Coffee House Shots
Episodes
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...
What do special advisers actually do?
14 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dominic Cummings walked out of No. 10 Downing Street last night – but what did he actually do in there? Katy Balls is joined by Fraser Nelson and Pe...
Who will replace Dominic Cummings?
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson's chief aide has said that he'll be gone by Christmas – so what does that mean for Downing Street operations? Katy Balls is joined by ...
Has Vote Leave lost control?
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Downing Street has seen a day of backstabbing and counter-briefings after Dominic Cummings ally Lee Cain resigned as Boris Johnson's director of commu...
Could the vaccine trigger another Tory divide?
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Backbench Tory MPs are questioning the government's plan for rolling out the vaccine. Meanwhile, rumours over a new Downing Street chief of staff have...
Why is No. 10 so cautious about a Covid vaccine?
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Pfizer vaccine is being lauded by many as the silver bullet that could end the Covid crisis. Meanwhile, the UK has seen a record number of redunda...
Are we on the brink of a Covid vaccine?
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The drugs firm Pfizer has announced that its vaccine — currently in stage three trials — is 90% effective. Meanwhile, Britain and the EU are enter...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 08/11/20
08 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents the best bits from Sunday's political programmes. Today's highlights come from Dominic Raab, General Sir Nick Carter, Sajid Ja...
Can the NHS cope with Covid?
07 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At Thursday's coronavirus press conference, Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS, said a second wave 'is real and it's serious', as he warned...
Was the three tier system working all along?
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As Liverpool begins it's mass testing trial, ONS figures published today show that the coronavirus infection rate was fell in the week ending October ...
Has Rishi Sunak lost the argument?
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Chancellor announced new furlough measures today, something that he has long been opposed to. Katy Balls speaks to Kate Andrews and James Forsyth ...
Should the government take a stance on the US election?
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dominic Raab refused to comment on Donald Trump's claims of election 'fraud' this morning, after the President said he planned to contest the result i...
Is mass testing the way out of lockdown?
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As England heads into a second lockdown, today brings a glimmer of hope. Liverpool will be the first UK city to undergo mass testing, including a fast...
Why a Tory lockdown rebellion should worry Boris
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After Boris Johnson announced that England would be put into another nationwide lockdown this Thursday, backbench Tory MPs quickly made their oppositi...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 01/11/20
01 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with Michael Gove, Sir Keir Starmer, David Miliband and Dame Carolyn Fairbairn....
Lockdown Part Two - Is England back to square one?
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Katy Balls, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson discuss the Prime Minister's latest announcement. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podc...
Is a second national lockdown imminent?
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The whole of England could be put into lockdown again, reports this morning claim, as coronavirus cases continue to rise at a rate above the worst-cas...
A glimpse of normality with Swedish historian Johan Norberg
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Andrews interviews Swedish historian Johan Norberg in a Stockholm cafe about what we can and can't learn from the Swedish Covid experience and th...
Will there be a Labour civil war?
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Though there are grumblings from the left of the Labour party over Corbyn's suspension, Keir Starmer has taken today to set the narrative in his favou...
Can the Labour left resist Keir Starmer?
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Labour is truly under new leadership as Jeremy Corbyn gets suspended from the party today. The left of the party is clearly not happy - but can they d...
Can Boris Johnson resist a national lockdown?
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
SAGE warned that the second wave of Covid-19 could be worse than the first, and that the whole of England could be in Tier-3 by Christmas, reports tod...
Is levelling up still viable in the age of Covid?
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More than 50 Tory MPs have signed a letter organised by Jake Berry's Northern Research Group, urging the government to not forget its pledge to level ...
Is a free school meals U-turn inevitable?
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson said the government would 'do everything in our power' to ensure children wouldn't go hungry over Christmas, after backlash over their r...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 25/10/20
25 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman brings you the best of Sunday's political shows, with Brandon Lewis, Bernard Jenkin, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Vaughan Gething and Dr Antho...
Will there be a 'special relationship' under a Biden presidency?
24 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many on this side of the pond and on the stateside believe that there is a natural affinity between Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. So what will Anglo...
What will tier three do to the North?
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tier three restrictions came into force in regions across the UK, including Greater Manchester, today. Blackpool Tower even lit up with an SOS message...
Has Rishi Sunak performed a U-turn?
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Chancellor's new economic package was much more generous than his previous plans, and when asked, Sunak insisted he was just reacting to the chang...
Can Starmer capitalise on Boris's lockdown woes?
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer seemed unable to land a definitive blow on Boris Johnson in PMQs this afternoon, after the government imposed a tier three lockdown in Ma...
