Coffee House Shots

Does Liz Truss have any regrets?

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ti...

Can Rishi steady the ship?

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Ready for Rishi?

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 C...

Why did Boris pull out?

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kate Andrews, James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss the surprise withdrawal of Boris Johnson from the Conservative leadership race. Become a Spectator...

Katy Balls' Sunday Roundup - 23/10/22

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Balls presents the highlights from Sunday's political shows. Featured today's Conservative leadership special are interviews with Steve Baker, Pe...

Will there be a new PM by tomorrow?

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Balls, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson discuss the latest party leader endorsements by MPs and the likelihood that the next Prime Minister will b...

Are the Conservatives ungovernable?

22 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

James Heale, James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss whether the Tories are an impossible coalition to preside over. Become a Spectator subscriber today...

Will Boris get the numbers he needs?

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whilst no candidate has officially declared their candidacy for the Tory leadership race, speculation is rife about a possible Boris Johnson return. C...

Liz Truss resigns

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Forty-four days into her premiership, Liz Truss said she was resigning as Prime Minister. There will now be a week-long race to elect a new leader. Wh...

Coffee House Shots Live: Another winter of discontent?

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth, Katy Balls and Kate Andrews discuss plans to stop spiralling inflation – and a spiralling government.Become a Spectato...

Braverman out. Has the great resignation begun?

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Suella Braverman has resigned as Home Secretary over a row on immigration measures. Grant Shapps has been selected to replace her. Will more follow?I...

Will there be resignations?

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another day, another u-turn. Liz Truss met with her Cabinet today and is reportedly considering u-turning on the pensions triple lock. Are ministers h...

Was Truss hiding under a desk?

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This afternoon Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt stepped in for Liz Truss to field an urgent questions called by the Leader of the Opposition. What c...

Trussonomics is dead

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt gave a statement this morning in which he outlined plans to scrap 'almost all' the tax measures announced by his predecessor, K...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 16/10/22

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents the highlights from Sunday's political shows. Featured today are Jeremy Hunt, Matt Hancock, Robert Halfon and Crispin Blunt. ...

How long has Liz Truss got left?

15 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson discuss the appropriate units of time in which to measure the remainder of the Prime Minister’s tenu...

Can Truss calm the markets?

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss has delivered an 8-minute long press conference confirming the latest corporation tax U-turn and insisting she will stay on as Prime Ministe...

Truss sacks Kwarteng. What next?

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Prime Minister Liz Truss has sacked her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and replaced him with Jeremy Hunt. By removing her closest ideological ally. Can she...

What will Kwasi do?

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's one of those flight tracker days here in Westminster as Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is about to land from a trip to the IMF in Washington, cut shor...

Will Truss be gone by Christmas?

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a day of speculation, the rumours that Liz Truss was about to U-turn on more areas of the mini-budget proved untrue. Conservative MPs had a tens...

Is Truss ruling out spending cuts?

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Did Liz Truss misspeak or did she mean it when she said that she wouldn't go ahead with spending cuts, as promised in her leadership campaign? On the ...

What is the way out for Kwasi?

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parliament is back today and Kwasi Kwarteng is facing questions from the opposition as well as from those within his party. How much pressure is he un...

Can Truss heal the divisions within her party?

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This morning the Chancellor has announced that the government will bring forward both its medium term fiscal event and the accompanying Office for Bud...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 09/10/22

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents the best bits from Sunday morning's political interview shows, with highlights today coming from Nadhim Zahawi, Nicola Sturgeo...

How will this end?

08 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Max Jeffery, Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss Liz Truss's premiership and walk through the various options being cooked up to replace her.Become a...

Are Truss and Macron now 'bons amis'?

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss attended the European Political Community summit in Prague, where her frosty relations with Macron came to a head. Rather than 'frenemies', ...

Has Team Boris turned on Truss?

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nadine Dorries, a loyalist to Boris Johnson, has a front-page piece in the Times today, accusing the new Liz Truss government of lurching too far towa...

Is Truss back on track?

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss has today delivered her speech to the Conservative Party Conference where she set out the vision for her government. It was arguably the bes...

Is Truss facing another rebellion?

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss is coming under pressure over another of her policies. Should she increase benefits payments in line with inflation, or in line with earning...

Are the Tories in the business of managing decline?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kwasi Kwarteng has just spoken at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham defending his mini-Budget, despite having u-turned on the cut to the...

Why has Truss u-turned?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister has abandoned her plan to scrap the top 45 per cent rate of income tax. Why?Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.Pr...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 02/10/22

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents the highlights from Sunday morning's political shows as the Conservative party conference enters the spotlight. Featured in to...

Did Gove just torpedo Truss?

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Gove this morning said that Liz Truss's plans to scrap the top 45 per cent tax rate are a 'display of the wrong values'. It comes as Jake Berr...

