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Episodes
Will teacher assessed grades work?
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Teachers will assess pupil's grades next year, the Education Secretary said today. Has the decision come too late, and will it disadvantage students? ...
Will Gove greenlight immunity passports?
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Gove will lead a government review into immunity passports. Does his appointment make IDs a foregone conclusion, what will they look like, and...
Sturgeon versus Salmond
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Alex Salmond has pulled out from his appearance in front of the harassment complaints committee, where he was expected to give evidence about an alleg...
The lockdown roadmap explained
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson has finally set out his roadmap for easing lockdown. On the episode, Katy Balls talks to Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth about what to ...
Has Carrie divided No. 10?
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Yet more personnel changes have happened in Downing Street, with Oliver Lewis the latest to depart. The weekend papers were full of briefings that Car...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 21/02/21
21 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's interview shows. Featured today are Matt Hancock, Sir Keir Starmer, John McDonnell, The Most Rev...
Boris's climate conundrum
20 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While coronavirus has dominated the last year in politics, domestic issues are creeping back onto the agenda. Near the top of the list is reaching Net...
Has Macron stolen Boris's G7 thunder?
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Emmanuel Macron has said wealthy nations should begin donating up to five per cent of their vaccines to Africa. It comes as Boris Johnson hosts a virt...
Why Starmer is no modern day Beveridge
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today's speech from the Labour leader was billed to be 'Beveridge-style'. On the podcast, Kate Andrews tells Katy Balls and James Forsyth why it was n...
Why is the government banking on lateral flow tests?
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's not the Forsyth Spit Bucket, but it may help us ease lockdown. Cindy Yu talks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls about why the government is banking...
Will rapid testing bring back nightclubs?
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nadhim Zahawi this morning said that scientists are working on rapid Covid tests to reopen large events. The vaccine deployment minister said that 'ne...
What does Boris’s ‘cautious’ approach mean for lockdown easing?
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Despite the UK hitting its target of giving 15 million people their first vaccine dose by 15 February, Boris Johnson said the path to reopening will b...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 14/02/21
14 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's political programmes. Today's interviews featured Dominic Raab, Professor John Watson, Mark Drakefor...
Is the government doing enough to fix the cladding crisis?
13 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the government facing a backbench revolt over how to fix the pressing issue of unsafe cladding on high rise buildings, Katy Balls asks Conservat...
Will the economy bounce back after lockdown?
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Despite the GDP figures from the ONS today, the Bank of England's chief economist Andy Haldane has written an optimistic commentary today, arguing why...
Are Tory lockdown-sceptics returning in force?
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After a brief winter hibernation, it seems that the lockdown-sceptic wing of the Conservative party is returning in force. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Ball...
Boris Johnson sets out the new normal on vaccines
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At PMQs today, Boris Johnson said the public would need to 'get used to the idea of vaccinating and then revaccinating in the autumn, as we come to fa...
China hawks suffer a setback
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The government has managed to delay a backbench rebellion on the so-called 'genocide amendment' today, using what Iain Duncan Smith called 'arcane pro...
Should the government be more concerned about the South African variant?
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Latest research from the University of Oxford shows that their vaccine has 'minimal protection' against the South African variant of the coronavirus. ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 07/02/21
07 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's political programmes. Today's contributions come from Nadhim Zadhawi, Ed Miliband, Andy Burnham ...
Will Boris Johnson's Northern Ireland gamble pay off?
06 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sensing an opportunity after the EU triggered Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the British government is in talks with the EU over comprom...
Should schools return in February?
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some Sage scientists have broken rank to suggest that the falling infection rates mean that schools in England should go back at the end of this month...
What's the hold up in bringing in a quarantine system?
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's been weeks since the idea of a quarantine system was floated, yet nothing has been forthcoming on that front. Isabel Hardman asks James Forsyth a...
Boris's easy ride at PMQs
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At PMQs today, Keir Starmer denied Boris Johnson's claims that he wanted the UK to remain in the EU's vaccine procurement scheme. Could a successful d...
How the EU's vaccine rhetoric could backfire
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Another day, another dig from across the channel on the UK's vaccine reliability. Isabel Hardman talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about how this ...
