Politics Weekly UK
Episodes
In Truss we trust? Politics Weekly UK
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Liz Truss used her first conference speech as leader of the Conservative party to try to reassert herself. Did she manage it? The Guardian’s Gaby Hi...
Can the Conservatives get a grip? Politics Weekly UK
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a busy few days for the Conservative party. Rebel MPs pushed the chancellor into announcing a U-turn on abolishing the 45p top rate of inc...
Is Labour ready for government? Politics Weekly UK
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer has set out his alternative vision for the country at Labour’s annual conference. Against the backdrop of market turmoil and the govern...
Kwasi Kwarteng’s budget gamble – Politics Weekly UK
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The mini-budget has landed and there was nothing mini about it. Big tax announcements such as abolishing the 45% additional rate of income tax as well...
Liz Truss: making the rich richer? Politics Weekly UK
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scrapping the bankers’ bonus cap, slashing taxes and lifting the moratorium on fracking. Liz Truss says she is prepared to be ‘unpopular’ to boo...
Pomp, protest and a closed down country – Politics Weekly UK podcast
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a week of wall-to-wall coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Meanwhile anti-monarchy protesters have been arrested, food banks clos...
The political legacy of Queen Elizabeth II – Politics Weekly UK
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Prince Charles becomes king, the Guardian’s John Harris is joined by the columnist Gaby Hinsliff and Gavin Barwell, an adviser to the former prim...
From Today in Focus: the life and death of Queen Elizabeth II
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Queen has died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. In this episode of Today in Focus, Polly Toynbee joins Nosheen Iqbal to look back on her li...
Truss’s first week - Politics Weekly UK
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The wait is over: Liz Truss is our fourth Conservative prime minister in six years. And after appointing what some people have called one of the most ...
Inside a Tory hustings... and out in the real world - Politics Weekly UK
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Britain will have a new prime minister on Monday. While Rishi Sunak’s chances seem to have faded away, it looks like Liz Truss will have the task of...
Running out of energy? Truss’s cost of living plan – Politics Weekly UK
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With Liz Truss likely to be the next prime minister, former government advisers Sam Freedman and Salma Shah join the Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff to dis...
Politics Weekly UK’s summer reading list
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While politics might not be taking a summer holiday this year, Politics Weekly UK is snatching a quick break. So this week, the Guardian’s John Harr...
Mick Lynch on strikes and Britain’s crisis – Politics Weekly UK
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Bank of England has predicted the country will hit a recession by the end of the year. To make matters worse, energy bills are soaring and parts o...
Britain’s not got political talent – Politics Weekly UK
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Conservative leadership race has been derailed by U-turns, highlighting the weaknesses of the candidates. But with Keir Starmer also seemingly una...
Dover, debates and (rail) disruption – Politics Weekly UK
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Another week of blue-on-blue infighting, as Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak take chunks out of each other in a series of television debates. To assess the f...
Conservative Special: Misplaced Truss? – Politics Weekly UK
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss will be the next leader of the Conservative party and the country. As the UK recovers from a week of extreme weather, ...
Marina Hyde on the Conservative leadership race – Politics Weekly UK
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Conservative leadership race is in full swing. It’s been a week of awkward campaign videos, dirty tricks and wild promises on taxation. The Guar...
The last days of Boris Johnson – Politics Weekly podcast
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson is clinging on to his leadership by a thread as the number of resignations from his government continues to rise. The Guardian’s John ...
Politics Weekly UK goes to Glastonbury
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Glastonbury festival has a rich political history, from its roots in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to links to the climate crisis today. The Gu...
The big byelection road trip – Politics Weekly podcast
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are two important byelections this week: one in Tiverton and Honiton, the other in Wakefield. The Guardian’s John Harris has been to both plac...
Grounded: Priti Patel’s broken asylum policy
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The government’s latest refugee policy collided with reality this week as the first deportation flight to Rwanda was halted at the last minute after...
Johnson: ‘Nothing and no one’ will stop me
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson has survived a vote of no confidence this week and wants to draw a line under the rebellion. But what does he really have to offer inste...
A Tory identity crisis
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The drip drip of letters to the 1922 Committee has now become a steady stream. Could Boris Johnson be facing a vote of no confidence as soon as next w...
Humbled…?
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Sue Gray report has finally been published. Boris Johnson made a statement to parliament and took questions at a press conference. He said he was ...
Inflation rockets and still no Tory plan
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Inflation has jumped to 9% putting renewed pressure on the government to take action on the cost of living crisis. John Harris is joined by Guardian c...
