A level results: is the system broken?
17 min listen
Isabel Hardman discusses the latest A level results and the impact on university places, with Fraser Nelson and student Lella Halloum. What more can the government do? Produced by Matt Taylor.
Isabel Hardman
Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and author of Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.
Saturday
Thursday
Is the Labour party in trouble?
13 min listen
It seems like Labour has a problem when it comes to the size of its membership. It lost 91,000 members last year and recorded a £4.8 million deficit. Is this the Keir Starmer effect on the Corbyn membership? Also on the podcast, Rishi Sunak has gone viral after sharing his McDonald’s breakfast order on This
Wednesday
Finally, some justice for the infected blood scandal’s victims
Why has the greatest patient scandal in the history of the NHS rumbled on for so long before its victims even start to see justice? It shouldn’t have taken 40 years for there to be an answer Today the government awarded £100,000 in interim compensation to around 4,000 survivors of the contaminated blood scandal, as
Inflation hits double digits: what next?
12 min listen
The UK inflation rate is now at 10.1 per cent according to the Office for National Statistics. Is there much that the government can do to relieve its effects? Also on the podcast, the leadership contenders are in Belfast for the next hustings: how will the audience respond to the candidate’s position on The Northern Ireland Protocol?
Tuesday
Truss charms the Scottish audience, while Sunak struggles
Judging by the show of hands in the auditorium of the Perth Concert Hall tonight, both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak had a fair bit of work to do to win over Scottish Tories. Many put their hands up to say they hadn’t yet decided who to back when asked by the host Colin Mackay.
When will the inflation rate fall?
13 min listen
New figures released this week show that wages have fallen significantly behind the rising cost of living. Is there more trouble ahead? Also on the podcast, as Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss attend hustings in Scotland: which candidate is favoured the most north of the border? Katy Balls is joined by Kate Andrews and Isabel
Monday
Would Starmer’s energy plan work?
15 min listen
Keir Starmer has unveiled a £29 billion plan to freeze energy bills for six months. Under his proposals, the Labour leader said Brits would not face the enormous price hikes anticipated in October and January. But is his idea a serious one? Where would the money come from? And how have the Tories responded? Isabel
Saturday
Is Labour missing in action?
10 min listen
Katy Balls speaks to Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth about why Sir Keir Starmer and his frontbench have been seemingly missing in action during the Tory leadership race and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Friday
Could Truss reverse the windfall tax?
13 min listen
‘Profit is not a dirty word’, Liz Truss said at last night’s leadership hustings. The Foreign Secretary has made clear that she would prefer to cut taxes than take money from energy firms and give it directly to struggling Brits. But, if Truss makes it into No. 10, could she really reverse the windfall tax?
Thursday
Has the NHS winter crisis already arrived?
11 min listen
Thirty thousand people waited 12 hours or more in A&E, new figures showed today – the highest number on record. The NHS usually runs into trouble during the cold winter weather, but it looks like the annual crisis has already arrived. Is there any solution? Max Jeffery speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman. Produced
Wednesday
Truss and Sunak’s ‘blue on blue’ attacks make Tory MPs nervous
Whatever side they’re on, most Tory MPs now think the leadership contest is getting a bit much. They’re worried about the attacks across camps – though of course those who have declared for a candidate tend to think it’s their rivals who are doing the worst mudslinging. Labour’s attack unit need scarcely lift a finger
When will the blue-on-blue end?
12 min listen
The Tory contenders are expected to announce their own measures to protect households and businesses from the energy crisis. Why has it taken this long? Labour too, is yet to reveal a strategy. Will they leave the Tories to fight amongst themselves? Also on the podcast, Nicola Sturgeon has made a comeback at Liz Truss
Tuesday
Truss and Sunak compete to win Red Wall Tories
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have just finished their most cynical hustings of the Tory leadership contest so far. The pair were addressing a party audience in Darlington, and had tailored their stump speeches and answers to a ‘Red Wall’ audience. The picture that these answers painted of what both think of Red Wall Tories
How do you solve a problem like energy prices?
14 min listen
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss head to the Red Wall for hustings in Darlington this evening. Meanwhile, new figures released by Cornwall Insight on the extent of the energy price cap make for grim reading. Will Labour respond with their own package? Also on the podcast, as countries look to ensure domestic energy supply, What could
Why cost of living talks will have to wait
The Tory leadership candidates will not be joining Boris Johnson in emergency talks about support for people struggling with the rising cost of living. That’s despite calls for them to do so from Gordon Brown, Nicola Sturgeon and the CBI’s Tony Danker, all of whom think the government needs to do something now rather than waiting
Saturday
Is it just one crisis after another?
10 min listen
Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman about the challenges facing the incoming Prime Minister, not least the dire forecast from the Bank of England predicting recession for 2023.
Monday
Is Liz Truss too comfortable?
After England scored their first goal last night, the team visibly relaxed and had a spell of playing happily until Germany equalised. Liz Truss was in the crowd and saw that sudden surge in confidence up close. Tonight we saw the same from the frontrunner. She enjoyed the latest hustings in Exeter, making jokes about
Has Keir Starmer lost control over strikes?
12 min listen
This morning, Lisa Nandy defied party orders by joining a picket line in Wigan to support striking BT and Openreach staff. This comes after last week, Keir Starmer sacked Sam Tarry MP, who went on an unauthorised media round at an RMT picket line. Similarly, Labour’s biggest union, Unite, threatened to pull all funding from
Sunak is running out of time
This could be the biggest week of the Tory leadership campaign: postal ballots will start arriving on members’ doormats in the coming days and the chances are that most will fill them in and send them back pretty sharpish. Both candidates to be Prime Minister are consequently extremely busy: Rishi Sunak has been making tax
Thursday
Sunak still has it all to do
Tonight’s membership hustings in the Tory leadership contest showed both candidates – but particularly Liz Truss – relaxing and even enjoying themselves a fair bit. But they also underlined what the two of them feel they have to say in order to get a hearing with their selectorate. Both had to commit to more grammar