Will Joanna Cherry's sacking strengthen Sturgeon?
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joanna Cherry was sacked from the SNP's Westminster frontbench today. The former justice spokesperson, who is an ally of Alex Salmond, was dropped as ...
Where the vaccine debate goes next
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The EU's row with AstraZeneca came to a head on Friday, with the bloc publishing its contract with the pharmaceutical giant and introducing vaccine ex...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 31/01/21
31 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the best of Sunday's political shows, with today's podcast featuring and Liz Truss, Micheál Martin, Rachel Reeves and Tony B...
How well is Keir Starmer doing?
30 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Katy Balls and the New Statesman's Stephen Bush discuss how much of a splash Keir Starmer has made over the past 9 months. Hosted by Cindy Yu. Beco...
Should Britain give away its vaccines?
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Novavax's vaccine has shown 89 per cent efficacy in UK trials. The government has bought 60 million doses of the jab, and it's expected that productio...
Why shouldn't the Prime Minister visit Scotland?
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson visits Scotland today. To nobody's surprise, Nicola Sturgeon has criticised the visit coming at this moment in the pandemic; while Keir ...
Will Tory MPs accept a March return of schools?
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In his statement to the Commons today, Boris Johnson suggested March 8 as a date for schools to return. This is earlier than some predictions but cert...
Could the EU's vaccines spat impact the UK's supply?
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the last 24 hours, the EU has threatened to place export controls on vaccines manufactured in the EU; while a German paper has been corrected by Be...
Why are ministers worried about borders now?
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The government's Covid-O group will be making a decision on the UK's border restrictions imminently. On the podcast, Isabel Hardman talks to James For...
Cindy Yu's Sunday Roundup
24 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cindy Yu presents the highlights from Sunday's interview shows. With clips from Nicola Sturgeon, Matt Hancock, Nick Thomas-Symonds and Arlene Foster.B...
How will history remember Brexit?
23 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In his upcoming book, the historian Robert Tombs writes that Brexit may not be the historically significant event we think it is. On the podcast, Katy...
Is the Cabinet divide on Covid back?
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Guardian reported today that the Department of Health is considering offering a £500 isolation fee to encourage more people with symptoms to get ...
Will the English lockdown last past Easter?
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No 10 refused to rule out the possibility today, and the Health Secretary has also refused to be drawn on whether or not the vaccinating the most vuln...
Will Theresa May's intervention be the first of many?
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Timed with the inauguration of Joe Biden, Theresa May has written an op-ed in the Daily Mail criticising her successor for his 'abandon of our global ...
Are Tory sinosceptics the real opposition?
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today the Commons debates the 'genocide amendment' to the Trade Bill, which would allow judges to restrict the government's ability to sign trade deal...
Why are the Tories split on universal credit?
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Commons will today see a debate over extending the universal credit uplift. While Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, wants the wee...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 17/01/21
17 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents the highlights from the Sunday interview shows. Today's podcast features Dominic Raab, Sir Simon Stevens, James Comey, Jonatha...
Has the government reached a truce with the BBC?
16 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The new chairman of the BBC has been announced. It's not Charles Moore, or Paul Dacre, but a low-profile former banker called Richard Sharp. On the po...
Is the government underpromising on the vaccine rollout?
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A leaked Scottish government document suggested that all over-50s could be vaccinated by the end of March, and that UK has capacity to deliver 3.8 mil...
Is Boris's leadership really under threat?
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the backbench Covid Recovery Group, has warned that Boris Johnson's leadership will be 'on the table' unless he gives ...
Is Marcus Rashford a more effective opposition leader than Starmer?
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, has said today that a national voucher scheme for free school meals would return on Monday, after pictures ...
Do Covid rules need to be clearer?
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson has been criticised for taking a bike ride in the Olympic Park, seven miles away from Downing Street. Should the government make the Cov...
Has lockdown fatigue set in?
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Whitty said that hospitals will face 'the worst weeks of this pandemic' in a broadcast round this morning, as he implored Brits to keep social c...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 10/01/21
10 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the best of Sunday's interviews with highlights from Sir Keir Starmer, Matt Hancock, Tracy Nicholls and Peter Horby.Become a ...
