Coffee House Shots

What’s inside Farage’s brain?

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With every new poll predicting a Reform win at the next general election, the party continues its preparation for government. James Heale joins Oscar ...

Grooming gangs: Kemi accuses Labour of a 'cover up'

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve just had PMQs, which have become much more interesting now that Kemi Badenoch has got her act together. She led on the Grooming Gangs Inquiry ...

Britain's doom loop continues

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Reeves is hosting an investment summit in Birmingham, trying to turn the narrative away from Britain's economic 'doom loop' ahead of next month...

Can Reform run a council?

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There have been lots of movements in foreign affairs over the weekend, including a potential collapse of the Gaza peace deal, a Trump–Putin bilatera...

Thatcher & Reagan's special relationship

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To mark the centenary of Thatcher’s birth, Michael Gove is joined by Charles Moore, her biographer, and Peggy Noonan, speechwriter to Ronald Reagan,...

Antisemitism, Chinese spies & GB's economic fragility

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a rough week for the government: the row over the collapsed Chinese spy trial has rolled on, all while the Chancellor has been trying to lay...

The truth about Chinese espionage

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Shipman's bombshell cover piece for the magazine this week explains how the collapsed spy trial blew up in the government’s face. As well a...

Are the Tories to blame for the China spy scandal?

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer did not go into Prime Minister’s Questions with the intention of resolving the row over the collapse of the Chinese spying case: he mer...

China spy scandal: 'a masterclass of ineptitude'?

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Shipman and Charles Parton, China adviser at the Council on Geostrategy, join James Heale to discuss the ongoing fallout over the collapse of the ...

Spy scandal: what is Labour's policy on China?

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a ‘great and beautiful day’, as Donald Trump wrote in the guestbook at the Knesset, where he will address the Israeli parliament after the ...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 12/10/2025

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.A ceasefire begins in the Middle East, as world leaders prepare for Monday's ...

Who is the greatest ever conservative?

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From wartime leadership to economic revolutions, Conservative figures have shaped Britain’s past and present. But who stands out as the greatest of ...

How can the Tories turn it around? Live

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live in Manchester, during the Conservative Party conference, Michael Gove sits down with Tim Shipman, Madeline Grant and Tim Montgomerie to ...

Whisper it quietly, peace in the Middle East?

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his Gaza peace plan. During an extraordinary round table on the Antifa organisati...

Finally we know what Badenoch stands for

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This morning Kemi Badenoch wrapped up Tory conference with a speech that will – for now at least – calm Tory jitters. The Tory leader’s hour-lon...

Who's listening to the Tories? Live from conference

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Shipman, James Heale and Lucy Dunn record live at Conservative party conference in Manchester. What's the mood at conference – and has Kemi done...

Economy: can we trust the Tories again?

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons join Lucy Dunn live at Manchester for Conservative party conference. It's day two, and we've heard from shadow chancel...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 05/10/2025

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Kemi Badenoch launches the Conservative Party Conference, the home secretary ...

Debate: what next for the British right?

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The general election result of 2024 reflected – among other things – a collapse of trust among British voters in the Conservatives. How can t...

Manchester attack: Michael Gove on the rise of antisemitism

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Coffee House Shots, Tim Shipman is joined by Michael Gove to reflect on the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, whic...

Kemi Badenoch's plan to save the Tories

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister was set to announce his crackdown on the existing rights of refugees at the European Political Community meeting today; however, he...

Labour's deputy divisions: insider vs outsider?

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Shipman and Claire Ainsley from the Progressive Policy Institute join Patrick Gibbons to reflect on Labour's party conference as it draws to a clo...

Starmer delivers 'the speech of his life'

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have just heard the Prime Minister’s headline speech at Labour Party Conference and – whisper it quietly – that might have been Keir Starmer’...

Shabana Mahmood in conversation with Michael Gove – Labour Conference 2025

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whilst a certain noisy northern mayor has positioned himself as the problem child of conference 2025, The Spectator finds another Labour politician fa...

Labour conference: 'a holiday from reality'?

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Labour party conference has kicked off in Liverpool, and the Chancellor has just delivered her keynote speech.‘Security, security, security’ was t...

