Coffee House Shots

Conservative radicalism: who should the Tories target? with Jack Rankin MP

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Can the Conservatives win back voters' support through a new kind of 'conservative radicalism'? Jack Rankin, Conservative MP for Windsor, joins James ...

EU déjà vu: the emergency brake is back!

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Grant from the Centre for European Reform and Tim Shipman join James Heale to reflect on the rumours about Britain's latest set of negotiation...

Will Trump pull the US out of NATO?

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has said he is 'strongly considering' pulling the US out of NATO, in comments made to the Telegraph – and it doesn't appear to be an Ap...

Why is Britain so exposed to rising energy prices?

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The IMF has warned Britain is particularly vulnerable to another spike in energy prices, and is more exposed than many of its European neighbours. Why...

Where does Labour's centre of gravity lie?

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire, chief political writer at The Times, sits down with Tim Shipman for a reflection on Labour's odd year so far. From potential leadersh...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 29/03/2026

29 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.The Iran conflict has reached its second month. Figures from across the polit...

LIVE: Should we defund or defend the BBC? | Michael Gove & Jon Sopel v Charles Moore & Allison Pearson

28 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Should we defund – or defend – the BBC?Live from London, the Spectator hosted a debate on the future of this iconic British institution,...

Energy crisis: are we in 1973 territory?

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The panic has set in around the cabinet table about this energy crisis, and fears of history repeating itself. Tim Shipman writes in the magazine abou...

The curious case of Morgan McSweeney's missing phone

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Questions are being asked about Morgan McSweeney's missing phone, which he reported stolen to police last year. What might seem like a minor case of p...

To drill or not to drill, that is the question

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the final Prime Minister's Questions before Easter recess, Kemi Badenoch pushed Keir Starmer to commit to new oil & gas drilling licences. The Cons...

Should we brace for another financial shock?

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Britain’s response to the conflict in Iran is dominating Westminster – but is Keir Starmer really keeping the country out of war? After a tense Li...

It’s Ed Miliband’s world – and we’re living in it

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Three big stories are on the agenda this morning: the war in Iran has dominated over the weekend, with Trump now failing to conceal his feelings towar...

On the road with Nigel Farage

21 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week James Heale and Tim Shipman share a byline to tell the story of Reform since the 2024 election, and where they are going. Nigel Farage revea...

LIVE: is it time for a Tory-Reform pact?

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As Reform chips away at the Tory vote, the Conservatives face a stark choice – join forces with Nigel Farage or fight alone. James Heale, ...

Britain’s decline – and how to reverse it | with John Bew

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this special edition of Coffee House Shots, our political editor Tim Shipman is joined by historian, biographer and foreign policy adviser to four ...

Is Angela Rayner staging a coup?

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Angela Rayner has entered the chat. Last night she gave a speech to Labour members which many are reading as the soft launch of her leadership bid. Sh...

Net Zero vs AI: can Reeves convince Miliband?

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Chancellor will deliver the annual Mais lecture today and is expected to focus on closer alignment with the EU, AI and improving Britain's economi...

Is Labour sleepwalking back to the EU?

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Two big topics on the agenda today as Keir Starmer has his pitch – again – on the cost of living. He told us towards the start of the year that ev...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 15/03/2026

15 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.As the queue of stationary oil tankers builds up around the Strait of Hormuz,...

Is the government right to restrict jury trials?

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The government's plan to restrict jury trials passed its first parliamentary hurdle this week. It is one measure, amongst many, in a Bill designed to ...

The Mandelson scandal exposes Starmer’s greatest flaw | with Gabriel Pogrund

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are delighted to be joined by the Sunday Times’ Gabriel Pogrund, whose book – Get In, which details Starmer’s rise to power – is out ...

How will the Iran war end? | with Shashank Joshi

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In a special edition of Coffee House Shots, Tim Shipman is joined by defence editor at the Economist, Shashank Joshi. Two weeks in to the conflict in ...

Starmer should be honest about why he picked Mandelson

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This afternoon we have had the first tranche of documents released by the government relating to the process by which Peter Mandelson was chosen to be...

Is the special relationship over?

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said today will be the most intense day yet of American strikes on Iran. Over the weekend, Donald Trump clai...

Is Keir Starmer good in a crisis?

