The New Statesman Podcast

Where does the concept of IQ fetishism originate? And why has it resurfaced in contemporary discussions, particularly within the tech-right movement? Join historian Quinn Slobodian as he discusses how IQ-based hierarchies have influenced societal perceptions and policies and the potential societal consequences and divisions resulting from the prevalence of such thinking.The host for this episode is senior editor for China and global affairs, at the New Statesman.You can read Quinn Slobodian's full piece The rise of the new tech right here.Download the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the time of writing, the crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried is due to stand trial on 3 October 2023. He stands accused of fraud and money-laundering on an epic scale through his currency exchange FTX. Did he gamble with other people’s money in a bid to do the maximum good? In this week’s long read, the New Statesman’s associate editor Sophie McBain examines the relationship between Bankman-Fried and the Oxford-based effective altruism (EA) movement. The billionaire was a close associate and supporter of William MacAskill, the Scottish moral philosopher who many consider EA’s leader. It was MacAskill who had persuaded him – and many other young graduates – to earn more, in order to give more. But how much money was enough – and what should they spend it on? Was EA just “a dumb game we woke Westerners play”, as Bankman-Fried told one journalist? In conversations with EA members past and present, McBain hears how the movement was altered by its enormous wealth. As the trial of its biggest sponsor approaches, will effective altruism survive – or be swallowed by its more cynical Silicon Valley devotees? Written and read by Sophie McBain. This article originally appeared in the 22-28 September 2023 edition of the New Statesman; you can read the text version here. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also like Big Tech and the quest for eternal youth, by Jenny Kleeman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With both the UK and US elections coming into view, the team consider what's happening with Labour's foreign policy agenda and how the relationship between a Labour government and a Trump government could play out. And another question from a listener casts a look back to the appointment of Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor. Had Sunak not been required to keep Hunt in place in the aftermath of Truss, who might he have chosen to be Chancellor? Would Sunak's preferred brand of economics differ from what Hunt is providing?Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, and Freddie Hayward, answer listener questions.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Wednesday Rishi Sunak gave a speech rolling back on the government’s Net Zero pledges, pushing back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035, scrapping plans to force landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes, watering down the gas boiler phaseout (aiming for 80% rather than 100% by 2035), and ruling out plans for a seemingly unbeknownst meat tax.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to discuss where these plans have come from, what they mean for the Conservatives and Labour, and how they will divide public opinion.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Truss thought she had two years to save the economy, but her mini-budget caused it all to blow up in less than two months. We're now a year on from her chaotic 49 day premiership, but there are groups of economists and politicians who think her free-market growth strategy was right and it's only a matter of time before it makes a comeback.Read The Trussites are plotting their comeback: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/conservatives/2023/09/the-trussites-are-plotting-their-comebackDownload the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fifty years after Salvador Allende was ousted, might his greatest legacy be his battle with the emerging tech giants?On 1 August 1973, a seemingly mundane diplomatic summit took place in Lima, Peru. But there was nothing mundane about its revolutionary agenda. The attendees – diplomats from Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru – aspired to create a more just technological world order, one that might have prevented the future dominance of Silicon Valley. As the Chilean foreign minister lamented even then: “500 multinational corporations control 90 per cent of the world’s productive technology”. Could a new international institution - a tech equivalent of the IMF - ensure that developing countries had access to all the benefits of technological progress? Six weeks later, Salvador Allende’s government was toppled, paving the way for General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship of Chile. In this week’s audio long read, the author and podcaster Evgeny Morozov considers Allende’s legacy. Often viewed as a tragic but hapless figure, his government in fact oversaw a number of radical and utopian initiatives - many of them to do with technology. Might Chile under Allende have evolved into the South Korea or Taiwan of South America?Read by Catharine Hughes and written by Evgeny Morozov, who hosts The Santiago Boys: the Tech World that Might Have Been podcast series. This article was originally published on newstateman.com on 9 September 2023; you can read the text version here. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy Would climate change have been worse without capitalism?Download the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since being recently surpassed by India, Britain has the world's sixth largest economy. But, one listener asks, how do we square this position with the reality of our crumbling services? And on the subject of government funding, another listener asks: will Birmingham City Council's financial crisis will make Labour more weary of devolving power to local authorities?Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, and Freddie Hayward, answer listener questions.Read more from Anoosh on Thurrock Council's bankruptcy and the West Country's disappearing bus routesSubmit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The deputy labour leader and “trade union favourite” delivered a speech full of promises at the TUC. Now she has to deliver.Reaffirming Labour’s commitment to the New Deal for Working people, Rayner shored up support among the unions as Labour approaches the next election. But, as Rachel Wearmouth tells Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward, Rayner’s “one of us” status could spell problems for a future Labour government if they fall short.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is one of the largest producers of household electronic waste in the world. In 2022 we threw away nearly 24 kilos of things like plugs, mobile phones and computer hardware per person.   The volume of e-waste produced world-wide is predicted to increase from more than 61 million metric tons this year to nearly 75 million in 2030 – and the vast majority of this will go into landfill.   In this special episode, Becky Slack from the New Statesman's Spotlight team meets Michael Wyatt, director of Google ChromeOS EMEA, and Justin Sutton-Parker, CEO of research group Px3, to discuss what businesses and other organisations can do to play their part in reducing the scourge of e-waste, and more broadly how IT can drive sustainability.  --This episode is sponsored by Google ChromeOS. Trial ChromeOS Flex for yourself on an old PC or Mac for free. Download ChromeOS Flex onto a USB via the ChromeOS website.--The New Statesman Spotlight team reports on policy for those who shape it and the businesses it affects. Read their policy reporting at https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlight Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak earned almost £5m in the past three years, yet this was only taxed at a rate of 22%. Britain's tax system is broken, focusing on income rather than wealth, and it seems like no one plans on doing anything about this. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has explicitly stated that should Labour come into power, a wealth tax will not be introduced. In this episode, staff writer Harry Lambert sets out how Labour could raise £28billion by adopting a wealth tax, and how this could help narrow the gap between Asset Britain and Austerity Britain.Read Britain’s great tax con here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2023/08/britains-great-tax-conDownload the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the extreme heat of summer 2024, which saw children stretchered out of their exams, Britain’s prime minister calls a press conference in Westminster Hall. He has one eye on life after office (skiing in Aspen, a big gig in Silicon Valley), but before he leaves, he wants to unveil something truly ground-breaking: a large language model that has been trained by the best minds to solve the climate crisis. In this satirical work of speculative fiction, the New Statesman’s business editor Will Dunn explores the government’s love affair with Big Tech, fast-forwarding to the dying days of a Conservative government. Climate protestors have been cleared from the roads - but the tarmac is melting and people want answers. Could an advanced AI called Tom provide the prime minister’s moonshot moment?Written and read by Will Dunn. You can read the text version at newstatesman.com If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Edward Docx reading Boris Johnson: the death of a clown. Download the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We inhabit an economy too small to deliver the social goods British people expect, and now Britain is cracking. From the concrete crises affecting schools across the country, to crumbling policies and leadership on both the right and left, Andrew Marr reflects on the state of the nation and its place in the world.Andrew Marr, political editor of the New Statesman, is joined by Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe.Crumbling Britain:https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/crumbling-britain Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Rayner up, Lisa Nandy down - what’s motivated the moves in Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet reshuffle this week and what does this tell us about the direction of the Labour party if they get into power?Freddie Hayward, Zoë Grünewald, and Rachel Cunliffe, answer listener questions.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can liberalism survive the horrors of our modern world?Will Lloyd is joined by John Gray political philosopher and author of The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism. They discuss how Thomas Hobbes seminal work Leviathan can be reinterpreted in the 21st century, particularly in the contexts of Russia, China, and the liberal West.Read more of John Gray's work here: https://www.newstatesman.com/author/john-gray Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the summer of 1924, a highly regarded painter falls – or is he pushed? – into the canal while celebrating his exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Two young women are heard running away into the night.In this dazzling new coming-of-age story first published in the New Statesman’s summer issue, the award-winning novelist Jonathan Coe explores the relationship between artist and muse, female friendship and male cruelty.Written by Jonathan Coe and read by Tom Gatti.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy Then Later, His Ghost: a short story by Sarah Hall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rory Stewart, Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell: a listener writes in to ask why centrist politicians align themselves with one party over another?But before the team dissects the evolution of centrist politicians, they turn an imminent matter. Has the recent turmoil and churn, with multiple prime ministers in quick succession, given the UK an appetite for frequent change? And could this truncate a Labour governments time in office?Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward, and Zoë Grünewald answer listener questions.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“History will not remember you kindly” Nadine Dorries’ wrote this weekend in her resignation letter to Rishi Sunak. But this is not the only departure which has been looming over the Conservatives for the past few weeks. This morning former defence secretary Ben Wallace handed in his resignation and was swiftly replaced by Grant Shapps, who stepped into his fifth job this year.Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward, and Zoë Grünewald discuss the implications of the reshuffle for both Labour and the Tories, and whether history will, in fact, remember Rishi Sunak - and Nadine Dorries - kindly.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For those who leave the ultra-conservative Christian sect, separation comes at great personal cost. The New Statesman’s assistant editor Pippa Bailey had always been curious about the Plymouth Brethren, ever since discovering that her maternal grandparents had left the group in the 1960s. What might her life have been like if they stayed? Who were the cousins separated by a doctrine of isolation from non-Brethren ‘worldlies’? In this week’s deeply reported and moving magazine cover story, Pippa tells the story of the breakaway group, from its origins in 1820s Ireland to its modern-day incarnation as a global church and effective lobbyist. She speaks to former members, many of whom mourn the loss of family and friends to an organisation they consider repressive. It’s a fascinating journey, even if, as Pippa writes, her  grandmother has no interest in resurfacing the past: “After all, she says, it’s all part of the Lord’s plan, and He does not test us more than we can bear.” This article originally appeared in the 25-31 August issue of the New Statesman; you can read the text version here. Written and read by Pippa Bailey. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy How to build a language: inside the Oxford English Dictionary, by Pippa Bailey, or our reported feature by Stuart McGurk, A year inside GB news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservatives seem intent on fighting the next election on "culture wars" issues. A listener asks, would a Labour government put an end to all that?Also, how does the government control its media messaging? Is there a shadowy office pulling the strings and controlling what journalists report? We look at the concept of "the grid".Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward answer listener questions.Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GCSE and A Level results are out, and the proportion of top grades have dipped since the pandemic years. It's an opportunity for the government and the opposition to talk about their ambitions for education. Are they both failing to do so?Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward discuss the Tory education record, from Michael Gove’s reforming agenda to unprecedented churn at the top of the Department for Education. And, they ask, what would Labour do differently?Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After spending several days reporting in Pokrovsk, a small city in eastern Ukraine and the recent target of two missile strikes, Katie Stallard describes the devastating impact of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine’s civilians.“The first strike hit just as people were making dinner, coming home from a long day at work. The first strike hit and the emergency services responded. Then, 37 minutes later, the second strike hit. So it seemed to have been deliberately timed to hit the rescue workers.”Our foreign editor, Megan Gibson, is joined by Katie Stallard, speaking from Warsaw, to discuss Russia’s assault on the next generation, what Putin is aiming for, and why Ukrainians will not give up.Read the full article here: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/ukraine/2023/08/russias-war-future-generations-children-ukraineSubmit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the rush to war in 1914 had been averted? What if the Berlin Crisis of 1961 had led to nuclear war? What if the liberal revolution of 1848 had been successful? A new exhibition in Berlin considers a series of momentous what-ifs, an intriguing addition to the canon of counterfactual history. In this week’s long read, the New Statesman’s contributing writer Jeremy Cliffe assesses the value of such rival realities, as explored in fiction and, increasingly, on social media platforms and alt-fic online communities. In contemporary British politics, the tumult of the past decade has inspired a new cottage industry of counterfactual histories.  Often derided as pure speculation, Cliffe makes the case for their usefulness and, from his home in Berlin, reflects on the city’s many ghosts. “History is about facts,” he writes. “But those facts include intentions, imagined futures and visions that shape actual events even when – much more often than not – they never come to pass.”Written by Jeremy Cliffe and read by Chris Stone.This article originally appeared in the 28 July-17 August summer issue of the New Statesman. You can read the text version here.If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy Thomas Mann, German identity and the romantic allure of Russia, by Jeremy Cliffe.Listen to all our Audio Long Reads herehttps://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesmanDownload the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Various MPs, including Nadine Dorries, have been accused of not doing their jobs. Should there be a standard of work all MPs must meet? Anoosh and Freddie tackle a listener’s question.Also – much has been said about the similarities and differences between Tony Blair and Keir Starmer, but what about John Major and Rishi Sunak?Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would Labour be radical in office?Freddie Hayward spoke to party insiders to find out – he joins Anoosh Chakelian to talk about how Labour can make meaningful policy changes in an age of cynicism and poor public finances.Read the full article here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2023/08/labours-caution-could-turn-to-radicalism-in-officeSubmit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two visions for how Britain can increase productivity and boost growth.Freddie Hayward interviews shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson and Conservative MP Bim Afolami on how Labour and the Conservatives propose to boost growth and prepare Britain for the future.This conversation was recorded live at the New Statesman’s Politics Live conference on June 27 2023. Book your tickets for next year's event: https://nsmg.live/event/ns-politics-live/Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The novelist Ali Smith first came across the work of Simone de Beauvoir in an Inverness bookshop, aged 18 or 19, and was instantly compelled by her “tough, troubling” prose. In this week’s long read, Smith reflects on De Beauvoir’s 1964 memoir A Very Easy Death, a slight, visceral book about her estranged mother’s death. What happens when an existentialist, bound ethically to a thinking life, confronts the end of life and thought? Why does a writer who prides herself on uncompromising truth tell her mother she is not dying of cancer, when she is?Smith blends the personal and the political in an essay that grapples with De Beauvoir’s power to disturb and provoke, sixty years on. Written by Ali Smith and read by Anna Leszkiewicz. This article originally appeared in the 28 July-17 August 2023 New Statesman summer issue. You can read the text version here.If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you might also enjoy Karl Ove Knausgaard: a personal manifesto on the art of fiction.Listen to all our Audio Long Reads herehttps://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesmanDownload the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour’s dominance in the polls draws obvious comparisons with 1997-era New Labour. But is it fair to compare Keir Starmer with Tony Blair – and what should the current Labour leader learn from his predecessor? Anoosh and Freddie tackle a listener’s question.Also – how do we incentivise voter turn out? One listener has a novel idea. Could it work?Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first residents have boarded the Bibby Stockholm barge moored off the coast of Dorset. Anoosh Chakelian visited Portland to meet locals and asylum seekers, and joins Freddie Hayward in the studio to reveal what she discovered.They also discuss why leaving the European Court of Human Rights is no deterrent for people seeking asylum in the UK, and how Brexit may have actually made it harder for Rishi Sunak's conservatives to "Stop The Boats".Submit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An internet hoax conceived on a fringe message board grew into an online conspiracy theory so far-reaching that it sparked the January 6 attack on the US capitol. Now Qanon has gone global, what are the consequences for politics and society?Rachel Cunliffe is joined by James Ball, journalist and author of The Other Pandemic: How QAnon Contaminated the World. They discuss the most recent indictment against former US president, Donald Trump, and how his actions were informed by the viral internet conspiracy group known as Qanon.They examine how the QAnon movement spread across mainstream social media platforms and mutated into something bigger and more dangerous: encompassing anti-vaxxers, Covid deniers, incels, and those who believe they must save children from LGBT "groomers". How did governments and big tech companies allow a conspiracy theory to get so big it threatened American democracy? And now this "digital virus" is out there, what can be done to combat it?Read more about the chaos and confusion of Donald Trump on trial: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/americas/north-america/us/2023/08/chaos-confusion-donald-trump-on-trialSubmit a question for You Ask Us: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is one question the environmental journalist and author George Monbiot is asked more than any other: how do you cope? When your job is to report on the climate crisis, where do you find hope? Monbiot’s answer is a very personal one: he goes sea kayaking – alone, often far off the coast, with (if he’s lucky) a pod of dolphins or a flock of shearwaters for company.In this evocative essay from the New Statesman’s summer 2023 issue, Monbiot explores the sea off the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, his former home in Cardigan Bay, and his new home in South Devon – a coastline “featuring cliffs and rocky coves, clefts and chasms, reefs and skerries, sandy and shingle beaches and several estuaries”. He relives the dangers and joys of battling the waves in a very small boat, most recently with an underwater camera fixed to the hull. There is no permanent escape from ecological distress, he writes, from the warming seas and the waste pumped into them, “but for hours at a time, I lose myself”.Written by George Monbiot and read by Chris Stone.This article originally appeared in the 28 July-17 August 2023 New Statesman summer issue. You can read the text version here.https://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2023/07/escpaing-climate-sea-kayaking-george-monbiotListen to all our Audio Long Reads herehttps://podfollow.com/audio-long-reads-new-statesmanIf you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Rebecca Solnit on hope, despair and climate action.https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/audio-long-reads/2022/10/rebecca-solnit-on-hope-despair-and-climate-actionDownload the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker answer listener questions.There have been multiple attempts to launch credible new political parties in recent years, but very few have taken hold. Why? A listener, quite possibly the youngest fan of the New Statesman Podcast, asks what it would take for a new party to gain ground in Parliament.And Greater Manchester Police face allegations of sexual assault and cover up. Andy Burnham, as mayor and police commissioner, has ordered a review – but our questioner asks how he has avoided scrutiny for the force's failings.Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yet another by-election could provide a key opportunity for Anas Sarwar’s Scottish Labour to regain lost seats in Scotland.The former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier has been recalled by her Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituents, triggering a by-election. Ben Walker and Freddie Hayward join Anoosh Chakelian on the New Statesman podcast to discuss what the latest polls reveal about voting intention in the seat – formerly a Labour stronghold – and whether this might be the beginning of a Labour resurgence in Scotland.Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Labour won Westminster Council from the Conservatives in 2022, they made history.Now in power for the first time ever, the Labour council leadership is faced with the challenge and opportunity of running one of the UK’s richest councils – inheriting what council leader Adam Hug calls “mediocre” and “wasteful” Conservative policies.In this revealing interview, Anoosh Chakelian and Harry Lambert go behind the scenes of local government to ask the Westminster Council leader how he hopes to address the housing crisis, what Labour nationally should be doing about planning, development and free school meals, and why Oxford Street still won't be pedestrianised.This interview was recorded on 29th June 2023.Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservative Private Members Committee, informally known as the 1922 Committee (or the ’22), is the Tory confessional, its trade union and backbenchers’ common room. If that makes it sound chaotic (and it sometimes is) it is also the assassination bureau that felled Margaret Thatcher, and, more recently, three prime ministers in four years: Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Will it come for Rishi Sunak before the next election?In this week’s richly detailed and highly entertaining long read, magazine writer Tanya Gold reports on the secretive committee’s inner workings, hearing from decision-makers past and present about what happens when a leader loses the party’s confidence. “The ’22 can be turgid for months, even years,” she writes. “But people talk about Committee Room 14 during a leadership crisis as they might about seeing Bruce Springsteen, or a riot.” And over the next 18 months, they could be busy.Written by Tanya Gold and read by Rachel Cunliffe. This article originally appeared in the 21-27 July 2023 edition of the New Statesman, and you can read the text version here. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy The making of Prince William by Tanya Gold.Download the New Statesman app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward answer your questions. After a routing in 2015, the Liberal Democrats have languished as a minor player in the Commons while the SNP have enjoyed the advantages of being the third largest party in parliament. Their positions could reverse at the next election. Our listener asks how politics would change if the Lib Dems became the third largest party.  