Talking Politics

Pressure is mounting on US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, after the Repbulican’s disastrous midterms results. Vice President JD Vance has blamed the losses of both houses of Congress on the Iran War, which has drastically driven up the cost of living in the US. President Trump is so far sticking by Hegseth but Tom Bradby and Jessica Taylor from The Cook Political Report discuss how long that will...

Donald Trump's Republican Party has suffered a crushing defeat in the midterms - losing power of both houses of Congress. Previously die-hard Trump states like Texas, South Carolina and Kansas have turned against his party. Tom Bradby, Correspondent Robert Moore and Jessica Taylor from The Cook Political Report discuss the President's next move. Trump has admitted that the Iran war and its impact...

Investigations Editor Daniel Hewitt was given exclusive access to Andy Burnham during his first 100 days as Prime Minister. Having interviewed him many times over the years, Daniel joins Julie Etchingham and Robert Peston to reveal what he's learned about the man behind the office - including some surprising similarities to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and former Conservative Prime Minister Boris...

The Chancellor John Healey has delivered this year's budget pledging to put £100 in the pockets of millions of people to help with energy bills as well as well as aiming to provide the “breathing space” businesses and families needed. On today's episode of Talking Politics Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are joined by Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks and Economics Editor Joel Hills to react to t...

In the week of his first Budget as PM, Andy Burnham has reignited the debate over freedom of movement with the EU, arguing that an “honest discussion” is needed about how immigration has changed since Brexit. On today’s episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston examine Burnham’s case for freedom of movement, the economic arguments for closer ties, and whether the debate risks reign...

Nigel Farage has responded to revelations of racism and sexism in Reform UK for the first time since the year-long ITV Exposure investigation aired on Sunday (18th Oct) in full. Speaking to reporters at a rally in Plymouth, the Reform UK leader said some of the comments were "appalling", but insisted there was a “snobbery” in the response to the film. On this week’s episode of Talking Politics, Ro...

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston assess the implications for Reform UK, after elected officials and election candidates for the party were filmed expressing racist and sexist views in an ITV Exposure undercover investigation. They assess the initial response by Deputy Leader Richard Tice and the future of Nigel Farage, as well as how damaging the revelations could be for the party, given its previous...

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss the Green Party's passing of a 'Zionism is racism' policy at its conference. Greens leader Zack Polanksi did not vote on the policy and having avoided interviews since, what does it mean for his future? Party members also voted in favour of the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”. T...

Robert Peston and Julie Etchingham react to Andy Burnham's first Labour Conference speech as Prime Minister. Robert breaks down the announcement that Labour will drop the triple-lock on pensions if it wins the next election, including whether it will be enough to fund a new national social care service. Stood right at the front in the hall, Robert also explains what happened when the Prime Ministe...

Robert Peston and Julie Etchingham break down John Healey's first Labour Party conference as chancellor. Amongst some stage managed applause for comments on welfare and plenty of praise for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the Chancellor also talked up British industry - following an announcement of £6 billion for Britain's shipyards. But Robert questions whether all the contracts will definitely go t...

Burnham appeared to make it through his crucial first meeting with Trump unscathed, but is the people-pleaser PM prepared to stand up to the President? On this week’s Talking Politics, Tom and Robert are joined by Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks, hot off the prime minister’s plane back from New York. Romilly tells us how she managed to catch Trump’s eye to ask him a question, and reveals the...

Could AI really 'kill us all' by the end of the decade? That was the claim of a resigning researcher at AI giant Anthropic, which has caught the world's attention. Jacob Coxon said Anthropic, the company behind AI assistant Claude, was "racing straight to self-improving superintelligence" and "gambling" with the lives of humanity as a result. So are the explosive claims and others like it genuine...

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has announced counter sanctions following the UK government's decision to ban imports from illegal settlements in the West Bank. On Talking Politics, Robert Peston and Daniel Hewitt discuss the timing of the decision, whether it has been driven by Labour Party politics and if it will actually help keep the possiblity of a two-state solution for Israel and Pal...

