Coffee House Shots

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 07/01/2024

07 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The election year is here, and Sunak is still under pressure. Do leaked documents suggest he doubts the efficacy of the Rwanda scheme? Starmer wants '...

How will Sunak and Starmer run their election campaigns?

06 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak has all but confirmed that this year’s general election will take place in autumn. How will the Prime Minister, and Keir Starmer, run th...

Why aren't the Lib Dems doing better?

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Liberal Democrats began their 2024 campaigning this week by unveiling a huge poster branding them as ‘Ed Davey’s Tory Removal Service’, but ...

Did Sunak steal Starmer's thunder?

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer delivered his new year's speech, promising 'Project Hope' ahead of the general election. Critics claimed the speech was rhetoric heavy, l...

Would strike talks be different under Labour?

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As junior doctors begin the longest strike in history, Lucy Dunn speaks to Isabel Hardman and Kate Andrews about whether public support for industrial...

Is Rishi fishy on the asylum backlog?

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak has claimed that the Conservatives have cleared the 92,000 asylum claims, despite figures showing the backlog still stands at tens of thou...

2023: The year in review

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How well did Rishi Sunak do on his five pledges? Are we any clearer on what Keir Starmer stands for? Is the SNP done for in Scotland? On this episode,...

Sunak gets tetchy during Rwanda and Israel grilling

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak appeared in front of the Liaison Committee this afternoon. In an interview with The Spectator last week, the PM said that he was enjoying ...

Is British support for Israel wavering?

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps have signalled a shift in the British position towards the Israel-Gaza conflict, su...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 17/12/2023

17 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday’s political shows. Baroness Michelle Mone admits she lied about her involvement in PPE deal but also...

Will we avoid recession in 2024?

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The big economic news of the week was that the Bank of England has held interest rates at 5.25 per cent for the third consecutive time. This was the e...

Another by-election looms for Rishi

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The big political news today is the Standards Committee recommendation against Scott Benton, meaning a likely by-election in Blackpool South. He was t...

Who are the ‘five families’ of Tory rebels?

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Tories are reeling from a week of painful infighting over Rwanda. Who are the ‘five families’ of Conservative dissenters?James Heale speaks to...

Sunak wins the Rwanda vote – but the battle is far from over

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The government has won this evening’s vote on the ‘safety of Rwanda’ bill comfortably at 313 votes to 269 against. This means Rishi Sunak has ma...

What if Rishi Sunak loses his crunch Rwanda vote?

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak faces the first major test of his premiership today over the second reading of the Rwanda bill. How could the day play out? And what will ...

What Sunak really said about lockdown

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was Rishi Sunak's turn at the Covid Inquiry today. The Prime Minister faced questions on Eat Out to Help Out, his relationship with No.10, tiers an...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 10/12/2023

10 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday's political shows. On Wednesday Robert Jenrick resigned over the government's Rwanda legislation, so t...

Do the Tories have a death wish?

09 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Robinson asked Suella Braverman on the Today programme this week whether the Tories had a death wish. She said no. But why is the party, when it'...

Is Rishi's Rwanda Bill doomed?

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak is stuck in a migration quagmire and will be spending the weekend drumming up support from MPs ahead of the vote on his amended Rwanda bil...

What Jenrick’s resignation means for Sunak’s premiership

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kate Andrews speaks to James Heale and Katy Balls about Robert Jenrick's resignation last night and whether this is another sign of Tory party implosi...

Boris faces the music at the Covid inquiry

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was a big day in the Covid inquiry as Boris Johnson gave evidence for the first time. Just as Johnson launched into an apology during his opening s...

Are the Tories too little to late on migration?

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As James Cleverly meets leaders in Rwanda to sign a new asylum treaty, the government has laid out a series of plans to bring down legal migration. So...

Was Starmer right to praise Thatcher?

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This weekend Keir Starmer's team took the opportunity to discuss Margaret Thatcher in an op-ed for the Sunday Telegraph. Whilst Starmer also praised o...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 03/12/2023

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from today's political shows. Winter means incoming trouble for the NHS. The health secretary blames industrial ac...

