Coffee House Shots

The Spectator

4.3 (23)
DAILY NEWS
UPDATED DAILY

Instant political analysis from the Spectator's top team of writers, including Katy Balls, Isabel Hardman, James Heale, Cindy Yu and many others.

1 HR AGO

Kemi’s first policy proclamation

Kemi Badenoch has signalled that she could change her position on the ECHR. At a conference today, she said "we will review every policy, treaty and part of our legal framework - including the ECHR and the Human Rights Act." What could this mean for the Conservatives going forward? Katy Balls discusses with Michael Gove and James Heale.

11 min
1 DAY AGO

Can Keir Starmer get Britain back to work?

The government have announced their latest effort to get Britons back into work. A series of benefit changes intend to tackle the fact that Britain is the only major economy where the employment rate has fallen over the past five years, largely because more people are out of work due to long-term ill health. Why are the UK's post-pandemic figures so much worse than other countries? And can Labour's plans work? The Spectator's data editor Michael Simmons joins Katy Balls and James Heale.

9 min
2 DAYS AGO

Should Starmer be worried about this petition?

Today is the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference, at which Rachel Reeves has laid out her plan to 'Get Britain Working' and prove Labour as the party of business ... despite what the recent Budget and the employers national insurance increase might suggest. What's the mood of big business today? Also on the podcast, a petition has gone viral over the weekend calling for a general election. Various people have signed it, from Nigel Farage to Michael Caine. But should Labour actually be worried? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

13 min
3 DAYS AGO

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 24/11/24

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows. The vote on the Assisted Dying Bill is approaching. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall gives her view, and Belgian health minister Frank Vandenbroucke argues that assisted dying doesn’t lead to a ‘slippery slope’. We also hear about the government’s upcoming changes to the welfare system, whether the UK should arrest Netanyahu if he comes to the country, and if there are any limits to France’s support for Ukraine. Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.

12 min
4 DAYS AGO

Is the Tory psychodrama over?

Tim Shipman, chief political commentator at The Sunday Times, joins Katy Balls to discuss his new book, Out: How Brexit Got Done and the Tories Were Undone. The final instalment in Shipman's Brexit quartet, the book goes behind the scenes in Westminster to reveal the warring factions at the heart of Boris Johnson's government. Considering all of this, has the Tory party left this era of controversy and backstabbing behind? Or, with a new leader, is there a whole new chapter to come?

17 min
5 DAYS AGO

Is Keir Starmer really going to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant as well as – separately – for Hamas military leader, Mohammed Deif. They are all wanted for alleged war crimes, but specifically regarding Netanyahu and Gallant the ICC say that, 'each bear criminal responsibility for ... the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.' So why have these warrants been issued now? And what are the implications for Labour's relationship with Israel? Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Tom Gross, commentator on the Middle East.

11 min
6 DAYS AGO

Starmer's Streeting problem

A vote on assisted dying was supposed to be one of the easiest reforms for Keir Starmer’s government. To many, including the Prime Minister himself, a law allowing terminally ill patients to choose to die would be a self-evidently progressive and historically significant change. But he has faced unexpected pushback from his Health Secretary, the very cabinet member who would have to enforce the legislation. Streeting has not only said that he will be voting against but that he is doing so because he fears the bill could harm existing health services. Where does Starmer go from here? Could we be looking at a reshuffle? Also today we had the news of the sad passing of John Prescott, a titan of the Labour movement. How will he be remembered? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Paul Goodman, senior fellow at Policy Exchange. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

18 min
20 NOV

Is Rachel Reeves running out of luck?

An unexpected rise in inflation today takes the rate to higher than the Bank of England's target, and adds to Rachel Reeves's worries. James Heale talks to Katy Balls and The Spectator's data editor Michael Simmons about the latest figures, and they also discuss the shadow minister Alex Burghart's performance at Prime Minister's Questions. Produced by Cindy Yu.

11 min

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4.3

out of 5

23 Ratings

Worth listening

19/03/2019

politicsobsessed

I don’t usually agree with the political perspective but I find the Brexit podcasts informative and interesting.
Expat

07/10/2019

scotkiwi1

Great works. Keeps me updated on Brexit matters as I travel to work in NZ.....
Good perspectives

27/03/2019

Jon-T81

Interesting analysis and perspectives. Regularly listen in.
Katy

08/07/2018

Zagman51

Please don’t keep on with the awful speech affectation of not being able to say “th”...it’s ghastly to listen to.