Is Nigel Farage's new party about to make waves?
09 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Brexit is done, but Nigel Farage may well remain an influential force in British politics. With his rebranding of the Brexit Party to 'Reform UK' ap...
Could an overwhelmed NHS stall the vaccine rollout?
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said yesterday that 800 new patients are admitted to London hospitals with Covid-19 every day. Could pressure on t...
How should the government handle Trump?
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last night's events in Washington DC has sent shockwaves around the world. Trump's obvious disregard for democracy was on show, leading to a normally ...
How many vaccinations are needed to end lockdown?
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The government has announced that 23 per cent of over 80s in England have now received their first dose of the Covid vaccine. With Boris Johnson and M...
Why are the UK's borders still open?
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Following the announcement of a third lockdown, a testing regime for arrivals could be put in place. It comes as Michael Gove said there would be anno...
Lockdown returns: what the new rules mean
04 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This evening the Prime Minister announced a return to the lockdown system for England, coming after Nicola Sturgeon announced similar measures earlier...
How far will Boris tighten Covid restrictions?
04 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson today said there was 'no question' that the government would announce tighter coronavirus restrictions, as case numbers continue to surg...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 03/01/21
03 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up Sunday's political interview highlights, with clips coming from Boris Johnson, Sir Mark Walport, Arlene Foster, Tony Blair a...
With Brexit done, what are the government's next challenges?
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After four and a half years, Brexit has finally happened with a free trade deal passed. But with Scottish independence hotting up and the pandemic not...
At last: we have a Brexit deal
24 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A Brexit deal has been reached. Negotiations over fisheries continued into the early hours of Christmas Eve, and Boris Johnson finalised the agreement...
Will normality really return by Easter?
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Another day, another press conference. In today's, Matt Hancock announced more regions to enter Tier 4 restrictions come Boxing Day, as well as anothe...
Will Boris be blamed for Kent's queues?
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At yesterday's press conference, Boris Johnson said there were just 170 lorries queuing in Kent to cross the Channel. Today, there are expected to be ...
Will the Covid variant derail an Easter easing?
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Speaking alongside Patrick Vallance and Grant Shapps, Boris Johnson said we could expect 'a very, very different world for this country from Easter on...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 20/12/20
20 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman hosts the last Sunday Roundup of the year, with highlights coming from Matt Hancock, Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy and Sadiq Khan.Become...
Was the change in Christmas rules inevitable?
19 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas has been cancelled, after all. In London and parts of the South East, new Tier 4 restrictions mean that households will not be able to mix i...
What does Truss's speech say about the future of conservatism?
19 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week Liz Truss promised to shake up the equalities brief, opting for 'facts not fashion' in the fight against inequality that looks at regions an...
Will fish sink a Brexit deal?
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen spoke last night in another attempt to push the Brexit discussions forward. Statements released after call made...
Has the government reached a Christmas truce with Tory rebels?
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As parliament breaks up for recess, the government likely dodged a Tory rebellion by allowing Christmas to go ahead. Katy Balls and James Forsyth chew...
Is Boris now braced for a Brexit deal?
16 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While the government wrangles with Christmas coronavirus rules, negotiations in Brussels are continuing. Boris Johnson seemed more upbeat about the pr...
Could Christmas still be cancelled?
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The government is coming under pressure to reverse the Christmas relaxation of Covid rules, with two of the country's leading health journals - the He...
London heading for at least Tier 3
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
London is set to enter the highest set of coronavirus restrictions. Normally this would see restaurants, pubs and indoor entertainment venues forced t...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 13/12/20
13 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with clips from Dominic Raab, Ursula von der Leyen, Ed Miliband and Arancha Gonz...
Are we any closer to a Brexit deal?
13 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen have decided to continue Brexit negotiations, it was announced today. A deal between the two sides seemed dista...
Boris Johnson: A year in review
12 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Katy Balls, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson look back on Boris Johnson's first year of leading a majority government. Become a Spectator subscriber t...
Are we heading for a tier clampdown?
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While Brexit negotiations rumble on, important decisions about Covid still have to be made. Next week, the government will review the tier system and ...
Is no-deal now the default?
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A Brexit breakthrough seemed possible when Boris Johnson met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for dinner last night. This evening, h...