Brexit is back …
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rafael Behr stands in for John Harris this week and is joined by Gavin Barwell, the former Conservative MP and chief of staff to Theresa May, and Miat...
Partygate, beergate and porngate – what’s left of public trust?
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a tough week for Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer as the public vote in local elections on Thursday. With the cloud of beergate hanging over...
We went to Plymouth … to see if Boris is finished
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With a week to go until the local elections, John Harris goes to Britain’s self-styled Ocean City, which is politically split 50:50 and voted for Br...
Are we in the middle of a constitutional crisis? Politics Weekly podcast
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week Boris Johnson has apologised again for breaking his own Covid lockdown rules while his home secretary, Priti Patel, has been heavily critici...
Partygate fines and a resignation … but not from the PM
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak were fined by the Metropolitan police for breaching lockdown rules. But neither have resigned. John Harris is...
Will privilege and parties sink the Tories?
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a week when the Metropolitan police fined the former Cabinet Office’s director of ethics for attending a lockdown party, and Tory MP David Warbur...
A sample of Politics Weekly America: Why are Republicans flirting with QAnon conspiracies?
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To hear the full episode, be sure to search for and subscribe to Politics Weekly America wherever you get your podcasts. During the Senate confirmatio...
Partygate is back…
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson is again defending himself against allegations he lied about lockdown parties in Downing Street. Guardian journalist John Harris speaks ...
Politics Weekly America podcast sample: Can Ron DeSantis out-Trump Trump?
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To hear the full episode, be sure to search for and subscribe to Politics Weekly America wherever you get your podcasts. Florida’s governor seems to...
Did Rishi Sunak deliver? (spoiler: no)
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On the day of Rishi Sunak’s spring statement, Robin Burgess from the Hope Centre in Northampton tells Guardian political columnist John Harris just ...
The fourth episode of Politics Weekly America: why are Democrats fleeing before the midterms?
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To continue listening to Jonathan Freedland’s analysis of what’s happening in Washington and beyond, be sure to like and subscribe to Politics Wee...
‘Train harder, fight harder’: talking to Ukraine MP Kira Rudyk
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Ukrainian MP Kira Rudyk, in Kyiv, tells Guardian political columnist John Harris how she and her fellow MPs are running the country despite escala...
The third episode of Politics Weekly America: Can Western power beat Putin?
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To continue listening to Jonathan Freedland’s analysis of what’s happening in Washington and beyond, be sure to like and subscribe to Politics Wee...
Why can’t the government get their refugee policy right?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Guardian political columnist John Harris is joined by Guardian columnists Rafael Behr and Zoe Williams to discuss the growing refugee crisis – more ...
The second episode of Politics Weekly America: Interview with Alexander Vindman
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To continue listening to Jonathan Freedland’s analysis of what’s happening in Washington and beyond, be sure to like and subscribe to Politics Wee...
Nuclear threat, a refugee crisis and Britain’s dirty money problem
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Guardian political columnist John Harris is joined by senior correspondent Luke Harding, in Lviv, Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff and Salma Shah, spe...
The first episode of Politics Weekly America: Biden sanctions Russia
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To continue listening to Jonathan Freedland’s analysis of what’s happening in Washington and beyond, be sure to like and subscribe to Politics Wee...
Russia invades Ukraine
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
John Harris is joined by Dan Sabbagh, the Guardian’s defence and security editor, and the Guardian columnist Zoe Williams to talk about Vladimir Put...
Coming 24 February: your new Politics Weekly UK podcast
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Guardian political columnist John Harris hosts a cast of voices from across the country and political spectrum to analyse the week’s political n...
Will diplomacy win over war? Politics Weekly Extra
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As scepticism continues over Russia’s claims it has withdrawn troops from the Ukrainian border, Joan E Greve speaks to congressman Tom Malinowski of...
Russia, questionnaires and Covid testing: Politics Weekly podcast
16 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode hosted by the Guardian’s lobby team, Jessica Elgot and Aubrey Allegretti look at how the government is responding to the Ukrain...
Why Ohio is a state to watch in 2022: Politics Weekly Extra
11 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Freedland speaks to local Ohioan politics reporter, Andrew Tobias, about why the Senate and gubernatorial midterm races are shaping up to be ...
Boris Johnson hopes reshuffle will steady the ship: Politics Weekly podcast
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica Elgot and Polly Toynbee question the prime minister’s ability to apologise after Keir Starmer is harassed by an angry mob. Plus, Giles Kenni...
Weekend: episode one of a new podcast
05 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ease into the weekend with our brand new podcast, showcasing some of the best Guardian and Observer writing from the week, read by talented narrators....