Liz Truss’ premiership proved disastrous for the Conservatives – but did it scar Labour too? Anoosh and Freddie explore the long tail of the Truss debacle and its impact on both sides of the house.Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has faced criticism for appearing to water down some key environmental policies, particularly in light of Labour's narrow defeat in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election. But is that criticism fair?Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward discuss how perceived opposition to the Net Zero agenda and schemes like London's Ulez have impacted the green policies of both Labour and the Conservatives, and how this is being viewed by voters.Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shadowy forces, deep state actors in the pay of nefarious oligarchs... or an important part of the political ecosystem?Rachel Cunliffe meets senior figures from three think tanks from across the political spectrum to find out how think tanks work, how they are funded, and the role they play in creating public policy.Guests:Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS)Carys Roberts, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)Matthew Lawrence, founder and director of Common WealthSubmit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Saudi cinemas reopened in 2018, for the first time in 35 years, they screened the Marvel movie Black Panther. Many saw parallels between the kingdom and the fictional world of Wakanda, as crown prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled ambitious plans for modernisation and an economy that would diversify away from oil, investing in futuristic projects such as Neom, a half-trillion-dollar city.Saudi Arabia has since sought to position itself as a global investment powerhouse, focusing on tourism, sports sponsorships, financial services, green hydrogen production, and the electric vehicle industry. Long dependant on oil, can the kingdom transform itself into a major global force in a post-carbon future?In this week’s long read and magazine cover story, New Statesman contributing writer Quinn Slobodian explores the consequences of Saudi dominance on international politics, the climate crisis and our technological future. Written by Quinn Slobodian and read by Chris Stone.Listen to more: The Spanish election reveals the future of Europe, by Jeremy Cliffe: https://pod.fo/e/18c885Download the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our weekly Saturday Read emailhttps://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a terrible night of results for Rishi Sunak in rural England, Labour faltered in outer London.Rachel Cunliffe, Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker analyse the results of the by-elections in Somerton and Frome, Selby and Ainsty, and Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.Submit a question: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week:https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to our daily politics email: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer says he’ll keep the two-child cap on benefits. Is this a knee-jerk reaction to public opinion, or an attempt at “fiscal discipline”? The New Statesman Podcast team answer your questions. The Labour leader has risked the anger of his own MPs by apparently reneging on a previous commitment to reverse limits on child benefit introduced by George Osborne under austerity. Angela Rayner has called the cap “barbaric”, and Starmer himself has previously said Labour would reverse it. So what’s prompted this about-turn? Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Rachel Cunliffe and Will Dunn answer a listener’s question. They also discuss what the government can – or should – do to force banks to pass rising interest rates onto savers. Should the banks be nationalised?Submit a question to You Ask Us here: https://www.newstatesman.com/YouAskUsSubscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week with our special podcast offer: https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Flynn, Westminster leader of the SNP, speaks to Zoë Grünewald at the New Statesman's Politics Live conference.They discuss the SNP’s ambitions for Scottish independence in the light of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, arrest and subsequent release, and how a Labour government under Keir Starmer might relate to the SNP over issues including Brexit in remain-voting Scotland.This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the New Statesman's Politics Live conference on 27th June 2023. To pre-register for next year’s conference visit nsmg.liveSubscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week with our special podcast offer: https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2018, prime minister Pedro Sánchez has led a surprisingly durable and impactful Spanish government, implementing progressive policies such as improved rights for abortion, transgender people and migrants. His coalition government has repositioned Spain as a European “pivot” state, a bridge between north and south, east and west. Its economy is predicted to grow faster than that of Germany, France and Italy.But will any of this be enough to keep Sanchez in power after the 23 July general election? He faces significant challenges from the conservative People's Party, as well as new alliances on the left – an increasingly fragmented political environment that mirrors trends seen across Europe, as identity politics, the climate crisis, and demographic shifts reshape many once stable two-party systems. In this wide-ranging essay, New Statesman contributing writer Jeremy Cliffe reflects on what Spain and its election tells us about the future of Europe. By 2030, he writes, “politics in many states will be defined by the normalised collapse of the cordon sanitaire between mainstream conservatism and the far right. It will be a landscape in which the left can only win by forging broad and canny coalitions.” If Silvio Berlusconi’s divisive authoritarianism presaged our present moment, Sanchez and his battles could point the way to our European future. Written by Jeremy Cliffe and read by Chris Stone. This article originally appeared in the 14-20 July issue of the New Statesman. You can read the text version here.If you enjoyed listening to this episode, you may also like A brief history of “woke”: how one word fuelled the culture wars.Subscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week with our special podcast offer: https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to receive The Saturday Read - our weekly email highlighting the best writing from the New Statesman and around the web: https://saturdayread.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservatives are on track to lose the next election. Who would lead them in opposition?Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Zoë Grünewald answer a listener question on the senior Conservatives who currently look most likely to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.They also address whether Keir Starmer will survive as leader of the Labour party until the next election, if unhappy Labour MPs will stick with him – and what the risks to his leadership might be.Read Zoë’s interview with David Blunkett: “Labour needs to be radical, but not scary” https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics-interview/2023/07/david-blunkett-interview-labour-radical-not-scarySubscribers can listen ad-free via the New Statesman app. Download it now:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman from £1 per week with our special podcast offer: https://newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has finished announcing Labour’s five missions. Are they enough to get Labour into government? Vocational education, social mobility, and breaking the “class ceiling” – Labour’s final "mission" was designed to represent the party’s core values. Keir Starmer's mission-based approach is supposed to give us an insight into how a Labour government might lead the country.Anoosh Chakelian, host of the New Statesman podcast, Zoë Grünewald, political reporter for the New Statesman, and Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor of the New Statesman, discuss Labour’s five missions and whether they will be enough to win the next election - and chat through reshuffle rumours.These podcast are made possible by New Statesman subscribers. Not a subscriber yet? Get access to all our content online, including ad-free podcast episodes, from just £1 per week. Subscribe here: https://www.newstatesman.com/podcastofferSign up to receive our daily politics email, Morning Call: https://morningcall.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this wide-ranging interview with Rachel Wearmouth, Keir Starmer discusses the “really damaged economy” Labour will inherit if they win the next election – and attacks Rishi Sunak for being “out of touch” with ordinary people.Speaking in front of a live audience at the New Statesman politics live conference on 27 June 2023, Starmer said a Labour government would have to “go at pace” to rebuild public services, but refused to commit to recommended public sector pay rises.He also addressed claims that he is planning to create hundreds of new Labour peers, acknowledging an “imbalance” in the House of Lords.Pre-register for next year’s Politics Live conference here: https://nsmg.live/event/ns-politics-live/Sign up for the New Statesman’s daily politics email, Morning Call, here: https://morningcall.substack.com/Subscribe to the New Statesman from just £1 a week: www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh, Freddie and Zoë answer your questions in You Ask Us.Keir Starmer has said that voter reform is not a priority for the Labour party. But in the event of a hung parliament at the next election, he may look to the Liberal Democrats – who have long campaigned for proportional representation – for support. Could this sway his hand to change the electoral system?A new survey revealed Andy Burnham is the second most popular politician in the country. The Manchester Mayor has run for the Labour leadership twice. Could he make it third time lucky?To submit a question for You Ask Us visit www.newstatesman.com/youaskusSign up to receive Morning Call, the New Statesman’s daily politics email by Freddie Hayward, here: https://morningcall.substack.com/Subscribe to the New Statesman for £1 per week: www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is experiencing higher inflation than any other G7 country. Ed Conway, Economics editor for Sky News, joins Anoosh, Freddie and Zoë on the New Statesman podcast to explain why Britain appears caught in a "contagious" cycle of economic pain - and why Rishi Sunak and the Bank of England appear unable to break it.Read Ed Conway's cover story for this week's New Statesman magazine, "Broke Britannia", here: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2023/07/broke-britannia-uk-inflationSign up to receive the New Statesman's daily politics email, Morning Call, here: https://morningcall.substack.com/Subscribe to the New Statesman from just £1 per week: https://www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following Yevgeny Prigozhin's short-lived mutiny in Russia, the New Statesman's China and Global Affairs Editor Katie Stallard speaks to the historian Vladislav Zubok about what the failed rebellion means for the future of Vladimir Putin's regime. Zubok is professor of international history at the London School of Economics and the author of multiple books including Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union. They discuss why Prigozhin decided to act when he did, what the crisis reveals about the stability of Putin's political system, and whether Russia is headed for a new Time of Troubles – the period of conflict and civil upheaval in the early 17th century that brought down the ruling Rurik dynasty.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, meets Phil Whitaker, the New Statesman’s medical editor and a working GP, at his surgery in Somerset, to have a conversation chaired by Anoosh Chakelian.They clash over Streeting’s plans for GPs and how best to take pressure off hospitals, and discuss what the yardsticks for success will be for a Labour government and the existential threat to the health service posed by the Tories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s You Ask Us, our polling expert Ben Walker joins the podcast to answer some of your queries. With so many senior MPs standing down at the next election, might there still be a “Portillo moment” when a high-profile Conservative loses their seat, and who will it be? The team also answer consider which party is better placed to win over rural voters, Labour or the Lib Dems?Submit your question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus Vote for The New Statesman Podcast in the British Podcast Awards - voting closes 5 September Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following Nicola Sturgeon’s evidence session at the Covid inquiry in London, the New Statesman’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what she had to say.They chat about how much the prospect of a no-deal Brexit affected pandemic planning in Scotland, what the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster was like at the time, and how the former first minister tried to land political blows on the UK government during her testimony.Then, the team turn to Sturgeon’s replacement as head of the Scottish government, Humza Yousaf, and his plan to use the next UK general election as a mandate to insist on a new Scottish independence referendum. Submit your question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskusVote for The New Statesman Podcast in the British Podcast Awards - voting closes 5 September Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have the newspapers decided who they are going to back at the next general election and if they have will it actually have any impact? The New Statesman’s media correspondent, Will Turvill, joins Rachel Cunliffe to discuss his research into the main papers’ editorials to understand what they might say at the next election and why it still matters.They talk about how endorsements can set the broadcast media agenda, if papers follow readers or lead them – and why Murdoch was unhappy about the “Sun Wot Won It” headline in 1992.Subscripe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s special You Ask Us episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to answer listeners’ questions:They discuss what role Angela Rayner might have in a Starmer government and whether she’s being sidelined. Then they tackle a question on whether Boris Johnson could return to politics through the House of Lords.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus.Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Bank of England raises interest rates again after worse than expected inflation figures, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss what it all means for voters, the government and the opposition.They discuss why the Conservatives seem unable to come up with a plan to deal with the approaching mortgage crisis, whether Labour’s proposals go far enough and what difference a future Labour government might make to the state of the economy.You Ask Us returns tomorrow.Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special podcast from the Spotlight team in partnership with Smart Energy GB we're looking at how smart meters can help bring down energy bills.From July ofgem, the regulator, will be reducing the price cap on energy. But household bills in Britain are expected to stay high. The government has an aim for all homes to be offered a smart meter by 2025. If you don't have a smart meter installed in your home, it can be harder to understand your energy use and to control spending.Host Becky Slack is joined by Andy Maybury, who retrofitted his home in the Scottish Borders to make it more energy efficient, and Sara Higham director of Corporate Affairs for Smart Energy GBFor more information on Smart Meters search “get a smart meter”**Eligibility may vary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Labour starts to set out its policy agenda for the next election, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to one of the people who helped shape it.Claire Ainsley worked in Starmer’s policy team from 2020 to 2022 – before that she was at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and is now a director at the Progressive Policy Institute. They discuss how radical or conservative Starmer needs to be to win the election, what lessons can be learned from other centre-left successes around the world, and how to build a broad coalition with working-class and middle-class voters.Submit a question to You Ask UsSubscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our weekly You Ask Us episode, Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward answer your questions. This week, they tackle whether Labour’s comparison of the UK economy with Poland and Romania can be considered xenophobic and if London is as Labour as Sadiq Khan thinks. If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus, or leave a comment on YouTube.Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a long-awaited investigation finds Boris Johnson knowingly misled parliament – and disrespected its processes – Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss what the report means for Johnson and his party.They go through what the report found, how Boris Johnson reacted and whether this is ultimately good or bad politically for Rishi Sunak.Our new standalone You Ask Us episode will be published on Friday – if you want to submit a question go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A bonus podcast from our Spotlight team:Placemaking – the process of creating quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in – can contribute significantly to the UK’s productivity. It revitalises public spaces, and can lead to a range of societal and economic benefits, including increased levels of employment, better health and wellbeing, and improved access to culture, skills and education. In this special episode sponsored by PwC, we speak with a panel of expert guests across local government and the private sector about what regeneration projects can do for cities, how their benefits can be spread across the country, and how to tackle challenges such as gentrification. We also look at PwC’s annual Good Growth for Cities Report, a ranking of major UK cities based on 12 measures of economic wellbeing, from health and jobs to transport availability. Sarah Dawood, special projects writer at the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Karen Finlayson, partner at PwC and regions leader for UK government and health; Huw Thomas, councillor and leader of Cardiff Council; and Katie Trout, director of policy and partnerships at the West Midlands Growth Company. Read PwC’s Good Growth for Cities Report in full at pwc.co.uk/goodgrowth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Nicola Sturgeon's arrest and Boris Johnson flounced out of the Commons over his honours list and the Privileges Committee investigation into whether he misled parliament, the New Statesman Podcast team discuss what all the drama means for the UK. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker consider the difficulties Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and the SNP are now facing. They then move on to why Boris Johnson resigned as an MP, along with two allies, what it means for Rishi Sunak, and which parties might win the three by-elections now on the horizon.Submit a question to You Ask UsSuscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s You Ask Us, Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth answer listeners’ questions on Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, standing down and why Jamie Driscoll, mayor of the North of Tyne, was blocked from running for the newly created North East mayoralty.If you have a question for You Ask Us you can submit it on the New Statesman websiteSubscribe to Morning Call   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Rachel Reeves returns from her visit to the US – where she was accompanied in Washington DC and New York by the NS editor-in-chief, Jason Cowley – we ask what a Labour government will mean for the economy, and what drives the shadow chancellor both personally and politically.Jason joins Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss his cover story, “The Reeves doctrine: Labour’s plan for power”. They talk about what Reeves believes, why her party is still nervous about scaring voters, and how radical a Labour government might be.You Ask Us will be released as a separate podcast episode tomorrow.Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As more allegations of misconduct within the Metropolitan Police reach the courts, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to a former officer about what’s going wrong with British police.Matt Lloyd-Rose speaks to about his new book, an account of his time as a volunteer police officer with the Met. They discuss misogyny and racism, how police officers’ focus on what they say means they fail to actually help solve problems and why it’s as much the instution that’s the problem as individual officers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our business editor Will Dunn joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to discuss his New Statesman cover feature on the age of greedflation. Some companies have been accused of taking advantage of rising food prices to increase their profit margins. The panel talk about why they have been able to get away with not reducing mark-ups, and what the political impact could be.  Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on Keir Starmer will really make housing more affordable. If you have a question for the podcast team, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus.Sign up for Morning Call at morningcall.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Conservative Party showing open divisions, its right emboldened to hold separate conferences, and many Tory MPs already announcing their plans to stand down at the next election, Zoë Grünewald takes a look at what’s happening to moderates in the party. She’s joined by the writer and commentator Benedict Spence, and Ryan Shorthouse, the chief executive of the liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue. They discuss why centrist voters are turning away from the Conservatives, whether the party has much to show for the last 13 years in government, and which wing might take control after the next election.Subscribe to Morning Call at morningcall.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the local elections in Northern Ireland, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by the Belfast Telegraph reporter Sam McBride to discuss how the different parties did, and what it might mean for the future of power-sharing and the Union as a whole.Then they look at another difficult week for Rishi Sunak, and why Labour feels like it could have the upper hand on Immigration.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry Lambert, New Statesman contributing writer, joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss what could work better in political journalism, the way Westminster and Whitehall are structured, and local government – inspired by two new books, Ian Dunt’s How Westminster Works...and Why It Doesn’t and Paul Johnson’s Follow the Money, on the subject. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the New Statesman publishes the Left Power List – the 50 most powerful people on the British left – George Eaton, senior editor, joins Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss who’s on the list and why. They talk about how power has changed on the left, what the reaction has been.Then in You Ask Us they tackle listeners’ questions on what the National Conservativism conference is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With rising energy prices, Small businesses are keen to take more control over their bills. Smart meters can help companies understand in detail how they are using energy, which can help find ways to make things more efficient. In this special episode of Spotlight, in partnership with Smart Energy GB we speak to Josh Kay, co-founder of a production and art fabrication company the Syrup Room and Victoria Bacon from Smart Energy GB about how Smart Meters can helpTo find out more search "get a smart meter"**Eligibility may vary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a bonus episode of the New Statesman Podcast, we bring you a discussion between Andrew Marr and David Gauke after the local elections earlier this month, in which the Tories did poorly. They talk about the rise of the “Not the Conservatives” party, the chances of Labour winning the next election, and whether voters are concerned about the chances of a coalition.Subscribe to the new Morning Call, now on Substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Why is this lying bastard lying to me? That’s the question Jeremy Paxman famously asked when trying to pin down slippery politicians, and it’s the title of Rob Burley’s new book, published on 11 May. With 25 years of experience working with the great political interviewers of our age – from Andrew Neil to Emily Maitlis, and Andrew Marr to Beth Rigby – he joins Rachel Cunliffe to dissect what makes a great TV political interview, and why scrutiny of our leaders is more important now than ever.   They discuss Brian Walden’s landmark 1989 interview with Margaret Thatcher, the impossible pressure put on the BBC, and the surrealism of the brief Liz Truss era. They also look at how Boris Johnson broke the rules of engagement between journalists and politicians, and revisit why the former PM once had to hide in a fridge.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now all the local ballots have been counted, Anoosh is joined by Freddie Hayward, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker to work out who did well, who did badly, and what the results might tell us about the next election.They look at what’s behind Labour wins in places like Medway and Thanet, whether Keir Starmer should be worried about the Greens, and how the Lib Dems are doing.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special edition of the New Statesman Podcast we bring you the New Statesman debate, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival, on the motion: “This house believes it is time for Britain to abolish its monarchy.”  The death of the Queen, followed by Harry and Meghan’s revelations, marked a turning point for the royal family. On the eve of the coronation of King Charles, six speakers tackle the critical question: is the monarchy an essential source of stability in troubled times? Or is it a distraction and a financial burden – an institution long past its sell-by date?  For the motion: Tanya Gold, an award-winning journalist who has written extensively on the royal family; Anna Whitelock, a historian, author and professor of the history of monarchy at City, University of London; and Gary Younge, a journalist, author, broadcaster and academic. Against the motion: Robert Hardman, a journalist and author specialising in the monarchy, his most recentbook is Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II;Andrew Marr, a broadcaster, author and the New Statesman’s political editor; and the journalist and film-maker Tanjil Rashid, who has recently produced documentaries on the war in Ukraine and writes for the Financial Times and the Washington Post.