The memory and legacy of Alistair Darling

02 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former chancellor Alistair Darling passed away this week, aged 70. To discuss his career, life and legacy, Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and Cath...

Will Boris surprise at the Covid inquiry?

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As Matt Hancock appears before the Covid inquiry for a second day, we take a look at the revelations from the former health secretary, including the a...

Is Labour being ‘fundamentally dishonest’?

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Hunt said last night that Labour’s economic plans are ‘fundamentally dishonest’. Is he right, and are the Tories really just as bad? Nat...

Has Robert Jenrick gone rogue?

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, long thought of as one of Rishi Sunak's closest allies in Parliament, hinted yesterday at a row with the Prime Mi...

Has No.10 lost its marbles?

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An extraordinary row has broken out between the British and Greek governments over the future of the Parthenon Marbles. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsot...

Sunak under pressure to curb legal migration

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak is on the defensive over legal migration. After figures late last week revealed net migration hit a record 750,000 in the year to December...

Should Sunak reduce immigration?

25 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Figures out this week put net migration at 672,000 in the year to June 2023. Should the government cut the number of work visas, to immediately reduce...

What happened in Dublin?

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There were riots in Dublin last night. Looters smashed shops, and burnt police cars in a night of unrest in the capital of Ireland. What provoked the ...

Have we seen peak migration?

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After much Whitehall spin, the official figures are now in. Net migration in the year to June hit 672,000, down from 745,000 in 2022. A total of 1.2 m...

The truth about Hunt’s ‘tax cutting’ Autumn Statement

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Chancellor today delivered his fiscal update, branding it as an ‘Autumn Statement for Growth’. In it, he announced a series of tax cuts for bo...

Did Covid expose a 'failure of imagination'?

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week it is the scientists’ turn to appear before the Covid Inquiry with Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer and Sir Patrick Vallance. J...

Why has Rishi Sunak made five more pledges?

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

James Heale, Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson look ahead to the Autumn Statement this week. Will Rishi Sunak commit to cutting taxes? And with barely a ye...

Katy Balls' Sunday Roundup - 19/11/2023

19 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Balls presents highlights from this week's political shows. It's an economy special, as Jeremy Hunt prepares to deliver his autumn statement nex...

What will fix Britain’s prisons?

18 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

HMP Bedford was issued with an urgent notification yesterday, meaning it must immediately make reforms to improve. It’s the fifth prison to receive ...

Can Sunak shift the dial?

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver his autumn statement next week and Rishi Sunak will be hoping to stamp his authority onto a fracturing party a...

Should Starmer worry about the ceasefire rebellion?

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fifty-six Labour MPs rebelled last night and voted for an SNP amendment calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. Keir Starmer had ordered his party...

Supreme Court rules Rwanda scheme unlawful

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court has ruled that the government scheme to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda is unlawful. Why? And how will Rishi Sunak respond? Will h...

Suella tells Rishi: 'You have repeatedly failed to deliver'

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When Suella Braverman was sacked on Monday she warned that she would have more to say in due course, and has just released her resignation letter. It ...

Will the Tory right be happy with Sunak's reshuffle?

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak has spent today selecting new people for his Cabinet. With MP's to the right such as Suella Braverman removed from office, has Rishi Sunak...

Sunak’s reshuffle: refresh or rewind?

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s reshuffle day in Westminster. Suella Braverman is out as Home Secretary, replaced by James Cleverly, with former prime minister David Cameron m...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 12/11/2023

12 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from this week's political shows. The Palestine march on Saturday was accompanied by violence after far-right grou...

Has Nadine Dorries lost the plot?

11 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week Nadine Dorries’s new book The Plot: The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson has been published, and it has ruffled some feathers in W...

Is Suella Braverman safe for now?

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite mounting pressure from Conservative MPs to remove Suella Braverman, no announcement has been made yet. How much pressure is Rishi Sunak facing...

What is Suella Braverman up to?

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Suella Braverman has again dominated conversation with her controversial rhetoric, this time comparing the pro-Palestinian marches to the Orange March...

Will Mark Rowley ban the pro-Palestine protests?

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak met with Met Commissioner Mark Rowley today to discuss the pro-Palestine protests planned for the Remembrance weekend. Sunak has called th...

