In The Room

It’s hotting up in the bid to become Labour leader. Angela Rayner’s tax affairs are cleared up, Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary and Andy Burnham has found a route back to Westminster. But Keir Starmer is resolutely staying put – for now. Today, we analyse who really has the numbers, what the public thinks of all this and assess Andy Burnham’s chances of winning in Makerfield. Plus,...

Keir Starmer is still clinging to power. But when this morning’s 9:30am cabinet meeting began, that outcome looked far from certain. More than 81 MPs have now called for him to step down - the number required to trigger a leadership contest - but only if they unite behind a single challenger. For now, they remain split. And, in characteristically procedural style, Starmer has managed to buy himsel...

Labour is losing votes to the Greens and seats to Reform. Across England, Scotland and Wales, the electoral map is shifting in ways not seen for years. The foundations of the two-party system are looking more fragile than ever. In this bonus episode, we ask: are voters sending a message Westminster still isn’t hearing? What does history suggest about Starmer’s chances of staying in power? And what...

Local elections are often a stick used to beat the government with. That’s never been truer than in this Thursday’s contests. Across the country, voters are expected to desert Labour, exposing the real dividing lines in British politics that have been emerging since before the 2024 general election. In this week’s episode, we reveal whether Labour can survive a two-front battle against Reform and...

His own MPs are turning on him, the civil service are raging at him and, at next week’s local elections, the public will likely express their unhappiness too. All of this has made Keir Starmer’s job a lot harder. Today, we analyse how Starmer’s handling of the Mandelson vetting scandal has significantly weakened relations with the civil service, why putting a three-line whip on his own MPs is alwa...

Westminster watchers have had their popcorn out over the past 24 hours. On Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was grilled by MPs for two hours. A day later, Sir Olly Robbins, the sacked Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office, gave a meticulous account to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. The result: fresh doubts over Starmer’s handling of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambas...

There’s a new development in the Mandelson-Epstein-Starmer scandal – and as usual, it raises more questions over No. 10’s dealings than it answers. In this emergency broadcast Helen and Cleo break down the newest revelations about Mandelson’s failed security vetting: Why did the Foreign Office overrule it? How do these processes actually work? And could sacking Olly Robbins shape up to be Starmer’...

In the midst of the US-Iran war, Lord Robertson, former Labour defence secretary and NATO chief, didn’t hold back this week. With local elections looming, the Labour grandee stepped into the defence debate, warning the UK is “not safe” and “underprepared” for war. But how much of that falls on Starmer’s government - and how much is the result of years of neglect of Britain’s core military strength...

What happens inside government when the US President Donald Trump threatens to “destroy a whole civilisation”? As tensions spike following extraordinary comments from Donald Trump, former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, ex-advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, take you inside the rooms where officials scramble to respond to the unpredictable. From emergency calls with...

Whilst much of the country is enjoying a long Easter weekend, it’s far harder for MPs to switch off. And when they do, they might just end up getting lampooned for it. This week Keir Starmer was ridiculed for his 5-a-side prowess, while Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy faced criticism for posting a clip of herself dancing at a silent disco.  In the midst of the US Iran war and a deepen...

This week, as Blackrock big boss Larry Fink warned we could be heading for a global recession if the US Iran war continues, we discuss whether people should be prepping for what’s to come. From whether you should have a jerry can of fuel in your garage, to why you should be jotting down your favourite radio stations.  Helen and Cleo look back at Covid times, when loo roll was in short supply...

This week, as the war in the Middle East escalated, energy prices were soaring while the government scrambled to provide emergency support. Some £53million was announced by Ed Milliband, but is it really enough to help families who are struggling with the cost of living? In this episode we pull apart the UK’s cost of living malaise: Nigel Farage’s headline‑grabbing pledge to pay the energy bills o...

Last month, Parliament demanded the government release the Mandelson files. What followed was five long weeks of waiting. This week, the Prime Minister’s Chief Secretary, Darren Jones, finally stepped up to announce their release. So, what’s inside? A total of 147 pages: 10 pages of contents and introduction, 28 entirely blank pages, 30 pages of standard HR guidance. All filler, no killer? In this...

A week is a long time in politics. After a crushing by-election defeat last week, the Prime Minister was hoping for a quiet week to recalibrate. Instead, he got a new war. The US and Israel’s joint attack on Iran has set in motion a whole new set of pressures on his government; navigating the ‘Special Relationship’ with the US, confronting the long shadow of Iraq hanging over the Labour Party and...

The fallout from the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador isn’t going away. But it’s far from his only controversial hire. Former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former No. 10 special advisor, analyse Downing Street's hiring and firing crisis. They explain how hiding behind "process" is actively damaging Starmer’s ability to lead with inte...

What does it feel like to be inside Number 10 when the PM’s power is fading?  With pressure mounting for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to go, former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, ex-advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, reveal the sights, sounds - and even smells - that emerge when the foundations at 10 Downing Street start to shake. They also offer up some s...

Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work.  Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water?  Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest new...