Coffee House Shots

While Labour are shuffling people round yet again and the DUP are getting ready to welcome in their third leader in less than a month, a new report seems to show that in education, the group seemingly most negatively effected by the idea of 'white privilege' are white, working class children. Katy Balls discusses the day's events with Isabel Hardman, James Forsyth and a special appearance from Fra...

With the Conservatives still taking stock after their loss in the recent by-election, it seems the governments ambitions for planning reform are now firmly under the microscope. And on what would have been 'freedom day', there are reports that the powers at be don't think they'll have to extend restrictions again (we've heard that one before). Isabel Hardman is joined by James Forsyth and Katy Bal...

Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's interview shows. Today's guests included John Bercow, Robert Buckland, Andy Burnham, Sir Ed Davey and Steve Reed.  Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts . Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on...

The surprise result of Friday's Chesham and Amersham by-election has led to questions over why the Conservative lost just so badly - and why no one saw it coming. On today's Coffee House Shots, Conservative Home's Paul Goodman warns against over-reading the situation: 'When it comes to by-elections, the golden rule should be, why not presume that voters will kick the establishment? ...  I really t...

In a political upset the Liberal Democrats have won the by-election in  Chesham and Amersham in a massive poll swing from the Tories. And in other political the new DUP leader Edwin Poots has resigned, leaving his party to figure out what to do next. To dissect what happened, Cindy Yu is joined by James Forsyth and Katy Balls.  Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adv...

New DUP leader Edwin Poots faces his first challenge today as he tries to push through a controversial candidate for First Minister. How much trouble is the party in, just weeks after the ousting of Arlene Foster? Isabel Hardman talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more...

Another day another Dom Bomb. In Cummings latest release, a number of WhatsApp messages reveal communications between himself and the Prime Minister, with the latter describing the health secretary Matt Hancock's performance as 'fucking hopeless'. To discuss the new revelations and its potential fallout Katy Balls is joined by James Forsyth, Isabel Hardman with a surprise appearance by Fraser Nels...

The government has agreed its first post-Brexit bespoke trade deal. But the agreement with Australia has already caused consternation among Conservative MPs about the potential competition from Australian farmers. Are these fears overstated? Isabel Hardman talks to James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adf...

It seems Freedom Day is no longer June 21st. The writing was clearly on the wall this morning, but now the Prime Minister has officially told the public, it is likely to be another four weeks of restrictions. But after so many backtracks how much credibility does Boris have left? Katy Balls is joined by James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman to discuss. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this...

Boris Johnson is expected to announce a delay to reopening later today. How will the Prime Minister make his case, and will his backbenchers support him? Separately, world leaders bumped elbows over the weekend at the G7 summit in Cornwall. What came out of the conference, and is the unanimity on the biggest challenges facing the West? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth. Become a Spec...

Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's political shows. Featured today are Dominic Raab, Gordon Brown, Emily Thornberry, Micheál Martin and Professor Andrew Hayward. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts . Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Ho...

On Monday, the Prime Minister will announce whether the 21 June unlocking is to go ahead. Because of the increased transmissibility of the Indian Covid variant, cases in the UK are continuing to rise. Does it make sense to wait for data to confirm that the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths has been broken, or should we confidently reopen? Fraser Nelson, Katy Balls, Kate Andrews and C...

As the G7 rolls on and the world leaders learn where their peers stand on certain issues post Covid, the wealthy western nations need to decide how best to help vaccinate the world's poorer countries without risking their own rollouts at home. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to...

The long-anticipated G7 meeting in Cornwall has got off to a rocky start today, as it transpired that the US had lodged a 'demarché' - a diplomatic ultimatum - with David Frost, earlier in the week, over the UK's position on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Could tensions spill over? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without ad...

Today, talks between David Frost and the EU's negotiator Maroš Šefčovič ended with little agreement about how to move forward on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Isabel Hardman talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth about what this means, and what Joe Biden might say when he lands in the UK later this week. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co...

Though the amendment on foreign aid was not selected by the Speaker yesterday, the row over the budget cut is not over yet. Today MPs will have an emergency debate about the policy, and Lindsey Hoyle has advised that the government should bring the matter in front of the House in the future. This is just one of a number of things bothering Tory MPs at the moment - is there a pattern here of rebell...

After the government cut the UK's foreign aid budget a group of rebellious Tory MPs bound together to try and reverse the decision, will it come to a head this week? And has the culture war spread to cricket after the suspension of Ollie Robinson for decade old racist remarks? And with Portugal moving to the amber list, just how limited will the options be for our summer holidays? Cindy Yu talks w...

Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday;s political programmes. Interviewees today include Matt Hancock, Lisa Nandy, Kate Green, Tony Blair and Sir Bob Geldof. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts . Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on A...

As China changes its two child policy to a three child policy over fears of population decline, the west is also having to regularly change its approach towards the world's next superpower. John Connolly talks to James Forsyth and Cindy Yu about our precarious relationship with China. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find o...

With the G7 looming the range of subjects on the agenda is vast. One of the first items up is the proposal of a global corporate tax rate which President Joe Biden has already endorsed. But how will the first meeting of Boris and Biden go and is possible the G7 could become the G10?  Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss with Cindy Yu their thoughts on what to expect.  Become a Spectator subscriber...

It's been a stressful day for those who've booked foreign holidays, as the government updated the latest countries on its various coloured travel lists. No new countries were added to the green list, but some were moved to amber. On the podcast, Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss with Cindy Yu how this decision is down to a desire to prioritise domestic reopening to liberalisation of our borders...

The government's education tsar Kevan Collins resigned this afternoon, saying that the £1.4 billion pledged by the government for schools is only a tenth of what is needed. Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about who will take the flack. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcas...

Now officially in June, the significance of the 21st seems even greater for the country, but with the Indian variant still on the rise how safe is the date? And a glorious weekend of weather for the Prime Minister's secret nuptials, but what does this wedding mean for the warring factions that circle No. 10? And finally Keir Starmer sits down with Piers Morgan tonight, will this interview be the t...

Isabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's political interviews. Guests today included Nadhim Zadhawi, Mike Padgham, Edwin Poots, Maroš Šefčovič, Franak Viačorka and Carl Bildt.  Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts . Contact us: podcast@spectator...

This week Edwin Poots was formally endorsed as the DUP's new leader, in a meeting which Arlene Foster, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (Poots's rival in the leadership campaign) and other senior DUP politicians walked out of before Poots gave a speech. What does the future hold for the divided political party that held so much sway in Westminster during the Brexit process? Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth...