Coffee House Shots
Episodes
Is it smart to ban phones for teens?
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sunak's top team is considering another ban: smartphones for teens. A consultation is due to begin this month that will question whether children need...
Sunak's Truss problem
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The day after her book was published, Rishi Sunak faced down questions from Keir Starmer and Labour members at PMQs about Liz Truss. While he had his ...
How many MPs will reject Sunak’s smoking ban?
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not just Britain that has a growth problem. Today’s release of the IMF’s April 2024 World Economic Outlook report argues that the global ec...
Liz Truss returns - again
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's 18 months since Liz Truss left Downing Street and her new memoir, Ten Years to Save the West, is out. She gave her first interview to Fraser Nels...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 14/04/24
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.After Iran’s first direct attack on Israel, conflict in the Middle East h...
Harold Wilson's secret Downing Street affair
13 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this special Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots we discuss Patrick Maguire's scoop this week about former Labour leader Harold Wilson's secret ...
Is Angela Rayner unsackable?
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The row over Angela Rayner's tax affairs has deepened today. This morning, Greater Manchester police have announced that – following a reassessment ...
Has Rishi Sunak failed on the NHS?
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's five promises is to cut NHS waiting lists. However, even he's admitted progress is slow, with new data showing key...
What are the conclusions of the Cass Review?
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we have had the Cass Review, a landmark report into gender services for children in England, authored by paediatrician Hilary Cass. She conclude...
Will David Cameron win over Republicans?
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
David Cameron is stateside meeting Republicans and Democrats as the Foreign Secretary tries to muster up support for the US to send aid to Ukraine. Be...
How much trouble is Angela Rayner in?
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Angela Rayner has faced fresh allegations related to her taxes. Keir Starmer and other MPs in the shadow cabinet have come to her defence. Could these...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 07/04/2024
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Israel is under increasing pressure to stop its military action, after an I...
J.K. Rowling vs Scotland's hate monster
06 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
J.K. Rowling has been at the centre of a Twitter backlash against Scotland's new hate crime laws which came into effect on April 1st. How has the firs...
Is William Wragg a victim?
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On Thursday night, Conservative MP William Wragg admitted that he handed over the phone numbers of MPs, aides and a journalist to a man he met on a da...
Should Britain end arms sales to Israel?
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The row over arms sales to Israel continues today, as over 600 high profile figures in the legal profession, including former Supreme Court Justice Jo...
Has Israel lost British support?
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The killings of three British aid workers in Gaza has caused fury across the board in Westminster, with Rishi Sunak conducting a candid phone call wit...
Could Scotland's new Hate Crime Act overwhelm the police?
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The SNP's new Hate Crime Act came into effect yesterday, but already it has been met with backlash. On the episode, James Heale talks to Isabel Hardma...
Will Sue Gray be running Keir Starmer’s government?
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There is anxiety in parts of Starmer’s circle about Sue Gray appointing jobs in a Starmer-led Downing Street. When she’s in No.10 she’ll ‘be i...
Labour's pledge to 'take back control'
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour kicked off their local elections campaign today with a joint op-ed from Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner in the Times promising to empower locali...
Could Jonathan Gullis be another Lee Anderson?
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After the resignations of two ministers last night, No. 10 carried out a mini reshuffle, which included some controversial decisions. In particular, t...
What happened at Sunak’s Liaison Committee meeting?
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rishi Sunak appeared in front of the House of Commons Liaison Committee today. What happened?Katy Balls speaks to James Heale and Isabel Hardman.Becom...
Scott Benton triggers another by-election
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Former Conservative MP Scott Benton has resigned, triggering a by-election in Blackpool South. The outgoing MP had the Tory whip removed after suggest...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 24/03/2024
24 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt does the rounds this week, saying the Russian govern...
What is Labour’s economic plan?
23 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In her Mais lecture in the City of London this week, Rachel Reeves set out her plan for Britain’s economy: securonomics. What does securonomics mean...
Should the 'Waspi women' be compensated?
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on raising women's state pension age in line with men's has been published. It details that women born in the 195...
Will Fine Gael call an election?
