but in the last 10 years the divide between fact and fiction has become almost indistinguishable at times. So how did we get here?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by journalist and broadcaster Gabriel Gatehouse.
"A very dark speech, very serious, very closely argued, but there was passion there, but the passion was anger" - Andrew Marr reacts after Keir Starmer's speech at Labour party conference, the first Labour prime minister to do so in 15 years.
We also hear from David Blunkett, Wes Streeting MP, Baroness Taylor, and Henry Tufnell MP, on the key takeaways from the party's time in Liverpool.
We're coming to you from Liverpool where Rachel Reeves has just delivered her keynote speech at this year's Labour Party Conference. There were lots of smiles in the Chancellor's speech as well as the commitment to the tough economic decisions that she has to make, but has she managed to turn the page on Labour's rough beginning in government?
Hannah Barnes hears from Andrew Marr, Rachel Cunliffe, and Andy Burnham, and after the break she speaks to the New Statesman's Nicholas Harris about his trip to the very first Reform conference in Birmingham.
Labour Party Conference is just around the corner and the party needs to tell a story about the bigger picture for their time in government, but could this get lost amongst the smaller stories cropping up around free clothes and the chief of staff's pay?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined in the studio by Andrew Marr, political editor, and George Eaton, senior editor.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Conference season is underway and Ed Davey sat down with the New Statesman's Rachel Cunliffe to set out his party's ambitions to become the party of opposition.
We also hear from Wes Streeting and the political battle for NHS reform.
Hannah Barnes is joined in the studio by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.
Ed Davey: “The Conservatives are in our sights”
Wes Streeting: “I don’t want to be the fun police”
Will Dunn meets the political pranksters who sent Liz Truss fleeing in rage.
Follow on your podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they're released
From films detailing Conservative hypocrisy projected on Parliament buildings, to remote-controlled lettuce banners unfurling over the head of the former Prime Minister, Led By Donkeys have been a regular fixture of political activism over the past decade.
Now with a Labour government in place after 14 years of Tory rule, will the group - with their predominantly progressive politics - change their approach?
The New Statesman's Will Dunn meets Led By Donkeys in this extended interview.
Freddie Hayward rejoins the podcast in his new role as US correspondent to answer listener questions on the weird world of US politics.
He joins Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss how Keir Starmer’s commitment to “tough choices” compares with the Kamala Harris campaign, and how US election campaigns use the vast amounts of money they receive in donations.
–
Read more:
Robert F Kennedy Jr and the end of the party
https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/08/robert-f-kennedy-tulsi-gabbard
Kamala Harris wants to make America nice again
https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2024/08/cnn-interview-kamala-harris
“She’s done an awful lot of damage to morale,” says Andrew Marr.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves secured a victory in Parliament for her proposed changes to the Winter Fuel allowance.
But the move has divided the Labour party, angered voters, and possibly tarnished Keir Starmer’s authority. Is this a sign Rachel Reeves “is not very good at politics”?
Andrew Marr and George Eaton join Hannah Barnes on this episode of the New Statesman podcast.
They also discuss Keir Starmer’s relationships with the trade unions following his speech at the TUC this week, and Freddie Hayward joins from the US to discuss the response to the Trump/Harris presidential debate.
–
Read more:
Rachel Reeves’ great gamble, by George Eaton
https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2024/09/rachel-reeves-great-gamble
Workers’ rights or growth: another tough choice for Labour, by Andrew Marr
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/09/workers-rights-or-growth-another-tough-choice-for-labour
Kamala Harris made Trump look like a loser, by Freddie Hayward
https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2024/09/kamala-harris-donald-trump-debate-loser
–
Submit a question:
We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Become a New Statesman subscriber:
Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save
Sign up for our daily politics email
Receive a daily dose of politics coverage straight to your inbox every morning in our newsletter, Morning Call. Sign up for free here: https://morningcall.substack.com
Watch the New Statesman podcast
Find all episodes on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@newstatesman
“We cannot know what sort of human beings will emerge from this.”
Following Hamas’s deadly attack on 7 October 2023, Israel’s military response has been described as “inevitable”. Eleven months on, the scope and ferocity of that military response has stunned the world.
In this episode of the podcast we speak to four of the writers who contributed to the New Statesman essay collection Losing Gaza.
Raja Shehadeh: “Palestinians are not treated as human beings deserving of human rights”
Ghada Karmi: “The physical damage of Israel’s assault is real enough. The mental trauma will be far worse”
Raja Khalidi: “After the war, world leaders will need a new Marshall Plan for Palestine”
The former Labour leader’s new coalition could be “a real force” in Parliament, says Andrew Marr.
Jeremy Corbyn has formed a new “Independent Alliance” of MPs, united around opposition to the Gaza war. Answering a listener question on this “You Ask Us” episode, Andrew Marr says Corbyn could well attract more Labour MPs to his cause. This would make the Independent Alliance bigger than Reform UK, and could influence policy from the Left.
Andrew Marr joins Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe on this listener questions episode of the podcast. They also discuss Keir Starmer’s plans for UK-EU relations, and whether the Prime Minister will row back on some Brexit agreements.
–
Read more:
Andrew Marr on Labour’s battle for Britain
https://www.newstatesman.com/cover-story/2024/09/labours-battle-for-britain
Submit a question:
We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Become a New Statesman subscriber:
Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save
Sign up for our daily politics email
Receive a daily dose of politics coverage straight to your inbox every morning in our newsletter, Morning Call. Sign up for free here: https://morningcall.substack.com
Watch the New Statesman podcast
Find all episodes on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@newstatesman
After seven long years the Grenfell Inquiry has published its damning verdict: the 72 deaths caused by the Grenfell Tower fire were completely avoidable.
The 1500-page report names and shames companies and government bodies who’s choices and actions led to the deaths.
In this episode, Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes to discuss the findings of the inquiry and why justice must finally come for Grenfell.
They also review the Conservative leadership race following the first vote which saw former Home Secretary Priti Patel fall at the first hurdle. Andrew and Rachel report on view within Westminster of the remaining candidates, and why one in particular divides opinion among MPs in the Commons tea rooms.
–
Read more:
Megan Kenyon on the Grenfell report: failure on an industrial scale https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/09/grenfell-inquiry-failure-on-an-industrial-scale
George Eaton: the Grenfell report is damning for David Cameron
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/09/the-grenfell-report-is-damning-for-david-cameron
Submit a question:
We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting on this episode on Spotify, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Become a New Statesman subscriber:
Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save
Sign up for our daily politics email
Receive a daily dose of politics coverage straight to your inbox every morning in our newsletter, Morning Call. Sign up for free here: https://morningcall.substack.com
Watch the New Statesman podcast
Find all episodes on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@newstatesman
Noel and Liam Gallagher have managed the impossible. They've apparently buried the hatchet and announced that Oasis is coming back in 2025. Is this the return of Cool Britannia?
Rachel Cunliffe, associate editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, to answer listener questions about ex-MP's jobs, SPADs, and the politics of Britpop.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
On Tuesday morning Keir Starmer addressed the nation and warned that Labour’s first Budget “is going to be painful”, suggesting that tax rises are on the way.
While the prime minister stressed that those with the “broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden”, he warned that he won’t “shy away from making unpopular decisions”, raising the question of whether Labour is bringing back austerity.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor.
A listener asks: will Keir Starmer and the Labour government attempt to change the conversation around immigration, or continue with a more hawkish stance in an attempt to win over reform voters?
Hannah Barnes and George Eaton discuss in our latest listener questions episode.
They also answer questions on how the electorate might change by the next election and whether voting reform will have an impact in future.
Send us a question:
www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Read more:
George’s interview with Sadiq Khan: “politicians need to be braver on immigration”
https://www.newstatesman.com/encounter/2024/08/sadiq-khan-politicians-need-to-be-braver-on-immigration
Subscribe to the New Statesman - first two months just £2
www.newstatesman.com/save
Follow the New Statesman:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NewStatesman
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@newstatesman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newstatesman
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NewStatesman
Labour have agreed pay deals with NHS staff, public service workers and now train drivers - but they've handed the conservatives an effective attack line.
Are Labour really beholden to "union paymasters"? And can they sustain pay rises while cutting the winter fuel allowance?
Hannah Barnes and George Eaton discuss on the New Statesman podcast.
Also in this episode, Hannah and George look at the crisis in prisons, and Labour's plan to house inmates in police cells. Can Keir Starmer and new prisons minister James Timpson hold Britain's overflowing prison estate together?
Read Hannah Barnes interview with Charlie Taylor, Prisons Inspector, here: https://www.newstatesman.com/ns-interview/2024/07/the-prison-system-is-broken
Ask a question: newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribe to the New Statesman with a special discount: newstatesman.com/save
And should Starmer be trying to befriend Elon Musk?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by senior editor George Eaton to answer this week's listener questions.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
The unrest and violence which gripped the country last week after the killing of three young girls seems to have halted for the time being. A brief sigh of relief. But this doesn’t mean that the anger - which was unleashed on asylum seekers, police, mosques, and local communities - or what may lie beneath it, has gone away.
The prime minister promised that rioters would feel ‘the full force of the law’. And he has been true to his word. As many as 1,000 people have been arrested so far and almost 550 charged.
But beneath the misinformation around the Southport murders of three little girls, what was the root of the rioters' anger? While some undoubtedly sought to sow division, and others went on opportunistic looting expeditions, there are genuine held concerns over immigration and the gulf between different societies in the UK. The immediate task of restoring law and order is one which perhaps comes easy to Keir Starmer, but now the harder, longer term job: What story will he tell to rebuild and re-unite this divided nation?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor.
The number of children who say they feel lonely at school more than doubled between 2012 and 2018, and Britons aged 16-29 are more than twice as likely to report feeling often or always lonely as those aged over 70.
A report by the think tank Onward found that one in five Britons aged 18-24 have one or no close friends, a proportion that has tripled in the past decade.
Historically, people’s social networks have tended to shrink with age, but nowadays research shows that young people have fewer friends than older Britons.
The evidence from the UK and other Western countries suggests that Generation Z – those born after 1997 – isn’t just the loneliest cohort in the country, they may be the loneliest generation in human history.
-
Sarah Dawood, senior associate editor speaks to writer Sophie McBain, who looked into the epidemic of loneliness amongst young people today for her New Statesman feature The lonely land.
If the Labour party in the next 5 years decide to get rid of the House of Lords, what is the most likely option for a replacement? Should there be upper and lower age limits for politicians? What are the rules for becoming a lobby journalist? Who decides who gets in, and can a journalist be kicked out?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, to answer this week's listener questions.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
After over a week of violence and unrest, it was feared last night that the riots would gather even more momentum, targeting immigration offices and centres across the country. Instead, we saw an outpouring of solidarity and counter-protests took place.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Nick Harris, Staggers' editor.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
This weekend, far-right riots and violence have continued to spread across the country after the killing of three young girls in Southport last week. Hundreds of people have been arrested following violent altercations and the destruction and burning of hotels in Rotherham and Tamworth where asylum seekers were living.
Nazir Afzal was a Chief Crown Prosecutor in 2011 during the August riots that began in London and spread across the whole country.
He joins Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, on the New Statesman podcast, to discuss how the far-right violence we have experienced in recent days is “reminiscent” of 2011, what has changed since then, and how the deaths of the young girls have been overshadowed by this political agenda.
Should Starmer be more open to challenge from his party? Did the Blair government carefully chose to ignore housing issues because they thought doing anything would alienate middle class voters? What events lead to the dissolution of he Whig party and how does it correlate to the Tories now?
This is our weekly listener questions episode, You Ask Us. Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined in the studio by associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor to discuss the horrific events in Southport, violence on the streets, and how Labour plan to fill their financial black hole.
Britain faces a severe housing crisis. But while high interest rates, mortgages, and sky high prices in the private rental market dominate headlines, Britain's diminishing social housing stock gets less attention. The supply shortages, landlord mismanagement, and unsafe conditions often seen in social housing are all issues that the new Labour government will have to contend with.
Social housing campaigner and author Kwajo Tweneboa joins the New Statesman's policy correspondent, Harry Clarke-Ezzidio.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
What do parliamentary private secretaries, aka 'bag carriers', really do? How will Ben Houchen fair as a mayor in opposition? How much will Labour commit to international development? And should funding for GB News be considered a political donation?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to answer your questions.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour party has been described countless times over the past 4 years as ‘ruthless’, and this week we saw this in action for the first time as prime minister withdrawing the Labour whip from seven MPs who voted with an SNP amendment to scrap the two child cap in certain benefits.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by senior editor George Eaton, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In a surprise social media post this weekend, Joe Biden stood down from his re-election campaign and endorsed VP Kamala Harris. Significant support has mounted in the past 48 hours for Harris, but how does this change the presidential race?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor at the New Statesman, is joined by political editor Andrew Marr to discuss the developments in the US as well as Labour's imminent challenges this summer as parliament heads for recess.
The new PM has been in office a couple of weeks, but you've already asked how long he's got.
In our weekly "You Ask Us" episode, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener questions on how long Keir Starmer has before the Conservatives can form a coherent opposition, how a Labour government will approach China, and the things that have surprised them about the new parliament so far.
Submit a question for the New Statesman team to answer at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus, or if you're listening on Spotify scroll down and leave a reply on the episode page.
Articles mentioned in this episode:
David Muir: Taiwan at the edge of chaos
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2024/07/taiwan-at-the-edge-of-chaos
Clean energy by 2023? We're "pretty far off".
Ed Miliband today made his first parliamentary speech as the new Energy Secretary, hailing the Labour government's progress on their energy plans. Central to their goal to reach clean energy by 2023 is their proposal for a new publicly owned energy firm, Great British Energy.
Sustainability correspondent Megan Kenyon joins Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe on the New Statesman podcast to unpick Labour's energy plans and discuss whether or not GB Energy will actually be able to deliver.
Read more: Britain will never be an energy superpower, by Helen Thompson
https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2024/07/britain-will-never-be-an-energy-superpower
"It's been a long time since we've had a government with this level of ambition" - George Eaton
Black Rod has been summoned and the weighty wooden doors swung open on a new parliamentary year. At the State Opening of Parliament, Keir Starmer's government unveiled their ambitious legislative agenda through the King's speech, which introduced a bumper 39 bills.
George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes on the New Statesman podcast to unpick the policy announcements and explore the opportunities and potential pitfalls Labour may face over the coming months.
Read more: The King’s Speech is our first chance to inspect the moral code behind “Starmerism”
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/07/does-the-labour-government-believe-in-anything
Donald Trump has been greeted like a messiah at the Republican National Convention. But what if that bullet had been an inch to the right?
Just over 48 hours after narrowly escaping death from a gunman’s bullet, Trump has been confirmed as the Republican Party’s candidate for president in the upcoming election. He has named critic-turned-loyalist JD Vance as his running mate.
Andrew Marr joins Hannah Barnes on the New Statesman podcast to discuss how the attempt on Trump's life has impacted his standing among Republicans - and why political assassinations "never work".
They also discuss the implosion of the Welsh Labour government, and the King's Speech will reveal about the core beliefs of the Labour government.
Read more:
JD Vance - the new face of the Republican party, by Sohrab Ahmari
https://www.newstatesman.com/international-content/2024/07/jd-vance-vice-president-donald-trump-republican-ticket
Will Keir Starmer scrap the two-child benefit cap?
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/labour/2024/07/will-keir-starmer-scrap-the-two-child-benefit-cap
Trump loyalists are blaming Democrats for inciting the assassination attempt on the former President. How should Dems respond?
Republicans and Democrats alike have rightly condemned the shocking attack on former US President Donald Trump which left a bystander dead, two more injured and the presumptive Republican candidate bloodied but defiant.
However Trump supporters have been quick to point to Democrats' use of language - describing Trump as a "threat to American democracy", for example - as inciteful of violence.
On this episode, Hannah Barnes is joined by the journalist and lawyer Jill Filipovic, global affairs editor Katie Stallard and author and documentarian Phil Tinline to discuss how Democrats should respond to this accusation - which, as Jill says, is "not just hypocritical, it's like a through-the-looking-glass made up universe".
Read more:
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump, by Katie Stallard
https://www.newstatesman.com/world/americas/north-america/2024/07/attempted-assassination-donald-trump
Labour want to distinguish themselves from Boris Johnson's "levelling up". What are they planning instead?
Hannah Barnes, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward answer listener questions on Labour's growth strategy, and whether the new government's plans will impact individuals' personal finances.
They also discuss the new "rising star" Labour MPs to look out for, and whether polling during election campaigns impacts the final result.
Articles mentioned in this episode:
Labour's next generation: the new MPs to watch
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/06/labours-next-generation-election-2024-new-labour-mps
George Eaton interviews Torsten Bell
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics-interview/2024/06/torsten-bell-social-democrats-need-to-become-insurgents
New Labour MP Yuan Yang on the deep class anxiety in China
https://www.newstatesman.com/encounter/2024/05/labours-yuan-yang-there-is-deep-class-anxiety-in-china
Yuan Yang: Democracy begins with us
https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2024/07/democracy-begins-with-us-yuan-yang
Labour MP Sarah Sackman on the tensions between her Labour values and her Jewish identity
https://www.newstatesman.com/encounter/2024/06/sarah-sackman-my-labour-values-my-jewish-identity-tension
The Conservative party are scrapping it out to have their visions of the future of the party heard and things are getting messy.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Read: Kemi Badenoch is the early front-runner for the Tory leadership
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Today is the day we see our Labour government on the world stage for the first time. Starmer is in Washington today for the 75th summit of the Nato defence alliance. Ahead of the summit Starmer has met with President Joe Biden and praised the UK-US special relationship. Starmer has also told reporters that his plan to raise defence spending to 2.5% was “cast iron” - but has not committed to a timeline.
In an increasingly volatile world, how will global affairs define the Starmer era?
Read: Why foreign affairs will define the Starmer era
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
A record number of new MPs are flooding through Westminster, Starmer has been on a tour of the UK, and this morning the metro mayors gathered in Downing Street.
What is the new reality for the UK? Do we need to think seriously about electoral reform? And how is Macron going to get out of his political deadlock?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor; and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Since forming a new government on Friday, Keir Starmer's cabinet has been hard at work across the weekend to prove to the nation that they are a government of service.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to discuss surprise appointments, early policy announcements, and the results of France's shock election this weekend.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
The UK has just voted in its 7th ever Labour prime minister, Keir Starmer. As the results from yesterday’s general election trickled in overnight it became clear that this was not so much a story of Labour victory, as it was of Tory defeat. The last 14 years of conservative rule has dismantled both the country and much of the party’s once loyal supporters. ‘The work of change begins immediately’ said Keir Starmer this afternoon upon arrival at Downing Street straight after accepting the King’s invitation to form a new government.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Today the country heads to the polls to decide who will be in government for the next five years.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and senior data journalist to go through the key timings and processes of the day, what we know so far and what to look out for.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In a final poll published before the election things have never looked worse for the Conservatives, Rishi Sunak has expressed fear that he might lose his seat, and Boris Johnson has been wheeled out at the 11th hour. How long will it take for the Tories to come back from this and where will they begin?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by the New Statesman’s senior editor George Eaton and David Gauke, former Conservative MP and New Statesman columnist.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Another Reform UK candidate has stepped down to back the Tories as the “vast majority” of her fellow candidates are “racist, misogynistic and bigoted”, the Conservatives have launched an attack campaign on Keir Starmer, claiming he is work shy, and the Tory leadership contest may or may not be underway.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In order to succeed in a first term in government, to deliver for working people, Keir Starmer will need to enforce some quietly radical change. And doing so will upset quite a lot of people ...
It's the last week of the campaign and Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by political editor Andrew Marr, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.
As well as looking at what's happening on our own shores, the team also discuss the election prospects across the channel with the success of the right yesterday in France, and across the pond with the widespread trepidation around Biden's future in US government.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
It's listener question time! Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, is joined by Finn McRedmond, junior commissioning editor and writer, to answer questions on Northern Ireland, personal approval ratings, presidential debates, and polling influence.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Today New Statesman is publishing an election special issue of the magazine which includes our election endorsement as well as in-depth political interviews with Jeremy Corbyn, Nigel Farage, and David Lammy.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined in the studio by George Eaton, senior editor, and editor-in-chief Jason Cowley.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Another day, another flurry of betting allegations. More and more parties are now being dragged into the gambling scandal, but should we discern some distinction between the nature of these bets and their repercussions?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, and Ben Walker, senior data journalist.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Everything's been going so badly for the prime minister, one can't help but admire the fact that he's carrying on.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, to discuss the developments in the betting scandal, how Nigel Reform lost the right, and why Labour failed to win over the Murdoch empire.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
We’re in the penultimate week of campaigning, which may come as a relief to those suffering from election fatigue - maybe no one more so than Rishi Sunak. The prime minister has not had a particularly smooth weekend as the Tory betting scandal continues to rumble on …
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, to discuss the latest developments in the gambling scandal, Labour's positions gender recognition and their plans for the House of Lords.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
We were bestowed yet another leadership TV special last night, Ed Davey said sorry for tuition fees, Rishi Sunak said sorry for Liz Truss, and Keir Starmer said sorry for Jeremy Corbyn. But one unmissable feature of the night was the grimace on the prime ministers face as the impassioned audience put their questions to him.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent to discuss the TV special and to answer listener questions.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
The Tory gambling scandal respawned last night when it was revealed that a met officer working in Rishi Sunak's protection team had been arrested over alleged bets, and also being looked into by the Gambling Commission is Laura Saunders - a Conservative candidate who happens to be married to the director of campaigns in CCHQ.
The team also discuss the three polls published last night; while the predictions may differ, all roads lead to disaster for the Conservatives.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
"Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country" - bold letters shout from the first page of the SNP manifesto. But is there still momentum for independence in Scotland? And what else is John Swinney pledging in his fight to retain seats from the hands of Scottish Labour.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Chris Deerin, Scotland editor, and Ben Walker, senior data journalist.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Labour are set to win a majority, if not a supermajority, but in these politically fragmented times will people who vote for the party necessarily stay loyal in their support after July the fifth?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by political editor Andrew Marr to discuss the changing political tides, Starmer's continued struggle with tax and Corbyn, and the potential return of Boris Johnson.
Register to vote: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Nigel Farage and Richard Tice have been playing good cop bad cop today in Merthyr Tydfil, not launching Reform UK's manifesto, but the party's "contract". The pitch contains some dramatic pledges and mathematical gymnastics.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
On today's episode of listener questions: How many of them 2019 manifesto commitments have been met?; Who will be the biggest name to lose their seat?; If Jeremy Corbyn wins as an independent, assuming he'd like to continue to sit with old allies, could he sit on the government benches?; Is there a reason why D-Day is a bigger deal than eg Boris stealing a journalist's phone and hiding in a fridge?; What is the best response when a candidate that you do not want to win knocks on your door?
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by senior editor George Eaton.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
In the words of ABBA, and Keir Starmer, Money Money Money - the Labour leader announced this morning in Manchester that wealth creation was the ‘number one priority’ for the party.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and senior editor George Eaton to analyse the final manifesto's of the week from Labour and Plaid Cymru, and to review the odds on the latest Tory gaff.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Grant Shapps has said that Labour could be on course for a “supermajority”, but perhaps a more accurate way of viewing it is that the Conservatives are on course for a "superdefeat". But if the Tory vote crashes the votes aren't necessarily going to Labour, so how will they be split?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker to review the polls and also analyse the Green manifesto launch.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
It's Tory manifesto Tuesday and the party is leading with pledges to make homes more affordable for first time buyers as well as a fresh new batch of tax cuts. But where is the money coming from to afford this? When the Conservatives say "welfare reform", what exactly do they mean?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by political editor Andrew Marr. Together they also discuss the rise of the far right in Europe and what this might mean for a Labour-led Britain.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
It's manifesto week! It's week three of the election campaign and parties are set to deliver their manifestos in the coming days. This was kicked off today with the launch of the Lib Dem manifesto. So what have they pledged? Do the numbers add up? And does it really matter if they don't?
The team also discuss what's been happening politically over the weekend, including Friday's seven headed debate, the continuation of Sunak's D Day-gate, and Macron's decision to call a snap election.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor; Chris Deerin, Scotland editor; and Will Dunn, business editor.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Freddie, Ben and podcast newcomer Finn McRedmond answer listener questions.
By deserting the D-day commemorations, Rishi Sunak has dealt his own campaign a massive blow and handed Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage explosive attack lines.
In this special election edition of You Ask Us, the team answer your questions about the threat to the Conservatives from Reform UK and the impact of TV debates. Also polling expert Ben Walker reveals the shocking impact tactical voting could have on the Liberal Democrats election hopes.
See the latest polls on the New Statesman's State of the Nation: https://sotn.newstatesman.com/
Read:
Rishi Sunak's D-Day departure was far worse than a gaffe
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/06/rishi-sunaks-d-day-departure-was-far-worse-than-a-gaffe
The Conservative party may not survive this election
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/06/conservative-party-may-not-survive-election-nigel-farage
The most powerful person on the left of British politics is not Keir Starmer. So who is it?
This week the New Statesman published the 2024 Left Power List, which ranks the 50 most influential people in British politics. George Eaton edited the list and joins Hannah Barnes and Freddie Hayward on the New Statesman podcast to discuss who's up, who's down, and what their influence means for the general election.
Hannah, Freddie and George also discuss the latest events from the general election campaigns including Vaughan Gethin's confidence vote, more questionable Tory donations and Ed Davey's moving campaign video.
See the Left Power List in full here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/06/new-statesman-left-power-list-2024
Starmer and Sunak went head to head for the first time last night in their TV debate. Did we learn anything new? Not particularly. But the story dominating the headlines today is Sunak's claim that people would pay around £2,000 more in tax if Labour wins the election. He said that figure had been calculated by "independent Treasury officials". Starmer called this "garbage".
So who's telling the truth?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by political correspondent Freddie Hayward, and senior data journalist Ben Walker, who also takes us on a deep dive of the polls.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Nigel Farage is back ... what does this mean for the Conservatives and the future of the right in Britain?
The team also discuss the Lib Dems pledge for social care, and why the main two parties refuse to talk about this issue which is affecting a high proportion of the electorate.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by political editor Andrew Marr, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Labour have launched their defence plans, leading with their 'triple lock' which focuses on nuclear submarines and a constant at sea deterrent for the UK. Does this departure from Labour's 2016 stance represent a change in the party or a change in the state of global affairs?
Meanwhile, today the Conservatives have focused their energy today on clarifying the Equality Act when it comes to gender and biological sex.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
Could the Conservatives become the third party? Is Ed Davey being too frivolous? Has Rishi Sunak made a huge mistake? And why do we still talk about older people like they're the Second World War generation?
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, answer listener questions and give their campaign highlights thus far.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
One week down, five to go.
The Diane Abbott row continues to be a tricky thorn in Keir Starmer's side, and in the past 24 hours their have been more reports that candidates and standing MPs have been barred from standing. Is this a purge on the left of the party?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, also discuss the launch of the Green Party's campaign, who are hoping to win four seats, and today's announcements on VAT and the economy.
Today Labour announced some bold plans for the NHS, stating that they would clear the Tory backlog in their first time. However this has been completely overshadowed by the mishandling of Diane Abbott's position in the party.
