Episodios

  • Revenge of the centrists: Carney wins in Canada

    Revenge of the centrists: Carney wins in Canada
    Apr 29 2025
    Mark Carney has won the Canadian election, leading the Liberal Party to a fourth term. Having only been Prime Minister for 6 weeks, succeeding Justin Trudeau, this is an impressive achievement when you consider that Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives were over 20 percentage points ahead in the polls earlier this year.

    Trump’s rhetoric against Canada – engaging in a trade war and calling for the country to become the 51st state – is credited as turning around the fortunes of the Liberals. Are there lessons for conservatives across the anglosphere, including Kemi Badenoch?

    Patrick Gibbons speaks to James Heale and Michael Martins.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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    13 m
  • 'The spring of discontent'

    'The spring of discontent'
    Apr 28 2025
    Are we looking at a spring of discontent? It’s the final push ahead of this week’s local elections, and what Keir Starmer wants to talk about is expanding the NHS app – which he says will cut waiting lists and end the days of the health service living in the ‘dark ages’. However, what people are actually talking about is public sector pay. The independent pay review body has recommended pay rises of around 4 per cent for teachers and nurses. Will there be industrial action? Are Labour going to be pushed into another round of public sector pay increases?

    Meanwhile, after Ben Houchen’s comments this weekend, the murmurs of a Tory/Reform pact refuse to go away. Was his a helpful intervention?

    Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Isabel Hardman.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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    11 m
  • ‘An era of five-party politics’: John Curtice on the significance of the local elections

    ‘An era of five-party politics’: John Curtice on the significance of the local elections
    Apr 26 2025
    Legendary pollster Prof Sir John Curtice joins the Spectator’s deputy political editor James Heale to look ahead to next week’s local elections. The actual number of seats may be small, as John points out, but the political significance could be much greater. If polling is correct, Reform could win a ‘fresh’ by-election for the first time, the mayoralties could be shared between three or more parties, and we could see a fairly even split in terms of vote share across five parties (Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, the Green party, and Reform UK).
    The 2024 general election saw five GB-wide parties contest most seats for the first time. These set of local elections could solidify this ‘five-party political system'. In fact, says John, ‘Reform have already won these local elections’ by virtue of being able to contest all the seats available. Are we headed for a different kind of politics in Britain?
    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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    21 m
  • Is Robert Jenrick on manoeuvres?

    Is Robert Jenrick on manoeuvres?
    Apr 25 2025
    Despite this being the week that Kemi Badenoch finally showed some steel in PMQs, it’s Robert Jenrick who has been stealing the headlines. That’s for lots of reasons – mainly his comments about a potential Tory Reform pact, which he clarified on Good Morning Britain this morning, saying: ‘Kemi Badenoch and I are on exactly the same page. Kemi has been very clear there won’t be a pact with Reform, and I’ve said time and again that I want to put Reform out of business. I want to send Nigel Farage back to retirement.’ This follows leaked footage which surfaced this week from a student event in late March, where he appeared to suggest that he would back a pact to join forces with Farage.

    Elsewhere, he had a big win when Yvette Cooper announced that the government will publish migrant crime league tables – a policy he has pushed for. Is he the prince across the water? Or do we need to give Kemi a break?

    Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Henry Hill, deputy editor at Conservative Home.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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    17 m
  • Who do voters trust most on the economy?

    Who do voters trust most on the economy?
    Apr 24 2025
    Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been in Washington D.C. this week at the IMF’s spring meetings, and will meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tomorrow. Cue the ususal talk of compromising on chlorinated chicken. Not so, reports the Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons, who explains that Reeves may offer a reduction in long-standing tariffs already imposed on American cars. But, it’s been a bad week of economic news for the Chancellor as the IMF downgraded the UK’s growth forecast.

    We’re also one week away from the local elections – Starmer’s first big test since last year’s general election. The economy isn’t usually the number one issue at local elections but, as More in Common’s Luke Tryl explains, the cost of living crisis is still very much alive in voters’ minds. And, while Reform look set to have a good night, the economy is not their strongest policy area. What should we look out for on the night?

    Michael and Luke join Lucy Dunn to discuss.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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    11 m
  • St George’s Day: who is the most patriotic leader?

    St George’s Day: who is the most patriotic leader?
    Apr 23 2025
    Happy St George’s Day! To celebrate, we thought we would discuss who is the most patriotic political leader — and why some struggle to communicate their love of country.

    Keir Starmer declared in an interview with the Mirror this morning that Labour is ‘the patriotic party’. This follows a more concerted effort from those within the party to become more comfortable with the flag. But is Keir Starmer actually a patriot? How will the ‘battle of the Union Jack’ play out at the local elections? And does Reform have a point to prove when it comes to patriotism?

    Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Claire Ainsley, former executive director of policy for the Labour party, now at the Progressive Policy Institute.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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    15 m
  • Does Starmer know what a woman is?

    Does Starmer know what a woman is?
    Apr 22 2025
    Parliament is back after the Easter holiday and the Supreme Court ruling over 'what is a woman' continues to dominate talk in Westminster. The Prime Minister has changed his tune on trans, declaring he does not think that trans women are women. This has caused some disquiet in the party, with a number of senior MPs breaking rank over the weekend. Was Starmer right to row in behind the ruling?

    Also on the podcast, as we edge closer to the local elections, they look increasingly important for the two main parties. Pollsters are forecasting a good result for smaller insurgent parties such as Reform and the Greens, with big losses for Labour and the Conservatives. It is not an overstatement to suggest that these could be the most important local elections in recent history. What will these elections mean for the two-party system?

    Natasha Feroze speaks to James Heale and Paul Goodman.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.
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    11 m
  • How the Liberal Democrats conquered Middle England

    How the Liberal Democrats conquered Middle England
    Apr 21 2025
    The Liberal Democrats’ foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller, elected as the new MP for Bicester and Woodstock last year, joins James Heale to talk about the ambitions of the party that became the largest third party in Parliament in 100 years at the 2024 general election. They want to overtake the Conservatives to be the second party in local government – could they one day overtake the Tories to become the official opposition?

    A former civil servant, Oxford University policy manager and councillor, Calum joins Coffee House Shots to talk about why he got into politics, how Brexit radicalised his desire for good governance and why, for all the fun, there is a serious point behind Ed Davey’s stunts.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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    17 m
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