The autumn Budget is looming, but rising borrowing costs could already be eating into Andy Burnham’s financial headroom. With the money available to deliver the 'radical' agenda he promised shrinking, the new PM and his Chancellor face tough choices: tax rises or spending cuts. Can Burnham make those difficult choices and take on some of Labour’s most politically sensitive commitments, including t...

Andy Burnham has only been prime minister for a little over two weeks - but has already made an impression with his very different style of leadership to Sir Keir Starmer and raft of policies relating to the cost of living, social care, and more. He appears to have initially benefited from a bounce in the opinion polls, leading to some speculation about whether he will call an early general electi...

Andy Burnham has kicked off his 'cost of living' government with a flurry of announcements - starting with removing VAT from household energy bills and restoring the £2 cap on bus fares in England. But he has already rowed back on a potential rise in the tax-free personal allowance. On Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston ask whether support is really being targeted towards those who mos...

Andy Burnham is finally Prime Minister - so from bus fares to energy bills, what could it mean for you? Could a rise in the top rate of tax be on the cards, despite Labour's manifesto commitment? On Talking Politics, Robert Peston and Tom Bradby discuss what he can to do to address the top priority of making life more affordable for people up and down the country.

Andy Burnham is just days from entering Number 10 - but what do we know about who will be in his top team? In Talking Politics this week, Tom and Robert discuss who would be the best pick for Chancellor, and whether Ed Miliband’s Treasury dreams are over. They break down what the handover of power will look like over the next few days, and how it could be impacted by the World Cup… Tom and Robert...

Nigel Farage has sent shockwaves through Westminster as he announced he would stand down as an MP but then contest the seat at the by-election. Is it all a stunt to distract from scrutiny over his financial support as opposition parties say? On this weeks’ Talking Politics, Robert is joined by ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Horton to discuss what this means for Farage’s political future. L...

Andy Burnham is headed for Downing Street and could be Prime Minister in just three weeks. But can he really deliver his bold vision without putting up taxes? In this episode of Talking Politics, Robert is joined by Harry Horton, fresh from Burnham's major speech in Manchester, to unpack his economic blueprint. From the promise to build more council homes to bringing essential services like energy...

Andy Burnham is on track to become Britain’s next prime minister, but we don’t yet know who he’ll pick as chancellor. Could it be Ed Miliband, or would he spook the markets? Perhaps Yvette Cooper is a safe pair of hands, or could Wes Streeting get the keys to Number 11 despite his “brazen disloyalty” to his last boss? On this week’s Talking Politics, Tom and Robert ask what a Burnham government co...

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are in Downing Street to discuss Keir Starmer's resignation, after he set a timetable for his departure as PM. Newly elected MP Andy Burnham has confirmed he will run to replace him as Labour leader. Tom and Robert break down what went so wrong for Starmer, less than two years after his landslide election win, and what obstacles could be in Burnham's way.

Andy Burnham’s big Makerfield by-election victory is set to reshape British politics as we know it. So what happens next? In this special Talking Politics episode, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are joined by Election Analyst Professor Jane Green from Nuffield College, University of Oxford, to answer the key questions. Is Britain now waking up to a new prime minister? What does the Labour vote share...

Ahead of one of history’s most consequential by-elections this week, Keir Starmer has revealed how he plans to persuade Andy Burnham not to launch a leadership challenge. In this week’s Talking Politics, Robert joins Tom from Evian in France where Starmer is meeting world leaders at the G7 summit - in what could be his last foreign trip as PM. As voters in Makerfield prepare to head to the polls o...

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss Defence Secretary John Healey's resignation, after a row with the prime minister over military spending, in which he accused Keir Starmer of making the country "less safe". He wrote to the PM to resign with "great regret and reluctance", citing disagreements about defence spending ahead of the release of the delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP). Tom and Robert...