This morning, Abbott, who has served as Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since being elected in 1987, has announced that she has been barred by the party from standing in the next general election. By lunchtime Starmer was saying that no decision had been taken to block her from standing for Labour. So what's going on and will this botched stage handling backfire for Labour?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
For the next six weeks we’re bringing you new episodes every weekday, with updates on the party campaigns, reaction from around the UK and the best polling analysis with our experts.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to discuss the developments over the busy bank holiday weekend: National Service, Triple Lock Plus, 'Sleepy Keir', and the unravelling of the Conservative party.
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter: Morning Call
Political advertising in the UK has been a largely regulated space, that us up until about a decade ago.
Historically, political advertising has been banned from broadcast aside from a small allotted period of time in the run up to an election. However, as the times are-a-changin, and technology and advertising formats have evolved, political parties have found and embraced some legal loopholes. Our screens are now awash with political adverts, character attacks, and sometimes factually inaccurate messaging - created and paid for by our government and the opposition.
So what does it mean now that our leaders are playing dirty? What can we expect to see in the lead up to the general election? And will this have any effect on voters, or is it just Westminster name-calling?
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by Jonn Elledge, journalist, author and New Statesman columnist.
This episode was recorded prior to the calling of the general election last week.
On Monday we published an investigation by business editor Will Dunn into England's water and sewage crisis. Will joins Hannah Barnes, associate editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, on this episode of You Ask Us to answer some listener questions on the water companies.
The team also give their 90:50:10 predictions for this year in British politics.
Read: The Great Stink: Britain’s pollution crisis
Listen: The Great Stink: how England came to swim in sewage
Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us
After a day of increasing speculation, Rishi Sunak called the next general election which will take place on the 4th of July. Sadly, for him, he was almost drowned by the pouring rain, and drowned out by the pounding of D:Ream's ‘Things Can Only Get Better', the song widely known as Labour's 1997 anthem.
To kick of the New Statesman's general election coverage, the team review yesterday's events, the prime minister's potential motives, and the kickstarting of campaigns.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Freddie Hayward, Rachel Cunliffe, and George Eaton.
Have you got a question about the election? Get in touch here
The sea is no longer safe to swim in, tomatoes are growing on beaches from seeds in undigested human faeces, and rivers are awash with pig’s blood. When did everything start to go wrong, and who bears the brunt of this grotesque responsibility?
The Great Stink by Will Dunn is this week’s cover story and you can find it here
We’ve had lots of questions come in this week about defection, prompted by the surprise and somewhat contentious defection of the once Conservative MP for Dover and Deal, Natalie Elphicke, to Labour last week.
To help guide us through Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined in the studio by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman, and down the line by David Gauke, former Conservative MP for South West Hertfordshire and New Statesman columnist.
Read: Do Tory defections to Labour herald a realignment?
This morning Keir Starmer has laid out six key pledges for a Labour government, should they win power this election year.
So what is the Labour leader promising, and will those promises be kept?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined on the New Statesman podcast by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, and George Eaton, senior editor.
Just over a month ago Dr Hilary Cass published her landmark review of gender identity services for children and young people.
In her last UK media interview before her team wrap up, she spoke to the New Statesman about the four years it took to compile and complete the review, as well as the reflections she’s had since it was published and criticisms that have been leveled against both her findings and her own professionalism.
You can read the accompanying article to this interview here: Hilary Cass: “Do I regret doing it? Absolutely not”
Are any Tories desperate enough to take over as Prime Minister?
In our listener questions episode, You Ask Us, Rachel Cunliffe, George Eaton and Freddie Hayward answer your questions on whether any Conservative MPs would really want to take over as PM before the next election, and how on earth they will explain Britain's failing economy during the election campaign.
To submit a question, visit www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribe to the New Statesman at www.newstatesman.com/subscribe
Sign up to receive Freddie's daily politics email, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.com
The longer the Conservatives hang on, the worse it gets. Last week Rishi Sunak lost 474 councillors, the constituency of Blackpool south, and Andy Street’s West Midlands mayoral. And yesterday things went from bad to worse for Sunak with a surprise defection to Labour from Natalie Elphicke MP for Dover and Deal.
The Conservatives can’t seem to escape this endless decline in support and popularity. So when did it all start to go wrong, and can they stop the train before it completely derails?
Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, is joined in the studio by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and George Eaton, senior editor.
Read: The Tory doomscroll
Keir Starmer is the man poised to be the next leader of the UK. But he is also a man of whom many - including those in his own party - have asked: what does he stand for?
Four years after Starmer became leader of the Labour party we know a little more about him. We’ve heard about his childhood, the pebble-dashed semi and his time at the Crown Prosecution Service.
But what are the principles behind the man and his project ? What do we really know about ‘Starmerism’?
Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, who has written this week's cover story.
Read: What is Starmerism?
It has been a terrible night for the Conservatives who have lost councillors, constituencies, and new Mayoral positions to Labour. Keir Starmer has called this result a sign to move on and for Rishi Sunak to call a general election.
So far the Tories have held onto the Tees Valley mayoral position but Labour have won in Rishi Sunak's backyard. So as the rest of the results continue to trickle in, Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Ben Walker, senior data journalist, as they analyse what yesterday's elections, and today’s results, tell us about the UK wants from its leadership.
One week ago, Humza Yousaf, first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party, terminated the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens. There had been mounting pressure on both Yousaf’s leadership and ending the coalition, but the eventual timing of the termination caused the now former leader to appear panicked and triggered a Scottish government crisis.
On Monday, just after 13 months in office, Yousaf resigned, ahead of two no confidence votes. This morning John Swinney announced his leadership to be Scotland’s next first minister, meanwhile Kate Forbes is set to make an announcement on her decision to run this afternoon.
But the SNP was deeply fractured when Yousaf inherited it, would a successor be able to unite it?
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by Chris Deerin, Scotland editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
In 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced that for the first time since records had begun, 100 million people were displaced by war, violence, persecution and human rights abuses.
No one wants to leave their home, but for many, the threat of death, danger and destruction leaves them with very little choice. But where can they go? And where will they be met with humanity?
Sarah Dawood, senior associate editor at the New Statesman, is joined by former asylum seeker Arman Azadi, who arrived in the UK at 14 years old. After completing school and university in the UK he has worked with charities, governments, and the United Nations to advise on policies concerning displaced children whose lives have been torn apart by war and conflict.
A listener writes in to ask, "Is there any risk of a Conservative - Reform coalition?"
"Why do journalists not ask “how are you going to pay for it” when it comes to defence spending? Why is Keir Starmer's defence spending target covered so differently to planned green spending?" - another listener asks.
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to answer listener questions.
Would you like to ask the team a question? You can do so here!
Train travel in the UK has become an increasingly painful experience in the past few years. Prices continue to rise at an astonishing rate, meanwhile delays, cancellations and strikes have become the norm. Many have simply given up on this mode of transport.
Last night, Labour announced their plan to get Britain’s railways back on track. But what does this mean? And could bringing trains back into public ownership really fix the dire state of rail travel in the UK?
Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined in the studio by George Eaton, senior editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Read: Louise Haigh: Labour manifesto will pledge rail renationalisation
In March, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, published his memoir - A Very Private School. This recounted, in devastating detail, the abuse, both mental and physical, that he had been subjected to at his elite prep boarding school. The brutality is laid bare.
For centuries in the UK, a private education has been the pathway to opportunity. Today those who attended private schools are five times more likely to hold top jobs in politics, the judiciary, media, and business.
Boarding school boys in particular, who represent less than 1% of the population, have been in charge of the country for most of the past 14 years. But at what cost? For both the survivors of these institutions and for the whole country.
Read: A boyhood built on fear, The price of private education
This episode was recorded on the 18th of April, prior to Israel's missile strikes on Iran.
Tensions in the Middle East have heightened further after Iran launched a missile attack on Israel last week. This was in response to Israel’s strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria - which killed 16 people. Western leaders came to Israel’s defence and condemned Iran’s attack, but prior to this David Cameron - the UK foreign secretary - had warned that the UK’s support for Israel was ‘not unconditional’.
So how have these latest developments divided the government’s stance on Israel’s conflict? And how are Labour planning to act should they come into government amid this war?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britian editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, and George Eaton, senior editor.
Read: The new Tory divide on Israel
Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics email Morning Call
This week Liz Truss has embarked on the press tour of a lifetime with her new book, Ten Years to Save the West: Lessons from the only conservative in the room. She's been casting blame from the UN to the Bank of England for the failure of her time in office, but does she really believe what she's saying? And how might this affect her standing in the next general election?
Anoosh and Rachel also ask Freddie about his recent trip to the National Conservatism conference in Brussels with the likes of Nigel Farage, Suella Braverman, Éric Zemmour, Viktor Orbán, and the Belgian police.
People up and down the country have been struggling to get NHS dental appointments for the past few years, forcing some to pay inflated prices for private treatment, or ignore their oral health until it’s reached an unbearable point. This crisis is also greatly impacting children across the nation, and today the number one reason children are admitted to hospital is due to severe dental issues.
So how did we get here? Why is the UK faced with Dickensian rot in 2024?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by policy correspondent Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, and policy associate editor, Sarah Dawood.
Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, is being accused of being a ‘tax avoider’. While these attacks are coming predominantly from the right, they’ve been mounting in recent weeks and now Labour is having to confront the allegations.
So what could this mean for the deputy leader? Is Labour in trouble? Or is this a Tory smear campaign?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent Freddie Hayward; this episode was recorded on Thursday 11th April.
Read the pieces mentioned in this podcast: Is Angela Rayner in danger?; What Dominic Raab missed about Angela Rayner at Glyndebourne; I looked into Angela Rayner’s tax affairs – here’s what I found
We’ve been digging around in our virtual mailbag and have brought a couple of your questions to discuss.
One listener asks: What are the political implications of the Cass report and will it affect how British politicians approach the transgender conversation?
And another listener writes in to ask: Could a Starmer win in the UK and a Trump win in the US spell the end for the ‘special relationship’?
Ask a question for a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Read Andrew Marr's piece: Inside Labour’s foreign policy factory
The British royal family was in crisis even before Queen Elizabeth II died, and the new King and princess of wales both became ill with cancer.
In this modern age where access increasingly equates to relevance, and truth and conspiracy so often intertwine, how is Britain’s relationship with monarchy changing?
Chris Stone is joined on the New Statesman podcast by author Tanya Gold who has written this week's cover story: The Fragile Crown.
England’s waterways are overflowing with sewage. In a recent report it has been found that a record amount of sewage is being discharged into rivers and seas around England. Data revealed that last year raw sewage was discharged, by private water companies, for more than 3.6 million hours, a 105% increase on the previous 12 months.
And in addition to all of this Thames Water, Britain’s biggest water company, is at risk of insolvency.
Who’s responsible for this shitstorm? And in how many ways is this damaging for the country?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by Will Dunn, business editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.
Read Will's piece: Who killed Thames Water?
Today on the podcast we're bringing you a conversation from the New Statesman's Path to Power conference which looked inside the Labour Party machine as it gears up for the next election.
In this session Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman, was joined by Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South and Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, to discuss Labour's plans for labour.
This is an episode we like to call “You Ask Us”.
Our first question from James who says: "How would the results of a general election change if all British residents were allowed to vote, not just British Citizens? In other words what happens if we let immigrants without British passports vote?"
Ryan also writes in to say: "Will Labour be forced into a strict immigration policy come the general election in order to stop it being the dominant issue?"
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor of the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent, Freddie Hayward, and down the line by senior data journalist Ben Walker.
Earlier this week the UK government accused China of stealing 40 million UK registered voters’ names and addresses. The breach occurred in 2021 and 2022, in which time GCHQ has ascertained that China state-affiliated actors also targeted several parliamentarians’ emails - including former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith.
So what could the Chinese government do with this data? How real is the threat of China to Western democracy? And what is our government doing to mitigate this risk?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor of the New Statesman, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, discuss the UK's China strategy in the run up to the election.
Read: China’s global coal machine won’t be stopped so easily
Each one of us in the UK is likely to be or become a carer at some point in our lives. Women have a 50:50 chance of caring by the time they are 46 and men by the time they reach the age of 57.
But the UK’s social care system is failing all of us. This includes those that require care (whether this is older or disabled adults), and both formal employed carers and informal carers who tend to be parents, children, siblings, or spouses.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor of The New Statesman, is joined by Jess Prestidge from the Centre for Social Justice, and former BBC correspondent and family carer Humphrey Hawksley.
This is an episode we like to call “You Ask Us”.
Our first question from Adam in Cardiff who says: "Does it matter who was elected in the Welsh Labour leadership election? It seems that both candidates had a very similar platform. Does the selection of Vaughan Gething have political implications in Westminster?"
Rory also writes in to say: "With the Mayoral elections coming up, what would the significance of a Labour clean sweep be? A lot has been said about the different experiences of Labour and Tory Mayors under the previous government… might a Labour government try to depoliticise devolution?"
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor of the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent, Freddie Hayward.
Stability, investment, and reform - these are the three pillars for growth set out by Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Mais Lecture to business and finance leaders earlier this week.
“In a changing world, Britain has been behind the curve,” she said, but a Labour government, she stated, would seek to bring a “new chapter in Britain's economic history”.
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, who both attended Reeves' lecture on Tuesday evening at Bayes Business School in City University.
Alona Ferber, senior editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Mary Ann Seighart, journalist, former assistant editor of The Times, visiting professor at Kings College London and author of The Authority Gap: Why women are still taken less seriously than men, and what we can do about it.
One of the things that shocked Mary Ann Seighart most from writing this book was that even the most senior, successful, authoritative women are taken less seriously. It's not an insulation from the authority gap even to be president of a country. Why is this?
Ben Walker shares exclusive analysis on the impact of a dying electorate.
In our weekly listener questions episode, Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker to answer two questions from New Statesman listeners:
Nick asks: "what is the whip system and how (the hell) can it be democratic?" Freddie explains how it works, and Ben shares his experiences being 'whipped' in his role as a borough councillor.
And an anonymous listener asks for analysis on the proportion of voters who have died since the 2019 election - Ben responds with some exclusive analysis, hot off the press.
Want to ask a question for a future episode? Go to www.newstatesman.com/YouAsk Us
Join our community of free thinkers by becoming a New Statesman subscriber, and get your first month free: https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribe
Get a free daily dose of politics from Freddie Hayward by signing up for the Morning Call newsletter: https://substack.com/morningcall
It's been another "torrid" week for the Conservatives, with a row over alleged racist comments made by their largest donor overshadowing the announcement of new extremism rules.
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by George Eaton and Freddie Hayward to discuss how Rishi Sunak's response to Frank Hester's alleged comments exposes his weakness as leader - and the impact this might have on the next election.
Submit a question for "You Ask Us": https://www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Join our community of free thinkers by becoming a New Statesman subscriber, and get your first month free: https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribe
Get a free daily dose of politics from Freddie Hayward by signing up for the Morning Call newsletter: https://substack.com/morningcall
At the beginning of February Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, travelled to Liverpool to interview two regional mayors: Andy Burnham the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.
Their new co-authored book, Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain, chronicles their intersecting journeys in politics, the careers paths which brought them to Westminster, and ultimately their joint decision to leave Westminster in order to affect greater change for the regions they represent.
This episode was recorded on the 5th of February, 3 days before Labour rowed back on their pledge to invest an annual £28 billion on kickstarting a green industrial revolution. We discuss the proposed £28 billion investment during this conversation, the contents of which are now out of date.
It's listener question time!
Neil from Cambridge asks: "Rishi Sunak and other Conservatives keep telling us that Labour will take us 'back to square one' either through their policies or lack of a plan. What point in time does he want us to think of as being 'square one'? And why does he think that voters would believe that it is necessarily worse than where we are headed now?"
Jon says: "Why do you guys propose on your podcasts that Starmer is currently lying, intending on being radical and inspiring once in office? Don’t you think with a 30 point lead he can afford to show his true colours?"
Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, policy correspondent at the New Statesman, steps in for Anoosh this week, and he is joined. by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correpondent.
Yesterday, Jeremy Hunt delivered the spring statement, the last before the next general election and his fourth budget since becoming Chancellor in October 2022, after replacing Kwasi Kwarteng.
Non-doms have been abolished, national insurance has been cut by 2p, a vaping tax has been introduced, and the NHS has been promised 3.4 billion towards a digital transformation. But while inflation remains high and most of the nation is feeling the prolonged squeeze of the cost of living crisis - will these proposals make any real difference?
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by Will Dunn, business editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Over 5 million people in the UK live in a leasehold; a property ownership agreement which entitles people to the space inside the property but not necessarily the building it’s in nor the land it is built on. England and Wales are the last countries in the world where leaseholds are still widely used. So why is this, how does it affect the 5 million people living in these properties, and is it all a big feudal con?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North.
Watch Barry Gardiner's documentary: Leasehold
Listen to our podcast on the collapse of rentier capitalism: The housing crash is just beginning
After a dramatic and chaotic campaigning period for the Rochdale by-election, the controversial politician George Galloway will be returning to Westminster - yet again. He currently represents the Workers Party of Britain, but this is the fourth city he’s been elected to represent and the third party in four decades.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by the New Statesman's Britain editor Anoosh Chakelian, and senior data journalist, Ben Walker.
Read Anoosh's report here: Rochdale’s by-election brings the Gaza war to Britain
From Lee Anderson’s rant against Sadiq Khan on GB News, to Liz Truss’s appearance with Steve Bannon, this week has been nothing short of a conspiratorial catastrophe for the Conservative Party.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss why Rishi Sunak and senior Conservatives are “too scared” to call out islamophobia – while Reform and GB News are “driving them a bit demented”.
From opaque contract awards, to cosy relationships between politicians and business elites, the idea of a ‘chumocracy’ has long been making headlines and raising eyebrows. But just how endemic is the issue? And how does it affect the functioning of the state?
Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, policy correspondent at the New Statesman, is joined by business editor, Will Dunn, to explore the links between peers and politicians, and the awarding of government money.
Read Will's cover story: The rotten state
"I've heard speculation that the Tories' election strategy is not really about "culture war and wedge issues" or evoking fear of Labour spending plans. It's about showing Starmer as indecisive and untrustworthy, and the Labour Party as divided." - one listener writes in to ask if the Conservatives election tactics have changed in recent months.
Another listener writes in to ask if Labour "have got away with the 28 billion thing"; this being the u-turn the previous promise to spend £28 billion a year on kickstarting a green industrial revolution if they win the election
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to answer these questions.
Almost five months on from the beginning of the conflict, Labour appears to have shifted its position - calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza. This culminated in a chaotic debate in parliament last night with SNP and Tory MPs walking out and this morning Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the house, is facing calls to resign.
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to discuss how this breakdown in order reflects the current state of British politics.
More councils have gone bust in 2023 than in the 30 years before 2018, with eight effectively declaring bankruptcy since that year: Northamptonshire, Croydon, Slough, Northumberland, Thurrock, Woking, Birmingham and Nottingham.
But why are councils going bust? Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by policy correspondent Megan Kenyon and Jonny Ball, associate editor of the New Statesman’s policy section, Spotlight, to delve into what’s happening in townhalls across the country.
Read Anoosh's report on Thurrock: The town that was gambled away
Follow the council bankruptcy tracker
The results of yesterday’s by-elections are in, Kingswood and Wellingborough - both previously Conservative seats - have turned red in a historic loss for the Tories.
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by the New Statesman's associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, and senior data journalist Ben Walker to discuss what these results mean for Labour, the Conservatives, and Reform UK.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism. Enjoy unlimited access to our writing and subscriber-only benefits from just £2 for 2 months. Visit www.newstatesman.com/subscribe-2-for-2
This week Labour has suspended not one, but two parliamentary candidates for reported comments made over Israel. The party has been on a mission to purge anti-semitism from its ranks over the past few years, so just how catastrophic has this week been for them?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined in the studio by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.
How did one detective take on an international network of romance fraudsters?
This episode was written Stuart McGurk and read by Will Dunn. The commissioning editor was Melissa Denes.
Our polling expert answers listener questions.
Many of you have written in with questions for Ben Walker, the New Statesman's polling data analyst. In this episode Anoosh asks Ben your questions:
- What impact will tactical voting have on the next election?
- How will constituency boundary changes impact the main parties?
- Why are voters less "brand loyal" than in the past?
- Will 2024 see more green MPs elected?
Submit a question for the New Statesman team to answer at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Become a New Statesman subscriber
https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribe
Download the app (subscribers can listen ad-free):
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Will Liz Truss’s “PopCon” undermine Rishi Sunak?
On Tuesday Tory right-wingers gathered in Westminster for the launch of “Popular Conservatism”, a new political group spearheaded by Liz Truss, who was joined by the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg, Lee Anderson and Mark Littlewood, formerly of the IEA.
Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward attended the launch and join Anoosh Chakelian on the podcast to discuss what the new group hopes to achieve and whether they pose a threat to Rishi Sunak’s beleaguered – and increasingly gaffe-ridden – premiership.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Become a New Statesman subscriber
https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribe
Download the app (subscribers can listen ad-free):
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
The 2010s were a decade that many hoped would usher in a new era of leftist revolutions. Yet, as we look back, the question looms large: What went wrong?
In this episode of the podcast Alona Ferber, senior editor, is joined by William Davies, writer and Professor in Political Economy at Goldsmiths, University of London, to look back at the 2010s, the figures, events, and politics that defined this decade - and ask why did the left's aspirations for revolution during the 2010s fall short?
Read William Davies' essay The 2010s: a decade of revolutionaries without a revolution
Audio featured from: BBC, Channel 4, Sky News, Garlic Toothpaste, The Telegraph, CNN, The Hill
This week's disposable vape ban follows a generational ban on smoking and an XL Bully ban. Is this Rishi Sunak's legacy?
The Conservatives are typically against a "nanny state" but low-cost, high-impact interferences into personal choice seem to be Rishi Sunak's bread and butter.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss the decision-making behind the bans and impact on the nation.
As the UK government and the DUP appear likely to break their Brexit impasse with a new deal, a listener asks what Labour would do differently in Northern Ireland.
For two years, the DUP has been boycotting power sharing in Stormont in opposition to post-Brexit trade rules. Now the UK government has published a deal which would reduce checks and paperwork on goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which could lead to the return of devolution within days. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward answer a listener question about how Labour would approach Northern Ireland and what that would mean for the future of the Union.
The also discuss the most influential Labour backbenchers as a listener asks who could rise to replace Keir Starmer as leader in the future.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
We’ve seen the fastest turnover of prime ministers in our history, and more MPs have been suspended from the house or stood down from their seats than ever before in recent years. Politicians breaking the rules and expecting to get away with it is one of the biggest issues in our parliament today - which seems to be unable to escape the mire of sleaze, cronyism and dishonesty.
This conversation was recorded at the winter Cambridge Literary festival in December when Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, spoke to Chris Bryant, Labour MP for the Rhondda and Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital about how politicians can reform parliament and win back public confidence.
Tickets for the 2024 five day Spring festival are available from the 1st of February, please visit cambridgeliteraryfestival.com to find out more.
Earlier this week former minister Simon Clarke wrote in the Telegraph, the Conservative party faces an electoral "massacre" under Rishi Sunak's leadership and warned “extinction is a very real possibility for our party”. “He does not get what Britain needs. And he is not listening to what the British people want.” and “Instead of conviction, we have convention.”
A listener writes in to ask: with all the disarray and rebellion in the Tory party, what's the likelihood of a confidence vote anytime soon?
Anoosh and Freddie also review whether the are Conservatives 'salting the earth' or 'laying traps for Labour' .
Replacements are being made at the steelworks in Port Talbot in South Wales to make the process greener, but in doing this 2,800 jobs are forecast to be lost.
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, speaks to Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, about her trip to Port Talbot - what this means for the area, the government (and the potential problems a Labour government could inherit), and a net zero future.
The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has now passed the 100 day mark. On the 14 January Alona Ferber attended the Jewish Labour Movement conference, which happened to take place on the 100th day of the war. In this podcast she speaks with Susan Neiman, the American moral philosopher, about the splits this war has caused on the left and tensions she sees between tribalist currents on the left and universalist principles, which Neiman believes are the values of a true left.
Read Susan Neiman's essay: The universalist tradition has been forgotten, the Enlightenment betrayed
"How powerful are select committees in holding government and other bodies to account? Highly important topic at the moment, given Lord Cameron cannot be held to account in the House of Commons?" a listener writes in. But while the foreign secretary wouldn't usually be seen in the House of Commons, he may be forced to answer questions there soon using an arcane mechanism that hasn't been used since 1957.
Join Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, as they answer listener questions.
We’re discussing the Rwanda Bill, yet again. On Tuesday there was a rebellion from the right of the Conservative party who attempted to put down amendments on the bill to try and ensure neither UK nor international law can be used to stop a person being deported to Rwanda, and to make it more difficult for people to appeal against their deportation.
The bill still managed to pass through the commons on Wednesday evening but what do we know about this divide amongst the Conservatives? Is Tory unity a thing of the past? And what does it mean to enter an election with such a fragmented party?
The Labour Party has a talent for losing elections. Over the last century, it has held office for just 33 years and has produced just six prime ministers. The Conservatives, by comparison, have held office for 67 years and produced 14 prime ministers. It is the burden of history that explains Labour’s caution at the outset of this election year.
Senior editor George Eaton joins associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe in the studio to discuss why Team Starmer are refusing to believe the hype around them.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
"I felt sure that millennials would never forgive the Lib Dems, but it seems like young people who are leaving London are voting Lib Dem in Tory strongholds. So have millennials forgiven the Lib Dems?" one listener asks.
The team discusses how voter priorities change with age, and how this might be advantageous for the Lib Dems.
Another listener writes in to ask whether the actions of the Israeli government that the British state are supporting are really in the British national interest?
This episode was recorded on Thursday the 10th of January, prior to the UK-US strikes on Yemen.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Between 2009 and 2015 more than 700 people who ran Post Offices, also known as sub-postmasters, were wrongly accused of embezzling money and subsequently prosecuted. The fault was actually that of a dodgy computer accounting system.
In addition to having to pay back the money from their own pockets, the strain, stress and stigma of this wrongful conviction destroyed the livelihoods of many of the sub-postmasters who were subject to criminal convictions, imprisonment, and bankruptcy. In some cases this also led to illness, divorce, and suicide.
In 2019, the High Court ruled that the Horizon system was faulty and in 2020 the government set up a public inquiry. But this has had renewed national interest thanks to the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office which aired in the new year week, and has resulted in a major intervention by the government - which will introduce a blanket law to exonerate all those who were convicted.
What can we as a nation can learn from one of the country’s greatest miscarriages of justice?
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
In 2024 countries with more than 4 billion people will be sending their citizens to the polls. The US, Russia, and India to name a few; this is set to be the biggest election year in history.
In this episode of the podcast Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Stateman's foreign correspondent Bruno Maçães and senior data journalist Ben Walker to review some of the major political forces at play around the globe in 2024.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
"How likely would it be for parliament to introduce a Proportional Representation system similar to the rest of Europe? Would this even be feasible given both main parties benefit from a First Past The Post system?", one listener asks.
And after the team tackles the questions of constitutional reform they answer listener Paul's question about Rishi Sunaks recently revealed consultations with Dominic Cummings.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Dr Emma Runswick, junior doctor in the North West and the current Deputy Chair of the BMA Council. They discuss what's driven junior doctors to the current 6 day walk out, on top of an accrued 28 days of stoppages over the past year. Will the BMA settle for anything less than a 35% pay rise? Has the new health secretary Victoria Atkins made any changes? And is this industrial action putting patients in danger?
