Two Mates, No Mandates

Charlie Walden and former Conservative MP Duncan Baker head to Conservative Party Conference for a special episode of Two Mates, No Mandates, featuring exclusive interviews with members of the Shadow Cabinet and influential figures from across the Conservative Party. We speak to Jacob Rees-Mogg, Tom Tugendhat, Andrew Bowie, James Cartlidge, Alex Burghart, James Wild and Shadow Solicitor General Je...

Two Mates, No Mandates returns for Episode 15 with Duncan Baker and Charlie Walden unpacking another busy week in British politics. Reform UK has received a record £72 million in donations from two cryptocurrency billionaires. What does that kind of financial backing mean for Nigel Farage and Reform, and could it change the way the party prepares for the next general election? We also look at the...

Duncan Baker and Charlie Walden are back for Episode 14 of Two Mates, No Mandates, as Westminster heads into the summer recess. Duncan looks back on his own summers as an MP, from constituency tours to what MPs actually get up to when Parliament disappears for the break. The pair also look ahead to Andy Burnham's homecoming to Parliament, this time as Prime Minister. What can we expect when he...

Former Conservative MP Anna Firth joins Duncan Baker and Charlie Walden for a fascinating discussion on the future of Britain's political landscape. With Andy Burnham now in Downing Street, the conversation explores his plans to reshape the country through devolution, his proposal for a "Number 10 North", and whether power should finally be shifted away from Westminster. Does London...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker and journalist Charlie Walden are joined by former Government Whip and North Cornwall MP Scott Mann for a fascinating look inside Westminster and the future of British politics. Scott reflects on his journey into Parliament, his time serving as a Government Whip, and what life is really like behind the scenes in Westminster. From managing party discipline to the...

Former Science Minister and current Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman joins Duncan Baker and Charlie Walden for a wide-ranging discussion on one of the most dramatic weeks in British politics. George reflects on his time in government, serving as both Science Minister and Transport Minister, and shares the biggest lessons he learned from life on the frontbench. The conversation then turns to the resul...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker and journalist Charlie Walden are joined by political strategist and public affairs expert Fiona Cuthbertson for a fascinating look at how power really works in Westminster. With more than 30 years of experience in politics, lobbying and public policy, Fiona explains how legislation is shaped behind the scenes, the realities of lobbying, and how campaigners, bus...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden to break down one of the most dramatic weeks yet for Keir Starmer’s government. Facing nearly 100 MPs calling for his resignation and mounting unrest inside Labour, Starmer is under more pressure than ever before. This episode dives into the political chaos surrounding the Prime Minister, Wes Streeting’s resignation as Health Secr...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden to break down one of the most dramatic weeks yet in British politics. With Labour suffering catastrophic local election losses and Reform surging across the country, the pressure is mounting on Keir Starmer. Rumours of leadership plots are growing, over 40 MPs are reportedly turning on the Prime Minister, and questions are now bei...

Former Conservative MP Steve Baker joins Duncan Baker and Charlie Walden as only the second ever guest on the podcast for a wide-ranging and candid conversation. A central figure in the Brexit years, Steve rose from the backbenches to become one of the most influential MPs in Westminster, helping to organise and lead the European Research Group and playing a key role in shaping the direction of Br...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden to break down the biggest stories shaping Westminster. Blending insider political experience with sharp reporting, they dig beneath the surface of the week’s headlines to explain what is really going on behind closed doors. This episode covers the escalating junior doctor strikes and what they reveal about the state of the NHS, Do...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden for a special Westminster “Mythbusters” episode, separating fact from fiction in British politics. They open with the escalating tensions around Iran and what the prospect of conflict really means for the UK, before diving into the biggest myths about how Westminster actually works. From the true role of party whips and whether MP...

Former Minister and Downing Street insider Trudy Harrison joins Two Mates, No Mandates for our very first guest episode. As Parliamentary Private Secretary to Boris Johnson during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trudy had a front-row seat in No.10 during one of the biggest global crises in modern history. From the daily pressures of pandemic decision-making to the realities of governing under...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden to unpack one of the most turbulent weeks in Westminster since the general election. A cascade of resignations inside Downing Street — from Morgan McSweeney to Tim Allan — has fuelled a growing narrative that Number 10 is losing control. The crisis deepened when Anas Sarwar publicly called for the Prime Minister to stand aside ahe...

Former Conservative MP Duncan Baker joins journalist Charlie Walden to break down the biggest stories shaking Westminster. Blending insider political experience with sharp reporting, they dig beneath the surface of the week’s headlines to explain what’s really going on behind closed doors. This episode covers Andy Burnham’s clash with Labour’s NEC, the uncertain state of the Conservative Party, fr...

In the first episode of Two Mates. No Mandates., journalist Charlie Walden is joined by former Conservative MP for North Norfolk Duncan Baker to unpack a turbulent moment in British politics. They discuss Duncan’s experience of losing his seat at the general election — including his private conversation with Rishi Sunak — and reflect on life after party politics. The conversation then turns to the...