Labour’s ‘levelling up’ agenda – Michael Gove interviews Steve Reed

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the eve of Labour’s party conference, the Spectator's editor Michael Gove sits down with Steve Reed MP, the new Secretary of State for Housing, C...

ID cards are back: will they work?

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Labour machine has whirred into gear to try and contain a certain Northern mayor’s mischievous interventions this week, by announcing a big cont...

Starmer's make-or-break conference

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Labour conference kicks off this weekend in Liverpool – but the mood going in is far from triumphant. On today's Coffee House Shots, Lucy Dunn is jo...

What is 'Manchesterism'?

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Burnham, Manchester’s mayor and self-styled champion of the North, is openly flirting with a return to Westminster just days before the Labour ...

Ed Davey pitches himself as the anti-Farage

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth has concluded with a speech from leader Sir Ed Davey. While the current crop of Liberal Democrats...

Farage goes after Boris

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nigel Farage has unveiled his most radical immigration plan yet – scrapping indefinite leave to remain for migrants – in a move designed to revers...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 21/09/2025

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.The UK has officially recognised the state of Palestine. In the morning of Ke...

Should Britain recognise Palestine?

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The government is expected to press ahead with recognition of Palestinian statehood, before a formal declaration at the United Nations. Prime Minister...

Inside the 'Your Party' meltdown

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who would have thought it? Jeremy Corbyn’s insurgent party co-venture with Zarah Sultana seems to have imploded before it even got going. On Thursda...

Trump’s state visit was a ‘news bonanza’

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has been in the UK this week on an unprecedented second state visit – an honour that he said last night at a state dinner he ‘hopes’...

Andy Burnham’s ‘fantasy politics’

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump might be in the UK for the state visit, but it’s Labour pains that are dominating the headlines and, predictably, there is a typical no...

Will Trump's state visit save Starmer?

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer has lost another aide, MPs are debating what the Prime Minister knew about Mandelson's links to Epstein and a new poll has Lucy Powell as...

Why Danny Kruger’s defection to Reform matters

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The big news in Westminster today is that there has been another defection to Reform. But this time it feels slightly different: a front bench Tory wi...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 14/09/2025

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.It feels like an unnervingly normal week for this Labour government, with ano...

What does Trump want from his state visit?

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump touches down in Britain next week for his state visit and political editor Tim Shipman has the inside scoop on how No. 10 is preparing. K...

Will Mandelson bring down McSweeney?

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The fallout from Lord Mandelson's sacking continues. All eyes are now on Keir Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – could he take the fall for...

Prince of Darkness sacked (again)

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another week, another departure. Conservative MP Neil O'Brien – who serves in the shadow cabinet as minister for policy renewal and development – ...

Badenoch skewers Starmer over Mandelson’s Epstein link

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kemi Badenoch has just skewered Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions on the topic of Peter Mandelson’s association with the convicted paedop...

Quite right! Episode 2, out now

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Gove and Madeline Grant return with another episode of Quite right!, The Spectator’s new podcast promising sanity and common sense in an inc...

Will Shabana stop the boats?

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the announcement yesterday that the government would be prepared to suspend visas for countries that don’t cooperate with the UK over deportati...

Reform conference review: is this 'British MAGA'?

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Reform UK’s annual conference wrapped up this weekend – and it was anything but dull. From Andrea Jenkyns belting out her original song ‘I’m a...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 07/09/2025

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Reform are having fun at their conference, while Labour struggle with crises ...

Reform's Zia Yusuf in conversation with Michael Gove

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the Reform conference in Birmingham, the Spectator's editor Michael Gove sat down with Reform UK's head of their department of government efficienc...

The red reshuffle overshadows Reform

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lucy Dunn catches up with Tim Shipman at Reform's party conference, taking place in Birmingham, to get his reaction to Labour's reshuffle. The reshuff...

Reaction from Reform as Rayner resigns

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Angela Rayner has resigned following the ethics probe into her tax affairs. What impact will this have on Starmer's government? And does this hinder h...

Can Rayner survive tax row?