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
2024 is set to be the biggest election year in history and countries with more than 4 billion people will be sending their citizens to the polls. And whether or not the UK government decides to hold a general election before January 2025, it will still be an incredibly decisive electoral year for the country.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Ben Walker, senior data journalist, to discuss how elections will shape Britain in 2024.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
In this conversation our political editor Andrew Marr sits down with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, to discuss why 2024 could be a bigger moment for Labour than 1997. This recording is from from our Path to Power conference which delved inside the Labour Party machine as it gears up for an election in 2024.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
In a special festive episode of the podcast, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to revisit some of the best, the worst, and weirdest moments from UK politics in 2023.
You can watch the video from this episode on our YouTube channel.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
This is a live recording from the New Statesman Media Group's Path to Power conference which delved inside the Labour Party machine as it gears up for an election in 2024.
In this session, hosted by Sarah Dawood - senior associate editor at the New Statesman, we look at Labour's mission for the UK to become a clean energy superpower. This panel was supported by Lloyds Banking Group.
Armando and Anoosh delve into the inner workings of British political reporting, exploring the complex world of the Lobby, the blurred relationships that many political journalists and politicians balance - trading access and trust, - and how this landscape has been evolving over the past few years with the rise of digital and alternative media.
To do this they are joined by Ash Sarkar, senior editor at Novara Media, and Ian Dunt, columnist at the I and former editor of Politics.co.uk.
This us the last episode of this series of Westminster Reimagined.
Listen to all previous episodes of Westminster Reimagined here: https://podfollow.com/westminster-reimagined-with-armando-iannucci-the-new-statesman
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Earlier this month we published a magazine with the cover ‘Being Jewish Now’. At this time of crisis in the Middle East, with divisions over the Gaza war and rising anti-Semitism, we asked a group of writers, thinkers, and activists to reflect on the question of what it means to be Jewish and on the left today.
In this episode of the podcast senior editor Alona Ferber speaks to five of the writers who contributed to this essay collection, delving deeper into the themes explored in the magazine.
Fania Oz-Salzberger: This generation will never see Gazans and Israelis become fellow citizens
Sam Adler-Bell: Jews in the diaspora must resist the inhumanity being done by Israel in our name
Omer Bartov: Both Netanyahu’s cabinet and Hamas see this crisis as an opportunity
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein: Lessons of growing up black and Jewish
Howard Jacobson: The founding of Israel wasn’t a colonial act – a refugee isn’t a colonist
Being Jewish Now: https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2023/11/what-it-means-to-be-jewish-now
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
A listener writes in to ask what the real threat is from the right of the Tory party, and our associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe, breaks this down - starting with identifying who the different factions of the Tory right are, and what they want.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
Yesterday Wales’s first minister Mark Drakeford announced his resignation, after exactly five years in office. He drew tributes for his tenure at PMQs from both leaders, with Keir Starmer describing him as “a true titan of Welsh politics”. Who will be the next Welsh leader? How will this affect Labour's general election campaign in Wales? And what will Mark Drakeford's lasting legacy be?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Matt Hexter host of the Welsh politics podcast Hiraeth, political consultant and former adviser to Welsh Labour MPs.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
Thurrock is suffering major cuts to all its council services since it went effectively bankrupt last December, after hundreds of millions of pounds were put into risky investments that didn’t pay off. One of the services to be gravely affected by the cuts is a place called “Thameside”, an arts complex, described locally as a “mini Barbican”, which houses a theatre, library, archive and museum.
Places like Thameside often serve as the heart and soul of our communities. They bring people together, foster a sense of belonging, and contribute to our overall well-being. But what happens when these vital services face budget cuts?
In this episode of Westminster Reimagined we discuss The Good Life - how much value do we put on happiness in Britain? How can government policy boost happiness? And is it possible to quantify personal wellbeing?
Listen to all previous episodes of Westminster Reimagined here: https://podfollow.com/westminster-reimagined-with-armando-iannucci-the-new-statesman
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
This discussion was recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival in November 2023.
Anoosh Chakelian was joined by Isabel Hardman, assistant editor at the Spectator and author of Fighting for Life, and Phil Whitaker, GP and medical editor at the New Statesman. They came together to ask, can we fix the NHS?
Watch and listen more from the Cambridge Literary Festival:
https://www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com/clf-player-watch-listen/
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
This week it seems that the government have been doing anything and everything to tackle the high migration numbers, that means cracking down on both illegal and legal routes to entering the UK. First new visa requirements were announced, stating that applicants would need to earn £38,700 to be eligible (higher than the average UK salary) and that this would also apply to UK citizens who intended to bring a foreign partner to the country on a spousal visa.
Not long after this Home Secretary James Cleverly announced those changes, he signed a treaty with Rwanda and the government published its emergency legislation to try and see off legal challenges to its deportation scheme.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
Boris Johnson appeared "diminished" at the Covid inquiry - and still couldn't quite apologise properly.
Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor for the New Statesman, was in the room as the former prime minister gave evidence. She joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to analyse two "blockbuster" days, figure out if we've learned anything new, and look ahead to next week when Rishi Sunak will appear to account for his actions during the pandemic.
Read Rachel's report from the inquiry: "The Tories are lucky to be rid of Boris Johnson"
https://www.newstatesman.com/quickfire/2023/12/the-tories-are-lucky-to-be-rid-of-boris-johnson
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
Is democracy slipping away from us? How protected are we by our constitution? And do governments have the power to swiftly change this? In June, in front of a live audience, Armando and Anoosh were joined by Simon Woolley, founder and director of Operation Black Vote and Principal of Homerton College, Cambridge, and Graham Smith, CEO of the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic.
This episode was recorded shortly after the first data regarding voter ID impact in elections, and also after the arrest of Graham Smith at a pre-arranged Coronation protest.
Listen to all previous episodes of Westminster Reimagined here: https://podfollow.com/westminster-reimagined-with-armando-iannucci-the-new-statesman
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Housing in the UK has become increasingly unaffordable during the last two decades, buying a home is an unattainable prospect for many in the country, and the challenges facing renters are now reaching a tipping point. And the rentier economy is not only freezing out housing tenants. Small, and sometimes large, businesses are also being priced out of these spaces, which is having a significant effect on the UK's cultural landscape.
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Will Dunn, business editor, and Ellen Peirson-Hagger, assistant culture editor, to discuss the economics of the current housing market as well as the cultural and societal effects which are being felt up and down the country.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
Andrew Marr joins the team in the studio this week to answer listener questions.
John writes in to ask which often used misleading expressions in political journalism might warrant the use of a 'broadcaster swear jar'. Meanwhile, Xia asks the podcast team which policies they're most optimistic about that might be put in place by a Starmer government.
In this episode we also hear from Freddie Hayward, politics correspondent, and Zoë Grunëwald, politics and policy correspondent.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
Andrew Marr, political editor at the New Statesman, speaks to Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, about why the newly published figures on net migration for 2022 have sent shockwaves through the Conservative party. The focus, he says, has shifted from illegal migration - 'stop the boats' - to legal migration, because of these figures.
Last week the Office for National Statistics revealed that net migration to the UK reached a record high of 745,000 in 2022. This figure relates to people given permission to enter the country, mainly to work or study.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Give something priceless:
Give the New Statesman and get 20% off our gift subscriptions using code XMAS20 at the checkout.
newstatesman.com/gift-subscribe
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our fourth series of Westminster Reimagined.
In this episode, which was recorded in the summer of 2023, Armando and Anoosh visit a group of sixth form students who will be voting for the first time in the upcoming general election. They want to know what how politics is taught in schools, how the students view the UK political party system, and whether the issues that matter to the students are represented by politicians today.
Listen to all previous episodes of Westminster Reimagined here: https://podfollow.com/westminster-reimagined-with-armando-iannucci-the-new-statesman
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
How did the Great Depression’s spectres of fascism, bombing and mass unemployment force politicians to think the unthinkable, and pave the way to post-war Britain? How was Thatcher’s road to victory made possible by a decade of nightmares: of hyperinflation, military coups and communist dictatorship? And why, since the Crash in 2008, have new political threats and divisions forced us to change course once again?
Freddie Hayward, political correspondent at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by author and documentary maker Phil Tinline to discuss his book The Death of Consensus: 100 Years of British Political Nightmares.
Read this week's cover story:
https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2023/11/jfk-assassination-60-years-myth-martyr-saviour
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
"The economy will play a central part of next year's election. Do you know if people are better off than in 2010?" - one listener writes in to ask. The podcast team discuss how this can be measured, and how parties might frame this in the run up to the election.
Another listener writes in to ask about the constant churn in the ministerial system.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined in the studio by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Jeremy Hunt would like this Autumn Statement to be seen as what the government is branding “the biggest tax cut in British history”, but what are the actual costs and implications of the yesterday's budget?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined in the studio by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our fourth series of Westminster Reimagined. Across this season he is joined by co-host Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, to explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix them.
In this first episode of the season our hosts are joined by Alex von Tunzelmann, historian, screenwriter and author, and Ivan Rogers, former permanent representative of the UK to the European Union. In their careers they've both reflected on how Britain is seen on the international stage and the way its role in the world has been changing, and Armando and Anoosh want to know - is Britain really great, anymore?
To find previous episodes of the series just search 'Westminster Reimagined' wherever you get your podcasts.
Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah – all of whom operate out of Beirut’s southern suburbs – have coordinated their positions in various ways for years in pursuit of what they see as the greater good.
John Jenkins, former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Burma, speaks to senior editor Katie Stallard about Iran's interest in the Israel-Hamas conflict and how this will play out across the region.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
"At the Home Office you have immigration figures, as health secretary there are NHS waiting lists. Is David Cameron likely to improve his reputation because it’s harder to fail as foreign secretary?" - one listener asks.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined in the studio by associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe and political correspondent Freddie Hayward to answer listeners questions surrounding David Cameron's appointment as foreign secretary.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
The government's Rwanda plan has been put on hold, yet again, after being ruled illegal earlier this week by the Supreme Court. And someone who would have a lot to say about this is the former Home Secretary Suella Braverman who was fired on Monday. Braverman has since published a blistering letter to the Prime Minister attacking his failure to deliver on any of his key promises.
Meanwhile, Labour is seeing losses and resignations after 56 MPs defied Keir Starmer to vote for ceasefire in Gaza.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe, and political correspondent, Freddie Hayward, to discuss this very busy week in politics.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Suella Braverman is out of government... and a shock appointment rocks Westminster.
Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward record an emergency episode of the New Statesman podcast to discuss the breaking news of Rishi Sunak's dramatic reshuffle following a weekend of protests which the now former Home Secretary had previously branded "hate marches".
This episode was recorded at 10.30am on 13 November 2023, while news of the reshuffle continued to break. For the latest updates and analysis visit https://www.newstatesman.com, or follow our new WhatsApp channel here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
In the week the Tory peer Michelle Mone has finally admitted involvement in a PPE firm awarded £200m in "VIP" Covid contracts, we discuss the numerous allegations against politicians and ask why Parliament is beset with bad behaviour - and how it's affecting the Tories' reputation.
And then we let you in behind the scenes of the New Statesman newsroom, to talk about how journalists source, fact check and verify their reporting - with a debut from our features editor Melissa Denes.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Amid much pomp and circumstance, this week King Charles III delivered the first King's Speech in over 70 years. In this episode of the podcast Anoosh Chakelian is joined by deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward, to discuss what Charles announced in his speech, and perhaps more notably - what went unmentioned.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
On 2 November 2023, Rishi Sunak closed his global AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park by interviewing the richest man on Earth, Elon Musk. The mood was deferential (the PM towards the tech billionaire). Was Sunak eyeing up a post-politics job in San Francisco, some wondered, or calculating that Musk’s Twitter might be an effective campaigning tool come 2024?
In this week’s audio long read, the New Statesman contributing writer Quinn Slobodian examines the origins of Sunak’s “fanboy-ish enthusiasm” for the billionaire tech disruptors. These lie in the publication of a 1997 business book, he writes: The Sovereign Individual: How to Survive and Thrive During the Collapse of the Welfare State, by the American venture capitalist James Dale Davidson and William Rees-Mogg, father of Jacob. The book has become cult reading among tech leaders, and influential on the alt-right: its world view of a libertarian internet and the rise of economic freeports and tax havens chimed with a wealthy elite who saw a chance to get much, much richer. In Sunak, Slobodian argues, we see the arrival of the sovereign individual in Downing Street: “a ‘two-fer’, as they say in America: both its first Silicon Valley prime minister and its first hedge fund prime minister”.
Written by Quinn Slobodian and read by Will Lloyd.
This article originally appeared in the 2 November 2022 issue of the New Statesman; you can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Sam Bankman-Fried and the effective altruism delusion by Sophie McBain.
"Looking at the polling for a ceasefire in Gaza, it seems like foreign policy is the area where Westminster is most out of touch with public opinion. Why is this?" - one listener asks.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by business editor Will Dunn and politics correspondant Freddie Hayward to discuss the government's position on a ceasefire, Labour's plans, and also the UK's AI safety summit which took place this week.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Module two of the Covid inquiry - decision-making and political governance - was set to be the most controversial section, looking into the workings of central government. And from the use of the term “f***pigs” to Boris Johnson’s query about blowing a hair dryer up his nose, this has rung true.
On this episode of the podcast Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Emma Norris, deputy director at the Institute for Government, and the New Statesman's associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe, to analyse what the public has learned over the past week about the handling of the pandemic.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
We’re bringing you something new on the podcast today – a pilot of a new show we’re working on from our political editor, Andrew Marr. Before we make this a regular feature on the New Statesman podcast, we’d really value some feedback from you, our listeners.
If you enjoy this episode or have any thoughts you’d like to share, please get in touch at podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk - or if you’re listening on Spotify you can type a reply below the episode.
What might be the long term impact of the Israel-Hamas war on global alliances? In this week’s audio long read, the New Statesman’s contributing writer John Gray reflects on three weeks of bloodshed, beginning with the massacres of 7 October, and their wider consequences. An escalating conflict will empower Iran and Russia, he writes, as well as strengthen swing states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The United States might abandon Ukraine, or dilute its commitment to defending Taiwan from China. And with a presidential election on the horizon, does the White House have the stamina for a protracted foreign war?
Already support for both Israel and Palestine has become sorely contested across the West, as Keir Starmer faces pressure from Muslim (and non-Muslim) MPs in the UK, while Emmanuel Macron has banned pro-Palestinian protest. Egypt and Lebanon have said they will not accept Palestinian refugees. For Gray, the events of 7 October mark the point at which the post-Cold War order finally fractured. “We have entered a world of imperial rivalries like that before 1914, which ended in Europe’s suicide in the trenches,” he writes. If America rose to become the global superpower after the second world war, that influence is now coming to an end.
Written by John Gray and read by Melissa Denes.
This article originally appeared in the 27 October-2 November edition of the New Statesman; you can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy listening to The Dawn of the Saudi Century, by Quinn Slobodian.
This Wednesday marked one year of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister. Following Liz Truss's short, yet chaotic, premiership - has Rishi Sunak managed to stabilise the economy and the Conservative Party? Where does he stand on his 5 pledges? And is he still being haunted by 'Tory sleaze'?
Joining Anoosh Chakelian to analyse the first year of Sunak's premiership is Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor, and Zoë Grunëwald, politics and policy correspondent.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Nine days after saying on LBC that “Israel has that right” to cut of water and power off to Gaza, Keir Starmer explained that this wasn't what he meant. This has caused quite a lot of damage, with 23 Labour councillors resigning and over 150 Muslim Labour Councillors now petitioning Labour’s leadership to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Could Israel and Palestine prove just as much a problem for Keir Starmer as it did for Jeremy Corbyn?
Joining Anoosh Chakelian in the studio is deputy politics editor, Rachel Wearmouth, and politics and policy correspondent, Zoë Grunëwald.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
"We're in a very dangerous and unstable situation"
Bruce Hoffman has been observing and studying global terrorism for over 50 years. In this episode he speaks to the New Statesman's Katie Stallard about how the war between Israel and Hamas places the world in danger.
They discuss the threat from Hezbollah in Lebanon and the risk of escalation within the Middle East, as well as why terror organisations like ISIS and Islamic Jihad could be motivated to launch attacks on the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom.
Read on the New Statesman: Warnings that the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict could become a genocide should be heeded https://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2023/10/deadly-logic-existential-war-israel-hamas
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Last week, Labour won by-elections in Mid-Bedfordshire and Tamworth - two seats which were previously safe Tory heartlands. Labour leader Keir Starmer has described this result as a "game changer".
So how did this pan out, and what does it mean looking ahead to the general election? Are Conservative voters turning to Labour, or are they being apathetic?
To answer all of this Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Ben Walker, senior data journalist.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Chris Deerin reports from the SNP conference, where even "statesmanlike" Humza Yousaf couldn't outshine a guest appearance from his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.
Chris joins Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss the mood of the conference, which was heavy on expectation management, and the Scottish First Minister's response to the Israel-Gaza crisis.
Read Chris Deerin's interview with Humza Yousaf:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics-interview/2023/10/humza-yousaf-last-snp-leader-interview
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
As Israel prepares a ground attack on Gaza, Katie Stallard is joined by Alona Ferber and Professor Lina Khatib to explore the wider geo-political situation in the Middle East - including mounting violence on Israel's west bank and the looming shadow of Hezbollah in Iran.
Follow the New Statesman's reporting and analysis of the crisis in Israel and Gaza at www.NewStatesman.com.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
In May this year, an American woman sought the help of a chatbot on an eating disorders website. The bot, named Tessa and running on an evolving, generative AI, advised her to start counting calories. Perhaps she should get some calipers, it suggested, to measure her body fat. When it emerged that Tessa had given similarly dangerous advice to others, the bot was taken down.
As countries around the world face a mental health crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic and a lack of human therapists, a new tech goldrush has begun. Can the latest self-help chatbots help meet a desperate need, delivering “microtherapy” sessions on demand? Do they have a place in disaster zones - or do people in crisis deserve human attention and support? In this week’s audio long read, freelance reporter and author of Sex Robots and Vegan Meat Jenny Kleeman talks to the people behind the latest incarnations of AI therapy in the UK and the US, as well as the technology’s critics.
Written by Jenny Kleeman and read by Zoe Grunewald.
This article originally appeared in the 13-19 October edition of the New Statesman. You can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy The psychiatrists who don’t believe in mental illness by Sophie McBain
Want more Audio Long Reads? Follow our standalone feed and listen to the full back catalogue here: https://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesman
On this week's You Ask Us we're getting to the heart of British politics and asking, is Paddington a centrist? But before we get there the team answers a listener's question on Rishi Sunak's ambitions for the UK and AI.
The host of this podcast is Britain editor Anoosh Chakelian, and joining her is policy and politics correspondent Zoë Grünewald, and business editor Will Dunn.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Arriving on stage to an attack of glitter from a protester, Labour leader Keir Starmer quickly recovered to deliver his speech. Amongst many mentions of fighting, he promised that as Prime Minister, he will fight "for you".
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth and political correspondent Freddie Hayward to discuss Starmer's vision of the decade ahead under a Labour government.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Darren Jones, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, joins the podcast to take us behind the scenes of the Shadow Cabinet's announcements at this year's Labour Party conference, including Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves ' speech which received 7 standing ovations and an endorsement from Mark Carney - the former Bank of England Governor.
Joining our host Anoosh Chakelian from the conference in Liverpool we hear from Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
What are the roots of today’s maternity crisis? Recent research by the Care Quality Commission has found a “concerning decline” in England, with over half of maternity wards rated substandard. Donna Ockenden’s review of Shrewsbury and Telford maternity trust found that, between 2001 and 2019, 201 babies and nine mothers had died avoidable deaths.
In this week’s audio long read, the editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight magazine Alona Ferber traces the origins of this decline – from the advent of woman-centred care in the 1980s to today’s more frayed and divided landscape. Are austerity and political indifference the key factors, and does an ideological split over ‘natural’ and ‘medical’ birth play a part? “Thirty years ago,” Ferber writes, “when power moved from the institution to the individual, that shift was radical, progressive and revolutionary. It was about women’s rights and politics, as much as it was about health. But today the system is so stretched that the nexus of power is nowhere. It is not with clinical staff, nor with families. Instead, we muddle through.” Drawing on interviews with practitioners and her own birth experiences, she pieces together the elements of an ongoing crisis.
Written and read by Alona Ferber.
This article was originally published on 30 September 2023 and you can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Sophie McBain on The ADHD decade: what’s behind the boom in adult diagnoses
In what has been described by Keir Starmer as a 'seismic result', Labour has taken the Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat with more than twice the votes received by the SNP candidate.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ben Walker, the New Statesman's senior data journalist, and Chris Deerin, Scotland editor, to discuss what this result means for the future of Labour, for Scottish politics, and the question of Scottish independence.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Rishi Sunak wrapped up this year's Conservative Party conference with an hour long speech in which he finally announced the long-rumoured cancellation of HS2 Manchester. He also proposed a life-ban on smoking and a replacement for A-levels, as well as waging into the culture wars asserting that 'a man is a man and a woman is a woman'.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth and Zoë Grünewald, who have both been in Manchester this week. They discuss the impact of the Prime Minister's speech as well as the future trajectory of Home Secretary Suella Braverman, whose hard-hitting address was well-received by fellow conservatives in the room.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
We're bringing you this episode from Manchester where this year's Conservative Party conference is taking place. Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by political correspondent Freddie Hayward, and deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth to discuss the speculation around the scrapping of HS2 Manchester, as well as Liz Truss's popularity at the conference a year on from her chaotic leadership.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
For today’s Audio Long Read we’re bringing you one from our archives, which is suddenly extremely prescient. This week GB News is in the spotlight once again, this time for broadcasting misogynist comments made by Laurence Fox about a female journalist, Ava Evans. The channel has suspended Fox, along with host Dan Wootton, and has apologised for broadcasting the comments. But this is the latest in a long line of incidents in which GB News has pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable in broadcast journalism. In 2022 we published Stuart McGurk’s investigation into the origins of the right-wing news channel, speaking to insiders working in the founding team including senior journalists, editorial and production staff, and the chief executive himself. Stuart’s article, which is both alarming and hilarious, sheds light on the tumultuous origins of GB News and provides context for its current battle to be taken seriously.
This article was originally published online on the New Statesman in April 2022; you can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also like Cancel culture comes to GB News, by Clive Martin.
The Home Secretary made a speech this week in Washington to a right-wing US think tank called the American Enterprise Institute. She made a number eye-catching statements, including “a misguided dogma of multiculturalism” has proven “toxic” for Europe, and the pace of migrant arrivals posed an “existential threat” to the West.
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor and host of the New Statesman podcast, is joined in the studio by Zoë Grünewald, policy and politics correspondent, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent. Together they analyse what was behind Suella Braverman's speech, before discussing what happened at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth earlier this week.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
The Conservatives have been in power for more than 13 years under five different prime ministers. We have experienced Cameroon austerity, Mayite statism, Johnsonite populism, and Trussite libertarianism. But who now wields the greatest influence among the Tories and on the British right?
George Eaton, senior editor, joins the podcast to discuss the publication of the New Statesman's inaugural Right Power List – a guide to the 50 most influential people in conservative politics.
This podcast is hosted by Anoosh Chakelilan, Britain editor at the New Statesman.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Where does the concept of IQ fetishism originate? And why has it resurfaced in contemporary discussions, particularly within the tech-right movement? Join historian Quinn Slobodian as he discusses how IQ-based hierarchies have influenced societal perceptions and policies and the potential societal consequences and divisions resulting from the prevalence of such thinking.
The host for this episode is senior editor for China and global affairs, at the New Statesman.
You can read Quinn Slobodian's full piece The rise of the new tech right here.
Download the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
At the time of writing, the crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried is due to stand trial on 3 October 2023. He stands accused of fraud and money-laundering on an epic scale through his currency exchange FTX. Did he gamble with other people’s money in a bid to do the maximum good?
In this week’s long read, the New Statesman’s associate editor Sophie McBain examines the relationship between Bankman-Fried and the Oxford-based effective altruism (EA) movement. The billionaire was a close associate and supporter of William MacAskill, the Scottish moral philosopher who many consider EA’s leader. It was MacAskill who had persuaded him – and many other young graduates – to earn more, in order to give more. But how much money was enough – and what should they spend it on? Was EA just “a dumb game we woke Westerners play”, as Bankman-Fried told one journalist?
In conversations with EA members past and present, McBain hears how the movement was altered by its enormous wealth. As the trial of its biggest sponsor approaches, will effective altruism survive – or be swallowed by its more cynical Silicon Valley devotees?
Written and read by Sophie McBain.
This article originally appeared in the 22-28 September 2023 edition of the New Statesman; you can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also like Big Tech and the quest for eternal youth, by Jenny Kleeman.
Rishi Sunak earned almost £5m in the past three years, yet this was only taxed at a rate of 22%. Britain's tax system is broken, focusing on income rather than wealth, and it seems like no one plans on doing anything about this.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has explicitly stated that should Labour come into power, a wealth tax will not be introduced. In this episode, staff writer Harry Lambert sets out how Labour could raise £28billion by adopting a wealth tax, and how this could help narrow the gap between Asset Britain and Austerity Britain.
Read Britain’s great tax con here:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2023/08/britains-great-tax-con
Download the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
After the extreme heat of summer 2024, which saw children stretchered out of their exams, Britain’s prime minister calls a press conference in Westminster Hall. He has one eye on life after office (skiing in Aspen, a big gig in Silicon Valley), but before he leaves, he wants to unveil something truly ground-breaking: a large language model that has been trained by the best minds to solve the climate crisis.
In this satirical work of speculative fiction, the New Statesman’s business editor Will Dunn explores the government’s love affair with Big Tech, fast-forwarding to the dying days of a Conservative government. Climate protestors have been cleared from the roads - but the tarmac is melting and people want answers. Could an advanced AI called Tom provide the prime minister’s moonshot moment?
Written and read by Will Dunn. You can read the text version at newstatesman.com
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Edward Docx reading Boris Johnson: the death of a clown.
Download the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
We inhabit an economy too small to deliver the social goods British people expect, and now Britain is cracking. From the concrete crises affecting schools across the country, to crumbling policies and leadership on both the right and left, Andrew Marr reflects on the state of the nation and its place in the world.
Andrew Marr, political editor of the New Statesman, is joined by Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe.
Crumbling Britain:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/crumbling-britain
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Angela Rayner up, Lisa Nandy down - what’s motivated the moves in Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet reshuffle this week and what does this tell us about the direction of the Labour party if they get into power?
Freddie Hayward, Zoë Grünewald, and Rachel Cunliffe, answer listener questions.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Can liberalism survive the horrors of our modern world?
Will Lloyd is joined by John Gray political philosopher and author of The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism. They discuss how Thomas Hobbes seminal work Leviathan can be reinterpreted in the 21st century, particularly in the contexts of Russia, China, and the liberal West.
Read more of John Gray's work here: https://www.newstatesman.com/author/john-gray
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
In the summer of 1924, a highly regarded painter falls – or is he pushed? – into the canal while celebrating his exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Two young women are heard running away into the night.
In this dazzling new coming-of-age story first published in the New Statesman’s summer issue, the award-winning novelist Jonathan Coe explores the relationship between artist and muse, female friendship and male cruelty.
Written by Jonathan Coe and read by Tom Gatti.
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy Then Later, His Ghost: a short story by Sarah Hall.