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the first results from the English local elections come in, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look at what they mean for the main parties. They talk about where the Conservatives are losing, and where Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are succeeding.Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s it like to be a child today? Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Zoë Grünewald discuss the New Statesman's recent interview with Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England – who is tasked with protecting and promoting the rights of children – and how government and tech companies are failing young people. We hear about what it’s like to grow up online and the rise in pupil absences since the pandemic, as well as De Souza’s work on fighting online harms and why her biggest challenge remains the tech giants. The team also consider the political response to the mental health crisis in schools, the migrant children who have gone missing from hotels run by the Home Office, and why the Illegal Migration Bill could embolden human traffickers.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman appPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diane Abbott, the former shadow home secretary and ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has been suspended as a Labour MP after she claimed Jewish people cannot be victims of racism, in a letter to the Observerresponding to a column by Tomiwa Owolade, a New Statesman contributing writer. He joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to talk about her suspension, why the anti-Semitism row continues to punctuate Labour Party politics, and whether Abbott should be allowed to stand for Labour at the next election.Then in You Ask Us, they look at whether we should all just accept that we are poorer, as per advice from the Bank of England’s chief economist, Huw Pill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special episode of the New Statesman Podcast recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival, Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss Dominic Raab’s resignation and what it means for Rishi Sunak's position. They also examine the Prime Minister's improving poll numbers and ask whether the recovery is real – and what Labour under Keir Starmer is doing in response. Then in You Ask Us, they take questions from the audience on whether Labour will benefit from the SNP's problems, the focus on immigration, and the extent of public sympathy for the current wave of strikes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The local elections in England are on 4 May, with more than 8,000 council seats across the country up for grabs. It is the first major electoral test for Rishi Sunak since becoming Prime Minister and a sign of how things could go in the general election next year. What should we watch out for?  Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by the New Statesman’s senior data journalist Ben Walker – founder of State of the Nation, a data site for understanding Britain – to discuss the electoral map and how key wards voted last time. The team assess whether Labour can make a definitive recovery in so-called Red Wall England and how the Tories are managing expectations. Then, in You Ask Us, the New Statesman’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins the podcast to answer a listener’s question: what on Earth’s going on with the SNP? If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app  Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the public's view of government and parliament at new lows after the pandemic, what can be done to increase belief in politics? Dr Hannah White, director of the Institute for Government, speaks to Zoë Grünewald about her new book Held in Contempt, What’s Wrong with the House of Commons. They discuss how trust was damaged so severely under Boris Johnson, and whether Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are doing enough to restore faith in institutions.Subscribe to Morning Call at https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US president, Joe Biden, arrived in Belfast on a week-long visit to the island of Ireland marking the 25th anniversary Good Friday Agreement. Northern Ireland has been in a year of political limbo since it’s devolved government collapsed as a result of divisions over the post-Brexit trade regime.Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth are joined by the New Statesman’s foreign editor, Megan Gibson, to discuss Biden’s deeply personal speech and US-UK relations after claims that his bilateral talks with Rishi Sunak had been stripped back to a coffee – dubbed a “bi-latte”.They also talk about the political implications of the visit for Northern Ireland and mounting tensions as violence broke out at an Easter Monday march in Derry last week and the police raised the terrorism threat level. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what’s behind Labour’s attack ads.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The energy market is complicated. Consumers are understandably confused by the range of tariffs and suppliers – and even by where energy comes from. In 2021, 40 percent of our electricity was generated using gas, around half of which was imported by pipeline from Norway or by ship from places such as Qatar, the United States and Russia.Smart meters enable the opposite of this opaque system. They offer visibility and transparency that can help consumers make the best decisions for themselves.In this special episode of Spotlight, in partnership with Smart Energy GB we speak to Anna Moss, senior consultant at Cornwall Insight about how Smart Meters can help with energy security.The New Statesman podcast will return later this week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special podcast, nine political editors and writers come together to discuss working at the New Statesman, covering everything from the rise and fall of Thatcher and New Labour through to the coalition government and the recent period of Conservative hegemony. We hear from Patrick Wintour, Sarah Baxter, Steve Richards, Jackie Ashley, Rafael Behr, Mehdi Hasan, Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush and their chair, the current political editor Andrew Marr. Together, they discuss what made working at the New Statesman unique and the magazine’s evolution over the years – through the Blair-Brown years, 9/11, Brexit and Corbyn – as well as the key moments in their careers and the influence of social media. This podcast was recorded for a special 110th anniversary edition of the New Statesman, out on 13 April. An abridged version of this conversation will also appear in print and online. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a quarter of a century since a peace deal introduced cross-community power-sharing to Northern Ireland. One of the architects of the deal was Tony Blair’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell. He speaks to the New Statesman's deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth about how the deal came together, how it has fared since 1998, and the likelihood today of an Irish unification referendum.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Easter exodus from the UK has begun but holidaymakers hoping for a quick getaway were stranded by lengthy delays at the Port of Dover. Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, has denied that this was related to Brexit, instead blaming the weather.Anoosh Chakelian, Zoë Grünewald and Ben Walker discuss what’s causing the snarl-up, why evasiveness around the “B” word is not confined to the government alone, and where public opinion lies when there are signs of crisis everywhere.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks: Who is Stevenage Woman?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Tories increasingly use social issues and culture wars to appeal to voters, we talk about the key MPs behind this trend, analyse how socially conservative the country really is, and debate what this means for the future of the Conservative Party and the UK more broadly. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth, Rachel Cunliffe and our polling expert, Ben Walker, along with special guest Henry Hill, the deputy editor of the ConservativeHome website. They discuss the battles going on in the Conservative Party, what Kate Forbes’s close defeat in the SNP leadership race means, and how liberal the British public really is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Petty crime is emerging as a central battleground of the next election. The Prime Minister has announced headline-grabbing plans to ban laughing gas (nitrous oxide), which the Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, has described as an “increasing scourge”. This swiftly followed a big speech on law and order from the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, which unveiled ambitions to reverse rising crime rates.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Zoë Grünewald discuss Rishi Sunak’s big idea of “immediate justice” and whether this would win immediate votes in the local elections – or is even possible at all.They also analyse Labour’s ambitious “tough on crime” agenda, the damning findings of the Casey report into the Met’s toxic culture, and why tackling crime is easier than tackling austerity.In You Ask Us, they chat about Jeremy Corbyn’s future in answer to a question from a listener: should the Labour Party be a broad church?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has winning the Brexit vote made the Conservative Party ungovernable? That’s the question political scientist Tim Bale is tackling in his new book The Conservative Party After Brexit. He speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about how the party has changed, why its coalition of right-wing populism and free-market fundamentalism is inherently unstable and why the damage could continue well beyond the next election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humza Yousaf is the new leader of the SNP after beating his closest rival, Kate Forbes, by 52 per cent to 48 per cent in the final round of the party’s leadership election.He’s the continuity candidate, but is continuity enough to keep the SNP in power in Holyrood and dominant in Scottish Westminster seats as it continues to push for independence?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Chris Deerin, Scotland editor, to discuss the result, the bruising campaign and why Labour might be the happiest party north of the border right now.If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During a grumpy four-hour hearing with the Commons Privileges Committee, Boris Johnson appeared to lack the deft political touches that got him into No 10. The team discuss how his performance didn’t help him, why he was unable to lead a dramatic revolt against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal, and if this is good or bad for the current prime minister. Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether the UK could ever have a more humane immigration policy.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to Newstatesman.com/youaskus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Jeremy Hunt announced an extension of free childcare provision to children older than nine months in the Budget this week, some parents groups are celebrating – but is this really a victory?Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Zoë Grünewald and Alona Ferber to discuss what was announced, whether it leaves Labour in a difficult position, and if the new policy will actually deliver what it promises.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Podcast listeners can subscribe to the NewStatesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our specialoffer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Hunt presented his first Budget on Wednesday (15 March) as forecasts said that Britain faces a record fall in living standards over the next two years.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s political editor, Andrew Marr, and business editor, Will Dunn, to take us through the key measures. They discuss the huge stealth tax rises the Chancellor snuck into his “boring” Budget and, with half a million workers on strike as he delivered it, the missed opportunities to rescue public services.Then, the New Statesman’s deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth joins the podcast to discuss Labour’s response: has its emphasis on childcare been overshadowed by the Tories, and are the two main parties moving closer together on policy?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman appPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The local elections in May will be the first time that voters in England must show a form of photo ID to cast their vote. The government has said we need these tough restrictions to combat election fraud but pilots suggest one million voters could be put off voting, with police told to prepare for polling station chaos.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Ben Walker discuss the reality of voter fraud, why Rishi Sunak is pressing ahead with this policy now and who might be denied their right to vote. Plus, the many ways this law might degrade trust in the electoral process rather than bolster it.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women have turned away from the Conservative Party over the past few decades, who since 2010 have been more likely to vote for Labour. The Conservatives’ failure to support women – who are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis – has not helped things.Anoosh Chakelian, Zoë Grünewald and Rachel Wearmouth discuss why the Tories have failed to win over female voters, the rise of newly politicised mums, and how gender equality has been weaponised to fuel the culture wars.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks why Labour has never elected a female leader.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusThis week we’ve been celebrating our women writers from around the world. Read more here.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Childcare in the UK is among the most expensive among the countries of the OECD. The lack of affordable and accessible childcare is costing the nation £27bn a year – equivalent to 1 per cent of GDP – according to report by Centre for Progressive Policy. In this bonus episode of the New Statesman podcast, brought to you by the Spotlight team, Alona Ferber, editor of the Spotlight policy section and supplement, speaks to Stella Creasy. The Labour MP for Walthamstow has long been outspoken on the need to reform Britain’s dysfunctional childcare system, which the party promises to “completely reimagine” if it wins the next election. They discuss why childcare is becoming an increasingly political issue and the hostility Creasy has experienced campaigning around issues related to work and motherhood. She discusses her recent victory on whether childcare should be considered part of economic infrastructure, the crisis in the sector and which voices are sorely missing from the debate.This interview will be appearing in the next edition of the Spotlight supplement.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman appPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new report from economics think tank the Centre for Progressive Policy (CPP) reveals the UK is losing 1 per cent of GDP through a lack of suitable childcare. Rachel Cunliffe, Alona Ferber and Zoë Grünewald discuss the cost of Britain’s broken childcare system as the pressure increases for action. We hear from Labour MP Stella Creasy, who with shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson wants to make childcare a dividing line in the next election. The team discuss what Labour’s childcare policy would look like, the Australian Labor Party’s election success following the promise of a radical childcare policy with subsidies of up to 90 per cent, and Rishi Sunak’s offer – a “letter-writing campaign” to persuade stay-at-home mums to return to work – after scrapping Liz Truss's childcare reforms. They also cover what’s often missing in the debate, including why childcare should be seen as economic infrastructure, the quality of care, and why workers are often underpaid, overworked and undervalued.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman appIf you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak has agreed a deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland protocol. He has hailed this as a “new chapter” in relations, but will he reap the rewards? Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth discuss the “Windsor framework”, as the deal is known, and what the DUP and hardline Tory Brexiteers will do now. They also debate whether Labour will be forced to drop its “Make Brexit Work” slogan. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what is behind Keir Starmer’s missions, which are outlined in his cover essay for this week’s New Statesman magazine.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman appPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Zoë Grünewald are joined by two parliamentary researchers to delve into the working conditions, power imbalances and abuses that take place within Westminster. Jenny Symmons and Holly Brazier Tope are senior researchers for Labour MPs and representatives of parliamentary staff for the GMB union. They open up about the problems at their workplace, ranging from diseased drinking water, fires and asbestos to bullying, outrageous assignments and sexual misconduct.  The team discuss the dangers of being employed by an individual MP, including poor pay and being fired at will, why parliamentary staffers are considering strike action, and whether a more inclusive and less toxic workplace is possible.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman appPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For a hot moment Kate Forbes was favourite to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister. But revealing her socially conservative views in a series of interviews, including being against equal marriage, gender self-identification and sex outside of marriage, has dismayed her supporters and jeopardised her campaign. Anoosh Chakelian and Ben Walker discuss the SNP’s socially liberal base and the parallels between Forbes and Tim Farron, who resigned as Liberal Democrat leader in 2017 after he was repeatedly challenged about his views on gay sex. Anoosh then speaks to Farron himself about how he rates Forbes’ prospects given his own experience, her brutally honest strategy, and whether a leader with her views is compatible with the SNP’s progressive agenda. Then in You Ask US, Ben answers listeners’ polling questions on where Britain stands on strikes, apathy towards Brexit, and the significance of the West Lancashire by-election result, as forecast by Britain Predicts, the New Statesman’s new polling model.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Widespread use of autonomous cars is on the horizon. Self-driving vehicles are already out on our roads. And autonomy will change our relationship with our vehicles. But what will the new immersive world inside a vehicle be like? In the third episode of a three-part special series partnered with Wejo, the smart mobility tech company, a panel of expert guests discuss how legislation and policy are enabling self-driving vehicles – and how AVs will change our lives. Will our children do their homework in the car on their way to school? Will we watch films on long journeys on the motorway?Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Richard Barlow, founder and chief executive of Wejo, Larry Burns, the former corporate vice president of Research and Development for General Motors who championed self-driving and electric vehicles – and now sits on Wejo’s board – Alex Kendall, CEO of AV2.0 start-up Wayve, and Amanda Stretton, the former racing driver, broadcaster, and automotive expert. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the criminal justice system under immense strain, from huge case backlogs to crumbling court buildings and staff shortages, Labour has seized the opportunity to attack the Tories’ record on crime. In a speech on Thursday 16 February the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, declared that “only Labour is the party of law and order”. Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth discuss Keir Starmer’s strategy, evoking Tony Blair, and whether this could be the deciding issue at the next election.  They also talk about the government’s attempt to cling on to its “tough on crime” credentials, which has been overtaken by Rishi Sunak’s “relentless” commitment to stop migrants in small boats arriving on Britain’s shores.Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 After surprising the country by announcing her resignation as First Minister and SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon leaves a vacuum in UK politics. The New Statesman’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins the podcast to discuss what's behind her decision and what it means for the Union, independence and the prospects of Scottish opposition parties. Then in You Ask Us, we try to work out who could replace her. Subscribers can get an ad free version of the NS Podcast on the New Statesman app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the publication of his new book, Life in the Balance: A Doctor’s Stories of Intensive Care, Dr Jim Down speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about the struggles the NHS is facing, why privitisation isn’t the answer, and the toll the job is taking on the mental health of many doctors.Jim’s book is published on 23 February.Subscribe to the Morning Call newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak is struggling to restore order over a divided and unruly Conservative party. His latest attempt, this week, takes the form of a cabinet reshuffle and a restructuring of Whitehall that created four new government departments. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward break down the main changes and talk about what this disruptive and expensive move tells us about Sunak’s grip on his party. They also discuss the appointment of the controversial “red wall rottweiler” Lee Anderson as deputy Conservative Party chairman and whether the new departments promise a new political direction. Then in You Ask Us a listener asks: what is the cost of strikes compared with the cost of giving workers pay rises?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week the government faced multiple defeats in the House of Lords on its wide-ranging Public Order Bill, which have peers warned would have a chilling effect on the right to protest.As the government continues to try to push its legislation through, Jodie Beck, head of policy and campaigns at the human rights organisation Liberty, talks to Rachel Cunliffe about why this bill is so controversial, how it will criminalise perfectly normal acts, and whether anything can be done to stop the assault on civil liberties.Watch our video on the Crime and Policing ActIf you have a question for You Ask Us, go to https://newstatesman.com/youaskus  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak is marking 100 days in office just after Britain was hit by the biggest day of industrial action in a decade and the IMF predicted that the UK will be the only major economy to shrink in 2023. With the Tory party engulfed in sleaze and sackings, Sunak is feeling the pressure. Andrew Marr joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to discuss whether the Prime Minister is simply too inexperienced to weather this perfect storm, the clamour for tax cuts among the Tory ranks, and the key question buzzing around Westminster – is Boris Johnson about to make a comeback? In You Ask Us, a listener wonders if Brexit is behind the UK's gloomy economic outlook.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a series of by-election victories, could the Lib Dem election machine be powering the party back to its late 90s levels of popularity? Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look at the party’s recent performance, how it is preparing to fight an upcoming election and why Brexit has changed the kinds of seats it is fighting for. Listen to our special on the Green Party. If you have a question for the podcast team go to Newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak promised to draw a line under the scandalous Boris Johnson era when he became Prime Minister, but Tory sleaze seems here to stay. He is facing serious questions over the integrity of his party after a succession of allegations against senior figures. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Will Dunn, the New Statesman’s business editor, try to figure out what's going – from Boris Johnson’s loan allegedly facilitated by the BBC chairman Richard Sharp and his million-pound donation from the businessman Christopher Harborne, to the investigation into Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs. The team discuss Sunak’s political naivety and ask whether the stories are bad only for the government or, in fact, tarnish all politicians and parties. Then in You Ask Us a listener asks why campaigners keep calling for all sorts of new protected characteristics under the Equality Act. If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the crisis in the health service growing, the New Statesman’s medical editor Phil Whitaker speaks to Rachel Cunliffe about his prescription for fixing it. They discuss how the system is currently broken, why the Health Secretary Steve Barclay and the shadow health secretary Wes Streeting could benefit from spending time on the front line with GPs, and how to get back to a system in which the private insurance sector panics about not being needed. Subscribe to Morning Call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special podcast from Spotlight, the New Statesman’s policy supplement - The New Statesman podcast will return tomorrow.  In 2020, the UK announced the end of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. At the time, Boris Johnson’s government pledged £1.8bn to support greater uptake of zero emission vehicles, including £1.3bn to rollout more chargepoints for electric vehicles nationwide. Since then, the country has seen the biggest year-on-year growth in electric car registration for years. But there are millions of registered cars on the road in the UK – so how far have we come on the EV journey? In the second episode of a three-part special partnered series with Wejo, the smart mobility tech company, a panel of expert guests discuss what’s standing in the way of greater uptake of EVs, in the UK and elsewhere.  Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Richard Barlow, founder and chief executive of Wejo, Melanie Shufflebotham, founder and COO of the EV charging app, Zap_Map, Dale Vince, CEO of Ecotricity, and Philipe Vangeel, Secretary General of AVERE, the European Association for Electromobility.  The next episode of this special series explores the autonomous vehicles future that is nearly here. Click here for the first episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak’s government has decided to block legislation to simplify gender recognition passed by the Scottish Parliament using a mechanism that’s being described as the “nuclear option”. The decision has precipitated a constitutional crisis, with Nicola Sturgeon calling the decision a “full-frontal attack” on devolution.Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth discuss how a debate over policy has turned into one over Scotland’s power to govern itself. The team also covers claims that the government is trying to inflame tensions as part of a culture war and exploit divisions within the Labour Party over the bill.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks how the stalemate at Stormont, the Northern Irish Assembly, which has been without a government since February 2022, will end.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Dunn, the New Statesman’s business editor, is joined by the journalist and former political adviser Duncan Weldon to discuss how Britain is facing a decline like never before. They talk about the country’s long history of economic woe and what we can learn from it, why we are feeling the current crisis more acutely than our neighbours, and if this calls for big ideas or – as Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng attempted in their disastrous mini-Budget – suffers from them.If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition met across the despatch box for the first time in 2023, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's Political Editor Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to analyse whether Rishi Sunak can start turning his polling figures around.They discuss Sunak’s answers about his use of private healthcare and Labour’s potentially costly plans for the NHS.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on how Labour is responding to the government’s anti-strike legislation.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusSubscribe to the Morning Call newsletter at https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call CORRECTION: On an earlier version of this episode of the New Statesman podcast, during a discussion about anti-strike legislation, there was a suggestion that individual workers may be arrested – this was incorrect. As we made clear in our intro to the topic, the law would be enforceable in two ways: allowing employers to fire workers who strike, and to sue unions that don’t ensure a minimum level of service. We have removed this from the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a devolution special for the New Statesman Podcast, we take a look at how the NHS crisis - and other political problems - are playing out in Scotland and Wales. Our Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, returns to the podcast to speak to Anoosh Chakelian about his own experience in a Scottish hospital, and how problems with the service are affecting the SNP. Then Anoosh is joined by the co-host of the Hireath Welsh politics podcast Matthew Hexter to analyse the impact on Wales, and how its Labour-run government is responding.Sign up for the Morning Call newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer welcomed in 2023 with speeches setting out their priorities for the year and beyond. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss Sunak’s five pledges and why he appears more Blue Peter presenter than prime minister. They also analyse Starmer’s embrace of a Brexit slogan with his promise to help voters “take back control” of their communities, why he is pitching to a new squeezed middle, and his reluctance to talk about big spending.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks whether the Conservatives are running the NHS down on purpose so they can sell it off.If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus  Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Read more:Freddie Hayward writes Keir Starmer takes the fight to the Tories by stealing their slogans.Zoë Grünewald writes Rishi Sunak's New Year speech showed how out of depth he is.Anoosh Chakelian asks are the Conservatives "defunding" the NHS in order to privatise it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Half of Britain (51 per cent) wants the voting system to change, according to the British Social Attitudes survey, while only 44 per cent want to retain the current system. Most Labour supporters are in favour and this year the Labour Party conference voted for a manifesto commitment to proportional representation for general elections. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by special guest Jess Garland, director of policy and research at the Electoral Reform Society, to talk all things voter reform. They discuss the significance of proportional representation and the recent rise in public support, where the various political parties stand on the issue, and how a change to the system could be brought about.You can submit a question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus, and sign up for the Morning Call politics newsletter at newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In a special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Harry Lambert joins Anoosh Chakelian to look back at the year in politics.They cast their minds back to the three prime ministers, two monarchs, one controversial beer and korma, and the collapse of more “walls” than you can shake a comedy Lib Dem prop at.You can submit a question for You Ask Us at newstatesman.com/youaskus, and sign up for the Morning Call politics newsletter at newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the very near future, your car will use data from your mobile device to help you navigate and stay safe. But vehicles already generate useful data. In the first episode of a three-part special partnered series with Wejo, the smart mobility tech company, a panel of expert guests discuss how connected vehicle data is already changing the world.Real-time data, information generated by vehicles driving around towns and cities as we speak, is already being used to help ease traffic congestion, help prevent accidents, and support the move to a net zero economy.Read more and watch the video on the New Statesman website: https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/2022/12/how-connected-vehicle-data-is-going-to-change-the-world-with-wejoIn the first episode of this special series, the panel traces the origins of connected vehicle data and looks at potential problems around data privacy. The discussion also explores the potential of data for local authority service delivery, and highlights examples of where vehicle data is already being put to use for wider social benefits.Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman’s Spotlight policy channel, is joined by Richard Barlow, founder and chief executive of Wejo, John Stenlake, director of Vehicle Innovation & Mobility at Microsoft, and Peter Van Manen, the former managing director of McLaren Electronic Systems, the company that supplies control and data systems to all competitors in the Formula One, NASCAR and indyCar racing series.One application of vehicle data has been to reduce insurance premiums, Barlow, who started Wejo ten years ago, explains on the episode: “In the first year I worked with an insurance provider, and my thought process with insurance providers was that if they had access to data, then they would be able to provide better policies, more cost effective policies for all drivers.”“It became very apparent that the insurers were very much ingrained with the idea that they could produce their premium costs for high risk drivers, but not for all drivers, just a very small percentage,” he says. “And then at the same point, it became clear that motor manufacturers were also making more of their vehicles be available in terms of the data they make available."And it was a massive disconnect. I realised there was an opportunity there to work with the motor manufacturers and to actually go beyond insurance, but actually use data to provide better mobility services. And now today we see data from 90 million journeys every day. We have over 20 million vehicles on [Wejo’s] platform.”The next episodes of this special series will look at obstacles to mass electric vehicle adoption and the autonomous vehicles future that is nearly here.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special Boxing Day episode hosted by Rachel Cunliffe, looking back at the best (and worst) of the year in culture. She is joined by Tom Gatti, the New Statesman’s executive editor for culture, Kate Mossman, senior writer, and Rachel Cooke, our regular TV critic, to talk about their picks across TV, music, books, and film. In music, they discuss the high-art cabaret of Christine and the Queens’ Redcar and Kate’s nerve-wracking interview with Nick Cave about his deepening faith and grieving for two sons. In film, the stand-out was The Quiet Girl, based on Claire Keegan’s story of early-1980s rural Ireland which left Rachel Cooke and Tom weeping. In TV, they move from the indulgent theatre of the Harry and Meghan documentary to the exquisite observations made in the BBC series Marriage, and explain why people can’t stop the watching the second season of The White Lotus. And in books, highlights include the nasty but brilliant novel Vladimir by Julia May Jonas and Katherine Rundell’s The Golden Mole, while the unanimous lowlight is Matt Hancock’s retrospectively constructed and entirely delusional Pandemic Diaries.Subscribe to the Morning Call newsletter at https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been an unprecedented week of strike action involving both nurses and ambulance workers – and the government still refuses to negotiate with NHS unions over pay. Anoosh Chakelian and Zoë Grünewald, the New Statesman’s political reporter, are joined by Dr Emma Runswick, a mental health doctor and deputy chair of council for the British Medical Association (BMA), a doctors’ trade union.They discuss the poor pay and conditions that have led to strike action and why junior doctors might be next, plus the government’s refusal to consider pay negotiations, and the shadow health secretary Wes Streeting’s recent critique of the BMA. The team also covers the wider problems in the NHS after years of poor planning and underfunding – such as ambulance delays, staff shortages and long waiting lists – and whether these issues are changing patient attitudes towards the healthcare system. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: with the NHS in such a state after the Conservatives have slowed its funding, is there a reason Labour or the Lib Dems don’t attack the government harder on the NHS? Is it because there is a fear of sounding critical of the NHS itself.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special festive edition of the New Statesman Podcast, NS columnist Jonn Elledge speaks to Rachel Cunliffe about the highs and lows of the year, how Love Actually messed up our politicians, and why residents of a town in Sweden spend every Christmas trying to burn a wooden goat. If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus You can find Jonn Elledge’s books Conspiracy and The Compendium of (Not Quite) Everything at all good bookshops, and hear him talk about Conspiracy on the NS podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland went on strike today for the first time in their history. With the UK facing “winter lockdown” following the latest wave of strikes and with inflation still high, Rishi Sunak’s government is under pressure. Labour leader Keir Starmer has described the nurses' strike as a “badge of shame for this government”, while the Prime Minister has unveiled his plan to crack down on migrants claiming asylum in Britain.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss public support for the strikes, which remains relatively high, and how long the momentum behind them can last, as well as Labour's position and why shadow health secretary Wes Streeting is challenging the British Medical Association. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: is Nigel Farage making a comeback?You can read all our Spotlight Cybersecurity coverage here.If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After figures showed record net migration to the UK in 2022, is immigration still a toxic political issue? Freddie Hayward talks to Sunder Katwala, director of the think tank British Future, about how public attitudes to immigration have changed, the impact of Brexit, and why the Conservatives may not get much electoral benefit from discussing the topic. If you’ve got a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix them. In this final episode of the season Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, examine whether Britain’s leaders want to be too powerful. Boris Johnson spoke often of a personal mandate, and Tony Blair enforced more control from the centre. Have our leaders got too strong – and can anything be done about it?  Our guests for the episode are Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s director of communications and now a diarist and podcaster, and Catherine Haddon, resident historian of the Institute for Government. The panel discusses whether prime ministers have always wanted more power, how much Johnson tried to change the rules of the game and why prime ministers should make the most of their cabinets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer dubbed Rishi Sunak the “blancmange prime minister” – comparing him to a particularly weak and wobbly dessert – after he U-turned on new onshore wind farms and mandatory housing targets this week under pressure from Tory MPs. Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by Andrew Marr, the New Statesman’s political editor, to discuss Sunak’s struggle to control a divided Tory party as the prospect of electoral defeat looms. They also cover Rachel’s exclusive interview with Keir Starmer as he plots Labour’s route back to power and the launch of a major report authored by Gordon Brown that recommends a radical overhaul of the constitution. Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders: should we abolish the House of Lords?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has used Winchester, the elite independent school Rishi Sunak attended, to attack the Tory party over tax benefits for private schools, saying it amounted to “trickle-down education”. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister defended private schools as a personal choice, accusing Starmer of “attacking the hard-working aspirations of millions of people in this country”. Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Sam Freedman, a former senior adviser on schools at the Department of Education, to discuss Labour’s policy to remove the charitable status of private schools and VAT exemption on school feels, the rage Starmer’s comments have sparked, and the quality of state education. In You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question: how much do private schools give out in bursaries to poorer children, and is that more or less than the cost of Labour’s private-school policy proposals?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes, Iannucci explores the parts of British public life he believes are broken and works out how to fix them with guests from inside and outside Westminster.  In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, discuss the B-word. Six years after Britain voted to leave the EU, Boris Johnson’s promise to Get Brexit Done rings hollow. The Northern Ireland protocol is an ever-present sore spot, the Office for Budget Responsibility believes bluntly that Brexit has delivered a “significant adverse impact” on trade and, according to a YouGov poll, the number of Britons who believe it was a mistake now stands at 56 per cent. Our special guests this week are two brothers divided by Brexit, each with businesses that deal with Europe. Ian Baxter, founder and chair of Baxter Freight, voted Remain in the 2016 referendum, while his brother, Nigel Baxter, managing director of RH Commercial Vehicles, voted Leave. Can they come together and unite after years of division? The panel discusses why the brothers found themselves on opposing sides of the Brexit debate, and how their decisions have impacted their relationship, businesses and world-view. Plus, if they have any regrets, and how we as a society can begin to move on.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time since 2010, constituency boundaries are set to be redrawn. The Boundary Commission for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has published its final proposals, to be followed by final recommendations in 2023 that are likely to be adopted in time for the next election.Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth are joined by Ben Walker, who has made a detailed map of the changes for England and Wales for the New Stateman’s State of the Nation. The team discuss which MPs stand to lose and gain, why the shake-up is controversial, and the emerging political consequences.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks how Labour would solve the wage crisis.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Conservative Party deadline approaches for MPs to say whether they want to run in the next election, many young Tory MPs have already announced that they’ve had enough, including the Bishop Auckland MP Dehanna Davison. Charlotte Ivers, the Times Radio presenter and columnist for the New Statesman and Sunday Times, joins Rachel Cunliffe to talk about why this is, and how Rishi Sunak’s first month in office has gone. They also talk about whether Matt Hancock’s third place in I’m a Celebrity has done him more good than harm. If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus.Sign up for our Morning Call newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix things.In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, look at how politics can operate in a post-truth world. Is there any way to counter misinformation and disinformation? And what effect are they having on our politicians and elections?Our special guests are James Ball, journalist and author of Post-Truth: How Bullshit Conquered the World, and Mae Dobbs, a digital campaigner who worked on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Plus, we hear from former BBC executive Pat Younge on how the broadcaster could do much more to tackle a culture of outright lying among politicians.The panel discusses whether objective news really is now harder to find or whether it’s always been difficult, the extent to which social media is making things worse, and what can be done to tackle the problem. Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak has denied reports that the government is preparing to seek a “Swiss-style” deal with the EU over the next decade to rebuild economic ties with the trading bloc.Rachel Cunliffe, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss why the Prime Minister is incurring the wrath of hardline Tory Brexiteers, the signs of rising public discontent with Brexit, and whether this is a window of opportunity for Labour.Meanwhile Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, has once again come under fire as she struggled to explain to the MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee how someone fleeing persecution would legally seek asylum in the UK. The team discuss how long Braverman can hold on as Home Secretary and why she is a symptom of a government in disarray.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks: should England have boycotted the Qatar World Cup?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2014, the then prime minister David Cameron commissioned a review into a worrying global phenomenon: an increase in drug-resistant infections. “If we fail to act,” he warned, “we are looking at an almost unthinkable scenario where antibiotics no longer work and we are cast back into the dark ages of medicine.”  The economist Jim O’Neill, who chaired the review, predicted that by 2050 “ten million lives a year” and a “cumulative cost of $100trn of economic output” would be at risk from bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites increasingly resisting treatment. Six years on, however, anti-microbial resistance (AMR) continues to endanger humanity.  Alona Ferber, editor of the New Statesman's Spotlight policy channel, is joined by three expert guests to discuss why AMR is so complex, how far we have come in tackling it since the 2016 review, and what our best hopes are for getting this dangerous trend under control: Pfizer UK's managing director and country president Susan Rienow, the UK government's AMR envoy Sally Davies, and the microbiologist Laura Piddock, scientific director of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership in Geneva.  This special episodes has been funded by Pfizer Limited. Non Pfizer panelist's views are independent, but content has been reviewed by Pfizer Limited for A B P I code compliance.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special episode of the New Statesman podcast, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look back at the last few weeks in politics, including the fall out from the Autumn Statement, how Rishi Sunak is going down with voters and whether Labour is finding its voice.Then they take questions from the audience on everything from Brexit, to Jeremy Corbyn running as independent parliamentary candidate, to whether it matters if Twitter collapses under Elon Musk's leadership.If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix things.  In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, examine whether the UK is falling apart at the seams. In 2010 the Conservative Party came to power promising to fix “Broken Britain”. Today, with unions around the country striking, the NHS buckling, and communities increasingly stepping in to provide vital services following a 37 per cent cut in local council funding, we ask: how can Britain carry on like this? Our special guests are Michelle Dornelly, founder of Children with Voices, which runs Hackney Community Food Hub, and Emilie De Bruijn, who set up Hartlepool Baby Bank. The panel discusses why these two women founded front-line services for their local communities, the lack of resources, the dangers of burning out, and why the state is sitting back and relying on their goodwill, as well as what can be done to remedy the problem. Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer: visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to learn more  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth dissect the Autumn Statement, which will leave Britain with highest tax burden since the Second World War. They discuss what to make of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s bleak forecast that living standards are set to collapse by the largest amount on record, and recap how we got to this point just 55 days after Kwasi Kwarteng’s ill-fated tax-cutting “mini-Budget”.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt prepare for a Budget that will likely mean years of austerity, Rachel Cunliffe talks to the Conservative commentator John Oxley about the mess the party finds itself in. They discuss whether the damage done by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng is reversible, or if the party was in terminal decline anyway. Plus, what hopes Tories have at the next election and the impact of euroscepticism on the party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. Across six special episodes, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside the Westminster world to work out how to fix things.  In this episode, the American satirist and broadcaster Jon Stewart and British radio presenter turned Arizona podcaster Sam Walker join Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, to compare US and UK politics. They discuss whether the chaos and division of US political life is a warning for the UK, and whether discourse in Britain is heading in a similar direction.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gavin Williamson has resigned from the cabinet as minister without portfolio after a string of bullying allegations, including expletive-laden texts to a female colleague. It’s not the first time he has lost a government job: he was sacked twice before, under Theresa May and Boris Johnson.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Emma Haslett discuss the scandal and controversies that pepper Williamson’s career, and what his resignation tells us about the Rishi Sunak leadership and the way Westminster works. Plus, the moves Keir Starmer had made to put Labour on an election footing.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks to what extent George Osborne’s post-2010 period of austerity has led UK politics to where it is now.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Cop27, the UN climate conference, starts in Egypt, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by India Bourke, our environment correspondent, to discuss why Rishi Sunak U-turned and is now attending, what might be announced and why it’s disappointing that the leaders of so many other countries are not going.Read more:Carbon emissions tracker 2022: How do countries compare? Greta Thunberg on why Cop27 is a “scam”“I haven’t met a politician ready to do what it takes”: Greta Thunberg and Björk in conversationMapped: Fracking sites could impact one in four Tory constituencies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci, returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host our third series of Westminster Reimagined. In six special episodes Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to work out how to fix things.   In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, examine why in Britain the rich are richer and the poor are poorer than in other European countries. The income gap is the largest it has been in ten years, food-bank use has doubled since 2014 and nearly a third of low-income families are unable to heat their homes; meanwhile the richest 1 per cent of households in the UK are worth £3.6 million each.   Special guests for the episode Dominic Watters, a social worker living on the breadline who campaigns against food insecurity and wrote Social Distance in Social Work: Covid Capsule One, and Adrienne Buller, director of research at the Common Wealth think tank and author of The Value of a Whale.   The panel discusses living in fuel and food deserts, how hostility toward the “undeserving poor” is baked into the welfare system, and whether a minister for income inequality might be one potential solution. Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain editor, is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor, to assess Rishi Sunak’s first ten days in Downing Street, from the damaging re-appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary to mixed messages on his government’s commitment to the climate.They discuss his tricky mandate, the prospect of tax rises and spending cuts, and how Keir Starmer is facing up to him.Then in You Ask Us: is it ever OK to comment on a politician’s appearance or presentational style?If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.Read more:Andrew Marr on whether Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer’s “centrist” styles can speak to the anger of the dayRachel Wearmouth on how the Prime Minister and Labour leader compareAnoosh Chakelian on the appetite for an election around an exasperated country Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Conservatives on to their fifth prime minister in just six years, we talk to the political scientist and author Brian Klaas about the leadership problem in politics: why the top jobs attract the worst people; why it was a good thing that Truss was able to fail so quickly; and what we need to do to defend democracy. If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Read more:Brian Klaas on why we choose the wrong leaders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi Sunak attended his first PMQs on Wednesday 26 October, and seemed to buoy up his divided party with Johnsonite attack lines on Labour – but can he hold on to unity and win back the country’s trust? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, Rachel Wearmouth and our business editor, Will Dunn, to discuss Sunak’s first few days in charge, the fallout from his reappointment of Suella Braverman, and what to expect from the now-delayed Autumn Statement.Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether Sunak’s past mistakes show he’s out of touch.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is to have a new prime minister whose policies are unknown and no one but Tory MPs voted for. Public appetite for a general election is high. What will Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, do when he officially enters No 10, and why did Boris Johnson drop out of the Conservative leadership race this weekend?Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain Editor, is joined by Rachel Wearmouth, Deputy Political Editor, and our polling expert Ben Walker to analyse the challenges ahead, what Sunak’s victory means for the Conservative Party’s dire poll ratings, and how Labour feels about its new opponent.Then, in You Ask Us, we answer a listener’s question: why are there Tory MPs who oppose Rishi Sunak, and will the party remain divided?Read more:Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister after Penny Mordaunt fails to make Tory ballotCan anyone save the Tories? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Rachel Cunliffe interviews the Daily Star deputy editor-in-chief Jon Livesey about how a lettuce livestream helped chronicle the downfall of Liz Truss’s calamitous time in office. They talk about why it cut through to the public, what’s happening to the lettuce now, and which vegetable will come next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Truss has announced she will stand down as prime minister after her government was plunged into chaos yesterday. The Home Secretary was forced to resign, the chief whip attempted to resign, and Tory MPs were allegedly manhandled and reduced to tears over a fracking vote which was (maybe?) a vote of confidence. Rachel Cunliffe, Ben Walker and Rachel Wearmouth discuss Liz Truss’s resignation and then Freddie Hayward joins the podcast to take us through how the madness unfolded, minute by minute.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a desperate attempt to stabilise the financial markets Jeremy Hunt, the newly appointed Chancellor, has reversed “almost all” of the tax cuts announced in the government’s mini-Budget just three weeks ago.Anoosh Chakelian and Harry Lambert discuss the measures announced in Hunt’s emergency statement this morning, reports that he is now acting effectively as a caretaker PM, and who would succeed Liz Truss should she be ousted.In You Ask Us, a listener asks if the Tories can get away with switching leader again without calling a general election.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Haslett, The New Statesman’s associate business editor, speaks to Gary Stevenson, an economist and former trader for Citibank, a job he initially won in a card game. In 2011 he became the bank’s most profitable trader globally by correctly predicting the economy would not recover from the 2008 financial crash. In 2014 Stevenson quit his job, and he now campaigns against wealth inequality and educates people on economics via his YouTube channel, GarysEconomics. They discuss the fallout from the Tories' disastrous mini-Budget and No 10’s attachment to trickle-down economics, as well as the reaction among Stevenson’s former colleagues in the City. Emma and Gary also offer their predictions for the economy this time next year. Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What was left of Liz Truss’s authority visibly dissipated in Prime Minister’s Questions this week. As Freddie Hayward reports, the atmosphere was “funereal”, with the Prime Minister repeating “I’m genuinely unclear” and refusing to talk about market turmoil or tax cuts, only the government’s energy package.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss the criticism of the mini-Budget and what Truss’s options are, whether Kwasi Kwarteng will survive as Chancellor and who would replace him, and Labour’s plans for a future without Truss.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what on earth the government’s much-touted “supply-side reform” is.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Dale Vince, a green energy industrialist and founder of Ecotricity, a renewable energy company. Vince’s book Manifesto: How a Maverick Entrepreneur Took On British Energy and Won was published in 2020, charting his journey from leaving school aged 15, to becoming a New Age traveller, and finally into the weird world that is Britain’s energy market. They discuss the government’s response to Britain’s energy and cost-of-living crises versus Labour’s pledge to create a publicly owned renewable power company, Great British Energy, the sense of frustration even among energy companies, and some solutions.If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskusPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As conference season ends, our Political Editor, Andrew Marr, discusses the Conservative and Labour conferences with Freddie Hayward and Anoosh Chakelian. They reflect on the mood at the Conservative Party conference, whether Liz Truss will get any policy through parliament and if Labour really is more confident that it could return to government. Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question on whether Keir Starmer is trying to be more left-wing. Read Anoosh’s piece on the country bracing for austerity, Andrew’s latest column and our exclusive polling on what Labour voters think of Starmer.  If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Freddie Hayward, Rachel Wearmouth and Harry Lambert, who are reporting from the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.They describe a sense of discord and dissent, with Liz Truss’s U-turn on abolishing the top rate of income tax damaging her credibility and emboldening Tory rebels. The team discuss the open speculation by Tory MPs about who might succeed the Prime Minister, including Boris Johnson as an “off the shelf” candidate, and the party’s response to a weak speech by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor.Then in You Ask Us a listener asks, will Liz Truss be able to cut benefits?If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special episode recorded live at the New Statesman’s fringe event at this year’s Labour Party conference in Liverpool. Anoosh Chakelian sits down with Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan to discuss what levelling up should look like under Labour, where they stand on electoral reform and why they have very different political styles.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the cost of debt rising and the pound still falling, just how much damage has the Conservatives’ mini-Budget done to the economy?To unpick what’s going on, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by David Gauke, who was work and pensions secretary and chief secretary to the Treasury under Theresa May, and by the economist and author Duncan Weldon, along with the New Statesman’s business editor, Will Dunn.They discuss why the markets reacted so badly to the Chancellor’s statement on 23 September, what the subsequent Bank of England intervention actually did, and what the impact of all of this might be on ordinary voters as well as the electoral prospects of the Tory party.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward are joined by Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change and net zero secretary and former Labour leader, to discuss Keir Starmer’s speech from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.They discuss the pledge to create a publicly owned “Great British energy” company to cut bills and the conference slogan “A fairer, greener future”; how the economic turmoil will affect their ability to deliver these promises; and whether Miliband would advise a note of caution to the optimistic party faithful. Then the New Statesman polling expert, Ben Walker, joins the podcast to discuss a recent YouGov poll that shows Labour leading the Tories by 17 points and whether the plunging pound has damaged public confidence in Liz Truss’s government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth report from the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.They discuss the remarkably upbeat mood among the party faithful, the headline policy announcements so far, and the alternative vision for the economy set out by the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as the pound continues to plummet after Liz Truss’s tax-cutting frenzy.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on the prospects of the party abandoning the first-past-the-post electoral system, after polls show a majority of the British public are in favour of change.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor, presented a mini-Budget today (23 September) whose centrepiece was the biggest tax cuts in decades in an attempt to stimulate the economy. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Rachel Cunliffe and Emma Haslett take us through the announcements that shocked the House of Commons. They discuss how these ideological policies will disproportionately benefit the rich; the UK’s precarious financial position as borrowing costs jump; and whether this is a departure from the last twelve years of Tory rule, as was suggested by Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor.In You Ask Us, the team answer Rachel Cunliffe’s question: does this now mean that a post-2009 graduate on £50,000 a year will pay a higher marginal tax rate (including student loan repayments) than someone on £200,000 who went to university for free before tuition fees were introduced?If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK has a housing crisis: in the past decade, decent and stable living arrangements have become an impossible dream for many.The New Statesman’s senior associate editor Rachel Cunliffe speaks to Hashi Mohamed, author of A Home of One’s Own, which draws on his own history of housing insecurity and his professional career as a planning barrister, about how we came to this point and what can be done.They discuss the segregating and alienating effects of housing insecurity, why successive governments have failed to act on this crisis, and how they can be persuaded that it’s a priority.Podcast listeners can get a subscription to the New Statesman for just £1 per week, for 12 weeks. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, is facing criticism after he sacked Tom Scholar, permanent secretary at the Treasury since 2016, and following reports that he plans to scrap caps on banker bonuses.  Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Lambert, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what’s really behind the sacking of the Treasury's most senior civil servant, and Prime Minister Liz Truss’s plans to encourage economic growth through tax cuts during a cost-of-living crisis. Then, in You Ask Us, Rachel Cunliffe joins the team to answer a listener question on whether the police crackdown on anti-monarchy protestors is the result of the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ceremonies following the death of the Queen continue this week. Freddie Hayward speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about what the mood has been like at the public events, and whether some of the policing has been heavy handed.Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question about whether the events have affected parliament’s ability to scrutinise the new government.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special podcast from the New Statesman to reflect on the death of Elizabeth II and the accession of Charles III. Andrew Marr, political editor, Megan Gibson, international editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, senior associate editor, join Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, to discuss the impact that the Queen had on the country, the reaction to her death from around the world and what it means for the UK now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, has announced her plans to help with the energy crisis. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s political editor, Andrew Marr, and deputy political editor, Rachel Wearmouth, to discuss Truss’s first few days in office and how her energy price cap is likely to go down with the public.Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether Boris Johnson is planning a political comeback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As predicted, Liz Truss has beaten Rishi Sunak in the race to become the next prime minister of the UK. She won the Tory leadership contest by a comfortable majority, securing 81,326 votes (57 per cent) to Sunak’s 60,399 (43 per cent). Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss her promises to “deliver” in a muted victory speech, why polls predicted a landslide victory that didn't quite emerge, and the series of daunting challenges that lie ahead for her – including economic crisis and an all-round lack of popular support. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks about Truss’s plan for energy bills.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With just days until we find out who Britain’s next prime minister will be, we take a look back at the outgoing Conservative leader: what shaped Boris Johnson? How did he rise to power? What do his three years in office mean for his successor and how the media will cover them?Rachel Cunliffe speaks to Adam Fleming about his BBC podcast series Boris, which examines the life of Johnson from his birth, in 1964 in New York, until the moment he was forced to resign as Tory leader in the wake of the partygate scandal.Radio 4’s Boris is available on BBC Sounds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the cost-of-living crisis and rapidly rising energy prices look set to push the UK into recession, how bad is the situation and what could be done about it?The economist and journalist Duncan Weldon speaks to Will Dunn, the New Statesman’s business editor, about just how serious the crisis is, how it compares to the 1970s and why Liz Truss will find that tax cuts just won’t cut it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservative leadership contest limps towards its conclusion with Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak attending the final hustings this week. And as the country heads towards a difficult winter, raw sewage is being pumped into Britain’s waterways and the economy goes from bad to worse. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss the leadership hopefuls’ latest campaign pledges and the distinct lack of enthusiasm for them among Tory members and MPs. They also talk about Truss’s U-turn on her emergency cost-of-living budget and whether her free-market conservatism is out of step with the concerns of the general public. Then in You Ask Us India Bourke, the New Statesman’s environment correspondent, joins to answer a listener’s question on what the sewage crisis means for the Conservative Party.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the US president Joe Biden starts to turn around his poor polling figures ahead of the midterm elections later this year, are there lessons that the Labour leader Keir Starmer can learn from his Democrat counterpart? The veteran campaigner Matthew McGregor, who worked for Ed Miliband and supported digital campaigns for the Democrats in the US, talks to Rachel Wearmouth about what Labour could learn from American politics, and why the party also needs to look at countries like Australia and Germany.They discuss the impact the Supreme Court overruling of Roe vs Wade, which federally guaranteed access to abortion, is having on US politics. Plus, how to make radical changes from the centre, and how Prime Minister's Questions is surprisingly popular among Washington DC politicos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK inflation has risen above 10 per cent for the first time in 40 years, driving the fastest fall in real pay on record. The defining challenge for the next prime minister will be preventing millions from facing destitution this winter.Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by Emma Haslett, the New Statesman’s associate business editor, to discuss the economic downturn and Britain’s “zombie” government. They also talk about recent polling indicating the Conservatives are no longer seen as more competent with the economy than Labour, and examine public sympathy with striking transport workers.Then, in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether the leaked recording of Liz Truss saying that British workers need “more graft” and lack the “skill and application” of foreign rivals like the Chinese, will damage her chances of becoming the next PM.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Labour leader Keir Starmer has announced that the party wants to tackle the energy bills crisis by freezing the energy price cap, to be chiefly funded by a windfall tax. Has Labour finally shown its economic competence?Rachel Wearmouth is joined by Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker to discuss the plans, whether they’ve come at the right time, and what the Conservative response will likely to be. Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on whether Labour should now be repurposing George Osborne’s austerity-era attack line about the governing party not fixing the roof when the sun was shining.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Against the backdrop of a predicted massive increase in energy bills and the coming recession, the Tory leadership contest grinds grimly on. There is a palpable feeling that the country is adrift, with Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss focused on personal attacks and appealing to the Tory party membership. Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss the damage the campaigns are doing to the Conservative brand as the “blue-on-blue” bickering dominates the contest. They also talk about Keir Starmer’s notable absence from the limelight, and whether Truss’s campaign is gaining momentum after a video leaked to the New Statesman showed Rishi Sunak boasting to members of taking money from “deprived urban areas” to help wealthy towns.  Then, in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether the winner of the leadership contest, whether Sunak or Truss, will pivot and come out with some meaningful policies on the cost of living – or are they just running scared and hoping for a miracle?If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more factional strife within Labour, the academic and former Downing Street staffer Patrick Diamond speaks to Anoosh Chakelian about his new book: Labour's Civil War: How infighting has kept the left from power (and what can be done about it). They discuss the party’s history of fighting itself, what lessons can be learned from its time in government, and what Keir Starmer needs to do to end the conflict.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email: podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast is sponsored by Rio AI As the world faces a climate emergency, what power do ordinary people have to try and shape the way big companies behave. One of the biggest areas of investment is our pension funds – but do we have the information or ability to shape how companies invest our money?Philippa Nuttall discusses how to make our pension funds work for the environment with David Hayman from Make My Money Matter and Ros Altman, former pensions minister.Rio ESG is an intelligent sustainability software platform that helps equip corporate, public sector, financial services and investment management entities with the knowledge and technology to do better.From data capture to investment consultancy, Rio combines market-leading sustainability knowledge with its intelligent sustainability software platform to deliver award-winning, solution-based data analysis, governance and education tools, to help organisations of all sizes report on, and improve, their ESG metrics.Rio partners with organisations of all sizes to deliver bespoke sustainability solutions that reduce risk, increase investment prospective and deliver lasting impact, for both corporations and the planet.Visit www.rio.ai to begin your sustainable investment journey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bank of England has raised interest rates by 0.5 per cent to 1.75 per cent, the highest increase in 27 years, and predicts that the UK will enter a deep recession within months. As the cost-of-living crisis worsens and with strikes planned throughout the summer, Labour remains split over frontbenchers joining picketing workers. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss Labour leader Keir Starmer’s softening stance on picketing – after shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy joined striking telecoms workers and union leaders claimed that Labour was “irrelevant” to working people – and ask whether the party’s ambiguity can be sustained through a summer of strikes. Then In You Ask Us, a listener enquires about the communication issues and presentation style of Liz Truss’s Conservative leadership campaign.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Conservative leadership hopefuls offering competing promises of tax cuts, the New Statesman podcast looks at whether either has anything to say about Britain’s cost-of-living crisis.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth, deputy political editor, and Emma Haslett from the New Statesman’s business desk to pick through the promises, and ask whether Rishi Sunak’s campaign is looking more and more desperate.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves’s stance against nationalising utilities could put Labour’s plans for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions at risk.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years after it was commissioned, the Forde report into infighting in the Labour Party during the years of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership has finally been published. Such tensions have never fully gone away. Keir Starmer sacked Sam Tarry, a shadow transport minister, on July 27 after he joined a rail picket line against the leadership’s instructions.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss what led to the Forde inquiry, its key findings and why this is unlikely to spell the end of the party's deep factionalism.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what the point of the Labour Party is when they don’t support organised labour.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email: podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 After Boris Johnson talked of a "deep state" undermining his ability to govern, have we entered an era of conspiracy theories? Jonn Elledge, one of the authors of a new book, Conspiracy: A History of Boll*cks Theories and How Not To Fall For Them, talks to Rachel Cunliffe about how conspiracy theories are nothing new. They discuss QAnon, whether a few hundred years of European history were just made up – and why Britney Spears shows that sometimes obscure internet theories can be true.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Penny Mordaunt having been eliminated from the contest on Wednesday 20 July, either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss will become Britain’s next prime minister.  Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe speak to the New Statesman’s political editor, Andrew Marr, about how the Johnson “loyalist” and the “traitor” emerged victorious, whether Boris Johnson will indeed be back as he hinted in his final PMQs, and the climate emergency that overshadows this race.  Then, in You Ask Us, a listener asks: why Liz Truss? What are the qualities that her a backers believe would make her a good PM?If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This evening one of the remaining five candidates to be the next prime minister will be eliminated in a vote of MPs. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, Ben Walker and Rachel Wearmouth, our new deputy political editor, to discuss who came out of the two debates over the weekend best and why Labour has enjoyed watching the candidates tear strips out of each other on live TV.Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on what Boris Johnson might do next.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rory Stewart, the former international development secretary and Conservative leadership candidate, speaks to Rachel Cunliffe about the lessons he learned from running for leader in 2019. They talk about whether this year’s candidates show growing diversity in the party, why our political culture has got so bad at argument and debate, and what he got wrong when he was in government.Stewart’s new series, The Long History of Argument, starts on BBC Radio 4 on 19 July at 9am.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nadhim Zahawi, Jeremy Hunt and Suella Braverman have been eliminated from the Conservative leadership election, with Penny Mordaunt climbing to second place behind Rishi Sunak. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Harry Lambert discuss the remaining candidates in this unpredictable race, the latest polling on front-runners Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak, and whether being a “fresh face” will ultimately decide the contest. Then in You Ask Us, NS Environment Correspondent India Bourke joins the podcast to answer a listener's question on which of the Conservative candidates would be best and worst for the environment and why.If you have a You Ask Us question, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the time of recording, 11 Conservative MPs had launched official bids to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker discuss the candidates' prospects, promises and pitfalls – as well as how the leadership election could reshape the Conservative Party.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks which Tory candidate would pose the biggest threat to the Labour Party.