Politics At Sam and Anne's

MPs may be on recess - but as the Iran war enters its fifth week should Whitehall ramp up contingency planning for its impact at home? With the Strait of Hormuz still shut and reports of a potential U.S. ground invasion the Prime Minister will host a roundtable with key stakeholders from industry to discuss the ongoing impacts. Elsewhere, Labour launch its local elections campaign, and the duo loo...

The Iran conflict may be dominating the headlines, but it’s the unintended consequences back home that are bothering the Prime Minister. With Tehran rejecting Donald Trump’s 15-point peace plan, will the government be forced to step up contingency planning to cover issues as diverse as fertiliser, fuel costs and even helium production? Sir Keir Starmer is in Finland for a military summit – so Sam...

How does the government plan for making sure the country has enough fuel without accidentally triggering a change in public behaviour which causes shortages? Sam and Anne discuss that tightrope this morning. Ministers will be frustrated by comments from the CEO of Shell about ‘ripple effects’ from the Iran war. The UK says supplies are solid, but it’ll be looking at different approaches being take...

Does Donald Trump always chicken out or is Keir Starmer in the dark about what is going to happen next in the Middle East? The U.S. President has paused military action in Iran for five days, but pressure remains on the government to support those struggling with energy bills. Sam and Anne unpack a turbulent 24 hours for the Prime Minister - examining how far the Chancellor can go to help those in...

As oil prices climb again – with neither the U.S. nor Iran backing down over the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz – what can the Prime Minister do to ease the economic strain? Later today Keir Starmer will convene an emergency COBR meeting to assess the cost-of-living impacts of the Iran war and consider if the government can further support households with a potential energy crisis looming. Sam...

After a targeted attack on Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms, has Angela Rayner forced another climbdown from the Starmer premiership? Rayner allies are eyeing her return to frontline politics before the May elections – will Rachel Reeves be her next target? And does the Prime Minister really need his former deputy’s support? Sam and Anne consider all the factors and assess how credible a Rayn...

With a full-on pointed and personal attack at the Prime Minister – is Angela Rayner beginning to position herself for something bigger? The former deputy prime minister ramped up the rhetoric – claiming that the future of the Labour party was at stake if mistakes continued and that certain reforms were “un-British.” Sam and Anne pore over her explosive comments, assessing what an ‘Ange-Britain’ co...

Global insecurity and transatlantic tensions dominate the agenda for Keir Starmer - but is the UK about to edge closer to the EU? Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver a speech on plans to deepen the ties with the European Union, as Donald Trump ramps up the rhetoric on Britain’s limited involvement in the Iran war. But - with oil and gas supplies under pressure - how long can the Prime Minister h...

The U.S. President is pilling the pressure on the UK to back his war in Iran – but how long can Keir Starmer hold his nerve? Barrels of oil remain above $100, and the Straits of Hormuz remain shut - all as Donald Trump casts doubt on the future of NATO for nations not co-operating with him. Ahead of a key PM speech later today, Sam and Anne examine the diplomatic fallout and assess how Starmer wil...

The release of the Mandelson files, war in the Middle East and a fresh cost-of-living crisis are all causing turmoil for the Prime Minister – but strangely, are they also doing him a favour? The fallout from the first details of Peter Mandelson’s departure from Washington have already exposed the cracks between Keir Starmer and some advisors. With thousands more emails, messages and WhatsApps to c...

The first wave of files relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador get released today. Not only will we see emails, WhatsApps and minutes about the due diligence, any comments about the US president himself will also be there for us all to see. Sam and Anne discuss the potential consequences. Peter Mandelson denies any wrongdoing, including misconduct in public office. He has apolo...

The government, like the rest of us, is trying to work out where it stands this morning after Donald Trump swung from hitting Iran ‘twenty times harder’ to ending the war ‘very soon’. If Trump’s got things to boiling point and now looking for an offramp – how will that make the UK response look? Sam and Anne pick up on what they’re hearing about relations between the PM and his defence chiefs. Bac...