Rory Stewart, Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell: a listener writes in to ask why centrist politicians align themselves with one party over another?
But before the team dissects the evolution of centrist politicians, they turn an imminent matter. Has the recent turmoil and churn, with multiple prime ministers in quick succession, given the UK an appetite for frequent change? And could this truncate a Labour governments time in office?
Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward, and Zoë Grünewald answer listener questions.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
“History will not remember you kindly” Nadine Dorries’ wrote this weekend in her resignation letter to Rishi Sunak. But this is not the departure which has been looming over the Conservatives for the past few weeks. This morning former defence secretary Ben Wallace handed in his resignation and he was swiftly replaced by Grant Shapps, who stepped into his fifth job this year.
Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward, and Zoë Grünewald discuss the implications of the reshuffle for both Labour and the Tories, and whether history will, in fact, remember Rishi Sunak - and Nadine Dorries - kindly.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
For those who leave the ultra-conservative Christian sect, separation comes at great personal cost.
The New Statesman’s assistant editor Pippa Bailey had always been curious about the Plymouth Brethren, ever since discovering that her maternal grandparents had left the group in the 1960s. What might her life have been like if they stayed? Who were the cousins separated by a doctrine of isolation from non-Brethren ‘worldlies’?
In this week’s deeply reported and moving magazine cover story, Pippa tells the story of the breakaway group, from its origins in 1820s Ireland to its modern-day incarnation as a global church and effective lobbyist. She speaks to former members, many of whom mourn the loss of family and friends to an organisation they consider repressive. It’s a fascinating journey, even if, as Pippa writes, her grandmother has no interest in resurfacing the past: “After all, she says, it’s all part of the Lord’s plan, and He does not test us more than we can bear.”
This article originally appeared in the 25-31 August issue of the New Statesman; you can read the text version here.
Written and read by Pippa Bailey.
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy How to build a language: inside the Oxford English Dictionary, by Pippa Bailey, or our reported feature by Stuart McGurk, A year inside GB news.
The Conservatives seem intent on fighting the next election on "culture wars" issues. A listener asks, would a Labour government put an end to all that?
Also, how does the government control its media messaging? Is there a shadowy office pulling the strings and controlling what journalists report? We look at the concept of "the grid".
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward answer listener questions.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
GCSE and A Level results are out, and the proportion of top grades have dipped since the pandemic years. It's an opportunity for the government and the opposition to talk about their ambitions for education. Are they both failing to do so?
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward discuss the Tory education record, from Michael Gove’s reforming agenda to unprecedented churn at the top of the Department for Education. And, they ask, what would Labour do differently?
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
After spending several days reporting in Pokrovsk, a small city in eastern Ukraine and the recent target of two missile strikes, Katie Stallard describes the devastating impact of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine’s civilians.
“The first strike hit just as people were making dinner, coming home from a long day at work. The first strike hit and the emergency services responded. Then, 37 minutes later, the second strike hit. So it seemed to have been deliberately timed to hit the rescue workers.”
Our foreign editor, Megan Gibson, is joined by Katie Stallard, speaking from Warsaw, to discuss Russia’s assault on the next generation, what Putin is aiming for, and why Ukrainians will not give up.
Read the full article here: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/ukraine/2023/08/russias-war-future-generations-children-ukraine
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
What if the rush to war in 1914 had been averted? What if the Berlin Crisis of 1961 had led to nuclear war? What if the liberal revolution of 1848 had been successful? A new exhibition in Berlin considers a series of momentous what-ifs, an intriguing addition to the canon of counterfactual history. In this week’s long read, the New Statesman’s contributing writer Jeremy Cliffe assesses the value of such rival realities, as explored in fiction and, increasingly, on social media platforms and alt-fic online communities. In contemporary British politics, the tumult of the past decade has inspired a new cottage industry of counterfactual histories.
Often derided as pure speculation, Cliffe makes the case for their usefulness and, from his home in Berlin, reflects on the city’s many ghosts. “History is about facts,” he writes. “But those facts include intentions, imagined futures and visions that shape actual events even when – much more often than not – they never come to pass.”
Written by Jeremy Cliffe and read by Chris Stone.
This article originally appeared in the 28 July-17 August summer issue of the New Statesman. You can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy Thomas Mann, German identity and the romantic allure of Russia, by Jeremy Cliffe.
Listen to all our Audio Long Reads here
https://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesman
Download the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
Various MPs, including Nadine Dorries, have been accused of not doing their jobs. Should there be a standard of work all MPs must meet? Anoosh and Freddie tackle a listener’s question.
Also – much has been said about the similarities and differences between Tony Blair and Keir Starmer, but what about John Major and Rishi Sunak?
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Would Labour be radical in office?
Freddie Hayward spoke to party insiders to find out – he joins Anoosh Chakelian to talk about how Labour can make meaningful policy changes in an age of cynicism and poor public finances.
Read the full article here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2023/08/labours-caution-could-turn-to-radicalism-in-office
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Two visions for how Britain can increase productivity and boost growth.
Freddie Hayward interviews shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson and Conservative MP Bim Afolami on how Labour and the Conservatives propose to boost growth and prepare Britain for the future.
This conversation was recorded live at the New Statesman’s Politics Live conference on June 27 2023. Book your tickets for next year's event: https://nsmg.live/event/ns-politics-live/
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
The novelist Ali Smith first came across the work of Simone de Beauvoir in an Inverness bookshop, aged 18 or 19, and was instantly compelled by her “tough, troubling” prose. In this week’s long read, Smith reflects on De Beauvoir’s 1964 memoir A Very Easy Death, a slight, visceral book about her estranged mother’s death. What happens when an existentialist, bound ethically to a thinking life, confronts the end of life and thought? Why does a writer who prides herself on uncompromising truth tell her mother she is not dying of cancer, when she is?
Smith blends the personal and the political in an essay that grapples with De Beauvoir’s power to disturb and provoke, sixty years on.
Written by Ali Smith and read by Anna Leszkiewicz.
This article originally appeared in the 28 July-17 August 2023 New Statesman summer issue. You can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy Karl Ove Knausgaard: a personal manifesto on the art of fiction.
Listen to all our Audio Long Reads here
https://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesman
Download the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
Labour’s dominance in the polls draws obvious comparisons with 1997-era New Labour. But is it fair to compare Keir Starmer with Tony Blair – and what should the current Labour leader learn from his predecessor? Anoosh and Freddie tackle a listener’s question.
Also – how do we incentivise voter turn out? One listener has a novel idea. Could it work?
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
The first residents have boarded the Bibby Stockholm barge moored off the coast of Dorset. Anoosh Chakelian visited Portland to meet locals and asylum seekers, and joins Freddie Hayward in the studio to reveal what she discovered.
They also discuss why leaving the European Court of Human Rights is no deterrent for people seeking asylum in the UK, and how Brexit may have actually made it harder for Rishi Sunak's conservatives to "Stop The Boats".
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
An internet hoax conceived on a fringe message board grew into an online conspiracy theory so far-reaching that it sparked the January 6 attack on the US capitol. Now Qanon has gone global, what are the consequences for politics and society?
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by James Ball, journalist and author of The Other Pandemic: How QAnon Contaminated the World. They discuss the most recent indictment against former US president, Donald Trump, and how his actions were informed by the viral internet conspiracy group known as Qanon.
They examine how the QAnon movement spread across mainstream social media platforms and mutated into something bigger and more dangerous: encompassing anti-vaxxers, Covid deniers, incels, and those who believe they must save children from LGBT "groomers".
How did governments and big tech companies allow a conspiracy theory to get so big it threatened American democracy? And now this "digital virus" is out there, what can be done to combat it?
Read more about the chaos and confusion of Donald Trump on trial: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/americas/north-america/us/2023/08/chaos-confusion-donald-trump-on-trial
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
There is one question the environmental journalist and author George Monbiot is asked more than any other: how do you cope? When your job is to report on the climate crisis, where do you find hope? Monbiot’s answer is a very personal one: he goes sea kayaking – alone, often far off the coast, with (if he’s lucky) a pod of dolphins or a flock of shearwaters for company.
In this evocative essay from the New Statesman’s summer 2023 issue, Monbiot explores the sea off the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, his former home in Cardigan Bay, and his new home in South Devon – a coastline “featuring cliffs and rocky coves, clefts and chasms, reefs and skerries, sandy and shingle beaches and several estuaries”. He relives the dangers and joys of battling the waves in a very small boat, most recently with an underwater camera fixed to the hull. There is no permanent escape from ecological distress, he writes, from the warming seas and the waste pumped into them, “but for hours at a time, I lose myself”.
Written by George Monbiot and read by Chris Stone.
This article originally appeared in the 28 July-17 August 2023 New Statesman summer issue. You can read the text version here.
https://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2023/07/escpaing-climate-sea-kayaking-george-monbiot
Listen to all our Audio Long Reads here
https://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesman
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Rebecca Solnit on hope, despair and climate action.
https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/audio-long-reads/2022/10/rebecca-solnit-on-hope-despair-and-climate-action
Download the New Statesman app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker answer listener questions.
There have been multiple attempts to launch credible new political parties in recent years, but very few have taken hold. Why? A listener, quite possibly the youngest fan of the New Statesman Podcast, asks what it would take for a new party to gain ground in Parliament.
And Greater Manchester Police face allegations of sexual assault and cover up. Andy Burnham, as mayor and police commissioner, has ordered a review – but our questioner asks how he has avoided scrutiny for the force's failings.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Yet another by-election could provide a key opportunity for Anas Sarwar’s Scottish Labour to regain lost seats in Scotland.
The former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier has been recalled by her Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituents, triggering a by-election. Ben Walker and Freddie Hayward join Anoosh Chakelian on the New Statesman podcast to discuss what the latest polls reveal about voting intention in the seat – formerly a Labour stronghold – and whether this might be the beginning of a Labour resurgence in Scotland.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
When Labour won Westminster Council from the Conservatives in 2022, they made history.
Now in power for the first time ever, the Labour council leadership is faced with the challenge and opportunity of running one of the UK’s richest councils – inheriting what council leader Adam Hug calls “mediocre” and “wasteful” Conservative policies.
In this revealing interview, Anoosh Chakelian and Harry Lambert go behind the scenes of local government to ask the Westminster Council leader how he hopes to address the housing crisis, what Labour nationally should be doing about planning, development and free school meals, and why Oxford Street still won't be pedestrianised.
This interview was recorded on 29th June 2023.
Submit a question for You Ask Us:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward answer your questions.
After a routing in 2015, the Liberal Democrats have languished as a minor player in the Commons while the SNP have enjoyed the advantages of being the third largest party in British politics. All that could change in the next election. Our listener asks how parliament would be different if the Lib Dems returned as the third largest party.
And Liz Truss’ premiership proved disastrous for the Conservatives – but did it scar Labour too? Anoosh and Freddie explore the long tail of the Truss debacle and its impact on both sides of the house.
Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:https://morningcall.substack.com/
Keir Starmer has faced criticism for appearing to water down some key environmental policies, particularly in light of Labour's narrow defeat in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election. But is that criticism fair?
Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward discuss how perceived opposition to the Net Zero agenda and schemes like London's Ulez have impacted the green policies of both Labour and the Conservatives, and how this is being viewed by voters.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Shadowy forces, deep state actors in the pay of nefarious oligarchs... or an important part of the political ecosystem?
Rachel Cunliffe meets senior figures from three think tanks from across the political spectrum to find out how think tanks work, how they are funded, and the role they play in creating public policy.
Guests:
Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS)
Charis Roberts, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)
Matthew Lawrence, founder and director of Common Wealth
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
When Saudi cinemas reopened in 2018, for the first time in 35 years, they screened the Marvel movie Black Panther. Many saw parallels between the kingdom and the fictional world of Wakanda, as crown prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled ambitious plans for modernisation and an economy that would diversify away from oil, investing in futuristic projects such as Neom, a half-trillion-dollar city.
Saudi Arabia has since sought to position itself as a global investment powerhouse, focusing on tourism, sports sponsorships, financial services, green hydrogen production, and the electric vehicle industry. Long dependant on oil, can the kingdom transform itself into a major global force in a post-carbon future?
In this week’s long read and magazine cover story, New Statesman contributing writer Quinn Slobodian explores the consequences of Saudi dominance on international politics, the climate crisis and our technological future.
Written by Quinn Slobodian and read by Chris Stone.
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our weekly Saturday Read email
https://saturdayread.substack.com/
In a terrible night of results for Rishi Sunak in rural England, Labour faltered in outer London.
Rachel Cunliffe, Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker analyse the results of the by-elections in Somerton and Frome, Selby and Ainsty, and Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Submit a question:
https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:
https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to our daily politics email:
https://morningcall.substack.com/
Keir Starmer says he’ll keep the two-child cap on benefits. Is this a knee-jerk reaction to public opinion, or an attempt at “fiscal discipline”? The New Statesman Podcast team answer your questions.
The Labour leader has risked the anger of his own MPs by apparently reneging on a previous commitment to reverse limits on child benefits introduced by George Osborne under austerity. Angela Rayner has called the cap “barbaric”, and Starmer himself has previously said Labour would reverse it. So what’s prompted this about-turn? Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Rachel Cunliffe and Will Dunn answer a listener’s question.
They also discuss what the government can – or should – do to force banks to pass rising interest rates onto savers. Should the banks be nationalised?
Submit a question to You Ask Us here: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUs
Subscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week with our special podcast offer: https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/
Stephen Flynn, Westminster leader of the SNP, speaks to Zoë Grünewald at the New Statesman's Politics Live conference.
They discuss the SNP’s ambitions for Scottish independence in the light of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, arrest and subsequent release, and how a Labour government under Keir Starmer might relate to the SNP over issues including Brexit in remain-voting Scotland.
This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the New Statesman's Politics Live conference on 27th June 2023. To pre-register for next year’s conference visit nsmg.live
Subscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Subscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week with our special podcast offer: https://newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
Sign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/
Since 2018, prime minister Pedro Sánchez has led a surprisingly durable and impactful Spanish government, implementing progressive policies such as improved rights for abortion, transgender people and migrants. His coalition government has repositioned Spain as a European “pivot” state, a bridge between north and south, east and west. Its economy is predicted to grow faster than that of Germany, France and Italy.
But will any of this be enough to keep Sanchez in power after the 23 July general election? He faces significant challenges from the conservative People's Party, as well as new alliances on the left – an increasingly fragmented political environment that mirrors trends seen across Europe, as identity politics, the climate crisis, and demographic shifts reshape many once stable two-party systems.
In this wide-ranging essay, New Statesman contributing writer Jeremy Cliffe reflects on what Spain and its election tells us about the future of Europe. By 2030, he writes, “politics in many states will be defined by the normalised collapse of the cordon sanitaire between mainstream conservatism and the far right. It will be a landscape in which the left can only win by forging broad and canny coalitions.” If Silvio Berlusconi’s divisive authoritarianism presaged our present moment, Sanchez and his battles could point the way to our European future.
Written by Jeremy Cliffe and read by Chris Stone.
This article originally appeared in the 14-20 July issue of the New Statesman. You can read the text version here.
If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you may also like A brief history of “woke”: how one word fuelled the culture wars.
Subscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
Sign up to receive The Saturday Read - our weekly email highlighting the best writing from the New Statesman and around the web: https://saturdayread.substack.com/
The Conservatives are on track to lose the next election. Who would lead them in opposition?
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Zoë Grünewald answer a listener question on the senior Conservatives who currently look most likely to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.
They also address whether Keir Starmer will survive as leader of the Labour party until the next election, if unhappy Labour MPs will stick with him – and what the risks to his leadership might be.
--
Read Zoë’s interview with David Blunkett: “Labour needs to be radical, but not scary” https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics-interview/2023/07/david-blunkett-interview-labour-radical-not-scary
--
New Statesman subscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB≷=US
--
Sign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/
Keir Starmer has finished announcing Labour’s five missions. Are they enough to get Labour into government?
Vocational education, social mobility, and breaking the “class ceiling” – Labour’s final "mission" was designed to represent the party’s core values. Keir Starmer's mission-based approach is supposed to give us an insight into how a Labour government might lead the country.
Anoosh Chakelian, host of the New Statesman podcast, Zoë Grünewald, political reporter for the New Statesman, and Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor of the New Statesman, discuss Labour’s five missions and whether they will be enough to win the next election - and chat through reshuffle rumours.
Anoosh, Freddie and Zoë answer your questions in You Ask Us.
Keir Starmer has said that voter reform is not a priority for the Labour party. But in the event of a hung parliament at the next election, he may look to the Liberal Democrats – who have long campaigned for proportional representation – for support. Could this sway his hand to change the electoral system?
A new survey revealed Andy Burnham is the second most popular politician in the country. The Manchester Mayor has run for the Labour leadership twice. Could he make it third time lucky?
To submit a question for You Ask Us visit www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Sign up to receive Morning Call, the New Statesman’s daily politics email by Freddie Hayward, here: https://morningcall.substack.com/
The UK is experiencing higher inflation than any other G7 country. Ed Conway, Economics editor for Sky News, joins Anoosh, Freddie and Zoë on the New Statesman podcast to explain why Britain appears caught in a "contagious" cycle of economic pain - and why Rishi Sunak and the Bank of England appear unable to break it.
Read Ed Conway's cover story for this week's New Statesman magazine, "Broke Britannia", here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2023/07/broke-britannia-uk-inflation
Sign up to receive the New Statesman's daily politics email, Morning Call, here: https://morningcall.substack.com/
Following Yevgeny Prigozhin's short-lived mutiny in Russia, the New Statesman's China and Global Affairs Editor Katie Stallard speaks to the historian Vladislav Zubok about what the failed rebellion means for the future of Vladimir Putin's regime. Zubok is professor of international history at the London School of Economics and the author of multiple books including Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union. They discuss why Prigozhin decided to act when he did, what the crisis reveals about the stability of Putin's political system, and whether Russia is headed for a new Time of Troubles – the period of conflict and civil upheaval in the early 17th century that brought down the ruling Rurik dynasty.
In this bonus episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, meets Phil Whitaker, the New Statesman’s medical editor and a working GP, at his surgery in Somerset, to have a conversation chaired by Anoosh Chakelian.
They clash over Streeting’s plans for GPs and how best to take pressure off hospitals, and discuss what the yardsticks for success will be for a Labour government and the existential threat to the health service posed by the Tories.
In this week’s You Ask Us, our polling expert Ben Walker joins the podcast to answer some of your queries. With so many senior MPs standing down at the next election, might there still be a “Portillo moment” when a high-profile Conservative loses their seat, and who will it be?
The team also answer consider which party is better placed to win over rural voters, Labour or the Lib Dems?
Submit your question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus
Vote for The New Statesman Podcast in the British Podcast Awards - voting closes 5 September
Subscribe to Morning Call
Following Nicola Sturgeon’s evidence session at the Covid inquiry in London, the New Statesman’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what she had to say.
They chat about how much the prospect of a no-deal Brexit affected pandemic planning in Scotland, what the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster was like at the time, and how the former first minister tried to land political blows on the UK government during her testimony.
Then, the team turn to Sturgeon’s replacement as head of the Scottish government, Humza Yousaf, and his plan to use the next UK general election as a mandate to insist on a new Scottish independence referendum.
Submit your question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus
Vote for The New Statesman Podcast in the British Podcast Awards - voting closes 5 September
Subscribe to Morning Call
Have the newspapers decided who they are going to back at the next general election and if they have will it actually have any impact? The New Statesman’smedia correspondent, Will Turvill, joins Rachel Cunliffe to discuss his research into the main papers’ editorials to understand what they might say at the next election and why it still matters.
They talk about how endorsements can set the broadcast media agenda, if papers follow readers or lead them – and why Murdoch was unhappy about the “Sun Wot Won It” headline in 1992.
Subscripe to Morning Call
In today’s special You Ask Us episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to answer listeners’ questions:
They discuss what role Angela Rayner might have in a Starmer government and whether she’s being sidelined. Then they tackle a question on whether Boris Johnson could return to politics through the House of Lords.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus.
Subscribe to Morning Call
As the Bank of England raises interest rates again after worse than expected inflation figures, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss what it all means for voters, the government and the opposition.
They discuss why the Conservatives seem unable to come up with a plan to deal with the approaching mortgage crisis, whether Labour’s proposals go far enough and what difference a future Labour government might make to the state of the economy.
You Ask Us returns tomorrow.
Subscribe to Morning Call
As Labour starts to set out its policy agenda for the next election, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to one of the people who helped shape it.
Claire Ainsley worked in Starmer’s policy team from 2020 to 2022 – before that she was at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and is now a director at the Progressive Policy Institute. They discuss how radical or conservative Starmer needs to be to win the election, what lessons can be learned from other centre-left successes around the world, and how to build a broad coalition with working-class and middle-class voters.
Submit a question to You Ask Us
Subscribe to Morning Call
In our weekly You Ask Us episode, Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward answer your questions. This week, they tackle whether Labour’s comparison of the UK economy with Poland and Romania can be considered xenophobic and if London is as Labour as Sadiq Khan thinks.
If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus, or leave a comment on YouTube.
As a long-awaited investigation finds Boris Johnson knowingly misled parliament – and disrespected its processes – Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss what the report means for Johnson and his party.
They go through what the report found, how Boris Johnson reacted and whether this is ultimately good or bad politically for Rishi Sunak.
Our new standalone You Ask Us episode will be published on Friday – if you want to submit a question go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribe to Morning Call
After Nicola Sturgeon's arrest and Boris Johnson flouncing out over the privileges committee and resignation honours list, the New Statesman Podcast team discuss what all the drama means for UK politics.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker chat about the difficulties Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and the SNP are now facing. Then they move onto why Boris Johnson resigned, along with two MP allies, what it means for Rishi Sunak's position, and which parties might win the three by-elections now on the horizon.
Submit a question to You Ask Us
Suscribe to Morning Call
In this week’s You Ask Us, Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth answer listeners’ questions on Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, standing down and why Jamie Driscoll, mayor of the North of Tyne, was blocked from running for the newly created North East mayoralty.
If you have a question for You Ask Us you can submit it on the New Statesman website
Subscribe to Morning Call
As Rachel Reeves returns from her visit to the US – where she was accompanied in Washington DC and New York by the NS editor-in-chief, Jason Cowley – we ask what a Labour government will mean for the economy, and what drives the shadow chancellor both personally and politically.
Jason joins Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss his cover story, “The Reeves doctrine: Labour’s plan for power”. They talk about what Reeves believes, why her party is still nervous about scaring voters, and how radical a Labour government might be.
You Ask Us will be released as a separate podcast episode tomorrow.
As more allegations of misconduct within the Metropolitan Police reach the courts, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to a former officer about what’s going wrong with British police.
Matt Lloyd-Rose speaks to about his new book, an account of his time as a volunteer police officer with the Met. They discuss misogyny and racism, how police officers’ focus on what they say means they fail to actually help solve problems and why it’s as much the instution that’s the problem as individual officers.
Our business editor Will Dunn joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to discuss his New Statesman cover feature on the age of greedflation. Some companies have been accused of taking advantage of rising food prices to increase their profit margins. The panel talk about why they have been able to get away with not reducing mark-ups, and what the political impact could be.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on Keir Starmer will really make housing more affordable. If you have a question for the podcast team, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus.
Sign up for Morning Call at morningcall.substack.com
With the Conservative Party showing open divisions, its right emboldened to hold separate conferences, and many Tory MPs already announcing their plans to stand down at the next election, Zoë Grünewald takes a look at what’s happening to moderates in the party.
She’s joined by the writer and commentator Benedict Spence, and Ryan Shorthouse, the chief executive of the liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue. They discuss why centrist voters are turning away from the Conservatives, whether the party has much to show for the last 13 years in government, and which wing might take control after the next election.
After the local elections in Northern Ireland, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by the Belfast Telegraph reporter Sam McBride to discuss how the different parties did, and what it might mean for the future of power-sharing and the Union as a whole.
Then they look at another difficult week for Rishi Sunak, and why Labour feels like it could have the upper hand on Immigration.
Harry Lambert, New Statesman contributing writer, joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss what could work better in political journalism, the way Westminster and Whitehall are structured, and local government – inspired by two new books, Ian Dunt’s How Westminster Works...and Why It Doesn’t and Paul Johnson’s Follow the Money, on the subject.
As the New Statesman publishes the Left Power List – the 50 most powerful people on the British left – George Eaton, senior editor, joins Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss who’s on the list and why. They talk about how power has changed on the left, what the reaction has been.
Then in You Ask Us they tackle listeners’ questions on what the National Conservativism conference is all about.
With rising energy prices, Small businesses are keen to take more control over their bills. Smart meters can help companies understand in detail how they are using energy, which can help find ways to make things more efficient.
In this special episode of Spotlight, in partnership with Smart Energy GB we speak to Josh Kay, co-founder of a production and art fabrication company the Syrup Room and Victoria Bacon from Smart Energy GB about how Smart Meters can help
To find out more search "get a smart meter"***
*Eligibility may vary.
In a bonus episode of the New Statesman podcast, we bring you a discussion between Andrew Marr and David Gauke after the Local Elections.
They talk about the rise of the ‘Not the Conservatives’ party, the chances of Labour winning the next election, and whether voters are concerned about the chances of a coalition.
Morning Call is now on Substack - subscribe at morningcall.substack.com
Now all the local ballots have been counted, Anoosh is joined by Freddie Hayward, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker to work out who did well, who did badly, and what the results might tell us about the next election.
They look at what’s behind Labour wins in places like Medway and Thanet, whether Keir Starmer should be worried about the Greens, and how the Lib Dems are doing.
edition of the New Statesman Podcast we bring you the New Statesman debate, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival, on the motion: “This house believes it is time for Britain to abolish its monarchy.”
The death of the Queen, followed by Harry and Meghan’s revelations, marked a turning point for the royal family. On the eve of the coronation of King Charles, six speakers tackle the critical question: is the monarchy an essential source of stability in troubled times? Or is it a distraction and a financial burden – an institution long past its sell-by date?
For the motion: Tanya Gold, an award-winning journalist who has written extensively on the royal family; Anna Whitelock, a historian, author and professor of the history of monarchy at City, University of London; and Gary Younge, a journalist, author, broadcaster and academic.
Against the motion: Robert Hardman, a journalist and author specialising in the monarchy, his most recentbook is Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II;Andrew Marr, a broadcaster, author and the New Statesman’s political editor; and the journalist and film-maker Tanjil Rashid, who has recently produced documentaries on the war in Ukraine and writes for the Financial Times and the Washington Post.
As the first results from the English local elections come in, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look at what they mean for the main parties. They talk about where the Conservatives are losing, and where Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are succeeding.
What’s it like to be a child today? Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Zoë Grünewald discuss the New Statesman's recent interview with Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England – who is tasked with protecting and promoting the rights of children – and how government and tech companies are failing young people.
We hear about what it’s like to grow up online and the rise in pupil absences since the pandemic, as well as De Souza’s work on fighting online harms and why her biggest challenge remains the tech giants.
The team also consider the political response to the mental health crisis in schools, the migrant children who have gone missing from hotels run by the Home Office, and why the Illegal Migration Bill could embolden human traffickers.
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
Diane Abbott, the former shadow home secretary and ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has been suspended as a Labour MP after she claimed Jewish people cannot be victims of racism, in a letter to the Observerresponding to a column by Tomiwa Owolade, a New Statesman contributing writer. He joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to talk about her suspension, why the anti-Semitism row continues to punctuate Labour Party politics, and whether Abbott should be allowed to stand for Labour at the next election.