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a dramatic twenty-four hours in which over fifty ministers and advisors resigned from government, Boris Johnson has finally admitted defeat and announced he will step down as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party. In his speech to the public at lunchtime today, he set out his desire to remain in post as a caretaker PM until the party elect his replacement. Indeed he continues to appoint new ministers to cabinet to fill the vacuum left by those who quit.In this episode of the New Statesman podcast, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by New Statesman editor Jason Cowley and colleagues Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward to discuss what happens next. They explore the likely candidates to replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative party, and discuss whether he will be allowed to stay on until the autumn.They also answer a listener question on whether “Johnsonism” will continue to define the Conservative party beyond Boris Johnson’s tenure.If you'd like to ask a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week, using our special podcast offer: www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a torrid 24 hours in Westminster for Boris Johnson, in which Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid both resigned, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Lambert, Ben Walker and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss whether this, finally, is a mess that the Prime Minister can't get out of. Is this the straw that broke the camel’s back? And what is going to happen next?Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special episode was recorded live at the New Statesman’s Politics Live event.  Keir Starmer speaks to Rachel Wearmouth, currently the senior political correspondent at the Mirror, but soon to join the New Statesman as deputy political editor. They discuss the radical views of his youth, his promise for economic growth, and why he is scrapping the 2019 Labour Party manifesto.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the SNP, has announced that she wants to hold a second independence referendum on 19 October 2023. The constitutional debate was widely seen to be at a political deadlock, but now it enters a new phase.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Chris Deerin, the New Statesman Scotland editor, to discuss the motivations behind this latest bid for independence and the means of securing it. They also touch on how Scots have said they would vote in recent polls, and whether plans to fight the next general election on this single issue could backfire, presenting an opportunity for Scottish Labour. Then in You Ask Us, Anoosh is joined by the New Statesman’s political reporter Freddie Hayward to answer a listener’s question on whether, by rejecting Corbynism, Keir Starmer has dropped the party’s most appealing policies.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the official measure of inflation in the UK hits 9.1 per cent, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman business team, Will Dunn and Emma Haslett, to discuss why inflation is hitting the country so badly.How much is Brexit making matters worse, and is inflation simply a worldwide problem? And what can the government do about it?Then in You Ask Us, the panel answer a listener’s question on Labour’s lack of a clear response to the rail strikes.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a major blow to Boris Johnson, the Conservatives have lost the seats of Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield to the Liberal Democrats and Labour respectively, by double-digit margins. In the wake of the results, Oliver Dowden, the co-chairman of the Conservative Party, became the first cabinet minister to resign (if implicitly) over the PMs leadership.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Lambert and the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker to discuss the crushing Tory defeat, the power of tactical voting, fatigue among Tory activists and Keir Starmer’s strategy, or lack thereof, as Labour leader.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 With just a few days until the Tiverton and Honiton by-election on 23 June, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s business editor and Devonian Will Dunn, who has returned from a reporting trip to the south-west constituency. They discuss how cost of living is the big issue on the doorstep, why the Lib Dems have a mountain to climb to win the seat, and why the Labour candidate feels a bit miffed about being ignored.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The by-election in Wakefield on June 23 will be a crucial test of whether Labour can win the Red Wall back from the Conservatives. The election was triggered by the resignation of the Conservative MP Imran Ahmad Khan after he was found guilty in April of sexually assaulting a teenaged boy. Khan was elected in the 2019 general election as the first non-Labour MP in the seat, two thirds of which voted Leave in the EU referendum, since 1932. Victory for Labour would send a powerful signal that the party can regain the Red Wall and form the next government.Anoosh Chakelian, reporting from Wakefield, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to discuss the mood on the ground, new polling that suggests Labour has taken a massive lead and what this might mean for the party.Then she speaks to Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King’s College London and director of the UK in a Changing Europe research initiative. He discusses the issues affecting his home city, why it shifted from red to blue in 2019 and what challenges face the candidates.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Statesman podcast takes a special look at the Green Party, following their success in the local elections. Why did they do so well in May? And how can they build on this to become a major player in UK politics? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by our polling expert, Ben Walker, and environment correspondent India Bourke. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is attempting yet another relaunch of his government just days after 148 MPs told him they don’t have confidence in his leadership. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Harry Lambert discuss the rebels' next move, what this means for the government, and whether Keir Starmer should have been more aggressive at PMQs. Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on why any MP would want to support Boris Johnson right now. If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has won a vote of confidence from Conservative MPs. But 148 members voted against him, leaving a split party. In this special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, recorded at the Tate Britain just down the road from the Palace of Westminster, Rachel Cunliffe interviews the political editor Andrew Marr on where this development now leaves Johnson and the country.They discuss how this is good for the opposition but bad for government, why there is no coordinated plot among the Tories to remove Johnson, and why his days in office must now surely be numbered.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the day that Boris Johnson faces a vote of no confidence in his leadership, Rachel Cunliffe speaks to Harry Lambert, senior political correspondent, and Ben Walker, the New Statesman’s polling expert, about how we got here.They talk about the Prime Minister’s chances of survival, the damage done to him already and what to expect from by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton on June 23.If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The campaign to remove Boris Johnson as Prime Minister is building. The steady trickle of letters from Conservative MPs declaring they have no confidence in him and criticism from high-profile dissenters has sparked speculation that there could be a vote as early as next week.Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward discuss what’s causing the widespread discontent among the Tory ranks, what would happen should the party stumble into a vote, and the broader identity crisis in the government.Then in You Ask Us, in reaction to Johnson’s plan to revive imperial measures, a listener asks how many ounces in a pound.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fresh from Sydney, Professor Marc Stears, a former Labour speechwriter and author of its 2015 manifesto, tells Anoosh Chakelian what Labour can learn, and where Keir Starmer is going wrong.Stears reflects on how Anthony Albanese, the new Labor prime minister of Australia, avoided culture warring with Scott Morrison, his predecessor, what Keir Starmer can learn from this, and his concerns about Labour's lack of policy direction - and its fear of the Daily Mail.The UCL Policy Lab was launched on 30 May 2022.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sue Gray’s long-awaited report has been published at last. It contains lurid details of excessive drinking and partying at Downing Street during lockdown, as well as a “lack of respect and poor treatment” towards cleaners and security guards. But what does it mean for Boris Johnson? Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and Harry Lambert discuss the mood among Tory MPs and why they continue to support Johnson, the “God complex” in Downing Street that created a culture of rule-breaking, and whether the police investigation has in fact saved the PM. Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders: what would it take for Tory MPs to oust Johnson?If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Hunt tells Anoosh Chakelian how he regrets the "silent killer" of social-care cuts made when he was in the cabinet, calls for the "penny to drop" for the current health secretary Sajid Javid on properly funding social care, and warns of electoral woes for the Tories in their southern English "heartlands". He also admits he wouldn't rule out serving as a minister under Boris Johnson. Hunt's book, Zero: Eliminating Unnecessary Deaths in a Post-Pandemic NHS, is available in bookstores nowPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK inflation has reached its highest rate in 40 years, jumping from 7 per cent in March to 9 per cent in the year to April. With inflation hitting the poorest hardest, pressure is growing on the government to reverse its opposition to a windfall tax on energy profits. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's associate business editor Emma Haslett and senior associate editor Rachel Cunliffe to discuss the government’s lack of a plan to address the crisis, including the array of unhelpful “top tips”from ministers on how households can cope with spiralling costs, and to consider what else can be done. Then in You Ask Us, a listener wonders if the Bank of England is being blamed for the government’s mistakes. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While polling revealed exclusively by the New Statesman suggests that voters aren’t divided on so-called culture war issues, the Johnson administration is putting them at the centre of its political project. To understand why the Prime Minister seems intent on winning a war that doesn’t exist, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, who received an MBE last year for services to social cohesion, and Rory Stewart, senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and a former Conservative MP and leadership rival to Johnson. They discuss why everything is being cast as a culture war and the strategy’s limited success, the real-life consequences of this way of doing politics, and ultimately how we can learn to disagree better.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having cast himself as “Mr Rules” in opposition to Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer's reputation hangs in the balance amid allegations of breaking Covid restrictions. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the NS's political editor, Andrew Marr, to discuss Starmer’s future, the mutinous atmosphere in the Labour machine and rumours of runners and riders who could replace him. Then they answer a listener’s question on what Boris Johnson and Liz Truss hope to gain from ripping up the Northern Ireland protocol.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The renowned satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows Iannucci, explores the parts of British public life that he believes are broken, and he will be joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian examine whether Westminster politics has just become a game to most politicians.  They are joined by special guests James Graham, writer of the political plays This House, Brexit: The Uncivil War and Labour of Love, and Chris Hanretty, a professor at Royal Holloway University who studies pork barrel politics.They discuss whether how the whipping operation in parliament reduces politics to point scoring, how the government is getting more blatant about only distributing money to its own MPs’ seats, and whether blowing the lid on whipping tactics will actually change anything.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voters in many areas deserted the Conservatives in last week's local elections, yet this was not a comprehensive victory for Labour. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker and political reporter Freddie Hayward to discuss the headline results and whether Labour has achieved the sea change it needs ahead of the next general election. Next, they turn to Northern Ireland and Sinn Féin's historic victory, gaining the most seats (27) in the assembly of any party and the right to appoint the first minister. They discuss the result and what it will mean for the country’s future. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks: is there any upside to Beergate for Keir Starmer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As voting in the local elections begins, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker to discuss key councils to watch and predict the outcome. They talk about the driving forces behind people’s votes, from partygate and rising living costs to potholes, and what the political consequences of the results could be. Then they answer listeners’ questions on the impact the use of the single transferable vote (STV) system will have on the result in Scotland, and Ben’s overnight election liveblogging tips. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The renowned satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows Iannucci, explores the parts of British public life that he believes are broken, and he will be joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.In this episode, Iannucci and Ailbhe Rea examine voter loyalty and whether tribalism has died in favour of a kind of playlist politics. They are joined by special guests John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research, and Shaun Woodward, a former Labour cabinet minister who defected to the party from the Conservatives in 1999 and is now the chair of the Human Dignity Trust, an international LGBT charity.They discuss whether voters now want a more pick-and-mix politics, how important demographics are to how people will vote and what kind of identity politics really does sway voters.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian chairs a special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival. In recent years, Britain has witnessed the unlawful prorogation of parliament; debacles in the management of public health, education and immigration; and scandals of cronyism, incompetence and sleaze. How has the cultural and political debate become so degraded? Can such failures of leadership be traced back to an unwritten constitution and a political system that rewards ambition over integrity, or should voters, the media and others take the blame for not holding the powerful to account? Is the British electorate the helpless victim of a new breed of brazen post-truth politics? Or do we simply get the leaders we deserve?  Speaking for the motion:David Runciman – a professor of politics at Cambridge University and the author of several books, including How Democracy Ends. Stephen Bush – a political columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times, and the former political editor at the New Statesman.Hannah White – deputy director of the Institute for Government, and author of the recent book Held in Contempt: What’s Wrong with the House of Commons?Speaking against the motion: Billy Bragg – singer-songwriter and activist whose most recent book is The Three Dimensions of Freedom. Dr Rachel Clarke – a NHS palliative care doctor and best-selling author whose books include Dear Life and Breathtaking. Lucy Nethsingha – a British Liberal Democrat politician, member of Cambridgeshire County Council since 2009. She was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the east of England from 2019 until the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in 2020. She was chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs. Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The misogyny that many women working in parliament experience has reared its ugly head once more. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Harry Lambert discuss the latest revelations of sexual misconduct at Westminster and the personal cost for the women who speak out.The team then discuss Labour’s prospects for the local elections and whether the cost of living, not partygate, could be the key to victory.Then a special You Ask Us to say goodbye to Ailbhe Rea.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The renowned satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman Podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows Iannucci, explores the parts of British public life that he believes are broken, and he will be joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.In this episode, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian examine what is at the very heart of British politics: the constitution. What is it, is it fit for purpose, and what can be done to change it?They are joined by special guests Meg Russell, professor in British and comparative politics and director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, and Dominic Grieve, the former Conservative MP and attorney general for England and Wales.They discuss Britain’s ramshackle constitution vs a codified system of government, concerns over “democratic backsliding” under Boris Johnson’s government and a lack of parliamentary scrutiny, and the kind of democracy people want.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With partygate rumbling on and Boris Johnson referred to the House of Commons’ Committee of Priviliges, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to Hannah White, the deputy director of the Institute for Government.  White is a former civil servant who worked on standards in public life and as a Commons clerk. She explains exactly how the privileges committee works, why the Prime Minister has been allowed to decide his own fate (so far) and what can be done to improve trust in parliament.White’s new book, Held in Contempt: What's Wrong with the House of Commons, is published by Manchester University Press and available in bookshops now. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As MPs debate the fallout from partygate, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political reporter, to discuss why Boris Johnson may still be safe as PM and the opinions of Conservatives about their leader.Then in a special section on Northern Ireland, Ailbhe Rea reports from Belfast on what is becoming a very tense Stormont election.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.In this episode, Armando and Anoosh Chakelian examine whether people or politicians make change happen – and ask whether activists are letting the government off the hook.They are joined by special guests Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a grassroots campaigner raising awareness of the health problems caused by air pollution, and Gary Stevenson, an economist and former interest rate trader who now campaigns about wealth inequality. They discuss single-issue campaigns and how to get your message out there, why no one in Westminster is working class and whether change happens despite politicians, not because of them.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A devolution special of the New Statesman Podcast looks ahead to the local elections in Scotland and Wales. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Scotland Editor Chris Deerin to discuss Scotland, including Nicola Sturgeon's face mask slip-up, why the real race is for second, and whether Labour can win back Glasgow. Anoosh then talks about the state of play in Wales with political reporter Freddie Hayward – and whether we’ll see the first signs of Labour winning back the so-called Red Wall.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021, the Koofi family were among 8,000 Afghans airlifted to safety in the UK, as part of the government’s Operation Warm Welcome. The New Statesman’s Sophie McBain met them in a hotel in the north of England soon afterwards, where they were waiting to be resettled. As the months passed, she followed their new life, as well as that of the hotel staff and its other residents: an uncertain limbo of bureaucracy and confinement. Written and read by Sophie McBain. Subscribe to Audio Long Reads, from the New Statesman here.Read the text version here. It was published on the New Statesman website and in the magazine on 10 December 2021. To receive all our long reads, subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special podcast offer. Just visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Carrie Johnson have all received fixed-penalty notices for attending parties in Downing Street during lockdown, but could the Prime Minister now be safer than he was at the height of partygate?Harry Lambert, Senior Correspondent, joins Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea to discuss the fines, the downfall of Rishi Sunak and why we won’t know the real mood among MPs until they return to Westminster.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether the plan to send migrants to Rwanda is just a distraction?If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the New Statesman podcast to co-host five more special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from both inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.In this episode, Armando and Ailbhe Rea examine the place we make laws: parliament. Is it an old boys’ club, designed to exclude normal people from being able to make sense of it?They are joined by special guests Anum Qaisar, the SNP’s newest Westminster MP, who won the Airdrie and Shotts by-election in 2021, and Emma Crewe, a professor of anthropology at SOAS who has studied the workings of the House of Commons and House of Lords.They talk about how parliament can be hard to navigate, what’s prevented it from evolving into a modern, 21st-century legislature and why it’s still a tough place for MPs from non-traditional backgrounds.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Rishi Sunak comes under investigation by the government’s standards watchdog, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the fallout from the revelations about the Chancellor and the tax affairs of his wife, Akshata Murty, and why it shows he is still naïve as a politician.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about how Labour should respond to the story.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for our special offer of just £1 a week for 12 weeks. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by the senior data journalist Ben Walker to mark the launch of State of the Nation, the New Statesman’s new data site for understanding Britain in numbers, maps, words and charts.Ben responds to listeners’ questions on what’s going on in the polls. Do they show an increase for Labour and Keir Starmer’s leadership? How much do Conservative MPs care about Boris Johnson’s popularity? And how has the cost-of-living crisis affected Rishi Sunak and the government’s credibility.Then in You Ask Us, the New Statesman’s political reporter Freddie Hayward joins the show to answer a listener’s question on what government plans to privatise Channel 4 would mean for its news and politics output.If you have a You Ask Us question for the politics team, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.New Statesman Politics Live is our new, flagship live event, bringing together policymakers from across the political spectrum with panels, debates and a special live recording of the New Statesman podcast. Join us on Tuesday 28th June 2022 in London. Standard rate tickets are £99, or £69.99 for New Statesman subscribers. Book your ticket here: https://nsmg.live/event/ns-politics-live/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the EU and UK debate further sanctions on Russia after evidence of massacres by Russian forces in Bucha, north of Kyiv, Ailbhe Rea speaks to the exiled opposition campaigner Vladimir Ashurkov.They discuss how London got its reputation for hosting the world’s dirty money, why it took so long for the UK to take the threat posed by Vladimir Putin seriously and how Russia uses corruption to undermine world order.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can subscribe to the New Statesman for just £1 a week for 12 weeks using our special offer. Just visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer.New Statesman Politics Live is our new, flagship live event, bringing together policymakers from across the political spectrum with panels, debates and a special live recording of the New Statesman podcast. Join us on Tuesday 28th June 2022 in London. Standard rate tickets are £99, or £69.99 for New Statesman subscribers. Book your ticket here: https://nsmg.live/event/ns-politics-live/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the fallout from Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement continues, New Statesman Political Editor Andrew Marr joins Ailbhe Rea to discuss why it was received quite so badly and whether it has ruined the Chancellor’s hopes of becoming prime minister. Then, as partygate returns to the news, they look at whether it is now too late for the Conservative Party to get rid of Boris Johnson. And in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about whether the MP Jamie Wallis coming out as trans will change the way trans rights is discussed in the UK. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.New Statesman Politics Live is our new, flagship live event, bringing together policymakers from across the political spectrum with panels, debates and a special live recording of the New Statesman podcast. Join us on Tuesday 28th June 2022 in London. Standard rate tickets are £99, or £69.99 for New Statesman subscribers. Book your ticket here: Politics Live Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special episode of the New Statesman Podcast marks “A Dream of Britain”, the New Statesman’s latest issue. It is guest edited by Michael Sheen and explores class, culture and identity in Britain today.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the writer and academic Gary Younge, the Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, and the New Statesman editor-in-chief Jason Cowley to discuss why it is so difficult to understand what is meant by “Britishness” today.They discuss British identity in the absence of a formal dream or foundation story, the reawakening of English and Scottish nationalism, and whether the very concept of a national identity is valuable or meaningful today.Further reading:Gary Younge on what it means to be British?Jeremy Deller on his New Statesman cover: “it was important to be positive.”Jason's book, Who are we now? Stories of Modern England.Michael Sheen explores how we are a nation in search of a story.As a sense of British nationhood fades, Jason asks what is England?Tony Blair and Michael Sheen in conversation: “I tried to give Britain a different narrative.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement as the Office for Budget Responsibility warns the UK is about to face the biggest rise in the cost of living since records began. They discuss why Sunak still wants to be seen as a low-tax Chancellor, whether any of his measures will make a difference and why he seems so averse to using Universal Credit to help the people worst hit by price rises. Then in You Ask Us they tackle Labour’s response and whether the party is nervous about focusing too much on the cost-of-living crisis. If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of his guest-edited issue of the New Statesman, the actor and campaigner Michael Sheen speaks to Anoosh Chakelian for a special episode of the New Statesman podcast. Titled "A Dream of Britain", the magazine explores what British identity means in 2022. They discuss why he wanted to tackle the idea of our national story, how widening inequality and the British obsession with class limits diversity in the arts, why he thinks Tony Blair and Jeremy Corbyn have more in common than either might like, and what it means to be a "not-for-profit" actor. The special edition of the New Statesman will be on newsstands on Thursday 24 March and podcast listeners can subscribe now for just £12 for 12 weeks at newstatesman.com/podcastoffer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

