James Forsyth is former political editor of The Spectator.
Rishi Sunak is back from his first overseas trip as Prime Minister. Despite Downing Street having initially said he wouldn’t go, Sunak did travel to Cop27, the international climate change summit in Egypt. Given the UK has had three prime ministers this year, his non-attendance would have raised question marks The problem with Sunak not
12 min listen
Gavin Williamson is in trouble, again. This time the reveal of some expletive-laden texts he sent to then-chief whip Wendy Morton has raised questions for the government over why Williamson was brought back into frontline politics. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman about whether the dual role of government
14 min listen
Today the planned rail strikes have been cancelled at the 11th hour. Is this an indication that a deal may be soon reached to end the months of disruption? Also on the podcast, after it was announced that Arts Council England would cut its funding, it looks like the English National Opera will be forced
11 min listen
Alongside an interest rate hike of 3 per cent, the Bank of England have today warned the economy will ‘be in recession for a long period’. How much of the blame can we place on Truss’s economic policy? What will this recession look like? Also on the podcast, Rishi Sunak plans to remove the ‘legal
Immigration is now at the top of the political agenda in a way that it hasn’t been since the vote to leave the European Union in 2016. Two factors have propelled it up the list, one very real (the small boats arriving across the Channel) and the other theoretical (economic modelling). The market reaction to
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Rishi Sunak has said that he will now attend the Cop 27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, which begins on Sunday. What’s behind the U-turn, and should we expect more policy reversals from the new PM? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth. Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Max Jeffery.
Short questions are always best at PMQs – and Keir Starmer’s first one was very short indeed. He asked Rishi Sunak if the asylum system is broken as the Home Secretary had said – and if so, who broke it? (I wonder if Starmer got the idea from Nick Robinson’s interview with Sunak over the
37 min listen
On this week’s podcast: We have a new prime minister, but is Rishi Sunak ready to take on the numerous problems that James Forsyth outlines in his cover piece for The Spectator this week? James is joined by writer and pollster Matt Goodwin to debate whether the Conservatives can turn it around in time for 2024 (00:50).
11 min listen
Reports today suggest the government is planning to pledge £50 billion to close the fiscal black hole. Are they laying the groundwork for a combination of spending cuts and tax rises?Also on the podcast, after Elon Musk completed his purchase of Twitter today, what will the repercussions be for the Online Safety Bill? Max Jeffery
10 min listen
A poll in the i on Friday showed that Rishi Sunak is more trusted with the economy than Keir Starmer. How will Labour break down that support? Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth. Produced by Max Jeffery.
12 min listen
Rishi Sunak has completed ministerial appointments to the Department for Education. Now led by Gillian Keegan, who left school at 16 to become an apprentice, and with old hands such as Robert Halfon and Nick Gibb returning, how ambitious will he be on education reform? Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss on this episode. Produced
It is the most remarkable turnaround in recent political history. On 5 September, Rishi Sunak lost the Tory leadership race to Liz Truss with 43 per cent of the vote. He was written off as another politician with a brilliant future behind him. Seven weeks later, the former Chancellor – whom, I should say, I
12 min listen
Rishi Sunak faced up against Keir Starmer in his first Prime Minister’s Questions today, and rallied the Conservative backbenches to a more enthusiastic mood than has been seen in, perhaps, months. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth about the attack lines that Labour are trying out at the moment (on everything from
12 min listen
Rishi Sunak has spent his first day in office appointing his new Cabinet. As the Prime Minister vowed to fix the ‘mistakes’ of his predecessor’s administration – who’s in and who’s out? Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss. Produced by Natasha Feroze.
13 min listen
Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss from the rooftop of Parliament the key takeaways from Liz Truss’ departure speech. How does she reflect on her time in office? Produced by Natasha Feroze.
14 min listen
We have a new leader of the Conservative party. After Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race just seconds before the deadline, Rishi Sunak will become the next prime minister. But he inherits a disunited party, war in Ukraine and a huge economic mountain to climb. What comes next? James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss.
Rishi Sunak has been elected leader of the Tory party and will be the next prime minister after Penny Mordaunt pulled out of the race. By the 2 m. deadline, 197 Tory MPs – half of the party – had come out for him. Just 27 had gone public for Mordaunt: her team said that anonymous
12 min listen
After Boris pulled out of the leadership race last night, all eyes are on Rishi Sunak who could be Prime Minister by lunchtime. Can Rishi rescue the Conservatives? Kate Andrews speaks to Katy Balls, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson. Produced by Natasha Feroze.
18 min listen
Kate Andrews, James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss the surprise withdrawal of Boris Johnson from the Conservative leadership race.
Boris Johnson’s decision to pull out of the Tory leadership contest averts a nightmare scenario where he had got the support of less than a third of the parliamentary party and was then returned to Downing Street by the member’s vote (though, I think the result of that ballot was becoming less and less certain).