Then in You Ask Us, they look at whether we should all just accept that we are poorer, as per advice from the Bank of England’s chief economist, Huw Pill.
In a special episode of the New Statesman Podcast recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival, Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss Dominic Raab’s resignation and what it means for Rishi Sunak's position. They also examine the Prime Minister's improving poll numbers and ask whether the recovery is real – and what Labour under Keir Starmer is doing in response.
Then in You Ask Us, they take questions from the audience on whether Labour will benefit from the SNP's problems, the focus on immigration, and the extent of public sympathy for the current wave of strikes.
The local elections in England are on 4 May, with more than 8,000 council seats across the country up for grabs. It is the first major electoral test for Rishi Sunak since becoming Prime Minister and a sign of how things could go in the general election next year. What should we watch out for?
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by the New Statesman’s senior data journalist Ben Walker – founder of State of the Nation, a data site for understanding Britain – to discuss the electoral map and how key wards voted last time. The team assess whether Labour can make a definitive recovery in so-called Red Wall England and how the Tories are managing expectations.
Then, in You Ask Us, the New Statesman’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins the podcast to answer a listener’s question: what on Earth’s going on with the SNP?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
With the public's view of government and parliament at new lows after the pandemic, what can be done to increase belief in politics? Dr Hannah White, director of the Institute for Government, speaks to Zoë Grünewald about her new book Held in Contempt, What’s Wrong with the House of Commons. They discuss how trust was damaged so severely under Boris Johnson, and whether Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are doing enough to restore faith in institutions. Subscribe to Morning Call at https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call
The US president, Joe Biden, arrived in Belfast on a week-long visit to the island of Ireland marking the 25th anniversary Good Friday Agreement. Northern Ireland has been in a year of political limbo since it’s devolved government collapsed as a result of divisions over the post-Brexit trade regime.
Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth are joined by the New Statesman’s foreign editor, Megan Gibson, to discuss Biden’s deeply personal speech and US-UK relations after claims that his bilateral talks with Rishi Sunak had been stripped back to a coffee – dubbed a “bi-latte”.
They also talk about the political implications of the visit for Northern Ireland and mounting tensions as violence broke out at an Easter Monday march in Derry last week and the police raised the terrorism threat level.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what’s behind Labour’s attack ads.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
The energy market is complicated. Consumers are understandably confused by the range of tariffs and suppliers – and even by where energy comes from. In 2021, 40 percent of our electricity was generated using gas, around half of which was imported by pipeline from Norway or by ship from places such as Qatar, the United States and Russia.
Smart meters enable the opposite of this opaque system. They offer visibility and transparency that can help consumers make the best decisions for themselves.
In this special episode of Spotlight, in partnership with Smart Energy GB we speak to Anna Moss, senior consultant at Cornwall Insight about how Smart Meters can help with energy security.
The New Statesman podcast will return later this week.
In this special podcast, nine political editors and writers come together to discuss working at the New Statesman, covering everything from the rise and fall of Thatcher and New Labour through to the coalition government and the recent period of Conservative hegemony.
We hear from Patrick Wintour, Sarah Baxter, Steve Richards, Jackie Ashley, Rafael Behr, Mehdi Hasan, Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush and their chair, the current political editor Andrew Marr.
Together, they discuss what made working at the New Statesman unique and the magazine’s evolution over the years – through the Blair-Brown years, 9/11, Brexit and Corbyn – as well as the key moments in their careers and the influence of social media.
This podcast was recorded for a special 110th anniversary edition of the New Statesman, out on 13 April. An abridged version of this conversation will also appear in print and online.
It’s a quarter of a century since a peace deal introduced cross-community power-sharing to Northern Ireland. One of the architects of the deal was Tony Blair’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell.
He speaks to the New Statesman's deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth about how the deal came together, how it has fared since 1998, and the likelihood today of an Irish unification referendum.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
The Easter exodus from the UK has begun but holidaymakers hoping for a quick getaway were stranded by lengthy delays at the Port of Dover. Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, has denied that this was related to Brexit, instead blaming the weather.
Anoosh Chakelian, Zoë Grünewald and Ben Walker discuss what’s causing the snarl-up, why evasiveness around the “B” word is not confined to the government alone, and where public opinion lies when there are signs of crisis everywhere.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks: Who is Stevenage Woman?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
As the Tories increasingly use social issues and culture wars to appeal to voters, we talk about the key MPs behind this trend, analyse how socially conservative the country really is, and debate what this means for the future of the Conservative Party and the UK more broadly.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth, Rachel Cunliffe and our polling expert, Ben Walker, along with special guest Henry Hill, the deputy editor of the ConservativeHome website.
They discuss the battles going on in the Conservative Party, what Kate Forbes’s close defeat in the SNP leadership race means, and how liberal the British public really is.
Petty crime is emerging as a central battleground of the next election. The Prime Minister has announced headline-grabbing plans to ban laughing gas (nitrous oxide), which the Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, has described as an “increasing scourge”. This swiftly followed a big speech on law and order from the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, which unveiled ambitions to reverse rising crime rates.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Zoë Grünewald discuss Rishi Sunak’s big idea of “immediate justice” and whether this would win immediate votes in the local elections – or is even possible at all.
They also analyse Labour’s ambitious “tough on crime” agenda, the damning findings of the Casey report into the Met’s toxic culture, and why tackling crime is easier than tackling austerity.
In You Ask Us, they chat about Jeremy Corbyn’s future in answer to a question from a listener: should the Labour Party be a broad church?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
Has winning the Brexit vote made the Conservative Party ungovernable? That’s the question political scientist Tim Bale is tackling in his new book The Conservative Party After Brexit.
He speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about how the party has changed, why its coalition of right-wing populism and free-market fundamentalism is inherently unstable and why the damage could continue well beyond the next election.
Humza Yousaf is the new leader of the SNP after beating his closest rival, Kate Forbes, by 52 per cent to 48 per cent in the final round of the party’s leadership election.
He’s the continuity candidate, but is continuity enough to keep the SNP in power in Holyrood and dominant in Scottish Westminster seats as it continues to push for independence?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Chris Deerin, Scotland editor, to discuss the result, the bruising campaign and why Labour might be the happiest party north of the border right now.
If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
During a grumpy four-hour hearing with the Commons Privileges Committee, Boris Johnson appeared to lack the deft political touches that got him into No 10. The team discuss how his performance didn’t help him, why he was unable to lead a dramatic revolt against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal, and if this is good or bad for the current prime minister.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether the UK could ever have a more humane immigration policy.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to Newstatesman.com/youaskus
After Jeremy Hunt announced an extension of free childcare provision to children older than nine months in the Budget this week, some parents groups are celebrating – but is this really a victory? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Zoë Grünewald and Alona Ferber to discuss what was announced, whether it leaves Labour in a difficult position, and if the new policy will actually deliver what it promises.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Jeremy Hunt presented his first Budget on Wednesday (15 March) as forecasts said that Britain faces a record fall in living standards over the next two years.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s political editor, Andrew Marr, and business editor, Will Dunn, to take us through the key measures. They discuss the huge stealth tax rises the Chancellor snuck into his “boring” Budget and, with half a million workers on strike as he delivered it, the missed opportunities to rescue public services.
Then, the New Statesman’s deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth joins the podcast to discuss Labour’s response: has its emphasis on childcare been overshadowed by the Tories, and are the two main parties moving closer together on policy?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
The local elections in May will be the first time that voters in England must show a form of photo ID to cast their vote. The government has said we need these tough restrictions to combat election fraud but pilots suggest one million voters could be put off voting, with police told to prepare for polling station chaos.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Ben Walker discuss the reality of voter fraud, why Rishi Sunak is pressing ahead with this policy now and who might be denied their right to vote. Plus, the many ways this law might degrade trust in the electoral process rather than bolster it.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
Women have turned away from the Conservative Party over the past few decades, who since 2010 have been more likely to vote for Labour. The Conservatives’ failure to support women – who are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis – has not helped things.
Anoosh Chakelian, Zoë Grünewald and Rachel Wearmouth discuss why the Tories have failed to win over female voters, the rise of newly politicised mums, and how gender equality has been weaponised to fuel the culture wars.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks why Labour has never elected a female leader.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
This week we’ve been celebrating our women writers from around the world. Read more here.
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
Childcare in the UK is among the most expensive among the countries of the OECD. The lack of affordable and accessible childcare is costing the nation £27bn a year – equivalent to 1 per cent of GDP – according to report by Centre for Progressive Policy.
In this bonus episode of the New Statesman podcast, brought to you by the Spotlight team, Alona Ferber, editor of the Spotlight policy section and supplement, speaks to Stella Creasy. The Labour MP for Walthamstow has long been outspoken on the need to reform Britain’s dysfunctional childcare system, which the party promises to “completely reimagine” if it wins the next election.
They discuss why childcare is becoming an increasingly political issue and the hostility Creasy has experienced campaigning around issues related to work and motherhood. She discusses her recent victory on whether childcare should be considered part of economic infrastructure, the crisis in the sector and which voices are sorely missing from the debate.
This interview will be appearing in the next edition of the Spotlight supplement.
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
A new report from economics think tank the Centre for Progressive Policy (CPP) reveals the UK is losing 1 per cent of GDP through a lack of suitable childcare. Rachel Cunliffe, Alona Ferber and Zoë Grünewald discuss the cost of Britain’s broken childcare system as the pressure increases for action.
We hear from Labour MP Stella Creasy, who with shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson wants to make childcare a dividing line in the next election. The team discuss what Labour’s childcare policy would look like, the Australian Labor Party’s election success following the promise of a radical childcare policy with subsidies of up to 90 per cent, and Rishi Sunak’s offer – a “letter-writing campaign” to persuade stay-at-home mums to return to work – after scrapping Liz Truss's childcare reforms.
They also cover what’s often missing in the debate, including why childcare should be seen as economic infrastructure, the quality of care, and why workers are often underpaid, overworked and undervalued.
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Rishi Sunak has agreed a deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol. He has hailed this as a “new chapter” in relations, but will he reap the rewards?
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth discuss the “Windsor framework”, as the deal is known, and what the DUP and hardline Tory Brexiteers will do now. They also debate whether Labour will be forced to drop its “Make Brexit Work” slogan.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what is behind Keir Starmer’s missions, which are outlined in his cover essay for this week’s New Statesman magazine.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Anoosh Chakelian and Zoë Grünewald are joined by two parliamentary researchers to delve into the working conditions, power imbalances and abuses that take place within Westminster.
Jenny Symmons and Holly Brazier Tope are senior researchers for Labour MPs and representatives of parliamentary staff for the GMB union. They open up about the problems at their workplace, ranging from diseased drinking water, fires and asbestos to bullying, outrageous assignments and sexual misconduct.
The team discuss the dangers of being employed by an individual MP, including poor pay and being fired at will, why parliamentary staffers are considering strike action, and whether a more inclusive and less toxic workplace is possible.
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
For a hot moment Kate Forbes was favourite to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister. But revealing her socially conservative views in a series of interviews, including being against equal marriage, gender self-identification and sex outside of marriage, has dismayed her supporters and jeopardised her campaign.
Anoosh Chakelian and Ben Walker discuss the SNP’s socially liberal base and the parallels between Forbes and Tim Farron, who resigned as Liberal Democrat leader in 2017 after he was repeatedly challenged about his views on gay sex.
Anoosh then speaks to Farron himself about how he rates Forbes’ prospects given his own experience, her brutally honest strategy, and whether a leader with her views is compatible with the SNP’s progressive agenda.
Then in You Ask US, Ben answers listeners’ polling questions on where Britain stands on strikes, apathy towards Brexit, and the significance of the West Lancashire by-election result, as forecast by Britain Predicts, the New Statesman’s new polling model.
Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
Widespread use of autonomous cars is on the horizon. Self-driving vehicles are already out on our roads. And autonomy will change our relationship with our vehicles. But what will the new immersive world inside a vehicle be like?
In the third episode of a three-part special series partnered with Wejo, the smart mobility tech company, a panel of expert guests discuss how legislation and policy are enabling self-driving vehicles – and how AVs will change our lives. Will our children do their homework in the car on their way to school? Will we watch films on long journeys on the motorway?
Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Richard Barlow, founder and chief executive of Wejo, Larry Burns, the former corporate vice president of Research and Development for General Motors who championed self-driving and electric vehicles – and now sits on Wejo’s board – Alex Kendall, CEO of AV2.0 start-up Wayve, and Amanda Stretton, the former racing driver, broadcaster, and automotive expert.
With the criminal justice system under immense strain, from huge case backlogs to crumbling court buildings and staff shortages, Labour has seized the opportunity to attack the Tories’ record on crime. In a speech on Thursday 16 February the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, declared that “only Labour is the party of law and order”.
Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth discuss Keir Starmer’s strategy, evoking Tony Blair, and whether this could be the deciding issue at the next election.
They also talk about the government’s attempt to cling on to its “tough on crime” credentials, which has been overtaken by Rishi Sunak’s “relentless” commitment to stop migrants in small boats arriving on Britain’s shores.
After surprising the country by announcing her resignation as First Minister and SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon leaves a vacuum in UK politics. The New Statesman’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins the podcast to discuss what's behind her decision and what it means for the Union, independence and the prospects of Scottish opposition parties.
Then in You Ask Us, we try to work out who could replace her.
Ahead of the publication of his new book, Life in the Balance: A Doctor’s Stories of Intensive Care, Dr Jim Down speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about the struggles the NHS is facing, why privitisation isn’t the answer, and the toll the job is taking on the mental health of many doctors.
Jim’s book is published on 23 February.
Rishi Sunak is struggling to restore order over a divided and unruly Conservative party. His latest attempt, this week, takes the form of a cabinet reshuffle and a restructuring of Whitehall that created four new government departments.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward break down the main changes and talk about what this disruptive and expensive move tells us about Sunak’s grip on his party.
They also discuss the appointment of the controversial “red wall rottweiler” Lee Anderson as deputy Conservative Party chairman and whether the new departments promise a new political direction.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks: what is the cost of strikes compared with the cost of giving workers pay rises?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Last week the government faced multiple defeats in the House of Lords on its wide-ranging Public Order Bill, which have peers warned would have a chilling effect on the right to protest.
As the government continues to try to push its legislation through, Jodie Beck, head of policy and campaigns at the human rights organisation Liberty, talks to Rachel Cunliffe about why this bill is so controversial, how it will criminalise perfectly normal acts, and whether anything can be done to stop the assault on civil liberties.
Watch our video on the Crime and Policing Act
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to https://newstatesman.com/youaskus
Rishi Sunak is marking 100 days in office just after Britain was hit by the biggest day of industrial action in a decade and the IMF predicted that the UK will be the only major economy to shrink in 2023. With the Tory party engulfed in sleaze and sackings, Sunak is feeling the pressure.
Andrew Marr joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to discuss whether the Prime Minister is simply too inexperienced to weather this perfect storm, the clamour for tax cuts among the Tory ranks, and the key question buzzing around Westminster – is Boris Johnson about to make a comeback?
In You Ask Us, a listener wonders if Brexit is behind the UK's gloomy economic outlook.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
After a series of by-election victories, could the Lib Dem election machine be powering the party back to its late 90s levels of popularity? Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look at the party’s recent performance, how it is preparing to fight an upcoming election and why Brexit has changed the kinds of seats it is fighting for.
Listen to our special on the Green Party.
If you have a question for the podcast team go to Newstatesman.com/youaskus
Subscribe to Morning Call
Rishi Sunak promised to draw a line under the scandalous Boris Johnson era when he became Prime Minister, but Tory sleaze seems here to stay. He is facing serious questions over the integrity of his party after a succession of allegations against senior figures.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Will Dunn, the New Statesman’s business editor, try to figure out what's going – from Boris Johnson’s loan allegedly facilitated by the BBC chairman Richard Sharp and his million-pound donation from the businessman Christopher Harborne, to the investigation into Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs.
The team discuss Sunak’s political naivety and ask whether the stories are bad only for the government or, in fact, tarnish all politicians and parties.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks why campaigners keep calling for all sorts of new protected characteristics under the Equality Act.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
With the crisis in the health service growing, the New Statesman’s medical editor Phil Whitaker speaks to Rachel Cunliffe about his prescription for fixing it.
They discuss how the system is currently broken, why the Health Secretary Steve Barclay and the shadow health secretary Wes Streeting could benefit from spending time on the front line with GPs, and how to get back to a system in which the private insurance sector panics about not being needed.
Subscribe to Morning Call
A special podcast from Spotlight, the New Statesman’s policy supplement. The New Statesman podcast will return tomorrow.
In 2020, the UK announced the end of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. At the time, Boris Johnson’s government pledged £1.8bn to support greater uptake of zero emission vehicles, including £1.3bn to rollout more chargepoints for electric vehicles nationwide.
Since then, the country has seen the biggest year-on-year growth in electric car registration for years. But there are millions of registered cars on the road in the UK – so how far have we come on the EV journey?
In the second episode of a three-part special partnered series with Wejo, the smart mobility tech company, a panel of expert guests discuss what’s standing in the way of greater uptake of EVs, in the UK and elsewhere.
Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Richard Barlow, founder and chief executive of Wejo, Melanie Shufflebotham, founder and COO of the EV charging app, Zap_Map, Dale Vince, CEO of Ecotricity, and Philipe Vangeel, Secretary General of AVERE, the European Association for Electromobility.
The next episode of this special series explores the autonomous vehicles future that is nearly here. Click here for the first episode.
Rishi Sunak’s government has decided to block legislation to simplify gender recognition passed by the Scottish Parliament using a mechanism that’s being described as the “nuclear option”. The decision has precipitated a constitutional crisis, with Nicola Sturgeon calling the decision a “full-frontal attack” on devolution.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth discuss how a debate over policy has turned into one over Scotland’s power to govern itself. The team also covers claims that the government is trying to inflame tensions as part of a culture war and exploit divisions within the Labour Party over the bill.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks how the stalemate at Stormont, the Northern Irish Assembly, which has been without a government since February 2022, will end.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Will Dunn, the New Statesman’s business editor, is joined by the journalist and former political adviser Duncan Weldon to discuss how Britain is facing a decline like never before.
They talk about the country’s long history of economic woe and what we can learn from it, why we are feeling the current crisis more acutely than our neighbours, and if this calls for big ideas or – as Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng attempted in their disastrous mini-Budget – suffers from them.
If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
After the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition met across the despatch box for the first time in 2023, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's Political Editor Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to analyse whether Rishi Sunak can start turning his polling figures around. They discuss Sunak’s answers about his use of private healthcare and Labour’s potentially costly plans for the NHS. Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on how Labour is responding to the government’s anti-strike legislation. If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
In a devolution special for the New Statesman Podcast, we take a look at how the NHS crisis - and other political problems - are playing out in Scotland and Wales. Our Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, returns to the podcast to speak to Anoosh Chakelian about his own experience in a Scottish hospital, and how problems with the service are affecting the SNP.
Then Anoosh is joined by the co-host of the Hireath Welsh politics podcast Matthew Hexter to analyse the impact on Wales, and how its Labour-run government is responding.
Sign up for the Morning Call newsletter
Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer welcomed in 2023 with speeches setting out their priorities for the year and beyond.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss Sunak’s five pledges and why he appears more Blue Peter presenter than prime minister. They also analyse Starmer’s embrace of a Brexit slogan with his promise to help voters “take back control” of their communities, why he is pitching to a new squeezed middle, and his reluctance to talk about big spending.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks whether the Conservatives are running the NHS down on purpose so they can sell it off.
If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Read more:
Freddie Hayward writes Keir Starmer takes the fight to the Tories by stealing their slogans.
Zoë Grünewald writes Rishi Sunak's New Year speech showed how out of depth he is.
Anoosh Chakelian asks are the Conservatives "defunding" the NHS in order to privatise it?
Half of Britain (51 per cent) wants the voting system to change, according to the British Social Attitudes survey, while only 44 per cent want to retain the current system. Most Labour supporters are in favour and this year the Labour Party conference voted for a manifesto commitment to proportional representation for general elections.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by special guest Jess Garland, director of policy and research at the Electoral Reform Society, to talk all things voter reform. They discuss the significance of proportional representation and the recent rise in public support, where the various political parties stand on the issue, and how a change to the system could be brought about.
You can submit a question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus, and sign up for the Morning Call politics newsletter at newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call.
In a special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Harry Lambert joins Anoosh Chakelian to look back at the year in politics.
They cast their minds back to the three prime ministers, two monarchs, one controversial beer and korma, and the collapse of more “walls” than you can shake a comedy Lib Dem prop at.
You can submit a question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus, and sign up for the Morning Call politics newsletter at newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call.
In the very near future, your car will use data from your mobile device to help you navigate and stay safe. But vehicles already generate useful data. In the first episode of a three-part special partnered series with Wejo, the smart mobility tech company, a panel of expert guests discuss how connected vehicle data is already changing the world.
Real-time data, information generated by vehicles driving around towns and cities as we speak, is already being used to help ease traffic congestion, help prevent accidents, and support the move to a net zero economy.
In the first episode of this special series, the panel traces the origins of connected vehicle data and looks at potential problems around data privacy. The discussion also explores the potential of data for local authority service delivery, and highlights examples of where vehicle data is already being put to use for wider social benefits.
Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Richard Barlow, founder and chief executive of Wejo, John Stenlake, director of Vehicle Innovation & Mobility at Microsoft, and Peter Van Manen, the former managing director of McLaren Electronic Systems, the company that supplies control and data systems to all competitors in the Formula One, NASCAR and indyCar racing series.
One application of vehicle data has been to reduce insurance premiums, Barlow, who started Wejo ten years ago, explains on the episode: “In the first year I worked with an insurance provider, and my thought process with insurance providers was that if they had access to data, then they would be able to provide better policies, more cost effective policies for all drivers.”
“It became very apparent that the insurers were very much ingrained with the idea that they could produce their premium costs for high risk drivers, but not for all drivers, just a very small percentage,” he says. “And then at the same point, it became clear that motor manufacturers were also making more of their vehicles be available in terms of the data they make available.
"And it was a massive disconnect. I realised there was an opportunity there to work with the motor manufacturers and to actually go beyond insurance, but actually use data to provide better mobility services. And now today we see data from 90 million journeys every day. We have over 20 million vehicles on [Wejo’s] platform.”
The next episodes of this special series will look at obstacles to mass electric vehicle adoption and the autonomous vehicles future that is nearly here.
A special Boxing Day episode hosted by Rachel Cunliffe, looking back at the best (and worst) of the year in culture. She is joined by Tom Gatti, the New Statesman’s executive editor for culture, Kate Mossman, senior writer, and Rachel Cooke, our regular TV critic, to talk about their picks across TV, music, books, and film.
In music, they discuss the high-art cabaret of Christine and the Queens’ Redcar and Kate’s nerve-wracking interview with Nick Cave about his deepening faith and grieving for two sons.
In film, the stand-out was The Quiet Girl, based on Claire Keegan’s story of early-1980s rural Ireland which left Rachel Cooke and Tom weeping.
In TV, they move from the indulgent theatre of the Harry and Meghan documentary to the exquisite observations made in the BBC series Marriage, and explain why people can’t stop the watching the second season of The White Lotus.
And in books, highlights include the nasty but brilliant novel Vladimir by Julia May Jonas and Katherine Rundell’s The Golden Mole, while the unanimous lowlight is Matt Hancock’s retrospectively constructed and entirely delusional Pandemic Diaries.
It’s been an unprecedented week of strike action involving both nurses and ambulance workers – and the government still refuses to negotiate with NHS unions over pay. Anoosh Chakelian and Zoë Grünewald, the New Statesman’s political reporter, are joined by Dr Emma Runswick, a mental health doctor and deputy chair of council for the British Medical Association (BMA), a doctors’ trade union.
They discuss the poor pay and conditions that have led to strike action and why junior doctors might be next, plus the government’s refusal to consider pay negotiations, and the shadow health secretary Wes Streeting’s recent critique of the BMA. The team also covers the wider problems in the NHS after years of poor planning and underfunding – such as ambulance delays, staff shortages and long waiting lists – and whether these issues are changing patient attitudes towards the healthcare system.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: with the NHS in such a state after the Conservatives have slowed its funding, is there a reason Labour or the Lib Dems don’t attack the government harder on the NHS? Is it because there is a fear of sounding critical of the NHS itself.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
In a special festive edition of the New Statesman Podcast, NS columnist Jonn Elledge speaks to Rachel Cunliffe about the highs and lows of the year, how Love Actually messed up our politicians, and why residents of a town in Sweden spend every Christmas trying to burn a wooden goat.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
You can find Jonn Elledge’s books Conspiracy and The Compendium of (Not Quite) Everything at all good bookshops, and hear him talk about Conspiracy on the NS podcast.
Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland went on strike today for the first time in their history. With the UK facing “winter lockdown” following the latest wave of strikes and with inflation still high, Rishi Sunak’s government is under pressure. Labour leader Keir Starmer has described the nurses' strike as a “badge of shame for this government”, while the Prime Minister has unveiled his plan to crack down on migrants claiming asylum in Britain.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss public support for the strikes, which remains relatively high, and how long the momentum behind them can last, as well as Labour's position and why shadow health secretary Wes Streeting is challenging the British Medical Association.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: is Nigel Farage making a comeback?
You can read all our Spotlight Cybersecurity coverage here.
If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
After figures showed record net migration to the UK in 2022, is immigration still a toxic political issue? Freddie Hayward talks to Sunder Katwala, director of the think tank British Future, about how public attitudes to immigration have changed, the impact of Brexit, and why the Conservatives may not get much electoral benefit from discussing the topic.
If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcastto co-host our third series of WestminsterReimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix them.
In this final episode of the season Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, examine whether Britain’s leaders want to be too powerful. Boris Johnson spoke often of a personal mandate, and Tony Blair enforced more control from the centre. Have our leaders got too strong – and can anything be done about it?
Our guests for the episode are Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s director of communications and now a diarist and podcaster, and Catherine Haddon, resident historian of the Institute for Government.
The panel discusses whether prime ministers have always wanted more power, how much Johnson tried to change the rules of the game and why prime ministrs should make the most of their cabinets.
Keir Starmer dubbed Rishi Sunak the “blancmange prime minister” – comparing him to a particularly weak and wobbly dessert – after he U-turned on new onshore wind farms and mandatory housing targets this week under pressure from Tory MPs.
Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by Andrew Marr, the New Statesman’s political editor, to discuss Sunak’s struggle to control a divided Tory party as the prospect of electoral defeat looms. They also cover Rachel’s exclusive interview with Keir Starmer as he plots Labour’s route back to power and the launch of a major report authored by Gordon Brown that recommends a radical overhaul of the constitution.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders: should we abolish the House of Lords?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Keir Starmer has used Winchester, the elite independent school Rishi Sunak attended, to attack the Tory party over tax benefits for private schools, saying it amounted to “trickle-down education”. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister defended private schools as a personal choice, accusing Starmer of “attacking the hard-working aspirations of millions of people in this country”.
Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Sam Freedman, a former senior adviser on schools at the Department of Education, to discuss Labour’s policy to remove the charitable status of private schools and VAT exemption on school feels, the rage Starmer’s comments have sparked, and the quality of state education.
In You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question: how much do private schools give out in bursaries to poorer children, and is that more or less than the cost of Labour’s private-school policy proposals?