Will the von der Leyen dinner see a Brexit breakthrough?
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson is today visiting Brussels to meet EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for dinner, in the hope that the two can agree a path th...
Has Matt Hancock been vindicated?
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The world's first doses of an authorised Covid vaccine were administered today, with ninety-year-old Briton Margaret Keenan first in line for the Pfiz...
Is the chance of a Brexit deal diminishing?
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It looks like Brexit talks could finally be coming to a head. After Boris Johnson and Ursula Von Der Leyen decided that efforts to reach an agreement ...
Katy Balls' Sunday Interviews Roundup - 06/12/20
06 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Katy Balls hosts this weeks' roundup of Sunday's political shows, with highlights coming from George Eustice, Rachel Reeves, Gordon Brown, Alexandre ...
Can things return to normal by the summer?
05 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After promising news about the coronavirus vaccines, Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, a former adviser to Matt Hancock, abou...
Will the French really veto a Brexit deal?
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the last days of the negotiations, the pressure is ramping up as reports began to surface on Thursday evening that the talks were not going as well...
Is a Brexit deal imminent?
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The promising sign of late night negotiation pizza has caused some optimism in Westminster that a Brexit deal may be just around the corner. On the po...
Will the vaccine rollout end Tory division?
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The UK is the first western country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine, it was announced today. The first doses of Pfizer's jab will be dis...
Has Boris Johnson's optimism backfired?
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The government looks set to win today's Commons vote on the return of the tiers system for England, but tens of Tory backbenchers are unhappy. For the...
Is a no-deal Brexit underpriced?
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Brexit negotiations are continuing this week, with fisheries and the level playing field remaining key sticking points. But with the deadline for an a...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 29/11/20
29 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's interview shows. With Dominic Raab, Nicola Sturgeon, Lisa Nandy, Jim McMahon and Hugh Osmond. ...
Are the Lib Dems too soggy?
28 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Spectator, Matthew Parris asks why the Lib Dems have lost their ideological backbone. On the podcast, he discusses this 'soggification'...
Can the government appease disgruntled Tory MPs?
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The return to the tier system will be voted on in the Commons next week, but from the grumblings in the Conservative party, it sounds like the governm...
Will Tory MPs rebel over the Tier system?
26 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
England's tier system returns today. With some areas in a stricter tier than they were before the lockdown, as well as a general mistrust amongst Tory...
Why is Rishi Sunak going back on a manifesto pledge?
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pandemic finances are different to normal finances, as seen by today's new figures from the OBR which show that the UK's economy will not be back to p...
Will there be a Tory revolt over Tier 3 restrictions?
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Prime Minister announced yesterday that the nationwide lockdown would come to an end on December 2. In the updated tier system, pubs and restauran...
Will Oxford's vaccine bring back normality?
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Oxford University's vaccine could be up to 90 per cent effective, data from phase III trials shows today. With the UK government ordering 100 million ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 22/11/20
22 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman takes you through the highlights from Sunday's political programmes. With Rishi Sunak, Anneliese Dodds, Lucy Powell and Professor Calum...
Is there a case for Scottish independence?
21 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Polls consistently show a majority of Scots are in favour of independence - do they have a case? Fraser Nelson speaks to Andrew Wilson, former MSP and...
Why Priti Patel is staying put
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Alex Allen, a top civil servant in charge of the report into allegations of bullying at the Home Office, has resigned, but the Home Secretary Prit...
Will new defence money solve the MoD's spending blackhole?
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The government has announced a £16.5 billion increase in defence spending, far more generous than previously expected. Will this new budget signal an...
What's behind Boris's green agenda?
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson has today announced a raft of new environmental policies, following the departure of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain last week. Will it re...
Has devolution been a disaster?
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson told northern MPs last night that he thought Scottish devolution had been a 'disaster', a comment that was immediately disowned by the S...
Can a self-isolating Boris reset his premiership?
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson has been told to self-isolate by contact tracers after meeting with a Covid positive MP last week. It comes just as the PM was expected ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 15/11/20
15 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's interview shows. Highlights today come from Simon Coveney, George Eustice, Professor Ugur Sahin, Jo...