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Shipman is joined by Isabel Hardman to discuss the domestic fallout from the conflict in Iran – from oil prices surging past $100 a barrel to re...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 08/03/2026

08 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Is the UK already too implicated in an illegal war? Or does Keir Starmer’s ...

Why we quit the Foreign Office | Ben Judah & Ameer Kotecha

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Does Britain still have a coherent foreign policy? James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by Ben Judah, former special adviser to David Lammy, and Ame...

Green surge: could Labour lose London?

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Deputy political editor James Heale and deputy editor of The House magazine Sienna Rodgers join Patrick Gibbons to discuss the challenge the Greens po...

Iran: has Starmer alienated Britain's allies?

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, the British government continues to face questions about its response. Was the UK too slow to act, and i...

Labour humiliated by Chinese spy arrests

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It was a bad tempered PMQs today – Kemi Badenoch attacked Starmer over his involvement, or lack thereof with the Iran conflict. And Starmer hit back...

Spring statement: everything you need to know

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Reeves has today delivered her much anticipated spring statement, her opportunity to address the looming energy crisis, the uncertainty in the ...

Iran: is Starmer doomed to repeat Blair's mistake?

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The fallout from America's audacious attack on Iran continues, and there are a whole host of questions for Keir Starmer.The prime minister has been ac...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 01/03/2026

01 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, as the US and Israel continue to strike targe...

LIVE: The Spectator’s Alternative Covid Inquiry

28 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As the official Covid Inquiry comes to an end, the Spectator has convened a panel of our own experts to ask the questions that the Inquiry didn’...

How Gorton & Denton changed British politics | with Luke Tryl

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the end, it was not even that close. The Green party has stormed to victory in Gorton and Denton, winning their first ever parliamentary by-electio...

Green victory in Gorton and Denton

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Greens have taken Gorton and Denton, defeating both Labour and Reform in the early hours of this morning. Hannah Spencer’s victory marks th...

Spring statement: Reeves' last throw of the dice?

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Polls are open in Gorton and Denton for the by-election but as we eagerly await the result we thought we’d discuss economics, because looking ahead ...

Badenoch rattles Starmer – but are they as bad as each other?

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Megan McElroy unpacks a rowdy PMQs with Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman. Kemi Badenoch made Keir Starmer uncomfortable over student loans but – at a ...

Peter Mandelson haunts Labour

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Overnight, Peter Mandelson has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.He has not commented publicly in...

SEND plans: 'cost-cutting or reform'?

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Bridget Phillipson has unveiled Labour’s long-awaited overhaul of the special educational needs and disabilities system – a £4 billion reform des...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 22/02/2026

22 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.The Jeffrey Epstein fallout continues, Trump rebukes the Supreme Court with n...

Why by-elections matter – with Iain Dale & Jon Craig

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Two titans of broadcasting – LBC’s Iain Dale and Sky's Jon Craig – join deputy political editor James Heale for a whistle-stop tour of British b...

Andrew's arrest spells trouble for Labour

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released under caution after he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office – the image of him sat ...

How prepared is Britain for war? – with Gen Sir Nick Carter

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

General Sir Nick Carter, former chief of the defence staff, joins Tim Shipman to discuss Britain's military preparedness – or rather, lack thereof. ...

Is Reform now part of the ‘orthodoxy’?

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is Robert Jenrick’s big day out today. The newly-minted Reform ‘shadow chancellor’ made his first speech this morning, where he had the chanc...

Nigel Farage unveils his shadow cabinet

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Reform UK is no longer a one-man band. Nigel Farage has unveiled Reform's four spokesmen for the “great offices of state” at a press conference in...

Can Starmer protect the country (and himself)?

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Following a weekend at the Munich Security Conference, there have been reports that the Prime Minister is set to sign off on a huge increase in defenc...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 15/02/2026

15 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.European allies say Russia is responsible for Alexei Navalny's death. And the...

Starmer, Mandelson & HMT: why Gordon Brown has never been more relevant

14 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

James Macintyre joins James Heale to discuss his new biography of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown: Power With Purpose. While the boo...

Can Starmer escape his problems in Munich?

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer has headed to Germany for the Munich Security Conference to meet allies and discuss defence, NATO and the war in Ukraine. He is expected ...

