Coffee House Shots
Episodes
Can Starmer be the bridge between Europe and the US?
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is lots to make sense of today in a huge week for European and world politics, with the fallout of the Munich Conference and today’s emergency...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 16/02/2025
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Next week, European leaders will hold an emergency summit in response to Trum...
Kemi vs Nigel: who would Thatcher have backed?
15 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It is 50 years since Margaret Thatcher was elected Conservative leader, and at this week’s shadow cabinet meeting, Lord Forsyth was invited as a gue...
The UK's balancing act over Trump's 'Ukraine peace plan'
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leaders from around the world are gathering at the Munich Security Conference, with the UK represented by Foreign Secretary David Lammy. All attention...
Can we trust the Tories on immigration? An interview with Chris Philp, shadow home secretary
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this special episode of Coffee House Shots, economics editor Kate Andrews is joined by shadow home secretary Chris Philp to discuss the Tories’ n...
The Spectator’s war on government waste
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a double celebration for Rachel Reeves today. Not only is it her birthday, but the UK economy grew by 0.1 per cent in the last three months of ...
Was that Kemi Badenoch's worst PMQs?
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today was the final PMQs before recess, and Kemi Badenoch had been hoping to leave on a high before the break. She started promisingly, opening with t...
Have Kemi Badenoch’s first 100 days been a success?
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kemi Badenoch has been Conservative Party leader for 100 days. Her party is fighting for survival, and she faces an uphill task greater than many of h...
Keir Starmer and the lost art of political oratory
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Churchill to Thatcher to Blair to Farage, Parliament has seen some truly fantastic rhetoricians over the years. But last week came the news that ...
Katy Balls' Sunday Roundup - 09/02/2025
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Katy Balls presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Health Minister Andrew Gwynne is sacked by Starmer after sending offensive What...
Will there be a Tory/Reform pact?
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While both Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch are quick to talk down speculation of a pact between the Tories and Reform, listeners may be surprised to he...
The inside story of Labour under Starmer
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week saw the publication of Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund’s new book Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer. It’s the second ...
Have the Tories thought through their immigration policy?
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Bank of England has cut interest rates for the third time since the inflation crisis, taking the base rate to 4.5 per cent. The Monetary Policy Co...
Should Starmer stand up to Trump?
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump has blown the Overton window wide open. In a press conference yesterday alongside Benjamin Netanyahu, the US president outlined his intention to...
Reform in 'poll' position
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's happened. Reform are now ahead of Labour, according to a voting intention poll by YouGov. Reform leads the landmark poll with 25 points, with Lab...
Trump vs Europe
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump's tariff spree continues... After making good on his election promise to opt for another round of tariffs – a 25 per cent tax on imports from ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 02/02/2025
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Cindy Yu presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.The day before Keir Starmer is set to meet with European leaders, we hea...
Was Peter Mandelson the right pick for ambassador to the US?
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
‘An absolute moron’ – those were the words used by Chris LaCivita, a senior campaign advisor to Trump, to describe Peter Mandelson. Lord Mandels...
John Prescott's legacy, plus Labour & the Tories grapple with migration
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Labour heavyweight John Prescott's funeral took place yesterday with former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown leading the tributes. What is ...
Can Reform turn more Tory donors?
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tuesday night's Reform fundraiser was designed to spook the Conservative party, says Conservative peer and journalist Paul Goodman on today's episode....
'Props to Rachel'
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today was the day for Rachel Reeves, as she delivered her big growth speech in Oxfordshire. This was not this government’s first attempt to pivot to...
Labour's Richard Hermer problem
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Hermer was one of the surprise announcements from Keir Starmer’s first Cabinet, and one of the most controversial since. Starmer’s old pal...
Is Donald Trump warming to Keir Starmer?
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starmer and Trump have finally spoken, with a 45 minute phone call taking place between the two leaders. The pair reportedly discussed the ceasefire i...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 26/01/25
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Rachel Reeves hints at new Heathrow runway, and defends the softening of he...
What Labour and the Tories can learn from Pierre Poilievre
25 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the past fortnight, Canada’s Parliament has been empty. After Justin Trudeau resigned as Liberal leader, all the polls are pointing to the likel...