P&O Ferries caused outrage last week (17 March) when it sacked 800 crew members to replace them with “cheap agency workers from eastern Europe” overnight. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, Karl Turner, who has been on King George Dock advocating for local workers who lost their jobs. They discuss the stand-off between the company and workers who refused to leave their ships, working conditions for foreign agency staff who can be paid as little as £1.81 an hour, and why this could lead to another “disaster” at sea. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been reunited with her family in Britain, having been imprisoned for years in Iran on charges of seeking to overthrow the country’s government, which she has always denied. Her release along with another dual citizen, Anoosheh Ashoori, came after the payment of a long withheld £450m debt owed by the British government to Iran. Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Richard Ratcliffe’s tireless campaign to free his wife, how a deal was finally achieved and why it took so long. Then in You Ask Us a listener asks whether the post-austerity rise in UK borrowing to the highest level since the Second World War is down to the pandemic alone, or other factors.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the government scrabbles its policy together for Ukrainian refugees, the Labour peer and refugee campaigner Alf Dubs tells Anoosh Chakelian that the response has been a "disgrace". He discusses how the government finds itself on the wrong side of public opinion, why Priti Patel is the worst Home Secretary he's worked with, and why he'd like to see a "more robust" approach to welcoming refugees from the Labour leadership. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich, and leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska are among the seven wealthy and influential Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the UK over Russia’s war in Ukraine.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s associate editor of business, Emma Haslett, to discuss the UK’s history of welcoming and protecting Russian wealth, why repeated attempts to reform the system have fallen short, and whether the Economic Crime Bill is the answer.Then, in You Ask Us, a listener questions why the UK’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis has been so inadequate.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As parliament rushes through the Economic Crime Bill in an attempt to toughen sanctions on Russian oligarchs, investor and anti-corruption campaigner Bill Browder talks to Anoosh Chakelian about the impact of sanctions on Russia. He opens up about whether the UK has gone far enough, the psychology of Russian oligarchs, and why we should boycott McDonald’s. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters a second week, the New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea to talk about the latest polls.They discuss exclusive polling for the New Statesman published today on Boris Johnson’s approval rating since the war began, as well as public attitudes to the UK government’s stance on Ukrainian refugees and economic sanctionsagainst Russia. Then in You Ask Us, Ben answers a listener’s question on whether we can really know what the Russian people think of the war.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK considers further sanctions on oligarchs linked to Vladimir Putin, Ailbhe Rea speaks to the journalist and author Oliver Bullough about how London became the home for so much Russian money. They talk about the ways in which the huge volumes of money corrupt all parts of public life, the spotlight that the invasion of Ukraine has shone on the problem and whether a meaningful attempt will now be made to tackle it. Oliver’s book, Butler to the World: How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals, is published in March by Profile. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for just £1 per week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Russia invades Ukraine, Boris Johnson has come under fire from allies and critics alike for his feeble attempt to clamp down on Russian wealth in the UK. In an address to the nation this morning (24 February), the Prime Minister vowed that Britain “cannot and will not just look away” ahead of the announcement of further sanctions against Russia later today. Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by Alix Kroeger, the international managing editor at the New Statesman, to discuss what is at stake in Ukraine and the challenge facing the UK government. In You Ask Us, Ailbhe and Anoosh discuss whether the pandemic is over as England scraps all Covid restrictions.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Statesman’s Britain editor Anoosh Chakelian interviews the satirist and broadcaster Andy Zaltzman, the host of Radio 4’s The News Quiz and the podcast The Bugle. Ahead of his Satirist for Hire tour, they talk about the history of political comedy, whether there are some topics too serious to joke about, and if you can really have political balance in comedy.Plus, they discover what Zaltzman and Boris Johnson have in common.You can find out more details about Zaltzman’s live shows and buy tickets at andyzaltzman.co.uk.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for just £1 per week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea host a special episode to say goodbye to Stephen Bush.   Kir royales are sunk and Stephen takes an audio trip down memory lane, featuring a rendition of “American Pie”, this time about Scottish Labour, as well as his teenage Harry Potter fanfiction and his honest opinion on “Devil with the Devil”.   Then in You Ask Us, former hosts make a special appearance to ask Stephen some questions.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Theresa May’s final chief of staff, Gavin Barwell knows what it’s like to see a party oust its leader first-hand. He speaks to political correspondent Ailbhe Rea about what it takes to get rid of a leader, where Boris Jonson is going wrong, and whether the Conservatives still feels like his party. Then in a special We ask Stephen, Ailbhe asks the New Statesman's political editor Stephen Bush why Sadiq Khan finally ran out of patience with Cressida Dick. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk.Podcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for just £1 per week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As parliament enters recess, against all the odds Boris Johnson has clung onto his premiership. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the PM's various survival strategies, the ongoing police investigation into parties held in Downing Street and the political calculations of leadership contenders.  Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what is Jacob Rees-Mogg's plan given his recent loyalty to Johnson. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the latest events in the crisis surrounding Boris Johnson, including the appointment of the MP Steve Barclay and the former GB News presenter Guto Harri to key Downing Street jobs.They explain why the resignation of Munira Mirza from the No 10 Policy Unit was so important and whether the appointments are simply rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.Then, in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about why Boris Johnson commissioned the Sue Gray report in the first place.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Statesman’s incoming political editor Andrew Marr makes his New Statesman podcast debut to discuss his cover story on Boris Johnson’s moment of peril with Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor. They talk about what’s gone wrong for Johnson, whether the current crisis is terminal and who could be the next Prime Minister. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukPodcast listeners can get a special discount on subscriptions to the New Statesman. Visit www.newstatesman.com/podcastoffer to subscribe for 12 weeks for just £1 a week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a trickle of letters to the 1922 Committee chairman and Labour pivoting to take the Conservative Party to task for low economic growth and an incoming tax rise, could Boris Johnson soon face a vote of no confidence after all?Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the Prime Minister’s fate and the catastrophic impact of the forthcoming energy price cap rise.   Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what will happen if the Northern Irish First Minister Paul Givan resigns. If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special episode of the New Statesman podcast recorded immediately after Boris Johnson’s announcement on the published Sue Gray report. A heavily censored version of Sue Gray’s report has finally been published, as 12 of the 16 alleged gatherings at Downing Street are currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police. Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss the hostility of MPs on all sides to Johnson’s statement in the House of Commons, and what the report’s findings mean for the Prime Minister’s hopes of survival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe interviews the Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, who dramatically defected from the Tories to Labour at the height of partygate.  They talk about why he did it, what the reaction has been from friends as well as new colleagues, and how the whips threaten new MPs.  If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Westminster waits for Sue Gray’s report on Downing Street’s lockdown-breaking parties, the Metropolitan police has announced that it will begin an investigation into the alleged incidents.  Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Boris Johnson’s confident performance at Prime Minister’s Questions and why the investigation matters. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether Keir Starmer can create a guiding political project and rise in the polls without a once-in-a-generation event to define himself against, as was the case with the 2008 financial crash and austerity under David Cameron.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Statesman’s Scotland editor Chris Deerin joins Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush to discuss the growing rift between the Scottish Conservatives and the national party in Westminster.They talk about how the Scottish Tories have become alienated from the party, whether it could harm them in the local elections in May, and whether they could eventually form a breakaway party.Then in You Ask Us, the team answers a listener's question on the Welsh government’s review into radical federalism.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The senior Conservative MP William Wragg has accused government ministers of intimidating and attempting to blackmail colleagues who they suspect oppose the Prime Minister, adding that the incidents should be reported to the police. While Christian Wakeford’s defection appears to have united Conservative MPs to help Boris Johnson survive another week, the PM is not in the clear yet. Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the extraordinary allegations and the cost of saving your own skin. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if a change in Conservative leadership would be a disaster for Labour.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special episode of the NS podcast recorded immediately after a dramatic Prime Minister’s Questions. Boris Johnson is facing an escalating leadership crisis over allegations that a string of parties were held across Whitehall during lockdown. Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, defected to Labour just minutes before PMQs, while in an equally dramatic moment David Davis urged him to “in the name of God, go”. These damaging moves come as members of the 2019 intake of Conservative MPs plot to oust the Prime Minister. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss what has been dubbed the “pork pie plot” as it unfolds, and what the defection signals for the Labour Party.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Statesman’s polling expert Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush to talk about the latest polls in the aftermath of the No 10 party revelations. They discuss whether this could do long-term damage to the Conservative Party, how soft the labour lead is and why Ben was wrong on North Shropshire. Then in You Ask Us they answer a listener’s question on how well Keir Starmer is doing compared to other opposition leaders If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson has been caught red-handed and forced to admit that he attended a party in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, however he claimed that he believed it was a “work event”. Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea, discuss his chances of survival and the awkward questions this culture of insouciance raises for his potential successors. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks if Labour is right to speak positively about Tony Blair and the New Labour government given Blair’s unpopularity.If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms. This final episode examines Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. The first woman to be prime minister and one of the Conservative Party’s most successful election winners, she was a divisive figure in British politics, and her legacy remains so. Thatcher won three general elections before being deposed by her MPs and replaced by her chancellor John Major, but she leaves a long shadow over the party today. Stephen and Jonn speak to the historian Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, and Thatcher’s former aide, the MP John Whittingdale. Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson’s approval rating plummeted at the end of 2021 following a string of Christmas parties at No 10, sleaze scandals and senior resignations – and his troubles continue into 2022.    Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss whether the Prime Minister can survive as energy bills soar, taxes rise in April and pressure mounts on an overwhelmed and underfunded NHS.   Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks what’s behind the Greens’ surge, after they managed to gain more council seats in by-elections this year than any other party, and how successful will they be in the next general election? If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms. This episode examines John Major’s premiership. Major inherited a majority government in 1990 after Margaret Thatcher was driven out of office. Against the odds, he won the 1992 election. But, in the wake of economic upheaval following Black Wednesday and a Conservative civil war, as well as the challenge from a resurgent Labour Party, the party suffered a huge defeat. Stephen and Jonn speak to the satirist and former Spitting Image writer John O’Farrell and Jonathan Hill, a former adviser to John Major. Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms. This episode focuses on Tony Blair. As one of the architects of New Labour, he returned the party to power after 18 years. Blair went on to win three elections, but will be remembered for his decision to lead Britain to war in Iraq and his battle with his chancellor and successor Gordon Brown.  Stephen and Jonn speak to the academic Kitty Stewart, Blair’s former policy adviser and cabinet minister Andrew Adonis, and the third man of New Labour Peter Mandelson. Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms. This episode focuses on Gordon Brown. When the former chancellor of the exchequer took office, he emphasised his breach with his predecessor Tony Blair. Despite a promising start, his popularity ratings crumbled when the country was plunged into financial crisis. Brown left office three years into the job. Stephen and Jonn speak to the political economist Ann Pettifor and Stewart Wood, a former adviser to Gordon Brown. Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Prime Ministerial. In each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms. This episode focuses on David Cameron. A special adviser during the Major government, he eventually succeeded his old boss, Michael Howard, as party leader and took the Conservatives back into government, albeit in a coalition. After winning a majority in 2015, he lost the Brexit referendum that followed and with it his premiership. Stephen and Jonn speak to the political economist Helen Thompson and Cameron’s former communications adviser Craig Oliver. Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thanks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Prime Ministerial. Each episode Jonn Elledge and Stephen Bush will look at the legacy of the previous six prime ministers and ask whether they achieved success on their own terms. Episode one focuses on Theresa May. May took office in the aftermath of the vote to leave the EU, she promised to unite the country – but her premiership ended in humiliation after just three years in the wake of losing her majority and failing to get a withdrawal agreement through parliament. Stephen and Jonn speak to the journalist Katy Balls, and Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s former chief of staff. Produced by Adrian Bradley and May Robson, with thinks to Caroline Crampton and Nick Hilton.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservative Party has lost North Shropshire for the first time in nearly 200 years, to the Liberal Democrats. The shocking defeat follows months of sleaze and Christmas party scandals, and with new Plan B Covid restrictions, confidence in Boris Johnson’s leadership has collapsed. Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the mood on the ground in North Shropshire and the story behind this anti-Conservative vote. In You Ask Us, a listener wonders what the by-election result means for Boris Johnson’s political future.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Statesman data journalist Ben Walker joins Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush in our monthly polling update. They discuss the impact of the No 10 Christmas party revelations, the public’s appetite for Covid restrictions, how inflation could influence the way people vote, and what might happen in the North Shropshire by-election on 16 December. Then in You Ask Ben: Ben answers listeners' questions on the reliability of snap polling and the desire for Scottish independence.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allegra Stratton has resigned as a government adviser after a video that showed her laughing about a Downing Street Christmas party, reportedly held during the peak of lockdown in December last year, was leaked to the media. The government continues to deny that the party took place. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss whether the scandal spells the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson and the extraordinary timing of new Covid restrictions.Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks why the Labour Party is unwilling to engage with drug policy reform.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush interview the former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper MP.They discuss his journey from chief whip under David Cameron to becoming a high-profile Tory rebel under Boris Johnson, his 2019 leadership campaign and why Keir Starmer’s new top team reminds him of Ed Miliband.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer carried out a surprise shake-up of the top ranks of the Labour Party this week. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss who’s up and who’s down, and what the reshuffle signals for the party. Then, in You Ask Us a listener questions why Boris Johnson continues to be regarded as an electoral asset by Conservative MPs given Rishi Sunak’s popularity.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of the New Statesman podcast in partnership with Lloyds Bank, Britain Editor Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Hannah Essex, co-executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce and Mark Burton, Head of Regions, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking to talk levelling up. They discuss the government’s levelling up agenda, why there is such regional inequality in the UK and what can be done to rebalance the economy. For more information on how Lloyds Bank can support your business, please contact: mark.burton@lloydsbanking.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian interview Thangam Debbonaire, the Labour MP and shadow leader of the House of Commons.They talk about the missteps of Jacob Rees-Mogg, whether MPs should have second jobs, and Labour's prospects of winning a general election. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In what was an avoidable tragedy, at least 27 people have died trying to reach the UK after their boat capsized in the English Channel. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss the political context that allowed this to happen, and its implications for the government. Then, in You Ask Us, a listener wonders whether the Northern Ireland shadow secretary Louise Haigh made a gaffe by saying Labour would remain neutral in a poll on Irish unification. If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our monthly devolution specials, Stephen Bush is joined by the New Statesman's Scotland editor Chris Deerin to examine the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. They discuss the interview in Holyrood magazine with Jack McConnell, the last Labour member to serve as first minister of Scotland, and answer a listener’s question on why Plaid Cymru hasn't been to replicate in Wales the SNP's success in Scotland. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UN climate summit ended with the president of Cop26, Alok Sharma, in tears, after the conference united behind a “watered down” agreement in which coal power will be “phased down” rather than “phased out”. Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss what really happened in those final days in Glasgow and where the world goes from here to tackle climate change. They highlight the political challenges for the government and who will bear the brunt of the UK's ambitious net zero pledge. Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks why they are required to fill out time sheets to access their carers allowance, when MPs don’t have to do the same for their second jobs.If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Standards Committee chair Chris Bryant joins Anoosh Chakelian, Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea to discuss the ongoing fallout from the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal. They talk about whether the UK is a corrupt country, how the scandal could affect the reputation of all MPs and why this moment feels similar to the run-up to the 1997 general election. If you have a question for You Ask Us, send an email or a voice note to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geoffrey Cox is the latest MP to come under fire over his extra earnings for legal work outside of his parliamentary duties.   It follows the resignation of MP Owen Paterson after he was found to have breached lobbying rules, as well as criticism over the way the government awarded Covid-related contracts.   Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the ethics of MPs’ side-gigs and why the row is such a headache for Boris Johnson.   Then in You Ask Us, a listener asks whether it would be workable or desirable to tie MP salaries to the median national income. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe Rea is joined by New Statesman data journalist Ben Walker for the first of a monthly look at what’s going on in the opinion polls.They look at the current state of the parties, what polls can and can’t tell you and why the don’t knows really matter.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a number of listener’s questions including how polling methodologies differ and what it would take to get a hung parliamentIf you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government has performed a spectacular U-turn over the controversial blocking of Conservative MP Owen Paterson’s suspension for breaching lobbying rules.Ailbhe Rea is joined by New Statesman’s deputy online editor Rachel Cunliffe and Tim Durrant from the Institute for Government to discuss the scandal as it unfolds. What is the damage for the government and parliament more generally?This was recorded before Owen Paterson announced his resignation as MP.Then in You Ask Us, to what end does Boris Johnson appropriate (or misappropriate) the classics?If you have a question for “You Ask Us” please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final part of our special series on the politics of climate change, Anoosh Chakelian and Environment and Sustainability Editor Philippa Nuttall speak to former Norwegian energy minister Tony C. Tiller.They discuss Norway’s success in rolling out heat pumps. With around 60% of homes fitted with them, Norway has the most successful roll out in Europe; so what can the UK learn from this success as heat pumps form a major part of the UK’s Heat and Buildings strategy.They also talk about why Norwegians are worried about whether they might important the UKs high cost of energyIf you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian are joined by special guest former Chief Secretary to the Treasury and New Statesman contributing writer David Gauke to discuss how the Chancellor’s budget went down the morning after.They talk about why the response was muted on Conservative benches, where the chancellor focussed his spending pledges and why, and whether Labour’s response hit the mark.