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

24 hours after Angela Rayner admitted underpaying tax, the pressure remains on the deputy prime minister as Westminster now waits the outcome of the p...

PMQs: Rayner defended as Badenoch flops

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch faced off in the first Prime Minister’s Questions following summer recess. With the date of the Budget announced that...

Introducing… Quite right!

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Gove and Madeline Grant launch ‘Quite right!’, the new podcast from The Spectator that promises sanity and common sense in a world that to...

Asylum reform: is Labour bold enough?

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Danny Shaw and Tim Shipman join Lucy Dunn for today's Coffee House Shots to talk about the government's reforms to the asylum system. Having worked wi...

Labour's transfer deadline day

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The summer transfer window comes to a close today but, as Parliament also returns from summer recess today, the only team Keir Starmer is focused on i...

How have the 2024 intake found frontline politics?

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Parliament returns from summer recess tomorrow, three rising stars of the 2024 intake join Coffee House Shots to provide their reflections on front...

Why Angela Rayner is so iconic

30 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Daily Telegraph have run a story this week that Angela Rayner may have dodged stamp duty on her second home. But beyond the story, its the photos ...

Bell Hotel latest: 'two tier justice'?

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Human rights barrister Dr Anna Loutfi and deputy political editor James Heale join Michael Simmons to unpack the latest court ruling over the migrants...

Revenge of the left

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

James Heale writes in The Spectator this week that Keir Starmer is facing a three-pronged attack from the left: the Greens, the Gaza independents and ...

Labour goes on the Farage offensive

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As James Heale writes online for the Spectator today, 'two issues continue to plague the government': how best to attack Nigel Farage. and how to fram...

Farage finally unveils his deportation plan

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today James Heale has been on quite the magical mystery tour. Bundled into a bus at 7.45 a.m. along with a group of other hacks, he was sent off to an...

Can the Lib Dems emulate Reform's Scottish surge?

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jamie Greene, an MSP for the West of Scotland region, defected earlier this year from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats. Most defections in S...

Is Britain becoming more sectarian?

23 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Immigration returned to the headlines this week after the High Court granted an injunction forcing the removal of migrants from a hotel in Essex – a...

Starmer’s authoritarian turn – with Ash Sarkar

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since the government’s decision to proscribe the group Palestine Action, arrests have mounted across the country, raising questions not only about t...

Is the Blair-Cameron consensus on education over?

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

GCSE results day has brought a mixed picture; the pass rate has fallen, yet the regional gap has reduced and the gender gap is the narrowest it has ev...

Why haven't the Greens cut through more?

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Green Party leadership election is underway, pitting new MPs Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns against London Assembly Member Zack Polanski. The Gree...

Zelensky's diplomatic masterclass

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What a difference six months makes. The last time Zelensky and Trump met in Washington we were mourning the end of America’s commitment to security ...

How do we get more working class people into politics?

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, joins James Heale to discuss his campaign to improve working class representation in ...

Is the world safer than in 1945?

16 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

80 years ago this week Japan surrendered to the allies, ushering in the end of the Second World War. To mark the anniversary of VJ day, historians Sir...

Farage goes for the Lords

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The big news today is of course the bilateral between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska. We should know by around 8 p.m. whether they have suc...

Does European solidarity over Ukraine matter?

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ukraine's President Zelensky has spent today with Keir Starmer at Number 10. This is in anticipation of tomorrow's Alaska summit between Presidents Tr...

Does MAGA prefer Jenrick?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

JD Vance has been in the Cotswolds this week on his Britain fantasy tour. This has been billed as a ‘holiday’ but he did take the time out of his ...

Who is the real Nicola Sturgeon?

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There has been a drip feed of stories over the past few days from Nicola Sturgeon's memoir Frankly which hits the shelves this week. In her book, the ...

Introducing 'Farage's fillies'

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another day, another Reform party press conference. Following political editor Tim Shipman’s cover piece on how Reform hopes to win over women, this...

Motherland: how Reform is winning over women

09 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does – or did – Nigel Farage have a woman problem? ‘Around me there’s always been a perception of a laddish culture,’ he tells political edi...

