Podcast
Instant political analysis from The Spectator’s top team of writers, including Michael Gove, Isabel Hardman, James Heale, Lucy Dunn and many others.
Instant political analysis from The Spectator’s top team of writers, including Michael Gove, Isabel Hardman, James Heale, Lucy Dunn and many others.
Coffee House Shots
As England moves into the next phase of its lockdown easing today, the Indian variant threatens to throw the final phase off schedule. Could the government delay 21 June? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
While the local elections bore fruit for the Tories in the red wall, the party’s rebranding has had some southern shire MPs worried – does the party under Boris Johnson still speak for them and their voters? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about this growing fracture.
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Cases of the Indian coronavirus variant have more than doubled in the last week, and Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, this morning said that jabs could be deployed in areas with higher case loads to contain its spread. Will the variant delay the 21 June unlocking? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
David Cameron is giving evidence to MPs today over his lobbying for Greensill Capital, in the latest round of embarrassment for the former prime minister. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth about the graceful way to leave Downing Street.
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson has announced that an inquiry into the government’s Covid response will be launched next year. Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson about what could surface and whether it will shed any light.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Carolyn Harris, a key Starmer aide, has resigned her post as his parliamentary private secretary over allegations that she was behind some of the negative briefing against Angela Rayner. On the podcast, Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman about whether Angela Rayner has come out of Labour’s scrap, on top.
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
After a messy and delayed reshuffle, there is more rancour in the Labour party than there was before the weekend. Has Keir Starmer taken a serious hit to his authority? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the possible future for Labour.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Scotland will have a pro-independence majority at Holyrood, but the SNP has fallen short of an overall majority. What does this mean for the party, its leader Nicola Sturgeon, and the campaign for a second independence referendum? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Stephen Daisley. James Forsyth: ‘In a way, this is why this
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
The local election results are coming in over the weekend, but the bombshell came early with Hartlepool going to the tories in a massive 16-point swing. Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about how much the red wall has left to give.
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Once again it’s all about the fish – following protests from French fisherman over their rights in the waters surrounding Jersey, Boris Johnson has despatched Royal Navy boats to the Channel. Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about why tensions escalated so quickly.
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
A poll last night gave the Tories a 17-point lead in Hartlepool. Tomorrow’s by-election in the red wall seat is to be one of the first barometers of Keir Starmer’s leadership so far. How serious would a Labour loss be? Isabel Hardman speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
One of the key aspects of the imminent G7 summit will be the return of face-to-face meetings between politicians. What will be on the agenda, and can the rest of us hope to follow suit and leave Zoom behind? Fraser Nelson talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.
Play 18 mins
Coffee House Shots
Arlene Foster’s departure has left the DUP in a difficult place. Unionists could become disaffected if another relative moderate takes over, but younger voters might abandon the party if a hardliner becomes leader. What does this mean for Northern Ireland? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Denis Staunton, London editor of the Irish Times.
Play 21 mins
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson’s mobile phone number has been available online for 15 years, it emerged last night. Why does the Prime Minister give it out so freely? John Connolly speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Keir Starmer was pictured shopping for wallpaper in John Lewis today, poking fun at Boris’s ongoing No. 10 refurbishment troubles. But is the Labour leader really just playing to the PM’s advantages? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Arlene Foster has stepped down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. What’s next for the party? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Reports today suggest that the Conservative Party initially covered the costs of the Downing Street refurbishment. Will Conservative members, and the public at large, care? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Simon Case dodged questions from MPs about his lockdown leak inquiry at a select committee appearance this afternoon, and refused to go into details about how Boris Johnson paid for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, saying the PM would make the ‘relevant declarations’. Why did Case stonewall the committee? Katy Balls speaks to
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
The Downing Street psychodrama continues today, with the Daily Mail reporting that Boris Johnson said he would rather see the ‘bodies pile high in their thousands’ than order a third lockdown. Where will the war between the PM and his former adviser Dominic Cummings end? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Play 21 mins
Coffee House Shots
Russian troops had been building up on the Ukrainian border for weeks now, only for Putin to announce their pullback this week. Moscow claims it was only ever a military exercise, but the troop presence was enough to fuel speculation of further annexation of parts of Ukraine. Fraser Nelson speaks to James Forsyth and Owen
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
After damning accusations in the papers that Dominic Cummings leaked a series of the Prime Minister’s texts, the former No 10 aide has wasted little time in hitting back. In a blog this afternoon, he attacks the Prime Minister and those closest to him. Gus Carter speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
Downing Street insiders have accused Dominic Cummings of being behind a series of lobbying leaks. But why is the Prime Minister’s team turning on the former adviser, and will he hit back? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
Joe Biden is hosting world leaders for a virtual summit on climate change today. In attendance was Boris Johnson, who was keen to impress the President with his own green credentials. Will he succeed? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Michael Gove is on a fact-finding mission in Israel this week, studying the country’s vaccine passports scheme. But are the plans not already set for the UK to adopt them? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Fans, players, managers and politicians have spoken out against the proposals by 12 of Europe’s top football teams to form a breakaway league. Boris Johnson wrote in today’s Sun that he would show the plans the red card, but can government really stop them? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson’s trip to India was today cancelled as the country battles a new coronavirus variant. The PM was expecting to push Modi to release AstraZeneca vaccines to Britain, but that now looks unlikely. What does this mean for the UK’s roadmap? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
A new YouGov poll shows that the Conservative party is 14 points ahead of the Labour party. What is Keir Starmer doing wrong? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and the Mail on Sunday’s Dan Hodges.
Play 15 mins
Coffee House Shots
The UK and EU are holding talks over how to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol and stop the continuing violence on the island. Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman about whether there’s a way forward.
Play 9 mins
Coffee House Shots
A number of cases of the South African variant have been detected around parts of London, leading to surge testing of those neighbourhoods this week. Could this variant stunt the UK’s vaccine rollout? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
A civil servant advised Greensill Capital while still working in government, it emerged yesterday evening. Is the scandal hurting Boris Johnson, or just damaging an old rival? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and the New Statesman‘s political editor Stephen Bush.
Play 13 mins