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Leo Varadkar resigned as Ireland’s Taoiseach this week, and as Fine Gael leader. ‘Personal and political reasons’ informed his decision, he said...
Will Reform overtake the Tories?
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A new YouGov poll has Reform just four points behind the Conservatives. Richard Tice’s party is on 15 per cent, and Rishi Sunak’s party is on 19 p...
Did Jeremy Hunt reduce inflation?
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Inflation has fallen to 3.4 per cent, it was announced this morning. Jeremy Hunt said it was a sign that the government’s economic plan is working. ...
What should Labour do about the Rwanda bill?
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All ten of the amendments to the Rwanda bill, put in by the House of Lords, were rejected by the House of Commons last night. The bill will head back ...
Will Penny Mordaunt be the next prime minister?
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over the weekend, speculation about a plot to oust Rishi Sunak and replace him with Penny Mordaunt circulated the papers. It came after one of the wor...
Nigel Farage on Reform, the Red Wall and 14 years of Tory failure
16 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this special edition of Coffee House Shots, Kate Andrews interviews broadcaster, and honorary president of the Reform Party, Nigel Farage. They dis...
Rishi Sunak rules out general election in May
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rishi Sunak has finally confirmed what most MPs already knew: there won’t be a May general election. Speaking to ITV News West Country on Thursday n...
Will Gove’s extremism definition worsen Tory divides?
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Gove has unveiled the government’s new legal definition of extremism, which will decide whether organisations can receive government money. ...
Will the Tories return Hester’s £10 million?
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At Prime Minister’s Questions today Rishi Sunak refused to commit to returning the £10 million donor Frank Hester gave to the Conservative party. H...
What does Boris want?
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Newspapers today reported that Boris Johnson is going to campaign for the Conservatives in Red Wall seats. Responding, Nadine Dorries wrote on Twitter...
Lee Anderson defects: what next?
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lee Anderson has defected from the Tory party to Reform. In a press conference this morning, Anderson said ‘I want my country back’ and said that ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 10/03/2024
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Rachel Reeves says everything in Labour's manifesto will be properly funded...
Does Britain need new laws to tackle extremism?
09 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Gove is expected to announce a tougher definition of extremism in response to a rise in radical ideology, since the Israel-Gaza war. Are new l...
Why is Theresa May standing down?
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Theresa May has announced that she will not seek re-election this year. The former prime minister said that launching her global commission on modern ...
Are Scottish Tories causing trouble for Rishi Sunak?
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Katy Balls about the slightly muted reaction to the budget. Labour has compared the announcements to Liz Truss's ...
Jeremy Hunt’s low-key Budget
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Hunt said the government would cut National Insurance by 2 per cent, would abolish the non-dom tax status and would raise the threshold for chi...
What tax cut will Hunt deliver tomorrow?
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Andrews speaks to James Heale and Isabel Hardman as the speculation grows over what taxes Jeremy Hunt will cut in tomorrow's budget. National Ins...
Sunak and Hunt face a Budget dilemma
04 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Budget day is approaching and the government has hinted that their plans for tax cutting 'giveaways' are now less likely. James Heale speaks to Katy B...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 03/03/2024
03 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. The Budget announcement is imminent, and Jeremy Hunt says there will be no ...
Is the Home Office broken?
02 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots, Cindy Yu is joined by The Spectator's political correspondent, James Heale, and Director of Kr...
Labour nightmare as George Galloway wins Rochdale by-election
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
George Galloway has won a resounding victory in Rochdale, after a chaotic and messy by-election in which Labour was forced to disown its own candidate...
Why wasn't Wayne Couzens stopped?
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, the long-awaited Home Office-commissioned Angiolini Inquiry into Wayne Couzens has been published. Couzens had kidnapped, raped and murdered 33...
We need to talk about Truss
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Liz Truss continues to haunt Rishi Sunak. Labour leader Keir Starmer took aim at her recent exploits at CPAC in the US during prime minister's questio...
David Neal vs the Home Office
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Until recently the government's independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, David Neal has been in front of the Home Affairs select commit...
Have the Tories got 'Islamophobic tendencies'?