Kemi Badenoch's God Delusion

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has given a wide-ranging interview to the BBC’s Amol Rajan in which she touched upon her Nigerian upbringing, her ...

Has the Bank of England forgotten what its job is?

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some excitement on Threadneedle Street today after the Bank of England cut interest rates to 4 per cent. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) ...

What Douglas Murray’s court win means for press freedom

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Spectator and Douglas Murray have comprehensively won a defamation case brought by Mohammed Hegab.Hegab, a YouTuber who posts under the name ...

Britain can learn from France on migration

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the big day for Starmer’s one-in, one-out migrant deal with France. The scheme, which was agreed during the state visit last month, comes int...

Vance & Farage's budding bromance

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nigel Farage hosted a press conference today as part of Reform's summer crime campaign 'Britain is lawless'. He unveiled the latest Tory defector: Lei...

Online Safety Act: are Labour or the Tories worse on free speech?

02 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is the Online Safety Act protecting children – or threatening free speech? Michael Simmons hosts John Power, who writes the Spectator's cover piece ...

Why can't we agree on data?

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John O’Neill and Sam McPhail, the Spectator’s research and data team, join economics editor Michael Simmons to re-introduce listeners to the Spect...

Will the junior doctors regret picking a fight with Wes?

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The dispute between the British Medical Association (BMA) – a trade union for doctors – and the government continues, following the five-day strik...

Could Reform's Scottish surge provoke indyref2?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney unveiled his strategy for pursuing a second independence referendum this week, arguing that an SNP majority at ...

How much pressure is Starmer facing over Gaza?

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer says the UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a UN meeting in September unless Israel meets certain conditions. As the UN warns of fa...

What should we make of the Starmer-Trump relationship?

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s often the rotator blades of Marine One that blare over Donald Trump’s voice as he stands near the helipad on the south lawn of the White Hous...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 27/07/2025

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Kemi Badenoch does the rounds, giving her view on the war in Gaza, immigratio...

Katie Lam on immigration, benefits and the border: ‘generosity has become naivety’

26 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Lam became an MP in 2024 after a career in finance. She's also an accomplished scriptwriter, having co-written five musicals. She's one of the m...

Can the left get its act together?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have finally launched their new party, but it's off to a bumpy start. They unveiled 'Your Party', but had to quickly c...

Keir’s Indian Summer

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The UK has finally signed a free-trade deal with India after three-and-a-half years of negotiation. The agreement will open up trade for cars, whisky,...

How to write a political sketch – with Madeline Grant

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As MPs depart Westminster for parliamentary recess, The Spectator's political sketch writer Madeline Grant joins Natasha Feroze and economics editor M...

What's left of the Tories?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Commons is closing down for the summer, but Kemi Badenoch has treated us to a shadow cabinet reshuffle. At the beginning of the year, Badenoch’s...

Reform turns tough on crime

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nigel Farage has unveiled the party's policy proposals for tackling crime should they get into government. The Reform leader said that his entire poli...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 20/07/2025

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Today, it’s all eyes on the water sector, as Labour announce plans to hal...

Are the Tories toast? with Michael Gove, Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The strange death of Tory England has been predicted before. But never has the ‘natural party of government’ faced a greater challenge to survive....

Will 16 year olds vote Labour?

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lots to discuss today, between Diane Abbott being suspended (again) and Labour handing the vote to 16-year-olds just before we head into recess.Abbott...

Confessions of a new intake Labour MP: 'We're not here to make friends'

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer has struck again. Compounding his reputation as a ruthless operator – like Michael Corleone – he is settling all family business by r...

Mel Stride: 'what I would do differently'

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last night, Rachel Reeves was the headline act at the Mansion House dinner. In her speech, she made the case that ‘Britain is open for business’ a...

Why does Trump like Starmer so much?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It can now be revealed that a Ministry of Defence data leak has cost the UK some £7 billion and put thousands of Afghans at risk of death. A dataset ...

Are you a 'working person'?

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow Rachel Reeves will deliver her big speech in the City. The annual Mansion House address is a chance for the Chancellor to set out her vision ...