As Iran names its new supreme leader oil prices skyrocket, sending shockwaves across the global economy – but how will the UK government deal with the issue? President Trump claims the surge is a “small price to pay” for peace - but as G7 finance leaders hold an emergency meeting later today can they find ways to limit the damage? Sam and Anne discuss the steps Keir Starmer can take to reassure th...

As the war in the Middle East enters its sixth day, questions remain over the Prime Minister’s stance – but did a cabinet revolt shape the UK’s response? Reports suggest Keir Starmer was in favour of granting the US access to UK military bases sooner, but was overruled by an alliance of Yvette Cooper, Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Lord Hermer. Sam and Anne unpack the power dynamics at the top of...

“This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with here” - the words of Donald Trump as he attacks Keir Starmer over the UK’s approach to the Iran war - but does this mark a new low for the transatlantic relationship? As the conflict in the Middle East rages on, the UK deploy military hardware to Cyprus to protect its assets, is this a further sign the UK is being dragged into the war? Sam and Ann...

The Chancellor has been on her feet in the Commons – the backdrop? The momentous conflict unfolding in the Middle East - so was it a “non-event” that dated almost immediately? Or did the Spring forecast give us clues to the direction of the government? Rachel Reeves reiterated that her economic plan was “the right plan” but have the government made certain assumptions and do the OBR agree with the...

Its Spring Forecast day but as the war continues across the Middle East – is the special relationship now under threat? Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and U.S. President, Donald Trump, trade blows on the legality of the military action but is Britain military and economically ready for what’s to come? Sam and Anne look at all options on the table and assess whether this could impact the Spring Fore...

After a weekend of destabilisation and tension across the Middle East, the UK allows the U.S. to use its military bases for attacks in Iran – but what challenges do the government face? The U.S. President says he will continue bombings on Iran until “all objectives are met” posing problems for Keir Starmer with thousands of Brits stuck in the region and hundreds of oil tankers dropping anchor arou...

The plumber come politician – Hannah Spencer – claims a seismic and historic win for the Greens at the Gorton and Denton by-election but, where does this leave the Keir Starmer project? Sam and Anne examine what this means for the Prime Minister, who will be left soul searching after a massive collapse in their vote within the Manchester suburb. The duo also consider: Is the Labour vote bleeding f...

After months of heated and passionate debate across the country and in the Houses of Parliament, is the assisted dying bill about to fall? Sam exclusively reveals that the government will not give additional time for the bill in the Lords – leaving little time to get it through before the end of the parliamentary session. Ahead of the spring forecast, the duo pore over policy areas pushing for fur...

With under 24 hours to go until the polls open in Gorton and Denton, is this by-election the biggest test facing Sir Keir Starmer’s government? Sam has been in the Manchester suburb - hearing from the political big hitters and gathering reaction from voters across the constituency – finding out their priorities and whether Andy Burnham could have made a difference. Back in Westminster, are the Met...

Peter Mandelson is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, a seismic moment in British politics - but will the pain of Epstein files continue to haunt Keir Starmer’s government over the coming days, weeks and months? With an active police investigation and limited scope of what he can reveal, the Prime Minister will face tough questions over his decision to appoint Mr Mandelson as th...

A royal arrest and a new cabinet secretary welcome the Prime Minister back from recess week but with a crucial by-election and significant white paper on special educational needs, can the government get things back on track? Sam and Anne examine the details of SEND white paper in England, looking at the challenges facing the reforms and whether the system, and its costs, are spiralling out of con...

In a special recess week edition of Politics at Sam and Anne, the pair look at who could replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. Anne – who's in Munich – tells Sam how the Europeans view the Starmer government and if his vision of closer ties with Europe aligns with his EU counterparts. Back home, is the Peter Mandelson affair ramping up with a possible police interview under caution within the ne...

As the parliamentary recess approaches, questions are still being asked about the PM’s judgement – but will the break give him a chance for yet another reset? After a further week of jeopardy for the Starmer premiership, Sam has the inside view from Downing Street following several senior departures from No10. The pair also consider just how close the Prime Minister was to standing down – and what...