Do Reform want to bring back the death penalty?
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Reform MP Rupert Lowe has called for the death penalty to be re-established in the wake of the sentencing of the Southport killer Axel Rudakubana. Wit...
Reeves vs Miliband
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After last week’s bond market jitters, the Chancellor pledged to go ‘further and faster’ to improve the UK’s anaemic economic growth. It looks...
Should Rachel Reeves be at Davos?
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Davos day two, and Rachel Reeves has touched down in Switzerland to continue her hunt for growth. On the agenda today was a fireside chat with ...
Why wasn’t the Southport killer stopped?
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At a press conference this morning, Keir Starmer moved quickly to announce a public inquiry into the Southport murders. This comes after Axel Rudakuba...
Could Trump 2.0 derail the Starmer project?
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The parties - and protests - have already kicked off, as Trump's inauguration gets underway in Washington D.C. today. Katy Balls speaks to Michael Gov...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 19/01/2025
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows. It’s a momentous few days, as a ceasefire begins in Gaza, and the US pr...
Reeves's worst week so far?
18 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a tricky week for Rachel Reeves: an onslaught of criticism for the levels of borrowing costs, GDP at 0.1 per cent, and stagflation still gri...
Labour caves on grooming gangs
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There will be more inquiries into grooming gangs. After sustained pressure, the Home Secretary announced yesterday a series of local, government-backe...
Is Starmer doing enough for Ukraine?
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer is in Ukraine today, on his first visit to Kyiv since becoming Prime Minister. And he came bearing gifts: a 100-year partnership agreemen...
Why would the government pay Gerry Adams?
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With rumours swirling around Westminster and after Keir Starmer’s less than convincing defence of his Chancellor earlier in the week, Rachel Reeves ...
Is Reform about to overtake Labour? And Tulip Siddiq resigns
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New voting intention polling today puts Reform neck and neck with Labour. The YouGov/Times poll reveals that support for Starmer’s army has plummete...
Sturgeon-Murrell split & Scotland's Reform challenger
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Former Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she is separating from her husband Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the SNP. The ...
Why hasn't Tulip Siddiq been sacked yet?
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s rare that a world leader knows the name of a junior minister in the British government – let alone calls for them to be sacked. Yet that is t...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 12/01/2025
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Fires continue to burn in LA, as Donald Trump prepares to begin his second te...
What's the point of public inquiries?
11 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, MPs voted against a new national inquiry into grooming gangs. The vote followed weeks of pressure on Labour after Elon Musk brought groomin...
Can Musk oust Starmer?
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The war between Labour and Elon Musk continues to rage. Today the Financial Times reports that the tech tycoon has had discussions about ousting Keir ...
Borrowing costs soar - will Rachel Reeves have to go back on her word?
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Long term borrowing costs for the government have reached levels not seen since 1998, and 10 year UK gilts are now at their highest point since the 20...
Michael Gove: why does Labour want to ruin state schools?
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At PMQs today, the battle lines were drawn ahead of today’s vote on Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which aims to protect childr...
Farage vs Musk
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you solve a problem like Elon? We have spent much of the past week talking on the podcast about Labour vs Musk, and the tech billionaire’s vo...
Grooming gang row overshadows Starmer's big NHS speech
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a speech this morning, the Prime Minister unveiled his plans to tackle the NHS backlog, and hit back at comments Elon Musk has made regarding groom...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 05/01/2025
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.The fallout from Elon Musk's attacks continues. Wes Streeting calls Musk's co...
Elon Musk and the outrage about Britain's grooming gangs
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The grooming gangs scandal is back in the news this week after Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips rejected calls for a government inquiry into histor...
Is Labour serious about social care reform?
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year and – of course – happy new long-term social care plan. Not only has Labour announced a ‘longer-term’ solution to a problem the...
Is 2025 Farage’s year?
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! And it could prove to be a very happy new year for Nigel Farage and the Reform Party. They provided some of the stand-out political dr...
Why 2025 could redefine politics
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Santa will have had a tricky time this year fulfilling all the Christmas wish lists in Westminster. Keir Starmer is desperately hoping for a change in...