Will coronavirus overwhelm Manchester's hospitals?
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While the government has failed to strike a deal with Greater Manchester authorities to put the region into tier three, the Prime Minister is expected...
What will break the Manchester deadlock?
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The government is today expected to announce whether Greater Manchester will be placed into a tier three lockdown after negotiations with Andy Burnham...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 18/10/20
18 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with clips from Andy Burnham, Michael Gove, Rachel Reeves, Kate Green and Jeremy Fa...
Kate Andrews: Why I switched to Biden
17 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Spectator's economics correspondent Kate Andrews talks to Freddy Gray about why she is voting for the Democrats with a heavy heart.Become a Specta...
Are we heading for no-deal again?
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson today told Brits to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, saying the European Union were 'not willing' to offer a Canada-style trade agreement. ...
Why has Boris's Covid strategy backfired in the North?
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, today slammed the government for attempting to put the region in the highest tier of Covid-19 restrictions,...
Will Boris be dragged into a second lockdown?
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A paper to be published by Sage scientists today claims that more than 7,000 lives could be saved if the government imposes a two-week 'circuit breake...
Is the government no longer 'following the science'?
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New documents from Sage show minutes from late September in which scientists advised a circuit breaker lockdown. It's clear that the government didn't...
Will the three-tier system backfire on Boris?
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions is set to be announced today, but the government is still locked in negotiations with local authoritie...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 11/10/20
11 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with clips from Robert Jenrick, Nicola Sturgeon, Jonathan Reynolds and Council...
What's behind Labour's coronavirus strategy?
10 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
John Connolly, Katy Balls and Patrick Maguire discuss Sir Keir Starmer's shift in approach to the government's Covid measures. Become a Spectator sub...
Will Rishi's economic measures be enough to save businesses?
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today the Chancellor will announce new economic packages targeted at the areas under lockdown. But will the measures go far enough to save businesses,...
What will the North's new restrictions look like?
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Overnight, news broke of the three-tier system that the government has in store for the country. First to be put into the strictest tier is likely to ...
What's behind Sturgeon's coronavirus crackdown?
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nicola Sturgeon today announced that 3.4 million Scots will be placed under increased Covid restrictions, with bars and restaurants shutting across a ...
Is Boris's outlook all sunshine and no substance?
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson gave his headline speech to an empty hall in the virtual Tory conference today. But despite promises to 'Build Back Better', was the spe...
Are test and trace woes overshadowing the Covid response?
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More than 15,000 positive tests were missed in a test and trace blunder, it was revealed today. With the government announcing a new 'traffic light' l...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 04/10/20
04 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today's highlights come from Boris Johnson, Jonathan Ashworth, Douglas Ross, Sir Christopher Meyer and Nigel Farage. Become a Spectator subscriber to...
Is there still hope for Unionism?
03 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The SNP has had a torrid week as the inquiry into Alex Salmond's trial came to a head, topped off with MP Margaret Ferrier's Covid breach. But Nicola ...
How much does Margaret Ferrier's Covid breach threaten the SNP?
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Margaret Ferrier has admitted that she travelled across the country despite having tested positive for Covid. Given that the SNP has had some of the s...
Are local authorities fighting back against Covid restrictions?
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Middlesborough's mayor, Andy Preston, today refused to accept the government's decision to place households in the town under a local lockdown. Accusi...
Is the whack-a-mole lockdown strategy working?
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer attacked Boris Johnson in PMQs today over the effectiveness of local lockdowns, saying in some areas 'things are getting worse not better...
Live at Alternative Conference
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Prime Minister was forced to apologise this afternoon after misstating new lockdown rules brought into force overnight in the North East. Is gover...
Can the government avoid a showdown with Tory backbenchers?
28 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Graham Brady's amendment to give backbenchers a vote over new coronavirus restrictions looks set to pass through the Commons this week, provided it is...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Interviews Roundup - 27/09/20
27 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman rounds up the best of Sunday's political shows, with highlights coming from Steve Baker, David Lammy, Oliver Dowden, Dame Carolyn Fairb...
Is Rishi Sunak on the path to No. 10?
26 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In her Telegraph column this week, Katy Balls writes about the Chancellor who everybody loves. But the road to No. 10 is not easy - what are the pitfa...
Why even moderate Tories are voting against No. 10
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, has tabled an amendment to the government's Coronavirus Act to force a vote in Parliament on any new...
Rishi Sunak slowly turns the taps off
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After new restrictions were announced this week by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak today unveiled his Winter Economy Plan. Telling the Commons that he...