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Instant political analysis from the Spectator's top team of writers, including Fraser Nelson, Isabel Hardman, Katy Balls, James Heale and many others.
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Humza Yousaf faces the biggest crisis of his leadership to date – with his fate in the hands of former SNP leadership rival Ash Regan. Will Humza step down before he is pushed? Or is there a narrow gap through which the First Minister can fight on?
Lucy Dunn speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
After two and a half years in government together, Humza Yousaf has terminated the SNP’s governing pact with the Scottish Greens. The decision was rubber stamped at a hastily arranged meeting of the Scottish cabinet on Thursday morning. It preempts a vote by rank-and-file Green members on whether to walk away from Yousaf’s government after he ditched a key climate target.
In response, The Scottish Conservatives have tabled a vote of no confidence vote. And the Yousaf might very well lose it, now the Greens are out of the government. What will this mean for the first minister?
Katy Balls speaks to Lucy Dunn, Iain Macwhirter and Fraser Nelson.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
With Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer away, Oliver Dowden and Angela Rayner stepped in for PMQs today. Questions quickly turned to the long running row about Rayner's tax affairs. Did she redeem herself?
Also, the prime minister has announced further UK military spending, confirming it will rise to 2.5% of national income by 2030. Does the move cause problems for Keir Starmer?
Katy Balls speaks to James Heale and Isabel Hardman.
Produced by Megan McElroy.
After eight hours of debate on the Rwanda Bill, peers finally threw in the towel shortly after midnight. And with that, the Rwanda Bill became law, pending Royal Assent from the King. The two chambers have been engaged in a mammoth game of ping-pong for the past week, culminating in yesterday’s showdown on two final amendments. What comes next?
Kate Andrews speaks to James Heale and Katy Balls.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
1This morning Rishi Sunak delivered a press conference making the case that the Rwanda Bill should become law today – and the government is ready for when it does. James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson about what could be an all-night parliamentary showdown on the Rwanda vote, and whether an early summer election is on the cards.
Produced by Natasha Feroze.
It's been quite the week for the SNP. Questions remain over the future of the Sandyford gender clinic, 'the tartan Tavistock'; the Scottish government ditched its flagship climate change target; and former party chief executive, and husband of Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell was rearrested on embezzlement charges.
What does this all mean for the SNP? Lucy Dunn speaks to Iain Macwhirter, columnist at The Times, and Shona Craven, columnist at The National.
Produced by Natasha Feroze and Patrick Gibbons
Rishi Sunak has returned to one of his pet bugbears: getting the unemployed back into work. His speech to the Centre for Social Justice this morning was peppered with his favourite facts about the post-pandemic welfare crisis embroiling Britain. Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Michael Simmons.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Sunak's top team is considering another ban: smartphones for teens. A consultation is due to begin this month that will question whether children need a smartphone, and if social media should require age verification. Could the debate bring the party together?
Also, there's another suspension in Westminster. Mark Menzies has been suspended after claims he made a late night call to ask for money to pay off 'bad people'. He strongly disputes the claims.
Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale.
Produced by Megan McElroy.
The day after her book was published, Rishi Sunak faced down questions from Keir Starmer and Labour members at PMQs about Liz Truss. While he had his replies at the ready, the questions underscored the main issue for Sunak: how should he deal with his predecessor?
Also on the podcast, there is more inflation news for the Government, and how will Starmer deal with internal party discipline?
James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
It’s not just Britain that has a growth problem. Today’s release of the IMF’s April 2024 World Economic Outlook report argues that the global economy is following the lacklustre trend. Within this bleak picture, how does the UK look compared to its counterparts?
Also on the podcast, MPs are set to vote this evening on the government's generational smoking ban. Is Rishi Sunak a 'finger wagging control freak' as Liz Truss claims? How many could rebel?
James Heale speaks Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.
It's 18 months since Liz Truss left Downing Street and her new memoir, Ten Years to Save the West, is out. She gave her first interview to Fraser Nelson on Spectator TV, covering why she wants to abolish the Supreme Court, Donald Trump, her husband's warning that her leadership bid would end in tears, and so much more.
You can listen to the full interview on Spectator TV – don't forget to subscribe:
https://youtu.be/fPwqsrI0L8Y?si=pguuktDZ5UB7zFCD
We also cover Iran's missile attack on Israel, and what might come next.
James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
Produced by Megan McElroy.
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.
After Iran’s first direct attack on Israel, conflict in the Middle East has reached a dangerous new phase. Health Secretary Victoria Atkins confirms British military planes are in action in the region. Yvette Cooper says the focus must be on de-escalation. Green co-leader Carla Denyer says the Israeli strike against an Iranian consulate in Damascus broke international law, but Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman claims that the consulate was actually being used by Iranian military. And Atkins defends her party’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will ban smoking for anyone born after 2009 if it goes through this week.
Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.
On this special Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots we discuss Patrick Maguire's scoop this week about former Labour leader Harold Wilson's secret affair with his deputy press secretary. Where does this rank in the history of parliamentary affairs? And – on a more serious note – are there any lessons that Keir Starmer can learn from Harold Wilson?
