Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
‘Attack is the best form of defence,’ declares Rachel Reeves, sitting in a block purple dress in her office in parliament. The shadow chancellor is discussing what lessons for politics she learnt from chess. She was the British girls’ champion at the age of 14. ‘Thinking ahead. Trying to think what your opponent might do
8 min listen
The government has backed down in the face of the planning rebellion, watering down their targets for housebuilding. At the same time, another revolt is brewing over permissions to build onshore wind. Is Rishi Sunak facing a more unruly Tory coalition than his predecessors, and does he have a grip on the party? Katy Balls
12 min listen
Today former prime minister Gordon Brown has released a review which includes recommendations to overhaul the constitution and replace the House of Lords. Could Labour push through reform? Also on the podcast, after Kier Starmer said that he doesn’t see Jeremy Corbyn standing at the next election, has Starmer finally silenced the far left faction
It’s Labour’s turn to take centre stage today as Keir Starmer attempts to seize the agenda with the launch of his party’s constitutional review. The report – A New Britain – is written by Gordon Brown and has been over two years in the making, with the former prime minister set to present it alongside
14 min listen
Katy Balls speaks to Cindy Yu, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson about the Prime Minister’s attitudes towards China and how to deal with the challenges it presents for the UK and the world.
Sajid Javid has become the latest Conservative MP to signal that they will be standing down at the next election. Announcing the news in a letter to his party chairman posted on social media, the former chancellor said the current boundary review deadline – which has seen MPs asked to signal by 5 December whether
14 min listen
Sajid Javid has announced that he won’t be standing for re-election, while also today, the Chester by-election saw the Conservative party suffered the worst loss in seat since 1832. Is the party in terminal decline? Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson. Produced by Cindy Yu.
Kezia Dugdale was the leader of the Scottish Labour party from 2015 to 2017, taking on the job at a tough time following a near-wipeout defeat at Westminster. She served as an MSP for the Lothian region until 2019, and now runs the John Smith Centre for Public Service at the University of Glasgow. On
Keir Starmer has reason for cheer this morning after his party comfortably held the City of Chester following yesterday’s by-election. Labour candidate Samantha Dixon increased the majority her predecessor Christian Matheson won in the 2019 general election from 6,164 to 10,974. Labour had a swing of just over 13 per cent from the Conservatives –
9 min listen
Ian Blackford will stand down as SNP leader. After five years in the role, it is time for ‘fresh leadership’, Blackford says. But who will take over? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
13 min listen
In today’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer went in on Rishi Sunak’s privileged background. Starmer detailed the various facilities available at Winchester College, where Sunak was educated, from an art gallery to a shooting range. Is this an effective line of attack, or do voters simply not care? Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and
12 min listen
Rishi Sunak has signalled the end of the ‘golden era’ of relations between Britain and China, warning of Xi Jinping’s creeping authoritarianism. In his first foreign policy set piece, was it enough to get the China hawks onside? Also on the podcast, James Forsyth and Katy Balls look at the latest amendments to the Online
When it comes to policy, the area where the least is known about Rishi Sunak’s views is foreign affairs. As chancellor, the bulk of his time was spent focussing on the domestic front. During the (first) Tory leadership contest over the summer, Liz Truss’s campaign accused Sunak of being soft on Russia and China. Last
14 min listen
As MPs mull over whether they would like to stand in the next general election, the cracks in the party widen. Notable MPs like Chloe Smith and Dehenna Davison have already declared they will not stand but there are likely to be more over the coming days. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has two rebellions to
As Tory MPs ponder whether to stand down at the next election in the face of grim polling, the Prime Minister is facing an uphill task to show he has a grip on his party. Ahead of a difficult winter with the NHS and public sector strikes, Rishi Sunak is facing a two pronged rebellion
It wasn’t so long ago that people complained that not enough former prime ministers chose to stay on as MPs. However, Rishi Sunak is fast discovering the downside to having one’s predecessors stick around. Boris Johnson and Liz Truss are reportedly planning to back an attempt led by former Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke to
10 min listen
Today the nurses’ union have announced that they will strike this winter as they seek a pay rise of 5 per cent above inflation. How do the government navigate these strikes? Where do Labour stand? Also on the podcast, with the government trying to fill the 1 million vacancies in the job market, how do
10 min listen
New migration numbers out today show that, for the first time ever, net migration have exceeded 500,000 a year. Is this a problem for the government, or is this the kind of immigration that they actually quite like to see? Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu.
Rishi Sunak is facing his first Tory Commons rebellion since entering 10 Downing Street. After 47 Tory MPs threatened to back an amendment on planning reform which would oppose compulsory housebuilding targets, the government has pulled the vote until further notice. The rebels were led by former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers and largely consist of
14 min listen
Rishi Sunak is facing his first Tory Commons rebellion on the issue of UK house building targets. Could this be game over? Also on the podcast, after Chloe Smith announced that she will be leaving politics at the next election, could more follow her out of parliament? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel
