The Politics Show

Thanks to Donald Trump and his dodgy formula, last week tariffs were applied to countries all over the world. Consequently, the stock markets had their worst downturn since the pandemic. And economists warned of a weakened dollar, trade wars, and global recession. The White House denied for days that the US would back down on the tariffs. Until yesterday, when Trump pressed pause on higher ta...

Rodrigo Duterte led a bloody war on drugs — now he faces The Hague. As the former Philippine president is brought closer to justice, what could his fall could mean for other powerful figures with ICC warrants, including Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu? Katie Stallard is joined by photojournalist Basilio Sepe and political scientist Kelebogile Zvobgo. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New State...

The women who loved Picasso shaped his art in surprising ways. -- YOUR NEXT EPISODE: Why we can't let go of Never Let Me Go -- "We look at paintings to imagine other worlds, other times. They are doors into an alternative, creative way of life." So writes Sue Roe in her latest book, Hidden Portraits: the Untold Story of Six Women Who loved Picasso.  And if there was ever an artist who opened...

As Putin wages a shadow war across the European continent—and the US commitment to NATO grows uncertain—we ask: would the West really defend the Baltic states if Russia advanced? Andrew Marr is joined by Oliver Moody, Berlin bureau chief for The Times and author of Baltic: The Future of Europe. Drawing on deep history, extensive reporting, and sobering military realities, Moody argues that Estonia...

Yesterday the US president Donald Trump unveiled his plans for his long trailed tariff liberation day. After a lengthy ‘speech’ about the cost of eggs and why the rest of the world wont buy American chicken and beef, Trump unveiled the quote unquote reciprocal tariffs the US will impose in the coming week. So do the figures add up? And what will these tariffs mean for the UK and for the global eco...

US President Donald Trump has his sights set on making Greenland part of the US, claiming the autonomous, self-governing territory of Denmark is essential "for national security and international security." However, the vast majority of Greenlanders have said they do not want to become part of the US. Denmark has also strongly opposed the suggestion. Despite this, the US President has continued to...

"Meet your heroes - it'll help you get over them" Kate Mossman is known for her singular, surprising and ultra-perceptive interviews - in which she often reveals more about her subjects than sometimes they appear to know themselves. And there is one breed of interview subject Kate has written about more than any other: the ageing male rock star. If anyone knows about meeting their heroes, it’s her...

How would it work? Can a state really find out how rich someone is? If Britain were to introduce serious wealth taxes, would the super rich simply leave? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by the political editor Andrew Marr and business editor Will Dunn to discuss the prospect of a wealth text, and the implications of the Houthi PC small group on Westminster's Whatsapp addiction. Read: Would a wealth tax...

Growth has halved, welfare has been cut, and defence is hoovering up more and more. Things are looking, and sounding, pretty grim for the Chancellor - and in yesterday's Spring Statement we learned what the fallout from this harsh economic reality will be. Rachel Cunliffe is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr and economist Ben Zaranko from the Institute for Fiscal Studies....

In today's Spring Statement Labour are having to make cuts - and welfare has been hit hard. Last week the health secretary Wes Streeting said that too many people were being written off work due to overdiagnosis. A statement which received considerable backlash. But what do we really mean by overdiagnosis? And how is it affecting public health? Hannah Barnes is joined by neurologist and author Suz...

Kazuo Ishiguro's most popular novel is as relevant today as when it was published 20 years ago. -- When it was published in 2005, Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go was acclaimed by critics and shortlisted for the Booker Prize.  Twenty years on – having been adapted for stage and screen and adopted as a set text for schools – it is Ishiguro’s most read work, and is considered a...

Are Labour on track for their target of 1.5million homes? What is NHS England? Why can't the Green's electrify the left in the same way that Reform has done for the right? What will the consequences be of cutting international aid? Hannah Barnes answers listener questions with the New Statesman's political editor, Andrew Marr, and associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe. Read: Labour’s housing...

