Newscast

Today, Adam sits down with former Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to discuss his time in office, how he became the leader of Ireland and his new book Speaking My Mind. You can take part in the Newscast census here - https://bbc.in/newscastcensus You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You ca...

Today, Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer faced questions from the press on everything from Gaza to Lord Mandelson. The press conference at the PM's country residence Chequers, lasted just under an hour. After a difficult few weeks today was seen as the moment of most jeopardy for the Prime Minister, so faced with the press, did the two men avoid flash points? Adam, Chris, Alex and Faisal discuss....

Today, King Charles has rolled out the red carpet for President Trump at Windsor Castle on his second state visit to the UK. BBC Senior Royal Correspondent Daniela Relph and Chief North America correspondent Gary O’Donoghue join Adam to explore all the pomp and ceremony and what both nations want to get out of this vist. Plus, the government has announced a new UK-US tech deal which will see major...

Today, a United Nations commission of inquiry has said that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. A new report says there are reasonable grounds to conclude that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been carried out since the start of the war with Hamas in 2023. Israel's foreign ministry said it categorically rejected the report, denouncing it...

Today, Danny Kruger the Conservative MP and shadow minister has defected to Reform. Speaking at a press conference alongside Nigel Farage, Kruger said “the Conservatives are over” and confirmed he would not be triggering a by-election. In response Kemi Badenoch says she is “not going to get blown off course” - Adam and Chris discuss this, and the Prime Minister’s comments today that he would “neve...

Today, we hear from the family of Virginia Giuffre, who became the most prominent victim of Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview with Laura, they said that Lord Mandelson should never have been given the position of UK ambassador to the United States. And Business Secretary Peter Kyle told her it was "highly unlikely" Lord Mandelson would have been appointed if the extent of his relationship with Epst...

Today, we look at how Bloomberg broke the story of Mandelson’s emails to Jeffrey Epstein that got him sacked as US ambassador. And we hear new information about the investigation Keir Starmer carried out into the relationship before appointing him. Laura and Paddy are joined by Alex Campbell who led the Bloomberg team. You can take part in the Newscast census here - https://bbc.in/newscastcensus Y...

Today, we look back at a very difficult week for Keir Starmer and the Government. Lord Mandelson’s sacking as UK ambassador to the US comes only days after the Prime Minister reshuffled his cabinet and the resignation of his deputy, Angela Rayner. Starmer sacked Lord Mandelson after new information emerged about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – a week before US President...

Today, Keir Starmer sacked US Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson following the publication of messages he exchanged with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Adam and Chris discuss how the ambassador’s position became untenable, and what this means for questions around Starmer’s leadership plus Trump’s planned state visit next week. And Charlie Kirk, an influential right-wing activist and a close ally of US P...

Today, politicians across the House of Commons have called for Lord Mandelson to resign as UK ambassador to the US over his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. Lord Mandelson acknowledged that there could be more "embarrassing" exchanges to come from his correspondence with Epstein who he described as his "best pal" in a letter for his 50th birthday. He likened his association with Epstein to "an albat...

Today, Israel carried out a surprise strike on senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar. Hamas claims the leaders - who were in Doha as part of the delegation negotiating a possible ceasefire deal - survived but said that six others were killed in the strike. The Trump administration was notified about the strikes before they happened by the US military, and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s...

Today, the new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that the UK could suspend visas for countries with who don’t “play ball” with the government’s migrant return plans. This comes after the Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s surprise cabinet reshuffle at the end of last week, triggered by the resignation of his Deputy Angela Rayner, who paid an incorrect amount of stamp duty on a property. The Labour NE...

Today, we look at whether the government’s leadership changes point to a turn to the right after a series of personnel changes after Angela Rayner’s resignation. The new home secretary Shabana Mahmood is said to be taking up a harder stance on immigration and is looking at moving asylum seekers onto military sites as an alternative to hotels, as confirmed by defence secretary John Healey in an int...