Have we been too quick to judge Kemi Badenoch?
27 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kemi Badenoch is just over a month into her tenure as leader of the opposition, and already she has been criticised for her performances at PMQs and f...
Year in Review 2024 with Michael Gove, Quentin Letts and Katy Balls
21 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a historic year in British politics. At the start of 2024, the UK had a different Prime Minister, the Tories had a different leader, and T...
Is Mandelson the right pick for US Ambassador?
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last night we got the news that Peter Mandelson is expected to be named the next UK ambassador to Washington. Despite months of speculation, Labour he...
UK interest rates held, plus could Musk fund reform?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Bank of England have voted to hold UK interest rates at 4.75%. The Spectator's economics editor Kate Andrews joins Katy Balls and Freddy Gray to d...
Rising inflation will make Rachel Reeves's job harder
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New figures have shown that, for the year to November, inflation rose by 2.6%. While unsurprising, how much will this impact the Chancellor's plans go...
Chinese spy named, plus Farage meets Musk
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After days of speculation online, the alleged Chinese spy has been named as Yang Tegbo. This latest example of Chinese espionage has opened up a numbe...
Could the local elections be cancelled?
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour will reveal plans today to re-design local government, with district councils set to be abolished, and more elected mayors introduced across En...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 15/12/2024
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.In the final Sunday roundup of the year, we hear about immigration and Chin...
Would Brexit voters really accept the return of freedom of movement?
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New research this week suggested that a majority of Brexit voters would accept the return of freedom of movement in exchange for access to the EU sing...
Is Rachel Reeves turning into George Osborne?
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour is supposed to be going for growth, so Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves will be disappointed with the news today that the economy unexpectedly sh...
Labour vs the NIMBYs, plus are sandwiches ‘for wimps’?
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today Downing Street has continued its reset – that is definitely not a reset – by providing more details on Labour’s plan to cut the planning r...
Have Labour got a grip of the prisons crisis?
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour are planning to publish a 10-year plan to get on the front foot when it comes to the prisons crisis. Shifting from the previous government’s ...
Spending review: a return to austerity?
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Preparations are stepping up for the government’s spending review, due in June. The Chancellor has taken a more personable approach to communicating...
How does the Syrian conflict affect Britain?
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Following news that President Bashar Al-Assad's regime in Syria has fallen, Natasha Feroze discusses what comes next with James Heale and Michael Step...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 08/12/2024
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts....
Are the SNP exploiting Labour woes?
07 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The SNP presented their budget this week in Holyrood with the news that all pensioners would receive a winter fuel allowance and a pledge to scrap the...
‘If anything we went too late’: exclusive interview with Sunak’s chief of staff
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special edition of Coffee House Shots Katy Balls speaks to Lord Liam Booth-Smith, Rishi Sunak’s former chief of staff.In his first interview...
Is immigration not a priority for Labour?
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is a feeling of deja-vu in Westminster today as Keir Starmer unveiled his plan for change and six 'milestones' (not pledges) to turn the country...
Spectator Awards: Nigel Farage promises a 'political revolution'
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last night was The Spectator’s Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. Politicians of every stripe were in attendance, with Wes Streeting, Robert Jenric...
Is Starmer planning a foreign policy reset too?
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer is preparing to give his big reset speech on Thursday. But the more interesting address is perhaps the one he gave last night at the annu...
Is Keir Starmer turning into Rishi Sunak?
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The government is trailing a major policy speech ahead of Thursday, in which the Prime Minister will set out key 'milestones' that he wants to hit, in...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 01/12/2024
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Louise Haigh has resigned as transport secretary, and Pat McFadden says he ...
Is Labour’s football regulator an own goal?
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Football Governance Bill is currently being considered in the House of Lords. It’s designed to establish an independent football regulator. No t...
Assisted dying bill passes second reading – what next?
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The controversial assisted dying bill has passed its second reading in the House of Commons with a majority of 55 after just hours of debate. It now h...