The prospect of peace in Ukraine, Liz Kendall's welfare cut announcements, and while Kemi Badenoch flails as Conservative leader ... who's waiting around the corner for her job? Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss this week in Westminster and beyond. Read: A Labour welfare revolt is still brewing , Diane Abbott rails against Keir Starmer , What went wrong for Kemi...

Since Nato’s inception in 1949, the US has always formed a central part of the alliance and been the biggest contributor to its defensive strength. However, since his second term began, President Donald Trump has shifted the US’s allegiances towards Vladimir Putin’s Russia and away from Nato. Simultaneously, the US President has repeatedly criticised Europe’s defence spending and the continent’s r...

A fateful meeting at a village fête "tilted" the 20th Century "on its axis" So argues Ian Leslie in his new book, John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs. In the book, Leslie argues that The Beatles didn't just dominate pop culture - they redefined how we see ourselves. He reframes the relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney as a kind of love story, which shaped the second half of the 20t...

Given the Rupert Lowe drama, what does the future looks like for Reform and Farage? Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to answer listener questions about trouble in Reform land and where to watch in the upcoming local elections. Read: Inside the Reform civil war , Will the Farage-Lowe saga hurt Reform at the polls? , A Reform Labour showdown looms in the Runcorn by-election Si...

This morning the PM announced that the state is overstretched and unfocused. The solution? NHS England has been scrapped, quangos are to be slashed, and the civil service shrunk. Do we finally have a vision of Starmerism? Hannah Barnes is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and later in the episode by business editor Will Dunn to discuss Britain's work and benefits problem....

In recent weeks President Trump’s foreign policy pronouncements have been loud and abrasive. American allies watched in barely concealed dismay as the US president shouted at Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval office. Since then Trump has halted military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine and embarked on trade wars with Canada, Mexico, China - and perhaps next, the EU. In th...

Lady Gaga rewrote the rules of female pop stardom. Now she's back with a new album. Can she do it again? Kate Mossman reviewed Lady Gaga's latest album, Mayhem, for the New Statesman and joins Tom Gatti on the Culture podcast to discuss the changing face - and powerful influence - of pop music. Read Kate's review here: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music/2025/03/on-mayhem-lady-gaga-makes-a-...

 Could Farage’s lack of criticism of Trump damage Reform’s prospects in future UK elections? The team answer listener questions on Trump and Reform, the prospects of the Tories in the local elections, and the point of state visits. Read: The The strange rise of the pro-Russia right , Tories’ anti-Farage opportunity Sign up to the New Statesman's daily politics newsletter:  Morning Call &...

The politics team discuss Starmer's week on the world stage and whether he can be the pivotal bridge between Ukraine and the US, as well as the prospective welfare cuts which have been announced ahead of Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement. Hannah Barnes is joined by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and senior editor George Eaton. Listen: Europe’s battleground: war or peace? Read: Can...

Not even a week ago European countries were hailing the prospects of peace in Ukraine, but after a disastrous visit to the White House for President Zelensky, and the pause of aid from the US government - things have soured. In this episode we’re asking what role Europe can play in the future of Ukraine.  Kate Lamble is joined by Sam Greene and Hans Kundnani. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the N...

The rapid rise of generative AI has revolutionised creativity while also raising significant challenges. The rapid rise of generative AI has revolutionised creativity while also raising significant challenges. In this episode, we explore how responsible innovation can reduce misinformation's impact and protect creators.   Host Jon Bernstein is joined by Adobe’s Head of Policy and Government R...

Reflecting on the passing of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, award-winning author Andrey Kurkov has written the diary for this week’s New Statesman magazine. In this conversation, with Tom Gatti, Kurkov contemplates daily life in his hometown, Kyiv, and how the war has changed him as a writer. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMA...

Keir Starmer returns victorious from his meeting with Donald Trump. But was it the success it seems? Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener questions on the New Statesman podcast. Also in this episode: Has Zelensky "put one over" on Trump with the rare earth minerals deal? Trump's "mob boss" geopolitics How the UK could make a radical pivot towards Europe - and have Putin t...