The Guardian

Politics Weekly UK

News EN ↓ 297 episodes

Guardian columnist John Harris, political editor Pippa Crerar, and policy editor Kiran Stacey analyse the week's politics news

Author

The Guardian

Category

News

Podcast website

www.theguardian.com

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

The Spring Budget: more cuts to come? – Politics Weekly UK 06.03.2024

The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by the former Conservative chief secretary to the Treasury David Gauke and the economist and Labour candidate Miatta Fahnbulleh to go through today’s budget announcements. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

The Guardian’s new podcast series about AI: Black Box – prologue 02.03.2024

We wanted to bring you this episode from our new series, Black Box. In it, Michael Safi explores seven stories and the thread that ties them together: artificial intelligence. In this prologue, Hannah (not her real name) has met Noah and he has changed her life for the better. So why does she have concerns about him? If you like what you hear, make sure to search and subscribe to Black Box, with n...

Lee Anderson and Tory Islamophobia – Politics Weekly UK 29.02.2024

Anderson, a former deputy chair of the Conservative party, has refused to apologise for his comments about the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. But with the Tories refusing to call his remarks Islamophobic, how deep does the problem go? The Guardian’s John Harris talks to the Conservative peer Gavin Barwell and Miqdaad Versi from the Muslim Council of Britain. Help support our independent journalism a...

Westminster’s Gaza disgrace – Politics Weekly UK 22.02.2024

House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle made a dramatic apology today for his handling of a Gaza ceasefire vote that sent the commons into chaos. The Guardian’s John Harris spent the day in Westminster speaking to protestors, Labour MP Rachael Maskell, and the Guardian’ political correspondent Kiran Stacey.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Antisemitism row engulfs Labour – Politics Weekly UK 14.02.2024

Two prospective Labour candidates have been embroiled in an antisemitism row this week with Keir Starmer facing sharp criticism for his leadership of the party. The Guardian’s Kiran Stacey speaks to our political correspondent Eleni Courea about the fallout. Plus, Kiran is joined by the Guardian’s economics editor, Larry Elliott, to find out what inflation means for our pockets and if we are headi...

Wellingborough: where faith in politics is fading – Politics Weekly UK 08.02.2024

Politics Weekly UK is in Wellingborough in the run-up to the byelection to replace the Conservative MP Peter Bone. John Harris speaks to local groups helping to deal with knife crime and the closure of youth centres, and meets Ben Habib, the co-deputy leader of Reform UK. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Stormont returns? And Tory plotters strike again – Politics Weekly UK 01.02.2024

After nearly two years without a government, could power sharing in Northern Ireland finally be back? And, another week, another Tory faction plotting to overthrow the prime minister. The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by our political editor, Pippa Crerar, and the Spectator’s Katy Balls, to ask how much longer Rishi Sunak can stay afloat. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.c...

Why are councils going bankrupt? – Politics Weekly UK 25.01.2024

The government has an announced an extra £500million to help local councils in England. After years of squeezed budgets, many are facing bankruptcy. What can be done to prevent more from tipping over? The Guardian’s John Harris hears from Bill Revans, the leader of Somerset council, the Guardian’s social policy editor, Patrick Butler, and the Labour candidate for Peckham, Miatta Fahnbulleh. Help s...

Middle East conflicts and the Rwanda bill – Politics Weekly UK podcast 18.01.2024

As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, this week John Harris speaks to Niku Jafarnia of Human Rights Watch about the regional conflicts. The Rwanda bill passed its third reading and Pippa Crerar, the Guardian’s political editor, reveals what happened behind the scenes. And the former No 10 adviser Gavin Barwell talks about the increasingly vicious struggles within the Conservative party....

The Post Office scandal – Politics Weekly UK 11.01.2024

The government has announced it will introduce legislation to exonerate the many hundreds of postal workers affected by the Post Office Horizon software scandal. So is the only way to turn the government’s head to an issue to make a TV drama about it? The Guardian’s John Harris speaks to former postal worker Chris Head about the impact it had on him, and columnist Gaby Hinsliff about what this tel...