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes, Iannucci explores the parts of British public life he believes are broken and works out how to fix them with guests from inside and outside Westminster.
In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, discuss the B-word. Six years after Britain voted to leave the EU, Boris Johnson’s promise to Get Brexit Done rings hollow. The Northern Ireland protocol is an ever-present sore spot, the Office for Budget Responsibility believes bluntly that Brexit has delivered a “significant adverse impact” on trade and, according to a YouGov poll, the number of Britons who believe it was a mistake now stands at 56 per cent.
Our special guests this week are two brothers divided by Brexit, each with businesses that deal with Europe. Ian Baxter, founder and chair of Baxter Freight, voted Remain in the 2016 referendum, while his brother, Nigel Baxter, managing director of RH Commercial Vehicles, voted Leave. Can they come together and unite after years of division?
The panel discusses why the brothers found themselves on opposing sides of the Brexit debate, and how their decisions have impacted their relationship, businesses and world-view. Plus, if they have any regrets, and how we as a society can begin to move on.
For the first time since 2010, constituency boundaries are set to be redrawn. The Boundary Commission for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has published its final proposals, to be followed by final recommendations in 2023 that are likely to be adopted in time for the next election.
Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth are joined by Ben Walker, who has made a detailed map of the changes for England and Wales for the New Stateman’s State of the Nation. The team discuss which MPs stand to lose and gain, why the shake-up is controversial, and the emerging political consequences.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks how Labour would solve the wage crisis.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
As the Conservative Party deadline approaches for MPs to say whether they want to run in the next election, many young Tory MPs have already announced that they’ve had enough, including the Bishop Auckland MP Dehanna Davison. Charlotte Ivers, the Times Radio presenter and columnist for the New Statesman and Sunday Times, joins Rachel Cunliffe to talk about why this is, and how Rishi Sunak’s first month in office has gone. They also talk about whether Matt Hancock’s third place in I’m a Celebrity has done him more good than harm.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus.
Sign up for our Morning Call newsletter.
Rishi Sunak has denied reports that the government is preparing to seek a “Swiss-style” deal with the EU over the next decade to rebuild economic ties with the trading bloc.
Rachel Cunliffe, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss why the Prime Minister is incurring the wrath of hardline Tory Brexiteers, the signs of rising public discontent with Brexit, and whether this is a window of opportunity for Labour.
Meanwhile Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, has once again come under fire as she struggled to explain to the MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee how someone fleeing persecution would legally seek asylum in the UK. The team discuss how long Braverman can hold on as Home Secretary and why she is a symptom of a government in disarray.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks: should England have boycotted the Qatar World Cup?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix things.
In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, look at how politics can operate in a post-truth world. Is there any way to counter misinformation and disinformation? And what effect are they having on our politicians and elections?
Our special guests are James Ball, journalist and author of Post-Truth: How Bullshit Conquered the World, and Mae Dobbs, a digital campaigner who worked on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Plus, we hear from former BBC executive Pat Younge on how the broadcaster could do much more to tackle a culture of outright lying among politicians.
The panel discusses whether objective news really is now harder to find or whether it’s always been difficult, the extent to which social media is making things worse, and what can be done to tackle the problem.
In 2014, the then prime minister David Cameron commissioned a review into a worrying global phenomenon: an increase in drug-resistant infections. “If we fail to act,” he warned, “we are looking at an almost unthinkable scenario where antibiotics no longer work and we are cast back into the dark ages of medicine.”
The economist Jim O’Neill, who chaired the review, predicted that by 2050 “ten million lives a year” and a “cumulative cost of $100trn of economic output” would be at risk from bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites increasingly resisting treatment. Six years on, however, anti-microbial resistance (AMR) continues to endanger humanity.
Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman's Spotlight policy channel, is joined by three expert guests to discuss why AMR is so complex, how far we have come in tackling it since the 2016 review, and what our best hopes are for getting this dangerous trend under control: Pfizer UK's managing director and country president Susan Rienow, the UK government's AMR envoy Sally Davies, and the microbiologist Laura Piddock, scientific director of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership in Geneva.
This special episodes has been funded by Pfizer Limited. Non Pfizer panelist's views are independent, but content has been reviewed by Pfizer Limited for A B P I code compliance.
In a special episode of the New Statesman podcast, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look back at the last few weeks in politics, including the fall out from the Autumn Statement, how Rishi Sunak is going down with voters and whether Labour is finding its voice.
Then they take questions from the audience on everything from Brexit, to Jeremy Corbyn running as independent parliamentary candidate, to whether it matters if Twitter collapses under Elon Musk's leadership.
If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix things.
In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, examine whether the UK is falling apart at the seams. In 2010 the Conservative Party came to power promising to fix “Broken Britain”. Today, with unions around the country striking, the NHS buckling, and communities increasingly stepping in to provide vital services following a 37 per cent cut in local council funding, we ask: how can Britain carry on like this?
Our special guests are Michelle Dornelly, founder of Children with Voices, which runs Hackney Community Food Hub, and Emilie De Bruijn, who set up Hartlepool Baby Bank.
The panel discusses why these two women founded front-line services for their local communities, the lack of resources, the dangers of burning out, and why the state is sitting back and relying on their goodwill, as well as what can be done to remedy the problem.
Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth dissect the Autumn Statement, which will leave Britain with highest tax burden since the Second World War.
They discuss what to make of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s bleak forecast that living standards are set to collapse by the largest amount on record, and recap how we got to this point just 55 days after Kwasi Kwarteng’s ill-fated tax-cutting “mini-Budget”.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
As Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt prepare for a Budget that will likely mean years of austerity, Rachel Cunliffe talks to the Conservative commentator John Oxley about the mess the party finds itself in. They discuss whether the damage done by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng is reversible, or if the party was in terminal decline anyway. Plus, what hopes Tories have at the next election and the impact of euroscepticism on the party.
As Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt prepare for a Budget that will likely mean years of austerity, Rachel Cunliffe talks to the Conservative commentator John Oxley about the mess the party finds itself in. They discuss whether the damage done by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng is reversible, or if the party was in terminal decline anyway. Plus, what hopes Tories have at the next election and the impact of euroscepticism on the party.
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcastto co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. Across six special episodes, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside the Westminster world to work out how to fix things.
In this episode, the American satirist and broadcaster Jon Stewart and British radio presenter turned Arizona podcaster Sam Walker join Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, to compare US and UK politics. They discuss whether the chaos and division of US political life is a warning for the UK, and whether discourse in Britain is heading in a similar direction.
Gavin Williamson has resigned from the cabinet as minister without portfolio after a string of bullying allegations, including expletive-laden texts to a female colleague. It’s not the first time he has lost a government job: he was sacked twice before, under Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Emma Haslett discuss the scandal and controversies that pepper Williamson’s career, and what his resignation tells us about the Rishi Sunak leadership and the way Westminster works. Plus, the moves Keir Starmer had made to put Labour on an election footing.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks to what extent George Osborne’s post-2010 period of austerity has led UK politics to where it is now.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
As Cop27, the UN climate conference, starts in Egypt, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by India Bourke, our environment correspondent, to discuss why Rishi Sunak U-turned and is now attending, what might be announced and why it’s disappointing that the leaders of so many other countries are not going.
Read more:
Carbon emissions tracker 2022: How do countries compare?
Greta Thunberg on why Cop27 is a “scam”
“I haven’t met a politician ready to do what it takes”: Greta Thunberg and Björk in conversation
Mapped: Fracking sites could impact one in four Tory constituencies
The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci, returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix things.
In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, examine why in Britain the rich are richer and the poor are poorer than in other European countries. The income gap is the largest it has been in ten years, food-bank use has doubled since 2014 and nearly a third of low-income families are unable to heat their homes; meanwhile the richest 1 per cent of households in the UK are worth £3.6 million each.
Special guests for the episode Dominic Watters, a social worker living on the breadline who campaigns against food insecurity and wrote Social Distance in Social Work: Covid Capsule One, and Adrienne Buller, director of research at the Common Wealth think tank and author of The Value of a Whale.
The panel discusses living in fuel and food deserts, how hostility toward the “undeserving poor” is baked into the welfare system, and whether a minister for income inequality might be one potential solution.
Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor, to assess Rishi Sunak’s first ten days in Downing Street, from the damaging re-appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary to mixed messages on his government’s commitment to the climate.
They discuss his tricky mandate, the prospect of tax rises and spending cuts, and how Keir Starmer is facing up to him.
Then in You Ask Us: is it ever OK to comment on a politician’s appearance or presentational style?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Read more:
Andrew Marr on whether Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer’s “centrist” styles can speak to the anger of the day
Rachel Wearmouth on how the Prime Minister and Labour leader compare
Anoosh Chakelian on the appetite for an election around an exasperated country
With the Conservatives on to their fifth prime minister in just six years, we talk to the political scientist and author Brian Klaas about the leadership problem in politics: why the top jobs attract the worst people; why it was a good thing that Truss was able to fail so quickly; and what we need to do to defend democracy.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Read more:
Brian Klaas on why we choose the wrong leaders
Rishi Sunak attended his first PMQs on Wednesday 26 October, and seemed to buoy up his divided party with Johnsonite attack lines on Labour – but can he hold on to unity and win back the country’s trust?
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, Rachel Wearmouth and our business editor, Will Dunn, to discuss Sunak’s first few days in charge, the fallout from his reappointment of Suella Braverman, and what to expect from the now-delayed Autumn Statement.
Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether Sunak’s past mistakes show he’s out of touch.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
The UK is to have a new prime minister whose policies are unknown and no one but Tory MPs voted for. Public appetite for a general election is high. What will Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, do when he officially enters No 10, and why did Boris Johnson drop out of the Conservative leadership race this weekend?
Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain Editor, is joined by Rachel Wearmouth, Deputy Political Editor, and our polling expert Ben Walker to analyse the challenges ahead, what Sunak’s victory means for the Conservative Party’s dire poll ratings, and how Labour feels about its new opponent.
Then, in You Ask Us, we answer a listener’s question: why are there Tory MPs who oppose Rishi Sunak, and will the party remain divided?
Read more:
Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister after Penny Mordaunt fails to make Tory ballot
Can anyone save the Tories?
In this bonus episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Rachel Cunliffe interviews the Daily Star deputy editor-in-chief Jon Livesey about how a lettuce livestream helped chronicle the downfall of Liz Truss’s calamitous time in office.
They talk about why it cut through to the public, what’s happening to the lettuce now, and which vegetable will come next.
Liz Truss has announced she will stand down as prime minister after her government was plunged into chaos yesterday. The Home Secretary was forced to resign, the chief whip attempted to resign, and Tory MPs were allegedly manhandled and reduced to tears over a fracking vote which was (maybe?) a vote of confidence.
Rachel Cunliffe, Ben Walker and Rachel Wearmouth discuss Liz Truss’s resignation and then Freddie Hayward joins the podcast to take us through how the madness unfolded, minute by minute.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
In a desperate attempt to stabilise the financial markets Jeremy Hunt, the newly appointed Chancellor, has reversed “almost all” of the tax cuts announced in the government’s mini-Budget just three weeks ago.
Anoosh Chakelian and Harry Lambert discuss the measures announced in Hunt’s emergency statement this morning, reports that he is now acting effectively as a caretaker PM, and who would succeed Liz Truss should she be ousted.
In You Ask Us, a listener asks if the Tories can get away with switching leader again without calling a general election.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Emma Haslett, The New Statesman’s associate business editor, speaks to Gary Stevenson, an economist and former trader for Citibank, a job he initially won in a card game. In 2011 he became the bank’s most profitable trader globally by correctly predicting the economy would not recover from the 2008 financial crash. In 2014 Stevenson quit his job, and he now campaigns against wealth inequality and educates people on economics via his YouTube channel, GarysEconomics.
They discuss the fallout from the Tories' disastrous mini-Budget and No 10’s attachment to trickle-down economics, as well as the reaction among Stevenson’s former colleagues in the City. Emma and Gary also offer their predictions for the economy this time next year.
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
What was left of Liz Truss’s authority visibly dissipated in Prime Minister’s Questions this week. As Freddie Hayward reports, the atmosphere was “funereal”, with the Prime Minister repeating “I’m genuinely unclear” and refusing to talk about market turmoil or tax cuts, only the government’s energy package.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss the criticism of the mini-Budget and what Truss’s options are, whether Kwasi Kwarteng will survive as Chancellor and who would replace him, and Labour’s plans for a future without Truss.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what on earth the government’s much-touted “supply-side reform” is.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Dale Vince, a green energy industrialist and founder of Ecotricity, a renewable energy company. Vince’s book Manifesto: How a Maverick Entrepreneur Took On British Energy and Won was published in 2020, charting his journey from leaving school aged 15, to becoming a New Age traveller, and finally into the weird world that is Britain’s energy market.
They discuss the government’s response to Britain’s energy and cost-of-living crises versus Labour’s pledge to create a publicly owned renewable power company, Great British Energy, the sense of frustration even among energy companies, and some solutions.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As conference season ends, our Political Editor, Andrew Marr, discusses the Conservative and Labour conferences with Freddie Hayward and Anoosh Chakelian.
They reflect on the mood at the Conservative Party conference, whether Liz Truss will get any policy through parliament and if Labour really is more confident that it could return to government.
Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question on whether Keir Starmer is trying to be more left-wing.
Read Anoosh’s piece on the country bracing for austerity, Andrew’s latest column and our exclusive polling on what Labour voters think of Starmer.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Freddie Hayward, Rachel Wearmouth and Harry Lambert, who are reporting from the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.
They describe a sense of discord and dissent, with Liz Truss’s U-turn on abolishing the top rate of income tax damaging her credibility and emboldening Tory rebels. The team discuss the open speculation by Tory MPs about who might succeed the Prime Minister, including Boris Johnson as an “off the shelf” candidate, and the party’s response to a weak speech by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks, will Liz Truss be able to cut benefits?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
This is a special episode recorded live at the New Statesman’s fringe event at this year’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool. Anoosh Chakelian sits down with Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan to discuss what levelling up should look like under Labour, where they stand on electoral reform and why they have very different political styles.
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
With the cost of debt rising and the pound still falling, just how much damage has the Conservatives’ mini-Budget done to the economy?
To unpick what’s going on, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by David Gauke, who was work and pensions secretary and chief secretary to the Treasury under Theresa May, and by the economist and author Duncan Weldon, along with the New Statesman’s business editor, Will Dunn.
They discuss why the markets reacted so badly to the Chancellor’s statement on 23 September, what the subsequent Bank of England intervention actually did, and what the impact of all of this might be on ordinary voters as well as the electoral prospects of the Tory party.
Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward are joined by Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change and net zero secretary and former Labour leader, to discuss Keir Starmer’s speech from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. They discuss the pledge to create a publicly owned “Great British energy” company to cut bills and the conference slogan “A fairer, greener future”; how the economic turmoil will affect their ability to deliver these promises; and whether Miliband would advise a note of caution to the optimistic party faithful. Then the New Statesman polling expert, Ben Walker, joins the podcast to discuss a recent YouGov poll that shows Labour leading the Tories by 17 points and whether the plunging pound has damaged public confidence in Liz Truss’s government.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth report from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
They discuss the remarkably upbeat mood among the party faithful, the headline policy announcements so far, and the alternative vision for the economy set out by the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as the pound continues to plummet after Liz Truss’s tax-cutting frenzy.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on the prospects of the party abandoning the first-past-the-post electoral system, after polls show a majority of the British public are in favour of change.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor, presented a mini-Budget today (23 September) whose centrepiece was the biggest tax cuts in decades in an attempt to stimulate the economy. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Rachel Cunliffe and Emma Haslett take us through the announcements that shocked the House of Commons.
They discuss how these ideological policies will disproportionately benefit the rich; the UK’s precarious financial position as borrowing costs jump; and whether this is a departure from the last twelve years of Tory rule, as was suggested by Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor.
In You Ask Us, the team answer Rachel Cunliffe’s question: does this now mean that a post-2009 graduate on £50,000 a year will pay a higher marginal tax rate (including student loan repayments) than someone on £200,000 who went to university for free before tuition fees were introduced?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The UK has a housing crisis: in the past decade, decent and stable living arrangements have become an impossible dream for many.
The New Statesman’s senior associate editor Rachel Cunliffe speaks to Hashi Mohamed, author of A Home of One’s Own, which draws on his own history of housing insecurity and his professional career as a planning barrister, about how we came to this point and what can be done.
They discuss the segregating and alienating effects of housing insecurity, why successive governments have failed to act on this crisis, and how they can be persuaded that it’s a priority.
Podcast listeners can get a subscription to the New Statesman for just £1 per week, for 12 weeks. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
The newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, is facing criticism after he sacked Tom Scholar, permanent secretary at the Treasury since 2016, and following reports that he plans to scrap caps on banker bonuses.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Lambert, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what’s really behind the sacking of the Treasury's most senior civil servant, and Prime Minister Liz Truss’s plans to encourage economic growth through tax cuts during a cost-of-living crisis.
Then, in You Ask Us, Rachel Cunliffe joins the team to answer a listener question on whether the police crackdown on anti-monarchy protestors is the result of the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The ceremonies following the death of the Queen continue this week. Freddie Hayward speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about what the mood has been like at the public events, and whether some of the policing has been heavy handed.
Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question about whether the events have affected parliament’s ability to scrutinise the new government.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
A special podcast from the New Statesman to reflect on the death of Elizabeth II and the accession of Charles III.
Andrew Marr, political editor, Megan Gibson, international editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, senior associate editor, join Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, to discuss the impact that the Queen had on the country, the reaction to her death from around the world and what it means for the UK now.
The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has announced her plans to help with the energy crisis. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s political editor, Andrew Marr, and deputy political editor, Rachel Wearmouth, to discuss Truss’s first few days in office and how her energy price cap is likely to go down with the public.
Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether Boris Johnson is planning a political comeback.
As predicted, Liz Truss has beaten Rishi Sunak in the race to become the next prime minister of the UK. She won the Tory leadership contest by a comfortable majority, securing 81,326 votes (57 per cent) to Sunak’s 60,399 (43 per cent).
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss her promises to “deliver” in a muted victory speech, why polls predicted a landslide victory that didn't quite emerge, and the series of daunting challenges that lie ahead for her – including economic crisis and an all-round lack of popular support.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks about Truss’s plan for energy bills.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
With just days until we find out who Britain’s next prime minister will be, we take a look back at the outgoing Conservative leader: what shaped Boris Johnson? How did he rise to power? What do his three years in office mean for his successor and how the media will cover them?
Rachel Cunliffe speaks to Adam Fleming about his BBC podcast series Boris, which examines the life of Johnson from his birth, in 1964 in New York, until the moment he was forced to resign as Tory leader in the wake of the partygate scandal.
Radio 4’s Boris is available on BBC Sounds
As the cost-of-living crisis and rapidly rising energy prices look set to push the UK into recession, how bad is the situation and what could be done about it?
The economist and journalist Duncan Weldon speaks to Will Dunn, the New Statesman’s business editor, about just how serious the crisis is, how it compares to the 1970s and why Liz Truss will find that tax cuts just won’t cut it.
The Conservative leadership contest limps towards its conclusion with Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak attending the final hustings this week. And as the country heads towards a difficult winter, raw sewage is being pumped into Britain’s waterways and the economy goes from bad to worse.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss the leadership hopefuls’ latest campaign pledges and the distinct lack of enthusiasm for them among Tory members and MPs. They also talk about Truss’s U-turn on her emergency cost-of-living budget and whether her free-market conservatism is out of step with the concerns of the general public.
Then in You Ask Us India Bourke, the New Statesman’s environment correspondent, joins to answer a listener’s question on what the sewage crisis means for the Conservative Party.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
As the US president Joe Biden starts to turn around his poor polling figures ahead of the midterm elections later this year, are there lessons that the Labour leader Keir Starmer can learn from his Democrat counterpart? The veteran campaigner Matthew McGregor, who worked for Ed Miliband and supported digital campaigns for the Democrats in the US, talks to Rachel Wearmouth about what Labour could learn from American politics, and why the party also needs to look at countries like Australia and Germany. They discuss the impact the Supreme Court overruling of Roe vs Wade, which federally guaranteed access to abortion, is having on US politics. Plus, how to make radical changes from the centre, and how Prime Minister's Questions is surprisingly popular among Washington DC politicos.
UK inflation has risen above 10 per cent for the first time in 40 years, driving the fastest fall in real pay on record. The defining challenge for the next prime minister will be preventing millions from facing destitution this winter.
Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by Emma Haslett, the New Statesman’s associate business editor, to discuss the economic downturn and Britain’s “zombie” government. They also talk about recent polling indicating the Conservatives are no longer seen as more competent with the economy than Labour, and examine public sympathy with striking transport workers.
Then, in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether the leaked recording of Liz Truss saying that British workers need “more graft” and lack the “skill and application” of foreign rivals like the Chinese, will damage her chances of becoming the next PM.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer has announced that the party wants to tackle the energy bills crisis by freezing the energy price cap, to be chiefly funded by a windfall tax. Has Labour finally shown its economic competence?
Rachel Wearmouth is joined by Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker to discuss the plans, whether they’ve come at the right time, and what the Conservative response will likely to be.
Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on whether Labour should now be repurposing George Osborne’s austerity-era attack line about the governing party not fixing the roof when the sun was shining.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Against the backdrop of a predicted massive increase in energy bills and the coming recession, the Tory leadership contest grinds grimly on. There is a palpable feeling that the country is adrift, with Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss focused on personal attacks and appealing to the Tory party membership.
Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss the damage the campaigns are doing to the Conservative brand as the “blue-on-blue” bickering dominates the contest. They also talk about Keir Starmer’s notable absence from the limelight, and whether Truss’s campaign is gaining momentum after a video leaked to the New Statesman showed Rishi Sunak boasting to members of taking money from “deprived urban areas” to help wealthy towns.
Then, in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether the winner of the leadership contest, whether Sunak or Truss, will pivot and come out with some meaningful policies on the cost of living – or are they just running scared and hoping for a miracle?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The Labour Party must tackle infighting to succeed in government, says Patrick Diamond, who worked in No 10 for both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
After more factional strife within Labour, the academic and former Downing Street staffer Patrick Diamond speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about his new book: Labour's Civil War: How infighting has kept the left from power (and what can be done about it).
They discuss the party’s history of fighting itself, what lessons can be learned from its time in government, and what Keir Starmer needs to do to end the conflict.
The Bank of England has raised interest rates by 0.5 per cent to 1.75 per cent, the highest increase in 27 years, and predicts that the UK will enter a deep recession within months. As the cost-of-living crisis worsens and with strikes planned throughout the summer, Labour remains split over frontbenchers joining picketing workers.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss Labour leader Keir Starmer’s softening stance on picketing – after shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy joined striking telecoms workers and union leaders claimed that Labour was “irrelevant” to working people – and ask whether the party’s ambiguity can be sustained through a summer of strikes.
Then In You Ask Us, a listener enquires about the communication issues and presentation style of Liz Truss’s Conservative leadership campaign.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
With the Conservative leadership hopefuls offering competing promises of tax cuts, the New Statesman podcast looks at whether either has anything to say about Britain’s cost-of-living crisis.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor, and Emma Haslett from the New Statesman’s business desk to pick through the promises, and ask whether Rishi Sunak’s campaign is looking more and more desperate.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves’s stance against nationalising utilities could put Labour’s plans for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions at risk.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Two years after it was commissioned, the Forde report into infighting in the Labour Party during the years of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership has finally been published. Such tensions have never fully gone away. Keir Starmer sacked Sam Tarry, a shadow transport minister, on July 27 after he joined a rail picket line against the leadership’s instructions.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss what led to the Forde inquiry, its key findings and why this is unlikely to spell the end of the party's deep factionalism.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what the point of the Labour Party is when they don’t support organised labour.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email: podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
After Boris Johnson talked of a deep state undermining his ability to govern, have we entered an era of conspiracy theories? Jonn Elledge, one of the authors of a new book, Conspiracy: A History of Bollcks Theories and How Not To Fall For Them*, talks to Rachel Cunliffe about how conspiracy theories are nothing new.
They discuss QAnon, whether a few hundred years of European history were just made up – and why Britney Spears shows that sometimes obscure internet theories can be true.
With Penny Mordaunt having been eliminated from the contest on Wednesday 20 July, either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss will become Britain’s next prime minister.
Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe speak to the New Statesman’s political editor, Andrew Marr, about how the Johnson “loyalist” and the “traitor” emerged victorious, whether Boris Johnson will indeed be back as he hinted in his final PMQs, and the climate emergency that overshadows this race.
Then, in You Ask Us, a listener asks: why Liz Truss? What are the qualities that her backers believe would make her a good PM?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
This evening one of the remaining five candidates to be the next prime minister will be eliminated in a vote of MPs. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, Ben Walker and Rachel Wearmouth, our new deputy political editor, to discuss who came out of the two debates over the weekend best and why Labour has enjoyed watching the candidates tear strips out of each other on live TV.
Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on what Boris Johnson might do next.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Rory Stewart, the former international development secretary and Conservative leadership candidate, speaks to Rachel Cunliffe about the lessons he learned from running for leader in 2019. They talk about whether this year’s candidates show growing diversity in the party, why our political culture has got so bad at argument and debate, and what he got wrong when he was in government.
Stewart’s new series, The Long History of Argument, starts on BBC Radio 4 on 19 July at 9am.
Nadhim Zahawi, Jeremy Hunt and Suella Braverman have been eliminated from the Conservative leadership election, with Penny Mordaunt climbing to second place behind Rishi Sunak.
Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Harry Lambert discuss the remaining candidates in this unpredictable race, the latest polling on front-runners Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak, and whether being a “fresh face” will ultimately decide the contest.
Then in You Ask Us, NS Environment Correspondent India Bourke joins the podcast to answer a listener's question on which of the Conservative candidates would be best and worst for the environment and why.
If you have a You Ask Us question, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
At the time of recording, 11 Conservative MPs had launched official bids to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss the candidates' prospects, promises and pitfalls – as well as how the leadership election could reshape the Conservative Party.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks which Tory candidate would pose the biggest threat to the Labour Party.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
After a torrid 24 hours in Westminster for Boris Johnson, in which Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid both resigned, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Lambert, Ben Walker and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss whether this, finally, is a mess that the Prime Minister can't get out of. Is this the straw that broke the camel’s back? And what is going to happen next?
This special episode was recorded live at the New Statesman’s Politics Live event.
Keir Starmer speaks to Rachel Wearmouth, currently the senior political correspondent at the Mirror, but soon to join the New Statesman as deputy political editor. They discuss the radical views of his youth, his promise for economic growth, and why he is scrapping the 2019 Labour Party manifesto.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the SNP, has announced that she wants to hold a second independence referendum on 19 October 2023. The constitutional debate was widely seen to be at a political deadlock, but now it enters a new phase.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Chris Deerin, the New Statesman Scotland editor, to discuss the motivations behind this latest bid for independence and the means of securing it. They also touch on how Scots have said they would vote in recent polls, and whether plans to fight the next general election on this single issue could backfire, presenting an opportunity for Scottish Labour.
Then in You Ask Us, Anoosh is joined by the New Statesman’s political reporter Freddie Hayward to answer a listener’s question on whether, by rejecting Corbynism, Keir Starmer has dropped the party’s most appealing policies.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As the official measure of inflation in the UK hits 9.1 per cent, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman business team, Will Dunn and Emma Haslett, to discuss why inflation is hitting the country so badly.
