Listen to what Labour ministers and MPs are saying about their colleagues in a week of chaos in Westminster.

The prime minister thought it was all over for him this weekend, but a scrambled rearguard action has left him looking stronger than he has for some time. But to survive, Keir Starmer may now have no choice but to move leftwards. And there's much worse to come when the Mandelson files are released.

Meanwhile, has Wes Streeting missed his moment to challenge the prime minister?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey

Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

Audio credit: Sky News

Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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His enemies were hoping that Donald Trump would come out badly from the Epstein files, but he hasn't. Gerry argues that the scandal is a parable about modern capitalism, and remembers the time Jeffrey Epstein tried and failed to make friends with him. Katy tells the inside story of her interview with Peter Mandelson.

Also, what can we expect when the Clintons testify to the Epstein investigation? And what does President Trump mean when he says "nationalise the vote"?

Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday Times

Gerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street Journal

Producer: Euan Dawtrey

Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The extraordinary emails between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein could constitute the biggest scandal since the Profumo affair. Lord Mandelson has quit the Lords but it's a bit more complicated than that, and the prime minister still has a lot of firefighting to do.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times

Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey

Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.