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on why Conservative MPs voted to allow the release of raw sewage into rivers and seasIf you have a question for You Ask Us? Email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of the New Statesman Podcast, in association with Smart Energy GB, Ailbhe Rea and guest co-host Philippa Nuttall discuss how the ways we use energy in the future will change, and what we can do to make sure that change benefits everyone including the most vulnerable.They are joined by Liberal Democrat Energy and Climate Emergency Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse and Iagan Macneil, from Smart Energy GB, to talk about what changes could make a difference, and what action needs to be taken now to make that change happenSmart Energy GB is the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign helping everyone in the UK understand the importance of smart meters and their benefits to people and the environment. Their national campaign is reaching homes and small businesses across England, Scotland and Wales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A week after the death of the Southend West MP David Amess, Anoosh Chakelian and Stephen Bush discuss how MPs have reflected on the incident, what might make a difference to the security of MPs and why some MPs have been talking about online abuse.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on the New Labour era and whether there are any lessons modern day Labour could learn from it.If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of the New Statesman podcast, in association with Smart Energy GB, Anoosh Chakelian and guest co-host Philippa Nuttall discuss how we can improve our homes and workplaces to reduce our dependence on energy They are joined by Adrian Joyce, from the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings and the Renovate Europe campaign and Iagan MacNeil, from Smart Energy GB, to talk about the challenges of upgrading old stock, how to deal with the private rental sector, and how to find the right incentives and funding to make change happen. Smart Energy GB is the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign helping everyone in Britain understand the importance of smart meters and their benefits to people and the environment. Their national campaign is reaching homes and small businesses across England, Scotland and Wales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Multiple crises are putting unprecedented pressure on the economy and state institutions, and look set to last for months. As winter approaches, could this spell disaster for the government? In this episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman’s executive editor of politics Tim Ross to discuss the latest negotiations over the Northern Ireland protocol and whether, despite Boris Johnson’s assurances, Britain is on the brink. Then in You Ask Us, Stephen Bush joins the podcast to answer a listener’s question: How legitimate are Corbynite grievances with Keir Starmer?If you’d like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of the New Statesman podcast, in association with Smart Energy GB, Stephen Bush and guest co-host Philippa Nuttall discuss how to convince people to change their behaviour to reduce emissions.They are joined by Ruth Mourik, the founder of Research for Benefit organisation Duneworks, and Rob Cheesewright, from Smart Energy GB, to talk about the challenges of getting people on board, which countries are doing it well and why we need to stop talking about carbon.Smart Energy GB is the not-for-profit, government-backed campaign helping everyone in Britain understand the importance of smart meters and their benefits to people and the environment. Their national campaign is reaching homes and small businesses across England, Scotland and Wales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush reflect on Boris Johnson’s conference speech. They discuss whether Tory members love Johnson - but not Johnsonism, the spontaneous applause for the argument capitalism was responsible for the success of the vaccine programme and Johnson’s many omissions.In part two, we have special correspondent at the New Statesman, Sophie McBain, on the show to discuss her long read on rape culture and the crisis in British schools.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of a special series of episodes in the run up to the global climate conference COP 26, Anoosh Chakelian interviews our guest co-host Philippa Nuttall, The New Statesman’s environment and Sustainability Editor, about how the Government is facing up to climate change and what to expect from Glasgow’s environmental summit. They talk about how much lives need to change, who the onus for change needs to be on and how the UK compares to other countries in their approach to cutting emissions and tackling the climate crisis.Throughout the series Philippa and the NS Podcast team will speak to experts and leaders on the environmental issues facing the UK and the world. Episodes will be published every week, with the normal New Statesman Podcast published on Fridays as usual.--The New Statesman podcast is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies. Watch this video to find out more about their mission to "create smiles through great people and technology" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush give their verdict on Labour leader Keir Starmer’s big conference speech. They discussed the heckling, how it went down in the hall and whether we learned anything about Labour’s big idea for government.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether the Conservative party really is less divided than the other major parties.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk--The New Statesman podcast is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies. Watch this video to find out more about their mission to "create smiles through great people and technology" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian host a live recording of the New Statesman podcast at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. They talk Labour’s rule changes, Andy McDonald’s resignation and whether the party’s message could cut through against a backdrop of rising prices and queues at petrol stations.Then in You Ask Us they take live questions from the audience on Rachel Reeves’s Office for Value For Money, what can Labour learn from Germany's SPD, and was the media right to focus on resignations over policy speeches.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk--The New Statesman podcast is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies. Watch this video to find out more about their mission to "create smiles through great people and technology" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the series of crisis facing the Boris Johnson including gas prices, CO2 shortages and the end of the Universal Credit uplift. Could this could have a lasting impact on the Government?Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on why we don’t talk about the Conservative party in terms of left vs right.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk--The New Statesman podcast is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies. Watch this video to find out more about their mission to "create smiles through great people and technology" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush talk to FT feature writer and author Henry Mance about his new book: How to Love Animals: In a Human-Shaped WorldThey discuss what it was like to work in an abattoir, the evacuation of pets from Afghanistan and what it will take to get real political change when it comes to meat.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk--The New Statesman podcast is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies. Watch this video to find out more about their mission to "create smiles through great people and technology" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Boris Johnson's cabinet reshuffle in which Dominic Raab was demoted to Justice Secretary and Liz Truss became Foreign Secretary. Then, in You Ask Us, they answer listener questions about Stephen's extended interview with Keir Starmer.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk**This episode is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies, who have joined the New Statesman as launch partners for our print and digital transformation. They've also sponsored the Tech Leader's Agenda - an exclusive survey into the future of technology leadership. Find out more at www.newstatesman.com/techleadersagenda. Visit the new New Statesman website at www.newstatesman.com today.** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush interviews writer and journalist Jonn Elledge about his new book, The Compendium of (Not Quite) Everything. They discuss the joy of facts, what Stephen keeps on his toilet bookshelf and the best sci-fi and dystopias.Jonn’s book if available from all good book stores from 16 SeptemberIf you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk**This episode is sponsored by Hexaware Technologies, who have joined the New Statesman as launch partners for our print and digital transformation. They've also sponsored the Tech Leader's Agenda - an exclusive survey into the future of technology leadership. Find out more at www.newstatesman.com/techleadersagenda. Visit the new New Statesman website at www.newstatesman.com today.** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Boris Johnson’s National Insurance rise to fund the NHS and Social Care and why there was no significant rebellion from Conservative MPs.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on why Labour aren’t calling for a wealth tax.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea speak to New Statesman special correspondent Harry Lambert about his cover story on the decline of the Labour party. They talk about the key moments over the last 20 years and whether there’s any sign of any optimism for the party’s future.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question about whether manifesto promises matter any more.If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea discuss their interview with Anneliese Dodds, what she said and didn’t say about her treatment by the party leadership and the strategy for the labour party.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener’s question on whether Labour needs to drop the trade union link.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush interviews Tom Black and Owen Kingston, the writer and director of the interactive political play Crisis What Crisis, which gives the audience the chance to see if they could have survived the winter of discontent better than the Callaghan government.They discuss the perils of making interactive theatre for a knowledgable audience, why Monopoly is an awful board game and what you should be playing instead.For more information on Crisis What Crisis, and details of future performances, vist the Parabolic Theatre company. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe Rea speaks to journalist and author Marie Le Conte about the life of a diary columnist, the gossip that keeps westminster running, and how to write a book in a global pandemic.Marie's new book Honourable Misfits is out now.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush interviews economist, journalist, and author Duncan Weldon on his new book Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through. They talk through the lessons learned, and not learned from British political and economic history, whether the response to the pandemic will be a turning point in UK politics, and why writing a book is a bit like having a child.If you have a question for You Ask Us, please email Podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the Afghanistan crisis and the governments refugee scheme, and why MPs from all sides of the house were giving the government a hard time.  Then in You Ask Us, they answer listeners' quesitons on whether the situation could really have been handled differently, and how party supporters split on what should have happened. If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman Podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster to discuss how politics could be better.In episode four, Iannucci and Ailbhe Rea examine consensus: Why do we find it so hard to disagree with each other without hating each other?Iannucci and Rea are joined by special guests Paul Mason, the campaigning journalist, and Anna Soubry, a former Conservative MP who co-founded the centrist breakaway party Change-UK. They talk about whether there could ever be a pact between the centre and the left, and if it really is much harder to get along in politics these days. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the pandemic affected A Level and GCSE results and why Labour have chosen now to call for Gavin Williamson's sacking.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listeners question on whether climate change will ever become a major issue at general elections.If you have a question for You Ask Us email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman Podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Iannucci explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside the Westminster machine to discuss how politics could be better.In episode three, Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian examine political campaigning and centrism vs localism: whether better government comes from a powerful centre or from a strong local connection.Iannucci and Chakelian are joined by special guests Chris Addison, Actor and Director who played special advisor Ollie Reeder in The Thick of It, and Claire Wright – the independent candidate who fought the East Devon constituency in three general elections – coming second each time. They discuss the conveyor belt from special advisor to politician and what you need to be a good MP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss David Liddington's three ways Brexit could have been stopped and why none of them were realistic.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listener's question on whether not engaging with Scottish Independence will make it go away? If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcast@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman Podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Armando explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside the Westminster machine to discuss how politics could be better.In Episode two, Armando and Stephen Bush examine activism and whether it’s better to be inside or outside the Westminster bubble to make change happen.Armando and Stephen are joined by special guests Dame Louise Casey, the former government Homelessness tsar who is now a life peer and Paul Stephens, Metropolitan Police officer turned Extinction Rebellion activist. They discuss how you make change happen, whether there’s room for compromise and what would drive Louise Casey to march on the streets.These special episodes will be published weekly in the New Statesman Podcast feed. Watch video from the recording on the New Statesman’s YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe Rea, Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Boris Johnson's latest plan to reduce crime and whether the proposals will actually have any impact.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a listeners question on why some in Westminster think there'll be a 2023 electionYou can send a question for You Ask Us to podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legendary writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci joins the New Statesman podcast to co-host four special episodes. In these shows, Armando explores areas of British politics that he believes are broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside the Westminster machine to discuss how politics could be better. In episode one, Armando and Anoosh Chakelian examine the issue of accountability in politics. Why are resignations so rare and can anything be done to hold a shameless Government to account?They are joined by special guests Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, and Jill Rutter, a former senior civil servant to discuss why Matt Hancock had to go, memorable resignations from history and how the current government have managed to cling on to jobs in the face of pressure.They also look at what needs to change to bring back accountability to British politics.These special episodes will be published weekly in the New Statesman Podcast feed. Watch video from the recording on the New Statesman’s YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian, Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea discuss the government's announcment on the Northern Ireland protocol and whether they really will be able to renegotiate, and do they even knows what it wants? Then in You Ask Us, they answer your question on what's going on with the Green Party, after the resignation of both the party's leaders  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ailbhe Rea and Stephen Bush discuss No. 10's tough weekend and why 'Freedom Day' is still causing lots of problems for the government.Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on whether reimposing covid restrictions later could bring down Boris JohnsonIf you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush, Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelion discuss the government's plans for a prosecution amnesty over the Troubles and why no party in Northern Ireland is particularly happy. They also look at Keir Starmer's new improved operation.Then in You Ask Us, they answer a question on whether in the wake of the Euro 2020, the Conservative party will stick with culture wars?If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss England’s performance in Euro 2020 and what it says about the country feels about itself.Then in You Ask Us, they answer your question whether the Liberal Democrats are a policy desert Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss whether Labour will be able to avoid the usual difficult summer for Opposition parties, and how the loosening of covid restrictions goes will have an impact.Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on why the parties are so bad at picking by-election candidatesIf you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh and Stephen discuss the future of the Labour party and how Andy Burnham might fit in to that.Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on who has a better grasp of Englishness: Keir Starmer, Boris Johnson or Gareth SouthgateIf you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss the upcoming Batley and Spen By- Election and why many in Labour think it's not going well for the party.Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on who's doing a better job: Keir Starmer or Boris Johnson To submit a question to You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss the fallout from the Matt Hancock affair and the appointment of Sajid Javid as the new Health Secretary.Then in You Ask Us, they take your question on the troubled future of Keir Starmer's Labour party leadership.To submit a question to You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep making these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for £12. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh has been reporting in Batley and Spen ahead of the by-election on 1st July. Here she talks to Stephen Bush and Ailbhe Rea about the mood on the ground, and why George Galloway is posing a problem for Labour.Then, in You Ask Us, Ailbhe, Stephen and Anoosh take your question on Keir Starmer's reshuffle of his top team: was it a sign of weakness, or strength?To submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the Liberal Democrat by-election victory in the "Blue Wall" seat of Chesham and Amersham, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe dissect the Conservative post-vote blame-game and discuss what the upset means for the party.In You Ask Us, they also look ahead to the Batley and Spen by-election and answer your - many - questions about Keir Starmer's future as opposition leader should Labour lose the seat.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss the Chesham and Amersham by-election. Ailbhe reported from the constituency shortly before the by-election, and here talks through the impact the result will have on the electoral strategy of the UK political parties.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions about Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick: after a report into the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan depicted the Met as the cause of petty and bureaucratic obstructions to the inquiry, why is Ms. Dick still in post?If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep making these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for £12. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the fourth anniversary of the Grenfell fire tragedy, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea explore the ongoing scandal of flammable cladding which continues to trap over a million people in dangerous tower blocks. Will it take another tragedy for the government to take notice?In You Ask Us, they take your question on the Northern Ireland protocol. What is Boris Johnson's end game?To submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Boris Johnson and Joe Biden meet for their first bilateral summit ahead of the G7, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the impact the US President could have on the UK's attitude to the Northern Ireland protocol.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question on the government's culture war strategy.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep making these podcasts - you can get 12 weeks for just £12. Subscribers also get early access to an ad-free version of the New Statesman podcast, released 12 hours ahead of our public feed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the Speaker's decision on holding a vote over the planned cuts to the UK foreign aid budget, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the coalition of Conservative rebels who could make life difficult for the Treasury.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on the Prime Minister's religion: does it matter that Boris Johnson is a Catholic?If you'd like to submit a question to You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribing to the New Statesman helps us to keep making these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for just £12. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the acquittal of two former police officers charged with perverting the course of justice by allegedly altering police statements to an inquiry after the Hillsborough disaster.Now a judge has ruled there was 'no case to answer' since the inquiry was 'an administrative exercise' and the accused were not under oath at the time, Stephen and Anoosh ask: what is the point of public inquiries?Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on Keir Starmer's emotional appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Westminster reels from Dominic Cummings' excoriating critique of the government's pandemic response, unleashed with full force during Wednesday's marathon select committee hearing, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe dissect the former senior adviser's claims.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether the civil service – so maligned by Cummings  – is adequately represented in journalism.If you would like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribe to the New Statesman to recieve ad-free early access to these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for just £12 at www.newstatesman.com/subscribe12 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Westminster braces for Dominic Cummings' appearance at the Health and Science select committee over the Government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss whether his claims - previewed in a rambling, 50-tweet thread - are worrisome... or, indeed, surprising.Then in You Ask Us, they take your questions on why Liz Truss remains popular with the Conservative grass roots.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribing the New Statesman helps us keep making these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for just £12. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer's approval ratings dipped this week into dangerous territory - falling below both David Cameron's and Ed Miliband's after the same time in office. On this episode, Stephen and Anoosh discuss why the Labour leader should be concerned about this, and what the party should do about it.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether a progressive alliance would be a good idea in upcoming by-elections.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As lockdown restrictions ease in England, Wales and much of Scotland, the country is grappling with a new variant of Covid-19. On this episode, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the messaging around unlocking and how the spread of the Indian variant exposes the government's shortcomings.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on what the new dividing lines in British politics will be.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSubscribing the New Statesman helps us keep making these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for just £12. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reunited in the studio for the first time in over a year, Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss Tony Blair's dramatic Labour Party intervention in which he claims that 'without total change, Labour will die'. In You Ask Us, the team take your questions on whether the Greens can become the third party in UK politics.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukFurther reading:New Statesman editor Jason Cowley: does Tony Blair really believe he can lead the change Labour needs?Stephen Bush: Who can supply the direction Keir Starmer lacks?Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep making these podcasts. Get 12 weeks for £12 at www.newstatesman.co.uk/subscribe12You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second of two episodes looking at the results of the May 6 elections, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe are joined by Chris Deerin to dissect the consequences of the results in Scotland. In You Ask Us, they're joined by polling expert Ben Walker to discuss the wider picture of the local votes around the UK.In the first part of this double episode, the team talk about the fallout of the elections for Labour, and what the reshuffle means for Starmer's leadership. If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the dust settles on Keir Starmer's mystifying reshuffle of the Labour party following the local elections, Stephen, Anoosh and Ailbhe discuss what it all means.In an extended 'You Ask Us' they take on as many listener questions as possible from the deluge the New Statesman received in the wake of the election results.This is part one of a two-part special. In part two, the team talk to Chris Deerin about the Scottish results, and Ben Walker about local elections across the UK.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK heads to the polls on 'Super Thursday', Anoosh, Stephen and Ailbhe discuss the things they are most interested to learn from this wide-ranging vote.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether Labour are setting out a positive view of their plans for the UK.If you'd like to submit a question for You Ask Us, please email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukYou can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World Review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.