How much is Brexit making matters worse, and is inflation simply a worldwide problem? And what can the government do about it?
Then in You Ask Us, the panel answer a listener’s question on Labour’s lack of a clear response to the rail strikes.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In a major blow to Boris Johnson, the Conservatives have lost the seats of Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield to the Liberal Democrats and Labour respectively, by double-digit margins. In the wake of the results, Oliver Dowden, the co-chairman of the Conservative Party, became the first cabinet minister to resign (if implicitly) over the PMs leadership.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Lambert and the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker to discuss the crushing Tory defeat, the power of tactical voting, fatigue among Tory activists and Keir Starmer’s strategy, or lack thereof, as Labour leader.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
With just a few days until the Tiverton and Honiton by-election on 23 June, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s business editor and Devonian Will Dunn, who has returned from a reporting trip to the south-west constituency.
They discuss how cost of living is the big issue on the doorstep, why the Lib Dems have a mountain to climb to win the seat, and why the Labour candidate feels a bit miffed about being ignored.
The election was triggered by the resignation of the Conservative MP Imran Ahmad Khan after he was found guilty in April of sexually assaulting a teenaged boy. Khan was elected in the 2019 general election as the first non-Labour MP in the seat, two thirds of which voted Leave in the EU referendum, since 1932. Victory for Labour would send a powerful signal that the party can regain the Red Wall and form the next government.
Anoosh Chakelian, reporting from Wakefield, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to discuss the mood on the ground, new polling that suggests Labour has taken a massive lead and what this might mean for the party.
Then she speaks to Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King’s College London and director of the UK in a Changing Europe research initiative. He discusses the issues affecting his home city, why it shifted from red to blue in 2019 and what challenges face the candidates.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
The New Statesman podcast takes a special look at the Green Party, following their success in the local elections. Why did they do so well in May? And how can they build on this to become a major player in UK politics? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by our polling expert, Ben Walker, and environment correspondent India Bourke.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is attempting yet another relaunch of his government just days after 148 MPs told him they don’t have confidence in his leadership. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Harry Lambert discuss the rebels' next move, what this means for the government, and whether Keir Starmer should have been more aggressive at PMQs.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on why any MP would want to support Boris Johnson right now.
If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has won a vote of confidence from Conservative MPs. But 148 members voted against him, leaving a split party. In this special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, recorded at the Tate Britain just down the road from the Palace of Westminster, Rachel Cunliffe interviews the political editor Andrew Marr on where this development now leaves Johnson and the country.
They discuss how this is good for the opposition but bad for government, why there is no coordinated plot among the Tories to remove Johnson, and why his days in office must now surely be numbered.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
On the day that Boris Johnson faces a vote of no confidence in his leadership, Rachel Cunliffe speaks to Harry Lambert, senior political correspondent, and Ben Walker, the New Statesman’s polling expert, about how we got here.
They talk about the Prime Minister’s chances of survival, the damage done to him already and what to expect from by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton on June 23.
If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The campaign to remove Boris Johnson as Prime Minister is building. The steady trickle of letters from Conservative MPs declaring they have no confidence in him and criticism from high-profile dissenters has sparked speculation that there could be a vote as early as next week.
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward discuss what’s causing the widespread discontent among the Tory ranks, what would happen should the party stumble into a vote, and the broader identity crisis in the government.
Then in You Ask Us, in reaction to Johnson’s plan to revive imperial measures, a listener asks how many ounces in a pound.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
Fresh from Sydney, Professor Marc Stears, a former Labour speechwriter and author of its 2015 manifesto, tells Anoosh Chakelian what Labour can learn, and where Keir Starmer is going wrong.
Stears reflects on how Anthony Albanese, the new Labor prime minister of Australia, avoided culture warring with Scott Morrison, his predecessor, what Keir Starmer can learn from this, and his concerns about Labour's lack of policy direction - and its fear of the Daily Mail.
The UCL Policy Lab was launched on 30 May 2022
Sue Gray’s long-awaited report has been published at last. It contains lurid details of excessive drinking and partying at Downing Street during lockdown, as well as a “lack of respect and poor treatment” towards cleaners and security guards. But what does it mean for Boris Johnson?
Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Harry Lambert discuss the mood among Tory MPs and why they continue to support Johnson, the “God complex” in Downing Street that created a culture of rule-breaking, and whether the police investigation has in fact saved the PM.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders: what would it take for Tory MPs to oust Johnson?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
Jeremy Hunt tells Anoosh Chakelian how he regrets the "silent killer" of social-care cuts made when he was in the cabinet, calls for the "penny to drop" for the current health secretary Sajid Javid on properly funding social care, and warns of electoral woes for the Tories in their southern English "heartlands". He also admits he wouldn't rule out serving as a minister under Boris Johnson.
Hunt's book, Zero: Eliminating Unnecessary Deaths in a Post-Pandemic NHS, is available in bookstores now
UK inflation has reached its highest rate in 40 years, jumping from 7 per cent in March to 9 per cent in the year to April. With inflation hitting the poorest hardest, pressure is growing on the government to reverse its opposition to a windfall tax on energy profits.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's associate business editor Emma Haslett and senior associate editor Rachel Cunliffe to discuss the government’s lack of a plan to address the crisis, including the array of unhelpful “top tips” from ministers on how households can cope with spiralling costs, and to consider what else can be done.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders if the Bank of England is being blamed for the government’s mistakes.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
While polling revealed exclusively by the New Statesman suggests that voters aren’t divided on so-called culture war issues, the Johnson administration is putting them at the centre of its political project.
To understand why the Prime Minister seems intent on winning a war that doesn’t exist, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, who received an MBE last year for services to social cohesion, and Rory Stewart, senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and a former Conservative MP and leadership rival to Johnson.
They discuss why everything is being cast as a culture war and the strategy’s limited success, the real-life consequences of this way of doing politics, and ultimately how we can learn to disagree better.
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
Having cast himself as “Mr Rules” in opposition to Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer's reputation hangs in the balance amid allegations of breaking Covid restrictions.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the NS's political editor, Andrew Marr, to discuss Starmer’s future, the mutinous atmosphere in the Labour machine and rumours of runners and riders who could replace him.
Then they answer a listener’s question on what Boris Johnson and Liz Truss hope to gain from ripping up the Northern Ireland protocol.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
The renowned satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcastto co-host five more special episodes. In these shows Iannucci, explores the parts of British public life that he believes are broken, and he will be joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.
In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian examine whether Westminster politics has just become a game to most politicians.
They are joined by special guests James Graham, writer of the political plays This House, Brexit: The Uncivil War and Labour of Love, and Chris Hanretty, a professor at Royal Holloway University who studies pork barrel politics.
They discuss whether how the whipping operation in parliament reduces politics to point scoring, how the government is getting more blatant about only distributing money to its own MPs’ seats, and whether blowing the lid on whipping tactics will actually change anything.
Voters in many areas deserted the Conservatives in last week's local elections, yet this was not a comprehensive victory for Labour.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker and political reporter Freddie Hayward to discuss the headline results and whether Labour has achieved the sea change it needs ahead of the next general election.
Next, they turn to Northern Ireland and Sinn Féin's historic victory, gaining the most seats (27) in the assembly of any party and the right to appoint the first minister. They discuss the result and what it will mean for the country’s future.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: is there any upside to Beergate for Keir Starmer?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
As voting in the local elections begins, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker to discuss key councils to watch and predict the outcome.
They talk about the driving forces behind people’s votes, from partygate and rising living costs to potholes, and what the political consequences of the results could be.
Then they answer listeners’ questions on the impact the use of the single transferable vote (STV) system will have on the result in Scotland, and Ben’s overnight election liveblogging tips.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
The renowned satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcastto co-host five more special episodes. In these shows Iannucci, explores the parts of British public life that he believes are broken, and he will be joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better. In this episode, Iannucci and Ailbhe Rea examine voter loyalty and whether tribalism has died in favour of a kind of playlist politics.
They are joined by special guests John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research, and Shaun Woodward, a former Labour cabinet minister who defected to the party from the Conservatives in 1999 and is now the chair of the Human Dignity Trust, an international LGBT charity.
They discuss whether voters now want a more pick-and-mix politics, how important demographics are to how people will vote and what kind of identity politics really does sway voters.
Anoosh Chakelian chairs a special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival.
In recent years, Britain has witnessed the unlawful prorogation of parliament; debacles in the management of public health, education and immigration; and scandals of cronyism, incompetence and sleaze. How has the cultural and political debate become so degraded? Can such failures of leadership be traced back to an unwritten constitution and a political system that rewards ambition over integrity, or should voters, the media and others take the blame for not holding the powerful to account? Is the British electorate the helpless victim of a new breed of brazen post-truth politics? Or do we simply get the leaders we deserve?
Speaking for the motion:
David Runciman – a professor of politics at Cambridge University and the author of several books, including How Democracy Ends.
Stephen Bush – a political columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times, and the former political editor at the New Statesman.
Hannah White – deputy director of the Institute for Government, and author of the recent book Held in Contempt: What’s Wrong with the House of Commons?
Speaking against the motion:
Billy Bragg – singer-songwriter and activist whose most recent book is The Three Dimensions of Freedom.
Dr Rachel Clarke – a NHS palliative care doctor and best-selling author whose books include Dear Life and Breathtaking.
Lucy Nethsingha – a British Liberal Democrat politician, member of Cambridgeshire County Council since 2009. She was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the east of England from 2019 until the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in 2020. She was chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs.
The misogyny that many women working in parliament experience has reared its ugly head once more. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Harry Lambert discuss the latest revelations of sexual misconduct at Westminster and the personal cost for the women who speak out.
The team then discuss Labour’s prospects for the local elections and whether the cost of living, not partygate, could be the key to victory.
Then a special You Ask Us to say goodbye to Ailbhe Rea.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The renowned satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcastto co-host five more special episodes. In these shows Iannucci, explores the parts of British public life that he believes are broken, and he will be joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.
In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian examine what is at the very heart of British politics: the constitution. What is it, is it fit for purpose, and what can be done to change it?
They are joined by special guests Meg Russell, professor in British and comparative politics and director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, and Dominic Grieve, the former Conservative MP and attorney general for England and Wales.
They discuss Britain’s ramshackle constitution vs a codified system of government, concerns over “democratic backsliding” under Boris Johnson’s government and a lack of parliamentary scrutiny, and the kind of democracy people want.
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
With partygate rumbling on and Boris Johnson referred to the House of Commons’ Committee of Priviliges, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to Hannah White, the deputy director of the Institute for Government.
White is a former civil servant who worked on standards in public life and as a Commons clerk. She explains exactly how the privileges committee works, why the Prime Minister has been allowed to decide his own fate (so far) and what can be done to improve trust in parliament.
White’s new book, Held in Contempt: What's Wrong with the House of Commons, is published by Manchester University Press and available in bookshops now.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As MPs debate the fallout from partygate, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political reporter, to discuss why Boris Johnson may still be safe as PM and the opinions of Conservatives about their leader. Then in a special section on Northern Ireland, Ailbhe Rea reports from Belfast on what is becoming a very tense Stormont election.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better. In this episode, Armando and Anoosh Chakelian examine whether people or politicians make change happen – and ask whether activists are letting the government off the hook.
They are joined by special guests Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a grassroots campaigner raising awareness of the health problems caused by air pollution, and Gary Stevenson, an economist and former interest rate trader who now campaigns about wealth inequality.
They discuss single-issue campaigns and how to get your message out there, why no one in Westminster is working class and whether change happens despite politicians, not because of them.
A devolution special of the New Statesman Podcast looks ahead to the local elections in Scotland and Wales.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Scotland Editor Chris Deerin to discuss Scotland, including Nicola Sturgeon's face mask slip-up, why the real race is for second, and whether Labour can win back Glasgow.
Anoosh then talks about the state of play in Wales with political reporter Freddie Hayward – and whether we’ll see the first signs of Labour winning back the so-called Red Wall.
Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Carrie Johnson have all received fixed-penalty notices for attending parties in Downing Street during lockdown, but could the Prime Minister now be safer than he was at the height of partygate?
Harry Lambert, Senior Correspondent, joins Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea to discuss the fines, the downfall of Rishi Sunak and why we won’t know the real mood among MPs until they return to Westminster.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether the plan to send migrants to Rwanda is just a distraction?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.
In this episode, Armando and Ailbhe Rea examine the place we make laws: parliament. Is it an old boys’ club, designed to exclude normal people from being able to make sense of it?
They are joined by special guests Anum Qaisar, the SNP’s newest Westminster MP, who won the Airdrie and Shotts by-election in 2021, and Emma Crewe, a professor of anthropology at SOAS who has studied the workings of the House of Commons and House of Lords.
They talk about how parliament can be hard to navigate, what’s prevented it from evolving into a modern, 21st-century legislature and why it’s still a tough place for MPs from non-traditional backgrounds.
As Rishi Sunak comes under investigation by the government’s standards watchdog, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the fallout from the revelations about the Chancellor and the tax affairs of his wife, Akshata Murty, and why it shows he is still naïve as a politician.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about how Labour should respond to the story.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by the senior data journalist Ben Walker to mark the launch of State of the Nation, the New Statesman’s new data site for understanding Britain in numbers, maps, words and charts.
Ben responds to listeners’ questions on what’s going on in the polls. Do they show an increase for Labour and Keir Starmer’s leadership? How much do Conservative MPs care about Boris Johnson’s popularity? And how has the cost-of-living crisis affected Rishi Sunak and the government’s credibility.
Then in You Ask Us, the New Statesman’s political reporter Freddie Hayward joins the show to answer a listener’s question on what government plans to privatise Channel 4 would mean for its news and politics output.
If you have a You Ask Us question for the politics team, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
As the EU and UK debate further sanctions on Russia after evidence of massacres by Russian forces in Bucha, north of Kyiv, Ailbhe Rea speaks to the exiled opposition campaigner Vladimir Ashurkov.
They discuss how London got its reputation for hosting the world’s dirty money, why it took so long for the UK to take the threat posed by Vladimir Putin seriously and how Russia uses corruption to undermine world order.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.
As the fall out from Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement continues to bring bad news for the chancellor, New Statesman Political Editor Andrew Marr joins Ailbhe Rea to discuss why it landed quite so badly, and whether it’s ended the chancellor’s hopes of becoming prime minister, plus as partygate returns to the news, they look at whether its now too late to get rid of boris johnson
And in You Ask Us, they answer a listeners question on whether an MP coming out as Trans will change the way trans rights is being discussed in the UK.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
New Statesman Politics Live is our new, flagship live event, bringing together policymakers from across the political spectrum with panels, debates and a special live recording of the New Statesman podcast. Join us on Tuesday 28th June 2022 in London. Standard rate tickets are £99, or £69.99 for New Statesman subscribers. Book your ticket here: Politics Live
This special episode of the New Statesman Podcast marks “A Dream of Britain”, the New Statesman’s latest issue. It is guest edited by Michael Sheen and explores class, culture and identity in Britain today.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the writer and academic Gary Younge, the Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, and the New Statesman editor-in-chief Jason Cowley to discuss why it is so difficult to understand what is meant by “Britishness” today.
They discuss British identity in the absence of a formal dream or foundation story, the reawakening of English and Scottish nationalism, and whether the very concept of a national identity is valuable or meaningful today.
Further reading:
Gary Younge on what it means to be British?
Jeremy Deller on his New Statesman cover: “it was important to be positive.”
Jason's book, Who are we now? Stories of Modern England.
Michael Sheen explores how we are a nation in search of a story.
As a sense of British nationhood fades, Jason asks what is England?
Tony Blair and Michael Sheen in conversation: “I tried to give Britain a different narrative.”
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement as the Office for Budget Responsibility warns the UK is about to face the biggest rise in the cost of living since records began.
They discuss why Sunak still wants to be seen as a low-tax Chancellor, whether any of his measures will make a difference and why he seems so averse to using Universal Credit to help the people worst hit by price rises.
Then in You Ask Us they tackle Labour’s response and whether the party is nervous about focusing too much on the cost-of-living crisis.
If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Ahead of his guest-edited issue of theNew Statesman, the actor and campaigner Michael Sheen speaks to Anoosh Chakelian for a special episode of the New Statesman podcast.Titled "A Dream of Britain", the magazine explores what British identity means in 2022.
They discuss why he wanted to tackle the idea of our national story,how widening inequality and the British obsession with class limits diversity in the arts, why he thinks Tony Blair and Jeremy Corbyn have more in common than either might like, and what it means to be a "not-for-profit" actor.
The special edition of the New Statesman will be on newsstands on Thursday 24 March and podcast listeners can subscribe now for just £12 for 12 weeks at newstatesman.com/podcastoffer
P&O Ferries caused outrage last week (17 March) when it sacked 800 crew members to replace them with “cheap agency workers from eastern Europe” overnight.
Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, Karl Turner, who has been on King George Dock advocating for local workers who lost their jobs. They discuss the stand-off between the company and workers who refused to leave their ships, working conditions for foreign agency staff who can be paid as little as £1.82 an hour, and why this could lead to another “disaster” at sea.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been reunited with her family in Britain, having been imprisoned for years in Iran on charges of seeking to overthrow the country’s government, which she has always denied. Her release along with another dual citizen, Anoosheh Ashoori, came after the payment of a long withheld £450m debt owed by the British government to Iran. Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Richard Ratcliffe’s tireless campaign to free his wife, how a deal was finally achieved and why it took so long.
Then in You Ask Us a listener asks whether the post-austerity rise in UK borrowing to the highest level since the Second World War is down to the pandemic alone, or other factors.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As the government scrabbles its policy together for Ukrainian refugees, the Labour peer and refugee campaigner Alf Dubs tells Anoosh Chakelian that the response has been a "disgrace".
He discusses how the government finds itself on the wrong side of public opinion, why Priti Patel is the worst Home Secretary he's worked with, and why he'd like to see a "more robust" approach to welcoming refugees from the Labour leadership.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, and leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska are among the seven wealthy and influential Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the UK over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s associate editor of business, Emma Haslett, to discuss the UK’s history of welcoming and protecting Russian wealth, why repeated attempts to reform the system have fallen short, and whether the Economic Crime Bill is the answer.
Then, in You Ask Us, a listener questions why the UK’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis has been so inadequate.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.
As parliament rushes through the Economic Crime Bill in an attempt to toughen sanctions on Russian oligarchs, investor and anti-corruption campaigner Bill Browder talks to Anoosh Chakelian about the impact of sanctions on Russia.
He opens up about whether the UK has gone far enough, the psychology of Russian oligarchs, and why we should boycott McDonald’s.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters a second week, the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea to talk about the latest polls.
They discuss exclusive polling for the New Statesman published today on Boris Johnson’s approval rating since the war began, as well as public attitudes to the UK government’s stance on Ukrainian refugees and economic sanctions against Russia.
Then in You Ask Us, Ben answers a listener’s question on whether we can really know what the Russian people think of the war.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.
As the UK considers further sanctions on oligarchs linked to Vladimir Putin, Ailbhe Rea speaks to the journalist and author Oliver Bullough about how London became the home for so much Russian money.
They talk about the ways in which the huge volumes of money corrupt all parts of public life, the spotlight that the invasion of Ukraine has shone on the problem and whether a meaningful attempt will now be made to tackle it.
Oliver’s book, Butler to the World: How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals, is published in March by Profile.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
As Russia invades Ukraine, Boris Johnson has come under fire from allies and critics alike for his feeble attempt to clamp down on Russian wealth in the UK. In an address to the nation this morning (24 February), the Prime Minister vowed that Britain “cannot and will not just look away” ahead of the announcement of further sanctions against Russia later today.
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by Alix Kroeger, the international managing editor at the New Statesman, to discuss what is at stake in Ukraine and the challenge facing the UK government.
In You Ask Us, Ailbhe and Anoosh discuss whether the pandemic is over as England scraps all Covid restrictions.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.
The New Statesman’s Britain editor Anoosh Chakelian interviews the satirist and broadcaster Andy Zaltzman, the host of Radio 4’s The News Quiz and the podcast The Bugle.
Ahead of his Satirist for Hire tour, they talk about the history of political comedy, whether there are some topics too serious to joke about, and if you can really have political balance in comedy.
Plus, they discover what Zaltzman and Boris Johnson have in common.
You can find out more details about Zaltzman’s live shows and buy tickets at andyzaltzman.co.uk.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for just £1 per week.
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea host a special episode to say goodbye to Stephen Bush.
Kir royales are sunk and Stephen takes an audio trip down memory lane, featuring a rendition of “American Pie”, this time about Scottish Labour, as well as his teenage Harry Potter fanfiction and his honest opinion on “Devil with the Devil”.
Then in You Ask Us, former hosts make a special appearance to ask Stephen some questions.
As Theresa May’s final chief of staff, Gavin Barwell knows what it’s like to see a party oust its leader first-hand. He speaks to political correspondent Ailbhe Rea about what it takes to get rid of a leader, where Boris Jonson is going wrong, and whether the Conservatives still feels like his party.
Then in a special We ask Stephen, Ailbhe asks the New Statesman's political editor Stephen Bush why Sadiq Khan finally ran out of patience with Cressida Dick.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
As parliament enters recess, against all the odds Boris Johnson has clung onto his premiership.
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the PM's various survival strategies, the ongoing police investigation into parties held in Downing Street and the political calculations of leadership contenders.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what is Jacob Rees-Mogg's plan given his recent loyalty to Johnson.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the latest events in the crisis surrounding Boris Johnson, including the appointment of the MP Steve Barclay and the former GB News presenter Guto Harri to key Downing Street jobs.
They explain why the resignation of Munira Mirza from the No 10 Policy Unit was so important and whether the appointments are simply rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.
Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about why Boris Johnson commissioned the Sue Gray report in the first place.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The New Statesman’s incoming political editor Andrew Marr makes his New Statesman podcast debut to discuss his cover story on Boris Johnson’s moment of peril with Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor.
They talk about what’s gone wrong for Johnson, whether the current crisis is terminal and who could be the next Prime Minister.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
With a trickle of letters to the 1922 Committee chairman and Labour pivoting to take the Conservative Party to task for low economic growth and an incoming tax rise, could Boris Johnson soon face a vote of no confidence after all?
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the Prime Minister’s fate and the catastrophic impact of the forthcoming energy price cap rise.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what will happen if the Northern Irish First Minister Paul Givan resigns.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
A special episode of the New Statesman podcast recorded immediately after Boris Johnson’s announcement on the published Sue Gray report.
A heavily censored version of Sue Gray’s report has finally been published, as 12 of the 16 alleged gatherings at Downing Street are currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss the hostility of MPs on all sides to Johnson’s statement in the House of Commons, and what the report’s findings mean for the Prime Minister’s hopes of survival.
Ailbhe interviews the Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, who dramatically defected from the Tories to Labour at the height of partygate. They talk about why he did it, what the reaction has been from friends as well as new colleagues, and how the whips threaten new MPs.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As Westminster waits for Sue Gray’s report on Downing Street’s lockdown-breaking parties, the Metropolitan police has announced that it will begin an investigation into the alleged incidents.
Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Boris Johnson’s confident performance at Prime Minister’s Questions and why the investigation matters.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether Keir Starmer can create a guiding political project and rise in the polls without a once-in-a-generation event to define himself against, as was the case with the 2008 financial crash and austerity under David Cameron.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The New Statesman’s Scotland editor Chris Deerin joins Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush to discuss the growing rift between the Scottish Conservatives and the national party in Westminster.
They talk about how the Scottish Tories have become alienated from the party, whether it could harm them in the local elections in May, and whether they could eventually form a breakaway party.
Then in You Ask Us, the team answers a listener's question on the Welsh government’s review into radical federalism.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
The senior Conservative MP William Wragg has accused government ministers of intimidating and attempting to blackmail colleagues who they suspect oppose the Prime Minister, adding that the incidents should be reported to the police.
While Christian Wakeford’s defection appears to have united Conservative MPs to help Boris Johnson survive another week, the PM is not in the clear yet.
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the extraordinary allegations and the cost of saving your own skin.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if a change in Conservative leadership would be a disaster for Labour.
A special episode of the NS podcast recorded immediately after a dramatic Prime Minister’s Questions.
Boris Johnson is facing an escalating leadership crisis over allegations that a string of parties were held across Whitehall during lockdown. Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, defected to Labour just minutes before PMQs, while in an equally dramatic moment David Davis urged him to “in the name of God, go”. These damaging moves come as members of the 2019 intake of Conservative MPs plot to oust the Prime Minister.
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss what has been dubbed the “pork pie plot” as it unfolds, and what the defection signals for the Labour Party.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush to talk about the latest polls in the aftermath of the No 10 party revelations.
They discuss whether this could do long-term damage to the Conservative Party, how soft the labour lead is and why Ben was wrong on North Shropshire.
Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question on how well Keir Starmer is doing compared to other opposition leaders
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Boris Johnson has been caught red-handed and forced to admit that he attended a party in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, however he claimed that he believed it was a “work event”. Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea, discuss his chances of survival and the awkward questions this culture of insouciance raises for his potential successors.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if Labour is right to speak positively about Tony Blair and the New Labour government given Blair’s unpopularity.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms.
This final episode examines Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. The first woman to be prime minister and one of the Conservative Party’s most successful election winners, she was a divisive figure in British politics, and her legacy remains so. Thatcher won three general elections before being deposed by her MPs and replaced by her chancellor John Major, but she leaves a long shadow over the party today.
Stephen and Jonn speak to the historian Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, and Thatcher’s former aide, the MP John Whittingdale.
Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.
Boris Johnson’s approval rating plummeted at the end of 2021 following a string of Christmas parties at No 10, sleaze scandals and senior resignations – and his troubles continue into 2022.
Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss whether the Prime Minister can survive as energy bills soar, taxes rise in April and pressure mounts on an overwhelmed and underfunded NHS.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what’s behind the Greens’ surge, after they managed to gain more council seats in by-elections this year than any other party, and how successful will they be in the next general election?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms.
This episode examines John Major’s premiership. Major inherited a majority government in 1990 after Margaret Thatcher was driven out of office. Against the odds, he won the 1992 election. But, in the wake of economic upheaval following Black Wednesday and a Conservative civil war, as well as the challenge from a resurgent Labour Party, the party suffered a huge defeat.
Stephen and Jonn speak to the satirist and former Spitting Image writer John O’Farrell and Jonathan Hill, a former adviser to John Major.
Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.
Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms.
This episode focuses on Tony Blair. As one of the architects of New Labour, he returned the party to power after 18 years. Blair went on to win three elections, but will be remembered for his decision to lead Britain to war in Iraq and his battle with his chancellor and successor Gordon Brown.
Stephen and Jonn speak to the academic Kitty Stewart, Blair’s former policy adviser and cabinet minister Andrew Adonis, and the third man of New Labour Peter Mandelson.
Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.
Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms.
This episode focuses on Gordon Brown. When the former chancellor of the exchequer took office, he emphasised his breach with his predecessor Tony Blair. Despite a promising start, his popularity ratings crumbled when the country was plunged into financial crisis. Brown left office three years into the job.
Stephen and Jonn speak to the political economist Ann Pettifor and Stewart Wood, a former adviser to Gordon Brown.
Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.
Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms.
This episode focuses on David Cameron. A special adviser during the Major government, he eventually succeeded his old boss, Michael Howard, as party leader and took the Conservatives back into government, albeit in a coalition. After winning a majority in 2015, he lost the Brexit referendum that followed and with it his premiership.