What did King Charles say?

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was the King’s speech today. King Charles announced that the government would introduce new laws to, among other things, force criminals to atten...

Is Suella Braverman in trouble over rough sleepers?

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Home Secretary sparked fury over the weekend for her comments on homelessness, suggesting that rough sleepers using tents is a 'lifestyle choice'....

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 05/11/2023

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from this week's political shows. The Israel-Palestine conflict is creating division in the UK, with pro-Palestine...

Has WhatsApp ruined government?

04 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

WhatsApps between officials in Boris Johnson’s government have been centre-stage at the Covid inquiry this week. Is the app encouraging on-the-hoof ...

Was Rishi Sunak's AI summit a success?

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week the prime minister hosted his landmark AI summit at Bletchley Park which wrapped up with an interview with Elon Musk, who warned that AI wil...

Has the Bank of England done enough to stave off recession?

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Bank of England has once again taken the decision to hold interest rates at their 15-year high. There is growing market consensus that this second...

Did Boris's No. 10 have a women problem?

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today the Covid inquiry heard from Helen McNamara, former deputy cabinet secretary (who infamously supplied a karaoke machine for one of the governmen...

Did anything new come from the Covid inquiry?

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fraser Nelson speaks to Michael Simmons about the second phase of the Covid inquiry, looking at political governance. Attending the inquiry today was ...

What’s the point of the Covid inquiry?

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Covid inquiry enters its most dramatic week, questioning Martin Reynolds (a.k.a. 'Party Marty'), as well as former No. 10 advisors Lee Cain and Do...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 29/10/23

29 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Israel's ground invasion has begun. We hear the latest response from the go...

Can Conservatism fix its pathway of decline?

28 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the government faces a general election defeat, is there a home for traditionally conservative thinkers? An international branch of new right Conse...

Will Starmer cave in to calls for a Gaza ceasefire?

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure from his party to back a call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The week began with the Labour...

Can Starmer change the subject?

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer has had a difficult week, trying to keep his party on message over the war in Israel and Gaza. The official position is that Israel has a...

Keir Starmer’s Israel problem is growing

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Keir Starmer held a long meeting with some Muslim Labour MPs over their concern on his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, first ignited by co...

Labour's foreign policy problem

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Natasha Feroze speaks to Stephen Bush and Katy Balls about some of the geopolitical problems that lie ahead for Labour. Will David Lammy have to roll ...

One year on: does Sunak have anything to celebrate?

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks one year since Rishi Sunak entered No.10. Faced with the weekend's double by-election defeat, Labour's lead in the polls and another b...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday roundup - 22/10/2023

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from this week's political shows. Some aid has been allowed into Gaza, but the situation is still dire. We hear fr...

What can we hope to learn from the Covid inquiry?

21 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week there have been some interesting developments in the public Covid-19 inquiry where scientists and mathematical modellers have been giving te...

Are the Tories facing a 97’ style defeat?

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Labour has overturned the Tamworth and and Mid Bedfordshire by-election results, overturning the biggest majority in by-election history. Is there any...

Sunak tells Israel: ‘We want you to win’

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Rishi Sunak joined Benjamin Netanyahu for a joint press conference in which he pledged support to Israel. Netanyahu thanked him for his, ‘stro...

Has inflation stuck?

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

September's inflation data was released today, and showed that it was at the same level as August. Is inflation getting stuck a problem? Cindy Yu talk...

Has Humza Yousaf turned things around?

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At his first speech as SNP leader at the party's conference, Humza Yousaf gave a policy-filled address. He hasn't had an easy start to his leadership,...

How long can the cross-party consensus on Israel hold?

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So far, both major parties in the UK have aligned on their approach to the Israel-Gaza conflict, but can the Labour party really hold their position, ...

What does the government mean by 'Texas-style justice'?

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has been talking about bringing 'Texas-style justice' to the UK in his latest proposals for reform of the prisons system....

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 15/10/23

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from today's political shows.This week it's all about the Israel-Palestine conflict. An Israeli government adviser ...

What is Israel's army capable of?

14 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

James Heale speaks to foreign policy expert Sophia Gaston and defence correspondent Sean Rayment about what could be Israel's next steps, the strength...