Revisited… Keir Starmer’s Labour: hope or despair? – Politics Weekly UK podcast 04.01.2024

Politics Weekly UK is taking a break. So this week John Harris revisits a conversation with the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and political reporter Aletha Adu about what a Labour government would look like and why it feels like Keir Starmer has a lot of convincing to do. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Review of the year: looking back at 2023 – Politics Weekly UK 20.12.2023

It’s been another year of political high drama, division and chaos. The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by political editor Pippa Crerar and columnist Gaby Hinsliff to look back at the last 12 months and predict what might be coming in 2024. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

The Rwanda bill: what next for Rishi Sunak? – Politics Weekly UK 13.12.2023

The government’s landmark Rwanda bill was voted through on Tuesday night. With the issue threatening to tear the Conservatives apart, the Guardian’s John Harris is joined by political correspondent Kiran Stacey and columnist Sonia Sodha to discuss the challenges facing the prime minister. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Rwanda bill and Boris at the Covid inquiry – Politics Weekly UK 07.12.2023

Rishi Sunak attempted to quash critics of his Rwanda plan with a surprise press conference today. Will it be enough to save him from his own party and electoral wipeout? And as Boris Johnson finishes two days of questioning at the Covid inquiry, did we learn anything? The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by columnists Rafael Behr and Gaby Hinsliff. Help support our independent journalism at thegua...

Good COP, Bad COP? – Politics Weekly UK 30.11.2023

Cop28 starts today in Dubai and its already shrouded in controversy. So what can leaders agree that will make a change to the planet? And in the UK how far away are we from a greener economy? The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by Green MP Caroline Lucas and former Conservative energy minister Chris Skidmore. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Autumn statement: the government hunts growth – Politics Weekly UK 22.11.2023

Jeremy Hunt’s much anticipated autumn statement promised tax cuts and getting people back to work. John Harris is joined by the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, and the former Treasury minister David Gauke, to assess what we heard Autumn statement 2023: key points at a glance OBR warns government finances face major headwinds until 2028. Help support our independent journalism at theguar...

Is the Tories' Rwanda deal dead? Politics Weekly UK 16.11.2023

The supreme court ruled on Wednesday that the government’s landmark Rwanda policy was unlawful. From Westminster, the Guardian’s Kiran Stacey and Patrick Wintour look at how consequential this could be for Rishi Sunak and his government. And our political correspondent Aletha Adu looks at how a Gaza ceasefire vote could divide the Labour party. Help support our independent journalism at theguardia...

Braverman sacked and Cameron is back! – Politics Weekly UK 13.11.2023

The former prime minister David Cameron has been appointed to the role of foreign secretary in Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle. The shock move will have taken the steam out of the prime minister sacking his controversial home secretary, Suella Braverman. But what are the wider implications? The Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff is joined by the former No 10 chief of staff Gavin Barwell to talk it through....

The king’s speech, Suella Braverman and ‘hate marches’|Politics Weekly UK 09.11.2023

Rishi Sunak set out his priorities for the year ahead in the king’s speech on Tuesday. But his home secretary, Suella Braverman, continues to grab the headlines with comments about the homeless and an awkward stand-off with the Met police over pro-Palestine marches. The Guardian’s Kiran Stacey speaks to former Conservative adviser Salma Shah and Guardian political correspondent Aletha Adu. Help su...

The Covid inquiry | Politics Weekly UK 02.11.2023

Besides the swearing, toxic workplace culture and misogyny, what have we learned from the Covid inquiry? Gaby Hinsliff talks to the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar. And our political correspondent Kiran Stacey tells us how significant the government’s first artificial intelligence summit will be. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Israel’s row with the UN – Politics Weekly UK podcast 26.10.2023

Israel vowed to ‘teach the UN a lesson’ in reaction to a speech given by the UN’s secretary general, António Guterres. The Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff is joined by the paper’s defence and security editor, Dan Sabbagh, to discuss what this could mean for the conflict, and Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty talks about the growing row in Labour over Keir Starmer’s stance on Israel’s military strate...

Gaza, Israel and the west’s response – Politics Weekly UK 19.10.2023

With the world watching in horror as a hospital in Gaza was hit, is this a turning point for Israel and Palestine? The Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff hears from Médecins Sans Frontières, and talks to the Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland and the former Middle East minister Alistair Burt. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Labour conference: is Keir Starmer’s offer enough? – Politics Weekly UK podcast 10.10.2023

Keir Starmer has laid out his vision for a Labour party in power. The Guardian’s John Harris is at the conference in Liverpool, with the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, and columnist Polly Toynbee UK politics live – latest updates. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Rishi Sunak’s conference speech – Politics Weekly UK podcast 04.10.2023

Rishi Sunak has confirmed the Manchester leg of HS2 will be scrapped and replaced with transport projects in the Midlands and the north. But with the Conservative conference dominated this week by Priti Patel dancing with Nigel Farage, Liz Truss being treated like a rock star and endless tributes to GB News, has the Conservative party been taken over by rightwing populism? The Guardian’s John Harr...

Suella Braverman and HS2 – Politics Weekly UK 28.09.2023

Suella Braverman has grabbed headlines yet again, this time with her speech saying the west faces an ‘existential threat’ from immigration. And after more than a decade could HS2 finally be running out of road? The Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff is joined by political correspondent Kiran Stacey and North of England editor Helen Pidd. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

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