The Week in Westminster

BBC Radio 4

4.1 (226)
GOVERNMENT
UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

5 HR AGO

15/11/2025

The Guardian's political editor Pippa Crerar assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following a turbulent week for the government, with talk of plots to replace the Prime Minister and speculation over the budget, Pippa speaks to two Labour MPs, Chris Curtis and Rachael Maskell, about the mood on the Labour backbenches. To discuss the challenges for BBC following the resignation of its director general, Pippa speaks to Conservative peer Tina Stowell, a former Head of Corporate Affairs at the BBC and Anna Sabine, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport. To discuss the state of the prison system, Pippa is joined by former Conservative Justice Secretary David Gauke who, earlier this year, carried out a review into sentencing for the government. And, to give their take on a difficult week for the Prime Minister, Pippa is joined by the political editor of the News Statesman magazine Ailbhe Rea and Luke Tryl the Managing Director of the polling company More in Common.

28 min
8 NOV

08/11/2025

Sunday Times political editor Caroline Wheeler reports on the latest developments at Westminster. Following a political row about mistaken prisoner releases, Caroline speaks to former Conservative Justice Secretary, Sir Robert Buckland, and Labour MP Chris Murray, a member of the Home Affairs Committee. The chair of the Lords economic affairs committee, Stewart Wood, and Reform MP, Danny Kruger, discuss the Chancellor's speech in which she appeared to lay the ground for the government to break its manifesto tax promises. Why do parties have manifestos? And what are the implications of ditching them? Dr Cath Haddon of the Institute for Government explains. And does Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York mayoral election hold any lessons for left-wing politicians in Britain? Green Party Leader, Zack Polanski, and Observer political editor, Rachel Sylvester, debate the significance of Mamdani's win.

28 min
1 NOV

01/11/2025

Ben Riley-Smith, the political editor of the Daily Telegraph, assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Ben discusses the troubles at the Home Office with two former Home Secretaries: Alan Johnson, who served under Gordon Brown and Amber Rudd, who served during Theresa May's premiership. Following the row over the China spying allegations, Ben discusses managing relations with China with Lord Sedwill, the former Cabinet Secretary and former National Security Adviser and Labour MP Matt Western who is the chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. The 'Speaker's Conference' - which has been investigating abuse and intimidation towards politicians - published its final report this week. Ben discussed the findings of the report with Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons. And, in the week that the Prime Minister discussed his musical tastes on the Radio Three programme 'Private Passions', Ben spoke to two musical politicians about the power of music: Labour's Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, who was a professional cellist and the LIberal Democrat MP Anne Sabine, who plays the bassoon.

28 min
25 OCT

25/10/2025

Joe Pike and guests discuss Lucy Powell being elected deputy leader of the Labour Party and the fallout from the Caerphilly by-election. The panel of journalists includes columnist and former Labour adviser, Sonia Sodha; the political editor of the Financial Times and the political editor of GB News Christopher Hope.

29 min
18 OCT

18/10/2025

Financial Times political editor George Parker assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following the big political row over the China spying allegations, George speaks to Helena Kennedy, a Labour peer and human rights lawyer, and Peter Ricketts, former National Security Adviser and now a crossbench peer. To discuss Rachel Reeves' options in next month's Budget, George is joined by Helen Miller, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and Rupert Harrison, a former adviser to George Osborne and now a senior adviser at the wealth management company Pimco. The Government's latest amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill have attracted criticism from environmental groups. Labour MP Chris Curtis and Green MP Ellie Chowns debate the plans. And, in the week that Margaret Thatcher would have turned 100, George speaks to the man that tried to replace her: Conservative grandee Michael Heseltine.

28 min

5 Episodes

4.1

out of 5

226 Ratings

Usually excellent but Chris Hope is a terrible presenter

04/07/2020

David 240866

This is usually a must listen summary of the week. But Today’s presenter (4 July) Chris Hope was very stilted and poor.
The week in Westminster 25th February 2024

25/02/2024

mmmme111

I have just turned this off as the presenter, has interrupted every answer that has been given by her quests. This used to be the one political program that was worth listening to but over the last few weeks I have become very disillusioned.
More Steve Richards Please

12/06/2023

Lexie 77

This programme is at its best when presented by Steve Richards. His own podcasts are excellent too.
How few people do they want to listen?

07/11/2022

Wombat Aberdeen

This is very much an insiders clique programme, why are plebs listening? Tax payers not invited, and certainly don’t expect the government to be held to account. Ms. Quinn still hasn’t called them out on the 2010 Tory foundation lie that all the money was gone when they came to power; don’t expect them to be asked why they’ve blown up the economy! It’s strange that for 13 years the presenters have accepted that Gordon Brown was personally responsible for the credit crunch (don’t mention it was global), but all the damage the Tories have done is nothing to do with them. Quick blame anyone else, ooh it’s global, and kick the poor further down whilst showing the Tories maximum deference!