Katy Balls speaks to Patrick Maguire and James Heale.
The row over Angela Rayner's tax affairs has deepened today. This morning, Greater Manchester police have announced that – following a reassessment of the case – they will open a formal investigation into Angela Rayner. What does this mean for Keir Starmer? And why would it be so difficult for him to sack her?
James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
One of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's five promises is to cut NHS waiting lists. However, even he's admitted progress is slow, with new data showing key targets on waiting lists have been missed. Can Sunak ever solve the NHS problem?
Elsewhere, Lee Anderson has been telling us about the price of friendship, revealing he won't be campaigning in certain constituencies where his old Conservative pals are running...
Katy Balls speaks to Isabel Hardman and Kate Andrews.
Produced by Megan McElroy.
Today we have had the Cass Review, a landmark report into gender services for children in England, authored by paediatrician Hilary Cass. She concludes that medical interventions were being made on the basis of 'remarkably weak' evidence and that there is a lack of a holistic approach to those questioning their gender. How big of an issue will gender politics be at the next election?
Also on the podcast, after William Wragg gave up the whip last night will his decision to voluntarily resign call into question Rishi Sunak's authority?
Oscar Edmondson speaks to Isabel Hardman and James Heale.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
David Cameron is stateside meeting Republicans and Democrats as the Foreign Secretary tries to muster up support for the US to send aid to Ukraine. Before that he stopped by Mar-a-Lago to meet Donald Trump – the two haven't seen eye-to-eye in the past. Will the Republicans warm to Cameron? Katy Balls speaks to Freddy Gray and Lucy Fisher, Whitehall editor at the Financial Times.
Angela Rayner has faced fresh allegations related to her taxes. Keir Starmer and other MPs in the shadow cabinet have come to her defence. Could these accusations jeopardise her position as shadow deputy Prime Minister? Also on the podcast, what are Richard Tice's plans for Reform? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale.
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.
Israel is under increasing pressure to stop its military action, after an IDF strike hit an aid convoy, killing seven aid workers. Oliver Dowden and David Lammy are asked whether the UK should suspend arms sales to Israel. Meanwhile, multiple MPs are attacked by ‘honeytrap’ stings on dating apps, David Lammy says Angela Rayner has done nothing wrong over her tax affairs, and NATO chief Stoltenberg says we are in an era of global conflict and instability.
Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.
J.K. Rowling has been at the centre of a Twitter backlash against Scotland's new hate crime laws which came into effect on April 1st. How has the first week of this controversial legislation gone for First Minister Humza Yousaf? And is political support for the policy dwindling? Natasha Feroze speaks to Lucy Dunn and Isabel Hardman.
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Whoever edited this episode was drunk.
This is a repeat of the previous cast.
Do you need an editor for this podcast? I am available. And I couldn't possibly be any worse than whoever edited this attempt.
Honestly, sort out your volume levels if you want any chance of being taken seriously.
@SpecCoffeeHouse You keep referring to @YouGov poll numbers who till last week were saying Penny is leading the race to be the PM! Stop using these numbers to stop looking like fools @spectator
difference between radio 4 Today and ITV Good morning Britain.. Katy
so no actual conversation/content regarding partygate then? unless i blinked too fast again
I know the answer to this one, and it's not beacuse he stayed on holiday.
We're going to have more hospitalisations, more deaths, more discharged from hospital, and more "cases" that never see a hospital at all. In what proportions? Can we be told that?
Oh how amazingly coincidental that they recently 'accidentally' released a virulent virus which has largely killed off a proportion of the elderly. Couple that with this new incentive to grow the younger population and it's a reasonable strategy for the next 100 years.
Is the Government going to bring in June 20A, June 20B, June 20C etc.
Where will the excuses for Boris end?
It's the party which is fundamentally broken. If it wasn't him, someone else would be equally unpopular. the Labour party no longer stands for the working classes, it stands for revolutionary identity politics, exploiting minorities and leveraging or exacerbating grievances for their own power. People don't want it. People want houses, they want jobs, they want peace. The shouty activists on Twitter and at the Guardian don't represent society. If you keep doing what they want, a) you can never be 'pure' enough to satisfy them and b) the public will keep punishing you at the ballot box.
only decent thing cameron did was call the referendum
he's never told the truth in his life
Definitely don’t buy these quite stupid books on Brexit To blame Brexit on Gordon Brown’s decision not to join the EU rather than 40 years of sustained campaign by the Murdoch press and other nefarious organizations is either unbelievably blinkered or just plain dishonest As to Cameron’s pathetic veto , frankly the average joe doesn’t give a hoot
I have to say I haven’t heard so much nonsense Brexit not a disaster who is this fool ? If he were an exporter rather than a columnist he wouldn’t be do blaze
The EU might not be around ? I don’t think so It’s the UK that won’t be around with Scots and Northern Irish Thee Brexiteers are as bling as bats
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the NHS can't cope with the flu that we have every single year.