Is Antonia Romeo what the civil service needs?

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When a PM is in crisis, what do they do? Sack the head of the civil service. Having lost both his Chief of Staff and Director of Communications at the...

Keir Starmer gets angry

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

PMQs today and – as predicted – Keir Starmer came out worst in a pretty unpleasant session. Kemi Badenoch pinned the Prime Minister on the continu...

Is Starmer back from the brink?

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After a dramatic day in Westminster, the threat to Starmer appears to have receded – at least in the short term. But with the Gorton and Denton by-e...

McSweeney resigns – is Starmer next?

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Morgan McSweeney resigned yesterday as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff and – while it was not a surprise, given his role in appointing Peter Mandels...

Morgan McSweeney quits - Sunday Roundup

08 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer's chief of staff, just hours af...

Morgan McSweeney quits - Sunday Roundup 08/02/2026

08 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer's chief of staff, just hours af...

Jonathan Hinder: ‘I don’t know if Starmer should fight the next election’

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this special edition of Coffee House Shots, Tim Shipman is joined by Jonathan Hinder – a rising star of the back benches and a blue Labour acolyt...

Keir's worst week – but Kemi's best?

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The sun is setting on Keir Starmer’s worst week in No. 10 – but potentially Kemi’s best. We go into the weekend with MPs publicly calling for hi...

Could the herd move on Starmer?

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

James Heale, Tim Shipman and Oscar Edmondson discuss the continuing fallout over the Mandelson scandal. The mood amongst Labour MPs is pretty dire –...

The Mandelson scandal could spell the end for Starmer

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Another impressive PMQs from Kemi Badenoch – but she had plenty of ammunition to deploy after the Peter Mandelson scandal took a bleaker turn this w...

Gorton & Denton by-election: everything you need to know

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Coffee House Shots is on the road today. James Heale and Megan McElroy have travelled up to the frozen north to speak to the candidates who are lobbyi...

What next for Peter Mandelson?

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is one of the staple headlines of British politics: Peter Mandelson has resigned. The so-called Prince of Darkness was sacked as US ambassador...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 01/02/2026

01 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.More Epstein files bring Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson back ...

How should the UK manage its relationship with China?

31 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As Keir Starmer's visit to China draws to a close, Sam Olsen – who runs the States of Play substack – and Times columnist Cindy Yu join Patrick Gi...

Rayner vs Streeting – and what is 'active government'?

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In his column this week, Tim Shipman has finally hit upon an answer to the age-old question: what is Starmerism? After a concerted effort from his tea...

Is centrism dead? | with David Gauke, vice-chair of Prosper UK

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is centrist back? This week a group of former Tory heavyweights – including Ruth Davidson, Andy Street, Amber Rudd and David Gauke – have launched...

Breaking news: Lammy was good at PMQs

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is our solemn duty to inform listeners that David Lammy won deputy PMQs at a canter today. To be frank, it was a low-rent affair. Andrew Griffith w...

What does Starmer want to achieve in China?

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer lands in China tonight as he becomes the first British Prime Minister to visit since Theresa May in 2018. Sam Hogg from the Oxford China ...

Suella Braverman defects – not another one!

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s psychodrama all round on Coffee House Shots today. Between Andy Burnham – who over the weekend was denied the opportunity to stand in the Gor...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 25/01/2026

25 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Labour block Andy Burnham from standing as an MP, Ed Davey says we're in a ...

Reasons to be optimistic | with Michael Gove, Tim Stanley, Steve Baker & David Goodhart

24 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Post-holiday depression, failed New Year’s resolutions and battered bank balances: January’s Blue Monday has long been branded as the most miserab...

Does British politics reward traitors or faithfuls?

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

With the Conservatives on watch for further defectors, academic Richard Johnson and Conservative peer Danny Finkelstein join James Heale to discuss wh...

Andy Burnham is back in the game – and Robert Jenrick reveals all

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Three big stories for James Heale and Tim Shipman to pick over today: Andy Burnham’s return, the Donald Trump that refuses to go away, and the conti...

Starmer turns on Trump

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer scored a rare win at PMQs, talking tough on Trump in light of the President’s escalating rhetoric on Greenland and the Chagos Islands. ...

The scandal of China’s ‘super embassy’

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

China's controversial ‘super embassy’ has been approved, after years of debate over the security risks. Campaigners had called on ministers not to...

Greenland: why Europe needs to 'grow up' | with Tim Marshall

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has thrown another diplomatic hand grenade. This weekend, the President threatened sweeping tariffs on countries backing Greenland’s in...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 18/01/2026

18 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Donald Trump says it's tariffs or a deal for Greenland. And Robert Jenrick is...

Debate: what's the point of the Lib Dems?

17 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As Ed Davey condemned Donald Trump's military manoeuvres abroad, Annabel Denham looked on and asked 'what's the point of the Liberal Democrats?'. Thin...

Jenrick vs Badenoch: who won yesterday's defection?

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday was a breathless day in Westminster. The defection of Robert Jenrick spawned plenty of headlines and even more memes. But now that the dust ...

Inside Jenrick & Reform's shotgun marriage

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Jenrick has sensationally defected to Reform. After a day that started with his sacking from the Conservatives – over plotting to reject – ...

Is Jenrick joining Reform?

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the Tory whip and suspended his party membership. In a video on X she claims,...

What's the future of the Scottish Tories?

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Russell Findlay MSP, sits down with James Heale to look ahead to May's pivotal Holyrood elections. He pushes...

Why Ed Davey is happy being boring

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Liberal Democrats have unveiled a new strategy on the NHS. Sir Ed set out his big, bold plan this morning: scrapping the UK–US pharmaceutical de...

Zahawi defects: are Reform becoming Tories 2.0?

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How many Tories is too many? That’s the question Westminster is asking after the unveiling of Reform’s latest defector. Nadhim Zahawi, Boris Johns...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 11/01/2026

11 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Trump wants Greenland, Iran wants regime change, and Peter Mandelson gives hi...

Mums for Reform?

10 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Britain’s mums are backing Nigel Farage. One in five Mumsnet users intend to vote for Reform at the next general election, the first time a party ot...

Keir Starmer, pub harmer

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Another year, another U-turn. We expect that the Labour government will be forced to climb down on forthcoming increases to the business rates bills f...

How Reform plans to govern

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

2025 was the easy part for Reform. If they win the election, however, how do they actually govern? In The Spectator this week, Tim Shipman writes abou...

Why is Keir Starmer so irritable?

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is the first Prime Minister’s Questions of the new year – and Keir Starmer returns to the Commons already under pressure. With major internatio...

International statesman or 'never here Keir'?

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From 'regime change' in Venezuela to Russia's war in Ukraine, the Labour government is trying to navigate complicated situations across foreign affair...

Regime change in Caracas ... but not Westminster

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s our first podcast back in the office of 2026 – and the year has started with a bang, of course, after the successful US operation to remove N...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 04/01/2026

04 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.This week, the US sends shockwaves across the globe with its capturing of Ven...

John Curtice: what to expect in 2026

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

James Heale sits down with Sir John Curtice, the doyen of British polling, to take stock of an extraordinary year in UK politics and to look ahead to ...

Debate: is 2026 Kemi's year?

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Regular listeners will remember back in May we recorded a podcast debating whether Kemi Badenoch was the right fit for Tory leader. At that point in t...

Dominic Cummings interview – search Quite right! now

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dominic Cummings joins Michael and Maddie to reflect on his time in government – what he got right and what he regrets – and what he believes must...

Reality Check: 2025 – tears, tariffs & taxes

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

2025 has been a busy year in economics, with tariffs, taxes – and even some tears. It's also been a busy year for the Spectator's economics editor M...

Year in Review 2025 – Live

27 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From scandals and cabinet chaos to Trumpian antics and the ‘special’ relationship that some say is anything but, The Spectator presents ...

Stephen Flynn on Reform, Sturgeon & a second referendum

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, MP for Aberdeen South, joins Lucy Dunn for a special episode to assess the place of the SNP in British p...

Who won 2025? with Quentin Letts

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As is fast becoming a tradition on Coffee House Shots at this time of year, James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by sketch writer Quentin Letts to g...

Daniel Finkelstein on anti-Semitism, Nick Fuentes & viral hate

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Fuentes is a 27-year-old American influencer with a growing following. He believes America has been subverted by rich, powerful Jews. He was rece...