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Conservatives are divided over Lee Anderson's suspension, with some believing that if he apologises for comments made about Sadiq Khan, he should be a...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 25/02/24
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Oliver Dowden is asked to comment on provocative remarks made by multiple T...
Lee Anderson suspended: what now?
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lee Anderson has been suspended from the Conservative party this afternoon after saying on GB News that Islamists controlled Sadiq Khan. Will Rishi Su...
Tom Baldwin: 'There is no such thing as Starmerism'
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots, Katy Balls is joined by Tom Baldwin, author of a new authorised biography of Labour leader Kei...
Commons chaos revealed the threat to MPs’ safety
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As MPs return to their constituencies, the drama from Wednesday's parliamentary debate is still fresh in Westminster. James Heale speaks to Fraser Nel...
What happened in the Commons chaos last night?
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Commons descended into farce and chaos last night. The SNP were not able to vote on their own motion on their own Opposition Day debate; the Conse...
Has Lindsay Hoyle overstepped?
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Keir Starmer can breathe a sigh of relief this afternoon, thanks to Lindsay Hoyle. The Speaker has selected Labour’s amendment on a Gaza ceasefi...
Starmer moves to quell ceasefire rebellion
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today Keir Starmer has moved his party’s position on a ceasefire in Gaza as he seeks to quell what could the biggest rebellion of his leadership. MP...
Are citizens' assemblies the future?
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the Times today is the latest instalment of Tom Baldwin's authorised biography of Keir Starmer. It includes reports that Labour chief of staff Sue ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 18/02/24
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Alexei Navalny is dead, and our government says Putin is responsible. The Tor...
Do accents still matter in politics?
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The new MP for Kingswood has been under fire for apparently changing his accent over the course of his political career. Does this matter? And if so, ...
Labour triumphs in by-election brace
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour has the won two by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood, overturning big Conservative majorities in the process. Party chairman Richard Ho...
UK tips into recession – what's left of Sunak's priorities?
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This morning's figures show that the UK went into a technical recession last year. Forecasts suggest it will be a short and shallow recession, but how...
Have the Tories given up on Wellingborough & Kingswood?
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Inflation figures released this morning have remained at 4 per cent – a worry for Rishi Sunak's five pledges. There are several hurdles are still to...
Can Labour learn from its mistakes?
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer has rolled back on his support for the Rochdale by-election candidate, Azhar Ali over further comments made about on Israel-Palestine. Jo...
Can Starmer stamp out Labour's antisemitism?
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour faces another antisemitism battle as their candidate for the Rochdale by-election said that Israel allowed the October 7th attacks as a pretext...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 11/02/24
11 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Michael Gove thinks problems with the housing market could drive young people...
Is the Labour party already fractured?
10 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Having ditched the green investment pledge, Keir Starmer faces questions over what the Labour party actually stands for. And without a clear vision, h...
Boris Johnson accused of sabotaging Ukraine peace talks
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tucker Carlson released his highly anticipated interview with Russia's leader Vladimir Putin last night. The two-hour long discussion was dominated by...
Is Starmer right to ditch his £28 billion green pledge?
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Later today Keir Starmer is expected to officially kill off Labour's £28 billion green investment pledge. With the centrepiece of their public policy...
Is the prime minister gaffe-prone?
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It has been a gaffe-filled week for Rishi Sunak. At PMQs today the prime minister was chastised by his opposite number for an ill-judged comment about...
What Liz Truss's PopCon launch was really about
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Liz Truss is back! This time with a conference called 'Popular Conservatism', bringing together voices in the Conservative party and aiming to 'delive...
Rishi Sunak admits to failing on NHS waitlists
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rishi Sunak is in Belfast to mark the return of Stormont after a two-year deadlock. With Sinn Fein now the leading party, can the government pitch thi...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 04/02/2024
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Michelle O'Neill becomes the first nationalist first minister of Northern I...
Arlene Foster: 'a united Ireland is not around the corner'
03 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week in Westminster has been dominated by the news that we can expect to see power sharing restored at Stormont in the near future. James Heale g...
Should ex-MPs stop shilling for foreign rulers?
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In his Telegraph column, Fraser Nelson makes the case that it's time to ban former politicians accepting jobs from foreign rulers. The likes of Tony B...