Stephen and Jonn speak to the political economist Helen Thompson and Cameron’s former communications adviser Craig Oliver.
Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.
Welcome to Prime Ministerial. Each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms.
Episode one focuses on Theresa May. May took office in the aftermath of the vote to leave the EU, she promised to unite the country – but her premiership ended in humiliation after just three years in the wake of losing her majority and failing to get a withdrawal agreement through parliament.
Stephen and Jonn speak to journalist Katy Balls, and Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s former chief of staff.
Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thinks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.
The Conservative Party has lost North Shropshire for the first time in nearly 200 years, to the Liberal Democrats. The shocking defeat follows months of sleaze and Christmas party scandals, and with new Plan B Covid restrictions, confidence in Boris Johnson’s leadership has collapsed.
Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the mood on the ground in North Shropshire and the story behind this anti-Conservative vote.
In You Ask Us, a listener wonders what the by-election result means for Boris Johnson’s political future.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
New Statesman data journalist Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush in our monthly polling update. They discuss the impact of the No 10 Christmas party revelations, the public’s appetite for Covid restrictions, how inflation could influence the way people vote, and what might happen in the North Shropshire by-election on 16 December.
Then in You Ask Ben: Ben answers listeners' questions on the reliability of snap polling and the desire for Scottish independence.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Allegra Stratton has resigned as a government adviser after a video that showed her laughing about a Downing Street Christmas party, reportedly held during the peak of lockdown in December last year, was leaked to the media. The government continues to deny that the party took place.
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss whether the scandal spells the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson and the extraordinary timing of new Covid restrictions.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks why the Labour Party is unwilling to engage with drug policy reform.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush interview the former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper MP.
They discuss his journey from chief whip under David Cameron to becoming a high-profile Tory rebel under Boris Johnson, his 2019 leadership campaign and why Keir Starmer’s new top team reminds him of Ed Miliband.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Keir Starmer carried out a surprise shake-up of the top ranks of the Labour Party this week. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss who’s up and who’s down, and what the reshuffle signals for the party.
Then, in You Ask Us a listener questions why Boris Johnson continues to be regarded as an electoral asset by Conservative MPs given Rishi Sunak’s popularity.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian interview Thangam Debbonaire, the Labour MP and shadow leader of the House of Commons.
They talk about the missteps of Jacob Rees-Mogg, whether MPs should have second jobs, and Labour's prospects of winning a general election.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In what was an avoidable tragedy, at least 31 people have died trying to reach the UK after their boat capsized in the English Channel. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the political context that allowed this to happen, and its implications for the government.
Then, in You Ask Us, a listener wonders whether the Northern Ireland shadow secretary Louise Haigh made a gaffe by saying Labour would remain neutral in a poll on Irish unification.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In the first of our monthly devolution specials, Stephen Bush is joined by the New Statesman's Scotland editor Chris Deerin to examine the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
They discuss the interview in Holyrood magazine with Jack McConnell, the last Labour member to serve as first minister of Scotland, and answer a listener’s question on why Plaid Cymru hasn't been to replicate in Wales the SNP's success in Scotland.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The UN climate summit ended with the president of Cop26, Alok Sharma, in tears, after the conference united behind a “watered down” agreement in which coal power will be “phased down” rather than “phased out”. Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss what really happened in those final days in Glasgow and where the world goes from here to tackle climate change. They highlight the political challenges for the government and who will bear the brunt of the UK's ambitious net zero pledge.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks why they are required to fill out time sheets to access their carers allowance, when MPs don’t have to do the same for their second jobs.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The Standards Committee chair Chris Bryant joins Anoosh Chakelian, Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea to discuss the ongoing fallout from the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal.
They talk about whether the UK is a corrupt country, how the scandal could affect the reputation of all MPs and why this moment feels similar to the run-up to the 1997 general election.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Geoffrey Cox is the latest MP to come under fire over his extra earnings for legal work outside of his parliamentary duties.
It follows the resignation of MP Owen Paterson after he was found to have breached lobbying rules, as well as criticism over the way the government awarded Covid-related contracts.
Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the ethics of MPs’ side-gigs and why the row is such a headache for Boris Johnson.
Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether it would be workable or desirable to tie MP salaries to the median national income.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Ailbhe Rea is joined by New Statesman data journalist Ben Walker for the first of a monthly look at what’s going on in the opinion polls.
They discuss the current state of the parties, what polls can and can’t tell you and why the don’t knows really matter.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a number of listener’s questions including how polling methodologies differ and what it would take to get a hung parliament
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The government has performed a spectacular U-turn over the controversial blocking of Conservative MP Owen Paterson’s suspension for breaching lobbying rules.
Ailbhe Rea is joined by New Statesman’s deputy online editor Rachel Cunliffe and Tim Durrant from the Institute for Government to discuss the scandal as it unfolds. What is the damage for the government and parliament more generally?
This was recorded before Owen Paterson announced his resignation as MP.
Then in You Ask Us, to what end does Boris Johnson appropriate (or misappropriate) the classics?
If you have a question for “You Ask Us” please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In the final part of our special series on the politics of climate change, Anoosh Chakelian and Environment and Sustainability Editor Philippa Nuttall speak to former Norwegian energy minister Tony C. Tiller.
They discuss Norway’s success in rolling out heat pumps – with around 60% of homes fitted with them Norway has the most successful roll out in Europe so what can the UK learn from this success as heat pumps form a major part of the UK’s Heat and Buildings strategy. They also talk about why Norwegians are worried about whether they might important the UKs high cost of energy
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian are joined by special guest former Chief Secretary to the Treasury and New Statesman contributing writer David Gauke to discuss how the Chancellor’s budget went down the morning after.
They talk about why the response was muted on Conservative benches, where the chancellor focussed his spending pledges and why, and whether Labour’s response hit the mark.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on why Conservative MPs voted to allow the release of raw sewage into rivers and seas
If you have a question for You Ask Us? Email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In this special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, in association with Smart Energy GB, Ailbhe Rea and guest co-host Philippa Nuttall discuss how the ways we use energy in the future will change, and what we can do to make that change benefits everyone including the most vulnerable.
They are joined by Liberal Democrat Energy and Climate Emergency Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse and Iagan Macneil, from Smart Energy GB, to talk about what changes could make a difference, and what action needs to be taken now to make that change happen
Smart Energy GB is the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign helping everyone in the UK understand the importance of smart meters and their benefits to people and the environment. Their national campaign is reaching homes and small businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.
A week after the death of the Southend West MP David Amess, Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss how MPs have reflected on the incident, what might make a difference to the security of MPs and why some MPs have been talking about online abuse.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on the New Labour era and whether there are any lessons modern day Labour could learn from it.
If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In this special episode of the New Statesman podcast, in association with Smart Energy GB, Anoosh Chakelian and guest co-host Philippa Nuttall discuss how we can improve our homes and workplaces to reduce our dependence on energy
They are joined by Adrian Joyce, from EuroACE – the Architects Council for Europe and the Renovate Europe campaign and Iagan MacNeil, from Smart Energy GB, to talk about the challenges of upgrading old stock, how to deal with the private rental sector, and how to find the right incentives and funding to make change happen.
Smart Energy GB is the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign helping everyone in Britain understand the importance of smart meters and their benefits to people and the environment. Their national campaign is reaching homes and small businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.
Multiple crises are putting unprecedented pressure on the economy and state institutions, and look set to last for months. As winter approaches, could this spell disaster for the government?
In this episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s executive editor of politics Tim Ross to discuss the latest negotiations over the Northern Ireland protocol and whether, despite Boris Johnson’s assurances, Britain is on the brink.
Then in You Ask Us, Stephen Bush joins the podcast to answer a listener’s question: How legitimate are Corbynite grievances with Keir Starmer?
If you’d like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
In this special episode of the New Statesman podcast, in association with Smart Energy GB, Stephen Bush and guest co-host Philippa Nuttall discuss how to convince people to change their behaviour to reduce emissions.
They are joined by Ruth Mourik, the founder of Research for Benefit organisation Duneworks and Rob Cheesewright, from Smart Energy GB to talk about the challenges of getting people on board, which countries are doing it well and why we need to stop talking about carbon.
Smart Energy GB is the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign helping everyone in Britain understand the importance of smart meters and their benefits to people and the environment. Their national campaign is reaching homes and small businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rae and Stephen Bush reflect on Boris Johnson’s conference speech. They discuss whether Tory members love Johnson - but not Johnsonism, the spontaneous applause for the argument capitalism was responsible for the success of the vaccine programme and Johnson’s many omissions.
In part two, we have special correspondent at the New Statesman, Sophie McBain, on the show to discuss her long read on rape culture and the crisis in British schools.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
In the first of a special series of episodes in the run up to the global climate conference COP 26, Anoosh Chakelian interviews our guest co-host Philippa Nuttall, The New Statesman’s environment and Sustainability Editor, about how the Government is facing up to climate change and what to expect from Glasgow’s environmental summit.
They talk about how much lives need to change, who the onus for change needs to be on and how the UK compares to other countries in their approach to cutting emissions and tackling the climate crisis
Throughout the series Philippa and the NS Podcast team will speak to experts and leaders on the environmental issues facing the UK and the world.
Episodes will be published every week, with the normal New Statesman Podcast published on Fridays as usual.
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush give their verdict on Labour leader Keir Starmer’s big conference speech. They discussed the heckling, how it went down in the hall and whether we learned anything about Labour’s big idea for government.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether the Conservative party really is less divided than the other major parties.
Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian host a live recording of the New Statesman podcast at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. They talk Labour’s rule changes, Andy McDonald’s resignation and whether the party’s message could cut through against a backdrop of rising prices and queues at petrol stations.
Then in You Ask Us they take live questions from the audience on Rachel Reeves’s Office for Value For Money, what can Labour learn from Germany's SPD, and was the media right to focus on resignations over policy speeches.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the series of crisis facing the Boris Johnson including gas prices, CO2 shortages and the end of the Universal Credit uplift. Could this could have a lasting impact on the Government?
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on why we don’t talk about the Conservative party in terms of left vs right.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush talk to FT feature writer and author Henry Mance about his new book: How to Love Animals: In a Human-Shaped World
They discuss what it was like to work in an abattoir, the evacuation of pets from Afghanistan and what it will take to get real political change when it comes to meat.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Boris Johnson's cabinet reshuffle in which Dominic Raab was demoted to Justice Secretary and Liz Truss became Foreign Secretary.
Then, in You Ask Us, they answer listener questions about Stephen's extended interview with Keir Starmer.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Listen to more podcasts from the New Statesman at www.newstatesman.com/podcasts
Stephen Bush interviews writer and journalist Jonn Elledge about his new book, The Compendium of (Not Quite) Everything. They discuss the joy of facts, what Stephen keeps on his toilet bookshelf and the best sci-fi and dystopias.
Jonn’s book if available from all good book stores from 16 September
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Boris Johnson’s National Insurance rise to fund the NHS and Social Care and why there was no significant rebellion from Conservative MPs.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on why Labour aren’t calling for a wealth tax.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea speak to New Statesman special correspondent Harry Lambert about his cover story on the decline of the Labour party. They talk about the key moments over the last 20 years and whether there’s any sign of any optimism for the party’s future.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about whether manifesto promises matter any more.
If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea discuss their interview with Anneliese Dodds, what she said and didn’t say about her treatment by the party leadership and the strategy for the labour party.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether Labour needs to drop the trade union link.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@ade-bradley.co.uk
Stephen Bush interviews Tom Black and Owen Kingston, the writer and director of the interactive political play Crisis What Crisis, which gives the audience the chance to see if they could have survived the winter of discontent better than the Callaghan government.
They discuss the perils of making interactive theatre for a knowledgable audience, why Monopoly is an awful board game and what you should be playing instead.
For more information on Crisis What Crisis, and details of future performances, vist the Parabolic Theatre company.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Ailbhe Rea speaks to journalist and author Marie Le Conte about the life of a diary columnist, the gossip that keeps westminster running - and how to write a book in a global pandemic.
Marie's new book Honourable Misfits is out now
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush interviews economist, journalist, and author Duncan Weldon on his new book Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through. They talk about the lessons learned, and not learned from British political and economic history, whether the response to the pandemic will be a turning point in UK politics, and why writing a book is a bit like having a child.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, please email Podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the Afghanistan crisis and the governments refugee scheme, and why MPs from all sides of the house were giving the government a hard time.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer listeners' quesitons on whether the situation could really have been handled differently, and how party supporters split on what should have happened.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman Podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.
In episode four, Iannucci and Ailbhe Rea examine consensus: Why do we find it so hard to disagree with each other without hating each other?
Iannucci and Rea are joined by special guests Paul Mason, the campaigning journalist, and Anna Soubry, a former Conservative MP who co-founded the centrist breakaway party Change-UK. They talk about whether there could ever be a pact between the centre and the left, and if it really is much harder to get along in politics these days.
Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the pandemic affected A Level and GCSE results and why Labour have chosen now to call for Gavin Williamson's sacking.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listeners question on whether climate change will ever become a major issue at general elections.
If you have a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman Podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside the Westminster machine to discuss how politics could be better.
In episode three, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian examine political campaigning and centrism vs localism: whether better government comes from a powerful centre or from a strong local connection.
Iannucci and Chakelian are joined by special guests Chris Addison, Actor and Director who played special advisor Ollie Reeder in The Thick of It, and Claire Wright – the independent candidate who fought the East Devon constituency in three general elections – coming second each time. They discuss the conveyor belt from special advisor to politician and what you need to be a good MP
Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss David Liddington's three ways Brexit could have been stopped and why none of them were realistic.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on whether not engaging with Scottish Independence will make it go away?
If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcast@newstatesman.co.uk
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman Podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Armando explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside the Westminster machine to discuss how politics could be better.
In Episode two, Armando and Stephen Bush examine activism and whether it’s better to be inside or outside the Westminster bubble to make change happen.
Armando and Stephen are joined by special guests Dame Louise Casey, the former government Homelessness tsar who is now a life peer and Paul Stephens, Metropolitan Police officer turned Extinction Rebellion activist. They discuss how you make change happen, whether there’s room for compromise and what would drive Louise Casey to march on the streets.
These special episodes will be published weekly in the New Statesman Podcast feed. Watch video from the recording on the New Statesman’s YouTube channel.
Ailbhe Rea, Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Boris Johnson's latest plan to reduce crime and whether the proposals will actually have any impact.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on why some in Westminster think there'll be a 2023 election
You can send a question for You Ask Us to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Armando explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside the Westminster machine to discuss how politics could be better.
In episode one, Armando and Anoosh Chakelian examine the issue of accountability in politics. Why are resignations so rare and can anything be done to hold a shameless Government to account?
They are joined by special guests Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, and Jill Rutter, a former senior civil servant to discuss why Matt Hancock had to go, memorable resignations from history and how the current government have managed to cling on to jobs in the face of pressure.
They also look at what needs to change to bring back accountability to British politics.
These special episodes will be published weekly in the New Statesman Podcast feed. Watch video from the recording on the New Statesman’s YouTube channel from Monday.
Anoosh Chakelion, Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea discuss the government's announcment on the Northern Ireland protocol and whether it really will be able to renegotiate, and if it even knows what it wants?
Then in You Ask Us, they answer your question on what's going on with the Green Party, after the resignation of both the party's leaders
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss No. 10's tough weekend and why 'Freedom Day' is still causing lots of problems for the government.
Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on whether reimposing covid restrictions later could bring down Boris Johnson.
Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelion discuss the government's plans for a prosecution amnesty over the northern ireland troubles and why no party in Northern Ireland is particularly happy. They also look at Keir Starmer's new improved operation
Then in You Ask Us, they answer a question on whether in the wake of the Euro 2020, the Conservative party will stick with culture wars?
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss England’s performance in Euro 2020 and what it says about how the country feels about itself.
Then in You Ask Us, they answer your question whether the Liberal Democrats are a policy desert.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss whether Labour will be able to avoid the usual difficult summer for Opposition parties, and how the loosening of covid restrictions goes will have an impact.
Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on why the parties are so bad at picking by-election candidates
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Anoosh and Stephen discuss the future of the Labour party and how Andy Burnham might fit in to that.
Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on who has a better grasp of Englishness: Keir Starmer, Boris Johnson or Gareth Southgate
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss the upcoming Batley and Spen By- Election and why many in Labour think it's not going well for the party.
Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on who's doing a better job: Keir Starmer or Boris Johnson
To submit a question to You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss the fallout from the Matt Hancock affair and the appointment of Sajid Javid as the new Health Secretary.
Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on the troubled future of Keir Starmer's Labour party leadership.
To submit a question to You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Anoosh has been reporting in Batley and Spen ahead of the by-election on 1st July. Here she talks to Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea about the mood on the ground, and why George Galloway is posing a problem for Labour.
Then, in You Ask Us, Ailbhe, Stephen and Anoosh take your question on Keir Starmer's reshuffle of his top team: was it a sign of weakness, or strength?
To submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Following the Liberal Democrat victory in the "Blue Wall" seat of Chesham and Amersham, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe dissect the Conservative post-vote blame-game and discuss what the upset means for the party.
In You Ask Us, they also look ahead to the Batley and Spen by-election and answer your - many - questions about Keir Starmer's future as opposition leader should Labour lose the seat.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss the Chesham and Amersham by-election, whether the Conservatives are about to suffer defeat in the 'blue wall', and what impact the vote will have on the electoral strategy of the UK political parties.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions about Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick: after a report into the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan depicted the Met as the cause of petty and bureaucratic obstructions to the inquiry, why is Ms. Dick still in post?
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
On the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell fire tragedy, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea explore the ongoing scandal of flammable cladding which continues to trap over a million people in dangerous tower blocks. Will it take another tragedy for the government to take notice?
In You Ask Us, they take your question on the Northern Ireland protocol. What is Boris Johnson's end game?
To submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As Boris Johnson and Joe Biden meet for their first bilateral summit ahead of the G7, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the impact the US President could have on the UK's attitude to the Northern Ireland protocol.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question on the government's culture war strategy.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Ahead of the Speaker's decision on holding a vote over the planned cuts to the UK foreign aid budget, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the coalition of Conservative rebels who could make life difficult for the Treasury.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on the Prime Minister's religion: does it matter that Boris Johnson is a Catholic?
If you'd like to submit a question to You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the acquittal of two former police officers charged with perverting the course of justice by allegedly altering police statements to an inquiry after the Hillsborough disaster.
Now a judge has ruled there was 'no case to answer' since the inquiry was 'an administrative exercise' and the accused were not under oath at the time, Stephen and Anoosh ask: what is the point of public inquiries?
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on Keir Starmer's emotional appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As Westminster reels from Dominic Cummings' excoriating critique of the government's pandemic response, unleashed with full force during Wednesday's marathon select committee hearing, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe dissect the former senior advisor's claims.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether the civil service - so maligned by Cummings - is adequately represented in journalism.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As Westminster braces for Dominic Cummings' appearance at the Health and Science select committee over the Government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss whether his claims - previewed in a rambling, 50-tweet thread - are worrisome... or, indeed, surprising.
Then in You Ask Us, they take your questions on why Liz Truss remains popular with the Conservative grass roots.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Keir Starmer's approval ratings dipped this week into dangerous territory - falling below both David Cameron's and Ed Miliband's after the same time in office.
On this episode, Stephen and Anoosh discuss why the Labour leader should be concerned about this, and what the party should do about it.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether a progressive alliance would be a good idea in upcoming by-elections.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As lockdown restrictions ease in England, Wales and much of Scotland, the country is grappling with a new variant of Covid-19.
On this episode, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the messaging around unlocking and how the spread of the Indian variant exposes the government's shortcomings.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on what the new dividing lines in British politics will be.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Read more:
Stephen Bush: the spread of the Indian variant has exposed the Government's shortcomings
Reunited in the studio for the first time in over a year, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss Tony Blair's dramatic Labour Party intervention in which he claims that 'without total change, Labour will die'.
In You Ask Us, the team take your questions on whether the Greens can become the third party in UK politics.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Further reading:
New Statesman editor Jason Cowley: does Tony Blair really believe he can lead the change Labour needs?
Stephen Bush: Who can supply the direction Keir Starmer lacks?
In the second of two episodes looking at the results of the May 6 elections, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe are joined by Chris Deerin to dissect the consequences of the results in Scotland.
In You Ask Us, they're joined by polling expert Ben Walker to discuss the wider picture of the local votes around the UK.
In the first part of this double episode, the team talk about the fallout of the elections for Labour, and what the reshuffle means for Starmer's leadership.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As the dust settles on Keir Starmer's mystifying reshuffle of the Labour party following the local elections, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss what it all means.
In an extended 'You Ask Us' they take on as many listener questions as possible from the deluge the New Statesman received in the wake of the election results.
This is part one of a two-part special. In part two, the team talk to Chris Deerin about the Scottish results, and Ben Walker about local elections across the UK.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
As the UK heads to the polls on 'Super Thursday', Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the things they are most interested to learn from this wide-ranging vote.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether Labour are setting out a positive view of their plans for the UK.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
Chris Deerin hosts the fourth and final special Scottish Election episode of the New Statesman podcast, featuring an interview with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and analysis from Ben Walker, Dani Garavelli and the Spectator's Alex Massie.
Read Chris Deerin's full interview with Nicola Sturgeon on NewStatesman.com
Watch the full conversation with Nicola Sturgeon
See the latest polling data in the New Statesman's Scottish independence poll tracker
Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe will return in Thursday's episode of the New Statesman podcast. To submit a question for 'You Ask Us' please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
--
Clips courtesy of the BBC
Watch the full BBC Leaders' debate
Watch interviews with smaller party leaders in The Campaign
--
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Contact the team at podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Chris Deerin is on Twitter at @ChrisDeerin
Ben Walker is on Twitter at @Bnhw
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe are joined by data journalist Ben Van De Merwe to discuss the New Statesman's exclusive research showing how many years of life the UK has lost to Covid-19.
Ailbhe is in Hartlepool where she's been following candidates on the campaign trail in a decidedly 'un-electiony' election.
And You Ask Us, who will replace Arlene Foster as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party?
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.
Chris Deerin's guest this week is Kate Forbes, SNP Cabinet Secretary for Finance and young star of the independence movement.
She responds to the Institute of Fiscal Studies report which claims the manifestos for the May 6th Scottish Parliamentary elections are united by a 'lack of credibility.
Also, New Statesman polling analyst Ben Walker joins the podcast to discuss the latest developments in the campaign.
See the latest polling data in the New Statesman's Scottish Election poll tracker: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/scotland/2021/04/scottish-independence-poll-tracker-will-scotland-vote-leave-uk
--
Watch the IFS presentation with the University of Glasgow here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2TvXc8LSjo&t=181s
See Anas Sarwar dance to Uptown Funk here: https://twitter.com/GordonMcKee_/status/1385935122038415360?s=20
Douglas Ross' rendition of Atomic Kitten's 'Whole Again' courtesy of @STVnews: https://twitter.com/STVNews/status/1386701339225378817
Clips from the #NextLeaderofScotland debate courtesy of Channel 4. Watch the full debate online here: https://www.channel4.com/news/nextleaderofscotland-debate-scotlands-5-main-party-leaders
--
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
--
We'd love to hear from you.
Contact the team at podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Chris Deerin is on Twitter at @ChrisDeerin
Ben Walker is on Twitter at @Bnhw
--
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea address the ongoing public war of words between Boris Johnson and former advisor Dominic Cummings.
They discuss allegations (which Number 10 have denied) that the Prime Minister said he'd rather let "bodies pile high in their thousands" than go into a third national lockdown - and why questions over who paid for Downing Street's refurbishment could prove more damaging than anything else.
Then, in You Ask Us, the team take your questions on why protests over the Super League weren't policed as agressively as the Sarah Everard vigil.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Can Labour make lasting political capital from Boris Johnson's texts with James Dyson?
Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea discuss the fallout of leaked texts from the Prime Minister's phone, and whether it is an effective opposition attack line.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether we're heading for poll on a united Ireland.
To submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
Chris Deerin, the New Statesman's Scotland editor, hosts a special edition of the New Statesman podcast.
In this episode Chris is joined by Ricky Ross and Darren McGarvey, both musicians and activists for the case of Scottish independence, to discuss the state of the independence movement and why so many artists seem to be in favour of a second referendum.
Also, regular New Statesman podcast host Ailbhe Rea joins Chris to discuss the Westminster view of the Scottish campaigns.
Read more Scottish election coverage on the New Statesman website: www.newstatesman.com
The announcement that 12 European football clubs intend to form a 'super league' occupied the top of the news agenda for most of the day on Monday.
Why does football - a game designed for entertainment, predominantly followed by men - occupy such a significant place in Britain's public discourse?
In this episode of the New Statesman podcast, Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea discuss the place of football in news, politics, and political reporting.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on why Britain seems unable to attract a high calibre of mayoral candidate compared to other countries.
If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The lobbying scandal rumbles on, engulfing senior civil servants as well as MPs - and Labour are determined to make the story about 'Tory sleaze'.
In this episode Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss whether public outrage over the story is at a tipping point, and what damage it might do to the Conservative establishment.
Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on the local authority mayoral elections.
To submit a question for 'You Ask Us', please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk
The Scottish parliamentary elections are likely to be pivotal for the future of the United Kingdom. So, New Statesman Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, is hosting four bonus episodes in the lead up to the vote on May 6th. Chris will be joined by some familiar voices from the New Statesman team, as well as guests from the world of Scottish politics.
In this episode Chris dissects the results of the STV Leaders Debate with the New Statesman's polling supremo Ben Walker, and is joined by Blair McDougal to discuss how the SNP's 14-year incumbency presents an opportunity for an 'insurgent' opposition to make gains.
Clips courtesy of STV. The STV Leaders Debate is available to stream on demand via STV player.
Stay up to date with the latest polling - visit the New Stateman's Scottish Election poll tracker here:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/scotland/2021/04/scottish-independence-poll-tracker-will-scotland-vote-leave-uk
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the Greensill lobbying scandal.
You Ask Us: after the reaction to the death of Prince Philip, is modern Britain ready for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II?
Plus, introducing our Scottish election special episodes hosted by the New Statesman's Scotland Editor, Chris Deerin.
On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea look at Keir Starmer's first year leading the Labour party and their assessment of his performance. Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question on whether the recent violence in Northern Ireland was inevitable.
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.
On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' report and whether they can find coherence in its findings and proposals. Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question on the latest polling ahead of the Hartlepool by-election.
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.
On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by a very special Guest Stephen: Armando Iannucci. They discuss his piece in the spring special of the New Statesman on the role of Prime Minister at 300, whether The Thick of It has poisoned British politics, and how he's been celebrating the return of the rule of six.
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.
On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Alex Salmond launching his new party, Alba, the implications for Scottish voters, and whether Salmond's return to the political arena is appropriate. Then, in You Ask Us, they look at a weekend of briefings about a potential reshuffle to Kier Starmer's top team.
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.
On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the concerns around the government's ambiguous hints at a vaccine passport system for the hospitality sector. Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on what difference the year's delay will have made to the upcoming local elections.
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.
On today's New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the latest developments with the controversial police, crime, sentencing and courts bill. Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on all the issues surrounding the selection of Dr Paul Williams (and his mysterious pins) as the Labour candidate for the Hartlepool by-election.
Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.
We'd love to hear from you.
Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.
You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.
More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review
If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.