Louise Haigh’s resignation raises questions for Keir Starmer
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the small hours of this morning Louise Haigh resigned as Transport Secretary following the revelation that she had pleaded guilty to a criminal off...
Starmer attacks 'open border' Tories, plus Andrea Jenkyns defects
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a day of press conferences in Westminster. First to Reform UK, where Nigel Farage unveiled their newest defection: Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who ...
Boris Johnson on Covid failures, the Nanny State & his advice for ‘Snoozefest’ Starmer
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Former prime minister Boris Johnson joins The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls to divulge the contents of his new book, Unleashed. He reflect...
Kemi’s first policy proclamation
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kemi Badenoch has signalled that she could change her position on the ECHR. At a conference today, she said "we will review every policy, treaty and p...
Can Keir Starmer get Britain back to work?
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The government have announced their latest effort to get Britons back into work. A series of benefit changes intend to tackle the fact that Britain is...
Should Starmer be worried about this petition?
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today is the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference, at which Rachel Reeves has laid out her plan to 'Get Britain Working' and prove Labou...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 24/11/24
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows. The vote on the Assisted Dying Bill is approaching. Work and Pensions Sec...
Is the Tory psychodrama over?
23 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Shipman, chief political commentator at The Sunday Times, joins Katy Balls to discuss his new book, Out: How Brexit Got Done and the Tories Were U...
Is Keir Starmer really going to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu?
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant as well as – ...
Starmer's Streeting problem
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A vote on assisted dying was supposed to be one of the easiest reforms for Keir Starmer’s government. To many, including the Prime Minister himself,...
Is Rachel Reeves running out of luck?
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An unexpected rise in inflation today takes the rate to higher than the Bank of England's target, and adds to Rachel Reeves's worries. James Heale tal...
Farmers won't be quick to forgive Labour
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Thousands of farmers descended on Westminster today to protest the inheritance tax changes proposed in Labour’s Budget. Amidst a sea of tweed and we...
Labour's Trump-Xi balancing act
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer today will become the first British leader to meet China's Xi Jinping since 2018. The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the G20 s...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 17/11/2024
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Transport Secretary Louise Haigh’s defends the government’s new increas...
Taxes, tariffs and Trump: What lies ahead for Labour?
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Spectator's Michael Gove, Katy Balls, and Kate Andrews are joined by Paul Abberley, Chief Executive of Charles Stanley, to discuss and unpack Labo...
Making sense of non-crime hate incidents
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The government has announced a review into how to properly police non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs). This follows the experience of Allison Pearson who...
Will Reeves's pensions shake-up really boost growth?
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Chancellor is giving her first Mansion House address tonight, and she will be majoring on pensions, suggesting that public sector pension funds ne...
Labour vs Elon Musk
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Trump announces the appointment of Elon Musk to tackle US government efficiency, James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and editor Michael Gove about the...
Justin Welby quits as Archbishop of Canterbury
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Justin Welby has announced he is resigning as Archbishop of Canterbury over his handling of serial child abuser John Smyth. In a statement, he said ‘...
Will Trump push the UK closer to the EU?
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer is in France today to hold talks with Emmanuel Macron where they will discuss the impact of a Trump second term, and what it will mean fo...
Can Labour work with Trump?
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s happened. The scenario Labour politicians hoped would not come to pass is now a reality: Donald Trump is heading back to the White House. The o...
How does Starmer solve a problem like Farage?
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nigel Farage could well be the big winner in the UK from Donald Trump’s victory across the pond, with the MP for Clacton having a direct line to the...
US election: how did the polls get it so wrong?
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The post–mortem has begun on the US election with the Democrats desperately trying to figure out what just happened. To make sense of the result, Ka...
Badenoch’s Trump card
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s happened. The scenario Labour politicians hoped would not come to pass is now a reality: Donald Trump is heading back to the White House. The o...
Has Kemi Badenoch formed a unity cabinet?
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kemi Badenoch's shadow cabinet continues to take shape: Chris Philp has been appointed shadow Home Secretary, with the biggest news being Robert Jenri...
Who will make up Kemi's shadow cabinet?
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the opposition, and we have an early indication of who will make up her shadow cabinet. She has already chosen her ...