Is Labour the party of business?
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At the 'Labour Business Conference 2024', shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves wooed business with a pledge that Labour would not raise corporation tax in ...
Sturgeon paints herself as perfect at Covid Inquiry
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nicola Sturgeon was emotional whilst giving evidence at the Covid inquiry today – a highly anticipated part of the inquiry given the issue of delete...
What could still scupper Northern Ireland's power-sharing plan?
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After hours of late night negotiations, power sharing looks like it's back on in Stormont – or is it? James Heale talks to Katy Balls and TalkTV's P...
Why Sunak wants to ban vapes
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rishi Sunak has outlined plans to ban disposable vapes, and is hoping to change vape packaging to make it less appealing to children. Why?James Heale ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 28/01/24
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch says she wants no part in Tory plotting....
Would Trump and Starmer get on?
27 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump seems to have the Republican primaries wrapped up. He’ll almost certainly be up against Joe Biden on 5 November in the general election...
Fraser Nelson: governments should never own our press
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
NHS consultants have (narrowly) rejected another pay increase offered to them by the government. They will not immediately go back on strike, and will...
The Plot: part II
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rishi Sunak seems to be facing his own 'plot'. But unlike in Nadine Dorries' now infamous book, it's not a secret cabal orchestrated by Dougie Smith h...
Does Simon Clarke’s intervention matter?
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tory MP Simon Clarke called for Rishi Sunak to resign last night. In a piece in the Telegraph, he wrote that the Prime Minister was ‘uninspiring’...
Are the Houthi strikes working?
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The UK launched a new set of strikes on eight Houthi targets last night. Typoon jets dropped £30,000 Paveway bombs on an underground storage site and...
How far will Hunt cut taxes?
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Hunt said he would look to cut taxes in the March budget. In the Mail on Sunday, he said he would look to emulate the late Nigel Lawson, who a...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 21/01/24
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday's political shows. Grant Shapps calls Netanyahu's rejection of a two-state solution 'disappointing',...
How is Cameron's comeback coming along?
20 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As problems in the Middle East and war on the continent dominate the headlines, David Cameron has been front and centre in his new role as foreign sec...
Why won't the Tories back Birbalsingh?
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Katharine Birbalsingh, headteacher at the Michaela community school in Brent, is being challenged in the High Court over a policy which allegedly bans...
Is the ERG a spent force?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After much back and forth, the Rwanda Bill passed last night with only 11 votes against while other critics, such as Lee Anderson who resigned his par...
Why Lee Anderson's exit is a problem
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last night Rishi Sunak faced the largest rebellion of his premiership over amendments to the Rwanda bill. There were also three resignations – deput...
Isaac Levido’s warning to the Tory party
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the Tories reeling from yesterday's poll in the Telegraph, it is interesting that the party’s official election strategist Isaac Levido was alr...
Is there a plot to oust Sunak?
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Polling published in the Telegraph has ruffled more than a few feathers in Westminster today. The YouGov survey shows that the Tories are on course t...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 14/01/2024
14 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday’s political shows. Conflict in the Middle East is escalating, as the UK and US launch retaliatory st...
Why few voters like Sunak
13 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New polling from JL Partners shows how Rishi Sunak has changed, in the eyes of the public. They found that while Sunak was initially seen as a direct ...
Britain and US launch airstrikes against Houthis
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last night the US and the UK launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen whose continued attacks are disrupting trade in the Red Sea. The decis...
Can the economy win Tory votes?
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
James Heale speaks to Kate Andrews and Katy Balls about Rishi Sunak's new strategy to focus more on the economy as the election year kicks off. Can Ri...
Post Office scandal: government to exonerate victims
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At PMQs today Rishi Sunak took the opportunity to announce that the government will be introducing legislation to 'swiftly' exonerate the victims of t...
Paula Vennells hands back her CBE
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Paula Vennells, the former head of the Post Office, has handed back her CBE. Will her decision put more pressure on politicians like Ed Davey, the Lib...
The problem with Chris Skidmore's resignation
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Skidmore has formally announced his resignation today, triggering another by-election in the process. His departure from the Commons is in prote...