Armando Iannucci: Westminster Reimagined | a New Statesman podcast

Armando and Anoosh delve into the inner workings of British political reporting, exploring the complex world of the Lobby, the blurred relationships that many political journalists and politicians balance - trading access and trust, - and how this landscape has been evolving over the past few years with the rise of digital and alternative media.  To do this they are joined by Ash Sarkar, seni...

Thurrock is suffering major cuts to all its council services after it went effectively bankrupt last December, after hundreds of millions of pounds were put into risky investments that didn’t pay off. One of the services to be gravely affected by the cuts is a place called “Thameside”, an arts complex, described locally as a “mini Barbican”, which houses a theatre, library, archive and museum. Pla...

Is democracy slipping away from us? How protected are we by our constitution? And do governments have the power to swiftly change this? In June, in front of a live audience, Armando and Anoosh were joined by Simon Woolley, founder and director of Operation Black Vote and Principal of Homerton College, Cambridge, and Graham Smith, CEO of the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic. This episode was r...

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the  New Statesman Podcast  to co-host our fourth series of  Westminster Reimagined . In this episode, which was recorded in the summer of 2023, Armando and Anoosh visit a group of sixth form students who will be voting for the first time in the upcoming general election. They want to know what how politics is tau...

The writer, satirist and broadcaster Armando Iannucci returns to the  New Statesman Podcast  to co-host our fourth series of  Westminster Reimagined . Across this season he is joined by co-host Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, to explores parts of British public life he believes to be broken, and is joined by guests from inside and outside Westminster...

Our democracy is parliamentary. Why do so many Prime Minsters want to be presidential? Alistair Campbell and Catherine Haddon of the Institute for Government join Armando and Anoosh for the final episode of season three, to discuss whether presidential-style politics is a new thing, or if prime ministers have always wanted more power. They explore the impact of the Boris Johnson era and the underr...

Leave meant leave. Brexit meant Brexit. Brexit "got done". But can Brexit work? Armando and Anoosh meet two brothers, both entrepreneurs, divided by Brexit. The family rift encapsulates the divisions between Leave and Remain camps that continue to impact British politics. Can the Baxter brothers, and the UK, come together and unite after years of division? Guests Ian Baxter is founder and chair of...

The truth is dead. Can politics survive? Armando and Anoosh speak to journalist James Ball and political campaigner Mae Dobbs to explore the impact of misinformation and disinformation, and also meet a former BBC executive, Pat Younge, to discuss how the broadcaster could do more to tackle a culture of lying among politicians. Guests Mae Dobbs is a digital campaign strategist who worked on the pre...

The Tories promised to fix "broken Britain" - but they've just made it worse. Unions are striking, the NHS is buckling, and volunteers are increasingly stepping in to provide vital services after funding cuts. How can Britain carry on like this? Armando and Anoosh meet two local activists providing volunteer community services to understand the view from the front line of community work, and explo...

The US and the UK: divided by a common language, or united in chaos? Armando and Anoosh speak to the American satirist and broadcaster Jon Stewart, and the journalist Sam Walker to compare US and UK politics. They discuss whether the chaos and division of US political life is a warning for the UK, and whether discourse in Britain is heading in a similar direction. Guests Jon Stewart is one of the...

Britain has one of the most unequal economies in Europe. In the UK, the rich are richer and the poor are poorer than in other European countries. The income gap is the largest it has been in ten years, food-bank use has doubled since 2014 and nearly a third of low-income families are unable to heat their homes; meanwhile the richest 1 per cent of households in the UK are worth £3.6 million each.&n...

Underhand, "bullying", quid-pro-quo... are whips helping run the country, or turning politics into a game of political point-scoring? Armando and Anoosh are joined by playwright James Graham and professor of politics Chris Hanretty to discuss the whipping operation in parliament - and whether blowing the whistle on whips' tactics will actually change anything for the better. Guests James Graham is...

Do political "tribes" still matter, or do voters pick-and-mix their political preferences? Armando and Ailbhe Rea are joined by the legendary polling expert, John Curtice, and former Labour defector Shaun Woodward, to explore the importance of demographics in understanding voting intention and whether identity politics really does sway voters. Guests John Curtice is professor of politics at Strath...

Britain doesn't have a written constitution. Is it time we did? Armando and Anoosh are joined by former attorney general Dominic Grieve and the head of UCL's Constitution Unit, Meg Russell, to discuss Britain's "ramshackle" constitution - and whether democracy can continue to thrive in Westminster after Brexit without a codified system of government. Guests Dominic Grieve is a barrister and former...

Does change happen because of politicians, or despite them? Armando and Anoosh speak to two campaigners addressing issues of inequality to discuss whether it's people or politicians who change public opinion - and whether activists are letting the government off the hook. Guests Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah launched her grass roots campaign to improve London's air quality after her daughter became t...

Archaic, exclusive and impenetrable - is there any way parliament can be dragged into the 21st century? Anum Qaisar - at the time of recording the SNPs newest Westminster MP - and Emma Crewe, professor of anthropology at SOAS, join Armando and Ailbhe Rea to explore what’s prevented parliament from evolving into a modern, 21st-century legislature and why it’s still a tough place for MPs from non-tr...

Why do we find it so hard to disagree without hating each other? Former Conservative minister Anna Soubry and self-proclaimed "radical social democrat" Paul Mason join Armando and Ailbhe Rea to explore whether there could ever be a pact between the centre and the left, and why it seems much harder to debate agreeably than ever before. Guests Anna Soubry is a former Conservative minister and vocal...

Is Westminster's political power fading? Anoosh and Armando are joined by actor and director Chris Addison and former independent parliamentary candidate Claire Wright to discuss the distribution of political influence in the parliamentary system, whether it's possible to influence politics at a local level without buying in to a central party line, and why so many MPs start out as SpAds. Guests C...

Making lasting change - is it easier from inside Westminster, or through public protest and activism? Armando Iannucci and Stephen Bush are joined by Louise Casey, the UK government's former homelessness tsar, and Paul Stephens of Extinction Rebellion to discuss how you make change happen within and without the British political system. Guests Louise Casey, Baroness Casey of Blackstock, DBE, has b...

The British government has no shame. How can we hold politicians to account? Ian Hislop (Private Eye, Have I Got News For You) and Jill Rutter (former senior civil servant) join Armando Iannucci and Anoosh Chakelian to discuss political scandal, resignations, and accountability in politics. This episode was originally published in the New Statesman Podcast on 26 July, 2021. Listen to the New State...