Is Tory conference going to be a meltdown?

01 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman, James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss whether Liz Truss will be able to recover her authority after several opinion polls show the Cons...

Liz Truss's mea cupla moment

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite rejecting the Office for Budget Responsibility's offer of a forecast to accompany last week's so-called fiscal event, this morning it appears ...

Will Truss axe Kwarteng?

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss broke her silence this morning and embarked on a pre-Tory conference media round of regional stations across the UK. In a brutal set of inte...

Why is the Bank of England buying gilts?

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Bank of England has today announced a major intervention into gilts to prevent a 'material risk' to financial stability as a result of government ...

Is Starmer ready for No.10?

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Stamer took centre stage for his speech at the Labour party conference today. Unlike last year, there were several standing ovations and loud che...

Is Labour on the cusp of victory?

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's day two of Labour Conference and the party appear upbeat and confident of their chances at the next election. But are they being too reactionary ...

How worrying is the falling pound?

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Following Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng's 'mini' budget, the pound has fallen to a record low against the dollar, fueling speculation that the Bank of En...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 25/09/22

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's political shows as the Labour party conference begins. Highlights this week come from Sir Keir S...

How will Labour react to the mini-budget?

24 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kate Andrews speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about how Labour will position themselves in response to Friday’s statement, as they prepare for...

Kwarteng's audacious budget

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kwasi Kwarteng has today announced what has been dubbed as his mini-Budget, but looking at the scale of the package it is far from small. The Coffee H...

NI rise scrapped: how much further will Kwasi go?

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With hours to go till the Chancellor's fiscal statement, we've heard today that the National Insurance hike will be scrapped, as promised during Liz T...

What's behind Putin's mobilisation?

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vladimir Putin warned the West that, if pushed, Russia would use a nuclear weapon. How seriously should we take his threat? And reports emerged overni...

Why is Liz Truss ruling out a US trade deal?

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss is in New York today on her first foreign visit as prime minister. On the flight across the Atlantic, Truss said that a trade deal with the ...

How will Queen Elizabeth II be remembered?

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today was the state funeral of Britain's longest reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II. From Westminster, we evaluate the day's proceedings.Also on the ...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 18/09/22

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Today's podcast features Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Jacinda Ardern, Shei...

How did the Queen change the world?

17 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cindy Yu, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson discuss the impression Queen Elizabeth II made during her 70 years as a head of state. Become a Spectator s...

Can the Met fix London's spiralling crime problem?

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two police officers were stabbed this morning near Leicester Square in central London. What can new Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley do to...

Who will be at the Queen's funeral?

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Preparations are well under way for the Queen's funeral next week, but which world leaders will be in attendance? Will they all be able to behave them...

What will happen while the Queen lies in state?

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Queen's coffin has been taken from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Mourners will pay their respects for the next four days before the funer...

What was the message behind King Charles's visit to Belfast?

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

King Charles arrived in Belfast where he was met by the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris. The King pledged to follow t...

King Charles III addresses parliament

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This morning, surrounded by the lead, oak and stone of Westminster Hall, King Charles III addressed parliament. Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the Commons,...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 11/09/22

11 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with Anthony Albanese, Gordon Brown, Gabriel Gavin, Dr Mike Martin and David Camero...

Queen Elizabeth II: coronation, reign and succession

10 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Freddy Gray, The Spectator's deputy editor, is joined by our former editor Charles Moore, and our political editor James Forsyth, to discuss the Queen...

Queen Elizabeth II, our remarkable monarch

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Katy Balls pay tribute to and reflect upon the life and reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Become a Spectator ...

How much will Truss's energy plan cost?

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today Liz Truss has announced in parliament an energy price cap to tackle rising bills. As of October, the average household energy bill will be froze...

Have Labour underestimated Truss?

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's Liz Truss's first full day as prime minister and, backed by a fully assembled cabinet, she has conducted her first Prime Minister's Questions wit...

Truss's cabinet: Who's in? Who's out?

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss has appointed her cabinet. Allies of Rishi Sunak are out, and the former foreign secretary's closest allies are in. What does this mean for ...

Was it a fond farewall for Boris Johnson?

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Boris Johnson finally departed Downing Street early this morning, but left the door slightly ajar on the prospect of a comeback. What will this mean f...

Liz Truss wins. What next?

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss has won the Conservative leadership race, and will become Britain's prime minister tomorrow. In a speech in Westminster this morning, after ...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 04/09/22

04 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman is back with the highlights from the Sunday interviews. Featured today are clips from Liz Truss, Nicola Sturgeon, Rishi Sunak, Emily Th...

Will the next PM be a good one?

03 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

James Forsyth speaks to Anthony Seldon, historian and biographer, about how the incoming PM can make their mark before the next general election.  Be...