The winners and losers of this year’s conference season

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Conference season is over, so we thought that we’d run through this year’s winners and losers. Did Rishi Sunak manage to present himself as the Ac...

Why did Lisa Cameron defect to the Tories?

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lisa Cameron MP has quit the SNP to join the Conservative party, just days before the SNP holds its party conference in Aberdeen. What does this say a...

Can Labour really overhaul the NHS?

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said in a speech today that this NHS must ‘modernise or die’. But will a Labour government under Keir ...

If not the Tories, why Labour?

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keir Starmer's leadership speech today in Liverpool didn't get off to the best start after a protestor ran onto the stage and dumped glitter all over ...

Rachel Reeves goes for growth

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was Rachel Reeves's moment on day two of Labour party conference. Addressing the hall she detailed her ambitious plans for growth and vowed to stic...

How's the mood at Labour conference?

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's the first day of Labour party conference and whilst the mood is buoyant the story that has dominated the weekend is of course the Hamas attack on...

Is Rishi Sunak right about Rwanda?

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cindy Yu is joined by immigration minister Robert Jenrick, Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews to discuss the Rwanda plan and whether it can truly stop the...

Has Brexit Failed?

07 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Seven years after the Brexit vote, Katy Balls is joined for a fringe panel from the Conservative Party Conference to discuss if voting to leave the EU...

Scottish Labour moves right – and wins

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Labour has secured a resounding win against the SNP in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election with a swing of 20.4%. Fraser Nelson speaks to Kat...

What's behind the PM's plan to axe A-levels?

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the announcements made in Rishi Sunak's conference speech was to scrap A-levels in favour of a qualification which includes compulsory English ...

Rishi Sunak's conference speech gamble

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After spending most of his conference refusing to say much at all, Rishi Sunak used his speech to make three big policy announcements on HS2, smoking ...

What's going on with HS2?

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's day three at Tory conference and the story that won't go away is HS2. Rishi Sunak insisted in his media round this morning that a decision has no...

Are the Tories preparing for opposition?

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman and James Heale discuss day two of the Conservative party Conference. From Jeremy Hunt's speech, to Mark Harper's Hs2 dodge and a swell...

Coffee House Shots Live: Who would vote Tory?

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Spectator’s Fraser Nelson, Katy Balls and Kate Andrews are joined by special guest Frank Luntz for a live recording of Coffee House Shots from T...

How's the mood at Tory conference?

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's day two at Tory conference and the mood seems muted and lacking in energy. This is in direct contrast to Rishi Sunak who appeared to have fire in...

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 01/10/23

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows. Rishi Sunak is in the limelight as the Conservative party conference begins...

When conferences go wrong

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Conservative party conference begins in Manchester this weekend. Where have conferences gone wrong for previous Tory party leaders, and what will ...

Is the UK doomed to be a high tax country?

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tax levels in the UK are at their highest since records began 70 years ago and are unlikely to come down, or so says the Institute for Fiscal Studies ...

What’s behind Labour’s private school U-turn?

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Another day, another U-turn. But this time it's Labour, who have changed tack on their plans to end charitable status for private schools. Labour lead...

Would Labour grant more oil licences?

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The UK's largest untapped oil and gas field has been given the green light in a move that has been criticised by Labour, although Keir Starmer has sai...

Is Suella after the Tory leadership?

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Suella Braverman is in Washington today, giving a speech to a think tank on illegal migration in which she will argue that seeking asylum and seeking ...

Is Sunak helping Starmer on HS2?

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rishi Sunak is on his tour of hard truths, saying the unsayable on areas of policy where he believes his predecessors didn't want to be honest with th...

Is it time to take the Lib Dems seriously again?

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Conference season has kicked off this weekend with the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth. Buoyed by their success in the recent by-elections,...

What’s next for the Murdoch empire?

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rupert Murdoch stepped down as chairman of News Corp and Fox News this week. But is this really the end of Murdoch’s career? ‘I can guarantee you ...

Why can’t Hunt cut taxes?

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Hunt said yesterday that it would be ‘virtually impossible’ to cut taxes in 2023. James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about w...