4 episodes

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

The Week in Westminster BBC Radio 4

    • Government

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

    18/05/2024

    18/05/2024

    Sonia Sodha of The Observer assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following the Prime Minister's speech on global insecurity she speaks to former Conservative Defence Secretary, Sir Liam Fox MP, and former Labour International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander. Theo Bertram, director of the Social Market Foundation and a former Labour adviser, discusses whether election 'pledge' cards are a good idea following Sir Keir Starmer's campaign event this week. After a knife-edge vote on excluding from Parliament MPs accused of serious offences, Sonia speaks to Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP and Conservative MP Nigel Mills. And, after claims a Liberal Democrat candidate was deselected because of his Christian faith, Sonia brings together the Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, and Polly Toynbee, journalist and vice president of Humanists UK, to discuss whether Christianity and modern politics are compatible.

    • 27 min
    11/05/2024

    11/05/2024

    Ben Riley-Smith of The Telegraph is joined by a range of guests to analyse the latest developments at Westminster.
    To discuss Labour's prospects following the local election results, Ben speaks to former Labour leader, Lord Kinnock.
    Labour candidate and economist Miatta Fahnbulleh, and Rupert Harrison, a Conservative candidate and former Chief of staff to George Osborne, discuss the economy in the run up to the general election.
    As John Swinney becomes First Minister of Scotland, Ben brings the SNP's Ian Blackford together with Many Rhodes, editor of Holyrood Magazine, to discuss whether he can bring unity back to the party.
    And finally, in a week that saw celebrities turn out for the Met Gala in New York, can our politicians take a leaf out of their book when it comes to making the right style decisions. Ben is joined by judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, Patrick Grant, and Katie Perrior, former director of communications in Downing Street for Theresa May.

    • 27 min
    04/05/2024

    04/05/2024

    Steve Richards analyses the results of the local elections - and what it means for a general election - with a panel of journalists: George Parker, political editor of the Financial Times; Sonia Sodha, chief leader writer at The Observer and Iain Martin from The Times.

    • 28 min
    27/04/2024

    27/04/2024

    George Parker of the Financial Times is joined by a range of guests to analyse the latest developments at Westminster.
    To discuss the boost to defence spending pledged by Rishi Sunak, he speaks to Labour peer and former head of the navy, Admiral Lord West and former soldier and the chair of the defence select committee, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood.
    Labour MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Conservative MP, Sir Edward Leigh discuss Parliament's approval of the controversial Rwanda deportation bill and consider what happens next.
    Twenty years on from a near-fatal car crash, dotcom entrepreneur and crossbench peer, Martha Lane-Fox explains what her 'mountain mission' is and discusses technology and artificial intelligence.
    And, to reflect on the life of former Labour minister and crossbench peer Frank Field who died this week, he is joined by Labour MP Dame Angela Eagle whose constituency bordered his and former Work and Pensions Secretary, Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith

    • 28 min

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