Can Boris get himself off the hook from partygate?

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Boris Johnson has released legal advice that he received from Lord Pannick about the Commons investigation into partygate, where the lawyer said the i...

Can Boris leave a nuclear legacy?

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite a relatively quiet summer from the government, Boris Johnson has waded finally waded into the energy crisis, announcing £700 million of fundi...

Is Labour in trouble again with the rail strikes?

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today rail union leaders announced another round of strikes, this time to coincide with the Labour party conference. Is there a message here that they...

Will Boris be back?

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Boris Johnson is on his farewell tour but is remaining coy about the possibility of a political comeback. What problems will this throw up for the nex...

Is the NHS beyond repair?

27 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kate Andrews and Isabel Hardman discuss the challenges facing the NHS and whether the incoming government will be able to tackle these burdens when it...

How high will energy prices go?

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today Ofgem announced that household energy bills will climb to an average of £3,549 a year, starting in October. Have the government prepared Brits ...

Is Rishi heading for political Siberia?

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak has today confirmed that he will stay on as an MP if he loses the leadership contest, and that he will also vote for a Liz Truss budget. W...

Is Truss's social care pledge more borrowing in disguise?

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest leadership hustings, Liz Truss promised to take money away from the NHS to put into social care. But as Kate Andrews points out in this ...

Can only Corbyn fix the Tories?

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are only three hustings left in the Tory leadership race, after six weeks which have seen the party tear itself apart. What will fix the party? ...

Is Truss scared of the OBR?

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The focus is on Liz Truss's planned emergency budget. Over the weekend it was revealed that she wouldn't consult the Office for Budget Responsibility ...

A level results: is the system broken?

20 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman discusses the latest A level results and the impact on university places, with Fraser Nelson and student Lella Halloum. What more can t...

What does Mick Lynch want?

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The UK has been hit by another round of rail strikes today with rising inflation and falling wages a recipe for continued disruption in the public sec...

Is the Labour party in trouble?

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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....

Inflation hits double digits: what next?

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

When will the inflation rate fall?

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

New figures released this week show that wages have fallen significantly behind the rising cost of living. Are we yet to see the extent of the impacts...

Would Starmer's energy plan work?

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Is Labour missing in action?

13 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 T...

Could Truss reverse the windfall tax?

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

'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 ta...

Has the NHS winter crisis already arrived?

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 du...

When will the blue-on-blue end?

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Tory contenders are expected to announce their own measures to protect households and businesses from the energy crisis. Why has it taken this lon...

How do you solve a problem like energy prices?

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ext...

Can the new PM hit the ground running?

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the leadership contest refocuses on the economy, Katy and James discuss each camp's plan to deal with the cost of living crisis. Are both candidate...

Is it just one crisis after another?

06 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman about the challenges facing the incoming Prime Minister, not least the dire forecast from the Ban...

Is the next PM ready for the coming economic crisis?

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Bank of England's announcement to raise interest rates comes as the UK is predicted to fall into recession this year – with the lowest downturn ...

Does the Bank of England need to be reviewed?

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Bank of England raised its rates by another half per cent today, as it warned that inflation will peak at 13 per cent by the end of this year. The...

Who's to blame for Boris's fall?

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today's podcast, Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss a sticking point for Rishi Sunak as he meets the membership – that he led a 'coup' to overt...

Has Liz Truss had her first stumble?

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss has U-turned on a public worker pay plan announced just last night – the idea being that pay would reflect the cost of living in regional ...

Has Keir Starmer lost control over strikes?

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

Andrew Neil vs Rishi Sunak. What happened?

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak sat down this evening for a 30-minute interview with Andrew Neil. They covered the economy, the NHS, immigration and the former chancellor...

Is Truss unstoppable?

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak were in Leeds yesterday for the first of the leadership hustings in front of Tory members. Truss put in an assured performan...

Labour's trade union troubles

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You can always count on Labour to descend into civil war while the media is focused on the Conservative party's in-fighting. After Keir Starmer fired ...

Has Rishi U-turned on tax cuts?

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Having spent the last four debates suggesting that tax cuts are irresponsible and immoral, Rishi Sunak says he will cut VAT on energy bills if he beco...

Can Rishi turn things around?

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Yet another post debate poll, out today, shows that Tory members believe Liz Truss performed better in Monday evening's BBC debate. With the next week...

Truss vs Sunak: verdict on their first head to head

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth, Isabel Hardman and Katy Balls give their analysis and snap reaction to Monday evening's first head-to-head debate betwee...

Can the Tories come back together?

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Tory leadership contest is entering its third week, and becoming more bitter. Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, today mocked Rishi Sunak for ...

Why does Thatcher loom over the Tory leadership race?

23 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman speaks to Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Matthew Parris about the influence Margaret Thatcher  exerts over the Conservative leadersh...