Today, we look at the damage done to Keir Starmer and his government after he lost his deputy prime minister. Angela Rayner resigned after the prime minister's ethics adviser found that she had breached the ministerial code over failing to pay enough tax on her flat in East Sussex. But does that mean Keir Starmer’s lost one of his most valuable cabinet members? Paddy and Laura reunite after the su...

Today, Angela Rayner resigned after an investigation concluded she breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on a flat in Hove. The report into Rayner’s conduct concluded she had ‘acted with integrity’ but had failed to meet the standards of the ministerial code by not looking for expert tax advice. Her resignation triggered a major cabinet reshuffle. James Cook is joined by Chris Ma...

Today, we look at the continuing row over Angela Rayner not paying enough tax on her second home. James is joined in Glasgow by Chris who’s been travelling with Sir Keir Starmer. Earlier today, the Prime Minister refused to tell Chris if he’d sack Angela Rayner if she is found to have broken the ministerial code. With a judgment from the independent adviser expected before the end of the week; Chr...

Today, Angela Rayner admitted to underpaying stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove and referred herself for investigation by the PM's standards adviser. James is joined by Faisal Islam, Economics Editor, and Chris Mason, Political Editor, to discuss the deputy prime minister’s explanation of her family and tax arrangements, the reaction in parliament, and the inquiry she now faces. Plus, Rachel...

Today, we look ahead to the unprecedented meeting between Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un happening on Wednesday, the first time the three of them have ever met in public. It’s happening off the back of a summit in China, where Beijing hosted leaders from over 20 non-Western countries. Why are they meeting and what does it mean for the West? James speaks to BBC diplomatic correspondent...

Today, as parliament returns Keir Starmer has reshuffled his Downing Street team once again. What has prompted another change at Number 10? What does this mean for Rachel Reeves as Chancellor? And, why are so many people talking about flags? James and Chris are joined by 5 Live presenter Matt Chorley after he interviewed the Prime Minister, to discuss all this, plus, new changes to the asylum syst...

On this episode of Old Newscast, we look at how the downfall of Margaret Thatcher as prime minister changed British politics. Jim Naughtie, BBC special correspondent, joins Adam with Caroline Slocock, who was Thatcher’s private secretary. They talk about how it affected the Conservative government that followed, how she might have influenced Tony Blair, and the toll the episode took on her. You ca...

On this episode of Old Newscast, we look at the day that Margaret Thatcher announced she would stand down as prime minister, 22 November 1990. Jim Naughtie, BBC special correspondent joins Adam with Caroline Slocock, who was Thatcher’s private secretary. They go through how the day unfolded publicly and behind the scenes, and what led to the decision. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart spea...

With politicians returning to Westminster on Monday we look back at the summer and ahead to the challenges awaiting them. Adam is joined by political correspondent Joe Pike, and director of the Institute for Government Hannah White, to discuss Reform UK’s attempt to fill the summer recess void, the prime minister’s latest reshuffle of his top advisers and the fiscal challenges facing Rachel Reeves...

Today, we discuss the US Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook suing President Donald Trump after he attempted to fire her. President Trump claims she made false statements on her mortgage, and says he has the authority to remove her. Cook has said there is "no cause exists under the law" to sack her. At the same time Trump is in another public dispute with the director of the US Centers for Disease...

Today, President Trump prepares to host a meeting about what happens next for Gaza city but - aside from Special Envoy Steve Witkoff promising a ‘comprehensive’ plan for what happens to Gaza - isn’t sharing many details. Adam is joined by James Landale, Diplomatic Correspondent for BBC News and Caitriona Perry, Chief Presenter BBC News in Washington, to unpack three stories from the Trump administ...

Today, Reform UK has set out a five-year plan to detain and deport all migrants who arrive in the UK without permission and suggested 600,000 people could be sent back over five years. Under the plan, named Operation Restoring Justice, Reform UK would bar anyone who comes to the UK on small boats from claiming asylum, and strike deals with countries to return those people. The proposals could face...