In The Room

The Independent / Next Chapter Studios
  • 4.6 (226)
  • Politics

Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work.  Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water?  Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest news, revealing how decisions get made, why they go wrong, and what should happen next.  In The Room is straight-talking, insider analysis with a dose of humour, every week. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1 day ago

    Is Andy Burnham about to reignite the Brexit wars?

    Ten years after the Brexit referendum, Europe is back at the centre of Westminster politics. Andy Burnham is preparing for major EU summits in Dublin and Brussels, hoping to forge a closer relationship with Britain’s European neighbours - but his ambitions are already exposing tensions inside his Cabinet and reopening Labour’s most politically dangerous argument. With the UK facing a long-term productivity and trade hit from Brexit, the question is no longer simply whether the EU matters, but whether Britain can improve its position without breaking promises made to Leave-voting communities. This week, Helen and Cleo ask what Britain could realistically gain from a closer EU relationship, why Burnham’s approach is proving so difficult, and who in Whitehall actually holds the pen. They examine the mixed messages from ministers, the limits of “cherry-picking” access to the single market, and why rejoining - or even negotiating a better deal - would take years rather than days. They also ask whether Burnham’s instinct to float big ideas is creating a familiar pattern of confusion, Cabinet division, and political traps of his own making. Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Vali Raza Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Is Andy Burnham about to reignite the Brexit wars?

  2. 6 days ago

    Laura Kuenssberg: Inside Westminster's decade of chaos

    Laura Kuenssberg has interviewed every living UK prime minister. In this special episode, she joins us to reveal how politicians attempt to control the narrative – and to diagnose the deeper dysfunction behind Britain’s political malaise. People have felt squeezed for years, and the political system has done little to earn their patience. In two decades covering Westminster, Kuenssberg says, she has never met a politician who believes government works well. In her new book, Pay Attention, she lays bare what she has learned. She also reflects on her encounters with Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Keir Starmer – and on the Peter Mandelson question she never got the chance to ask. Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Vali Raza Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Laura Kuenssberg: Inside Westminster's decade of chaos

  3. 3 Nov

    Has Shabana Mahmood gone soft on immigration?

    While Andy Burnham was playing cricket in Antigua, a storm was brewing at the top of the Labour Party. This week, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood found herself in the spotlight after finally backing down on plans to make many migrant care workers wait up to 15 years for permanent settlement. But the wider reform to Indefinite Leave to Remain remains largely intact. The Conservatives have wasted no time, claiming the “U-turn” will cost taxpayers billions. Meanwhile, Labour MPs remain split: some say the reforms still go too far, while critics accuse Mahmood of going soft on immigration. So has she solved Labour’s political problem – or simply created a new one? Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Vali Raza Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Has Shabana Mahmood gone soft on immigration?

  4. 29 Oct

    Burnham’s first Budget: Will this really save our economy?

    Cheaper gherkins, £100 towards energy bills, higher taxes on banks and billions for defence. John Healey’s first Budget had something for everyone. But was there a main course among the picky bits? In this Budget special of In The Room, Cleo Watson and Helen MacNamara ask who benefits, who pays and what was conspicuously left off the table. They examine the real value of energy support, Healey’s defence funding turnaround and the OBR’s gloomy growth forecast. Then they take us inside Whitehall to reveal how a Budget is made – the last-minute negotiations, political theatre and fallout that can take days to emerge. Healey promised Britain breathing space today and hope for tomorrow. Did he deliver either? Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Adam Hollis Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Burnham’s first Budget: Will this really save our economy?

  5. 20 Oct

    Why France is rioting – and is Britain next?

    France is reeling after a weekend of unrest that escalated dramatically. Hundreds of thousands marched peacefully, but elsewhere shops were looted, cars burned, police attacked and public buildings set alight. What began with schoolchildren furious about missing teachers, crumbling classrooms and a system they believe is failing them quickly became something much bigger. People of all ages joined demonstrations driven by anger over the cost of living, deteriorating public services and a future that feels increasingly out of reach. With France approaching a presidential election, the unrest exposes a deeper political crisis. But this is not just a French story. Across Europe, established parties are struggling to retain the confidence of increasingly disillusioned electorates. And Britain has experienced its own moments when public anger has spilled into violence. Helen MacNamara, who was inside government during the 2011 riots and has attended countless COBR meetings, examines what happens when governments begin to lose control of the streets, and what France's crisis might tell us about the pressures building closer to home. Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Adam Hollis Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Why France is rioting – and is Britain next?

  6. 13 Oct

    Does Andy Burnham want to reverse Brexit?

    In Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency, 65% of voters backed Leave. During the recent by-election campaign, Burnham said he did not want to reopen the old Brexit arguments. Yet in recent weeks, the Prime Minister has made a series of pointed interventions on Britain’s relationship with the EU. At Labour conference, he said Brexit had done “more harm than good”. In a BBC interview, he suggested it was “possible” that a future Labour manifesto could promise another in-out referendum. And in a podcast this week, he claimed Russia had interfered in the Brexit vote. Burnham clearly has strong feelings about Europe. Today, we ask: why is he bringing the Brexit debate back now? Also, with Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget just two weeks away, we examine the big calls facing the government this winter — from fuel costs to the threat of freezing weather. Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Adam Hollis Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Does Andy Burnham want to reverse Brexit?

  7. 8 Oct

    Can Kemi Badenoch save the Tories with Thatcherism 2.0?

    Conference season is in full swing - and this week, it unfolded across two very different political stages. In Birmingham, the Conservatives came to town. As Kemi Badenoch continues to win strong approval ratings - despite the Conservatives struggling to recover from their 2024 defeat - her conference speech doubled down on a classic Tory pitch: a smaller state, lower taxes, and a return to economic aspiration. Cleo, a veteran of Tory conferences, breaks down the mood in Birmingham and weighs up whether Badenoch’s promises add up. Meanwhile, in Brighton, the Greens held their largest conference to date - but it was dominated by controversy. Members passed a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism, sparking fierce backlash from Jewish community leaders and MPs within the party. Green Party leader Zack Polanski was largely absent, busy campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. We ask: can the Greens turn controversy into momentum - or has this motion cost them credibility? Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Jose Luis Ugarte Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Can Kemi Badenoch save the Tories with Thatcherism 2.0?

  8. 30 Sept

    Andy Burnham waited his whole life to deliver this speech – here's how it landed

    In The Room hits Liverpool for Labour Party Conference. Cleo heads into the hall, fringe events, protests and the media pen, talking to delegates, campaigners and lobbyists to get a feel for Andy Burnham’s Labour. Helen takes a different route, moving between Shelter, the Future Governance Forum and the receptions where senior figures are talking about what comes next. The mood is unusually upbeat, united and hopeful. But beneath the optimism, how much anxiety is there about turning the Burnham bounce into something that lasts? Then Burnham takes the stage. Helen and Cleo unpack an emotional, policy-heavy speech, from social care and pensions to public ownership, Brexit and electoral reform, and ask whether “hope again” can survive the harder realities of governing. Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Video editor: Vali Raza Videographer: Dan Faber Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here. Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Andy Burnham waited his whole life to deliver this speech – here's how it landed
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4.6
out of 5
226 Ratings

About

Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work.  Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water?  Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest news, revealing how decisions get made, why they go wrong, and what should happen next.  In The Room is straight-talking, insider analysis with a dose of humour, every week. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    The Independent / Next Chapter Studios
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Independent
  • Show Website
    In The Room

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