Biden’s supreme court nomination decision: Politics Weekly Extra
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Republicans take aim at Joe Biden’s supreme court nominee … before he has even picked it, Jonathan Freedland and Joan Greve discuss who might r...
Government’s levelling-up plan falls flat: Politics Weekly podcast
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Michael Gove launches his 12 ‘levelling up’ missions, Rowena Mason and Peter Walker discuss why Keir Starmer has switched attack lines. Plus, D...
Can Biden prevent a war with Russia? Politics Weekly podcast
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Freedland and Julian Borger discuss Joe Biden’s strategy when it comes to potential war with Russia over Ukraine, as well as some potential...
Johnson survives another day without Gray inquiry findings: Politics Weekly podcast
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As we wait patiently for Sue Gray to wrap up her inquiry into various alleged lockdown parties at Downing Street, the Met police have launched their o...
Senate Democrats fail to pass voting rights bill: Politics Weekly Extra
21 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Joe Biden marks his first year in the White House, Democrats will be reeling from their loss to Republicans in the Senate, after Joe Manchin and Ky...
Should he stay or should he go? Politics Weekly podcast
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a chaotic prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, rumours circulated about which Tories were sending in letters of no confidence about Boris ...
Is the United States heading for civil war? Politics Weekly Extra
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Freedland speaks to Barbara Walter, a former CIA adviser, about her new book about how civil wars start, and what politicians and the public ...
Is Boris Johnson now a ‘dead man walking’?: Politics Weekly podcast
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the prime minister finally apologises (sort of) for a lockdown party at Downing Street, Heather Stewart and Gaby Hinsliff look what the future hold...
Congressman Jamie Raskin on the day democracy almost crumbled in the US: Politics Weekly podcast
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Freedland speaks to the House Representative from Maryland about last January’s Capitol riots, leading an impeachment trial against Trump, ...
Ministers struggle to combat Omicron: Politics Weekly podcast
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rowena Mason and Sonia Sodha look at the problems facing the NHS and schools, as the government lifts some restrictions. Plus, Peter Walker, Jon Henle...
Happy new year: Politics Weekly Extra podcast
31 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A note from Jonathan Freedland as we ring in the new year. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Happy new year from the lobby team: Politics Weekly podcast
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A note from the Guardian’s chief political correspondent, Jessica Elgot, as we head into 2022. Help support our independent journalism at theguardia...
Happy Christmas: Politics Weekly Extra podcast
24 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A holiday note from Jonathan Freedland. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Will Johnson survive as prime minister in 2022? Politics Weekly podcast
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Scandals were rampant throughout the halls of parliament in 2021, with sleaze, affairs, party leadership tussles, and lockdown parties at No 10 Downin...
What should we expect from Washington in 2022? Politics Weekly Extra
17 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Freedland and Joan Greve look back on a chaotic year in US politics and attempt to offer some predictions of might be coming down the tracks ...
Boris Johnson’s most humiliating rebellion yet: Politics Weekly podcast
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rowena Mason and Peter Walker look at what’s behind the revolt within the prime minister’s own party and how damaging it could be to his leadershi...
Why Georgia is a battleground state to watch: Politics Weekly Extra
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A week after Stacey Abrams announced she was running for Georgia governor again, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Oliver Laughland about why the southern ...
Boris Johnson exposed in Christmas party scandal: Politics Weekly podcast
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rowena Mason and Zoe Williams look at the potential consequences of the bombshell video that has thrown doubt on Boris Johnson’s repeated denials th...
Republicans accused of Islamophobia? Politics Weekly Extra
03 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rep Lauren Boebert was recently filmed saying she experienced a ‘Jihad squad’ moment with the Muslim Rep Ilhan Omar. The party leadership hasn’t...
Boris Johnson’s battle to save Christmas: Politics Weekly podcast
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the PM contradicts his own scientists, Jessica Elgot and Gaby Hinsliff discuss the government’s response to the new Omicron Covid variant. Plus: ...
Can the Republican party escape Trump? Politics Weekly Extra
26 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This month, 13 House Republicans crossed party lines and voted in favour of Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill. This prompted anger from colleagues, vo...
Has Boris Johnson lost his grip? Politics Weekly podcast
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Heather Stewart and Polly Toynbee discuss the government’s narrowly approved social care plan and Boris Johnson’s bizarre CBI speech. Plus: can Pr...
Is Kamala Harris being shunned by the US president? Politics Weekly Extra
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After reports came out suggesting the vice-president was being underused, the White House came to her defence at the weekend. Jonathan Freedland and L...