The Politics Show

Following Nicola Sturgeon’s evidence session at the Covid inquiry in London, the  New Statesman ’s Scotland editor, Chris Deerin, joins Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what she had to say. They chat about how much the prospect of a no-deal Brexit affected pandemic planning in Scotland, what the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster was like at the time, and how the fo...

Have the newspapers decided who they are going to back at the next general election and if they have will it actually have any impact? The  New Statesman’s  media correspondent, Will Turvill, joins Rachel Cunliffe to discuss his  research into the main papers’ editorials  to understand what they might say at the next election and why it still matters. They talk about how endors...

In today’s special You Ask Us episode of the  New Statesman Podcast , Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to answer listeners’ questions: They discuss what role Angela Rayner might have in a Starmer government and whether she’s being sidelined. Then they tackle a question on whether Boris Johnson could return to politics through the House of Lords. If you have a...

As the Bank of England raises interest rates again after worse than expected inflation figures, Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss what it all means for voters, the government and the opposition. They discuss why the Conservatives seem unable to come up with a plan to deal with the approaching mortgage crisis, whether Labour’s proposals go fa...

In this special podcast from the Spotlight team in partnership with Smart Energy GB we're looking at how smart meters can help bring down energy bills. From July ofgem, the regulator, will be reducing the price cap on energy. But household bills in Britain are expected to stay high. The government has an aim for all homes to be offered a smart meter by 2025. If you don't have a smart meter install...

As Labour starts to set out its policy agenda for the next election, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to one of the people who helped shape it. Claire Ainsley worked in Starmer’s policy team from 2020 to 2022 – before that she was at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and is now a director at the Progressive Policy Institute. They discuss how radical or conservative Starmer needs to be to win the election, wh...

In our weekly You Ask Us episode, Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward answer your questions. This week, they tackle whether Labour’s comparison of the UK economy with Poland and Romania can be considered xenophobic and if London is as Labour as Sadiq Khan thinks.   If you have a question for You Ask Us go to newstatesman.com/youaskus, or leave a comment on YouTube. Sub...

As a long-awaited investigation finds Boris Johnson knowingly misled parliament – and disrespected its processes – Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward discuss what the report means for Johnson and his party. They go through what the report found, how Boris Johnson reacted and whether this is ultimately good or bad politically for Rishi Sunak. Our new standalone You Ask Us episod...

A bonus podcast from our Spotlight team: Placemaking – the process of creating quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in – can contribute significantly to the UK’s productivity. It revitalises public spaces, and can lead to a range of societal and economic benefits, including increased levels of employment, better health and wellbeing, and improved access to culture, skills...

After Nicola Sturgeon's arrest and Boris Johnson flounced out of the Commons over his honours list and the Privileges Committee investigation into whether he misled parliament, the  New Statesman Podcast  team discuss what all the drama means for the UK.   Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker consider the difficulties Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and the SNP are...

In this week’s You Ask Us, Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Wearmouth answer listeners’ questions on Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, standing down and why Jamie Driscoll, mayor of the North of Tyne, was blocked from running for the newly created North East mayoralty. If you have a question for You Ask Us you can submit it on the  New Statesman website Subscribe to  Morning Call...

As Rachel Reeves returns from her visit to the US – where she was accompanied in Washington DC and New York by the  NS  editor-in-chief, Jason Cowley – we ask what a Labour government will mean for the economy, and what drives the shadow chancellor both personally and politically. Jason joins Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss his cover story, “The Reeves d...

As more allegations of misconduct within the Metropolitan Police reach the courts, Anoosh Chakelian speaks to a former officer about what’s going wrong with British police. Matt Lloyd-Rose speaks to about his new book, an account of his time as a volunteer police officer with the Met. They discuss misogyny and racism, how police officers’ focus on what they say means they fail to actually help sol...

Our business editor Will Dunn joins Anoosh Chakelian and Freddie Hayward to discuss his  New Statesman   cover feature on the age of greedflation . Some companies have been accused of taking advantage of rising food prices to increase their profit margins. The panel talk about why they have been able to get away with not reducing mark-ups, and what the political impact could be.  &n...

With the Conservative Party showing open divisions, its right emboldened to hold separate conferences, and many Tory MPs already announcing their plans to stand down at the next election, Zoë Grünewald takes a look at what’s happening to moderates in the party.   She’s joined by the writer and commentator Benedict Spence, and Ryan Shorthouse, the chief executive of the liberal conservati...

After the local elections in Northern Ireland, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward are joined by the  Belfast Telegraph  reporter Sam McBride to discuss how the different parties did, and what it might mean for the future of power-sharing and the Union as a whole. Then they look at another difficult week for Rishi Sunak, and why Labour feels like it could have the upper hand on Immigrat...

Harry Lambert,  New Statesman  contributing writer, joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss what could work better in political journalism, the way Westminster and Whitehall are structured, and local government – inspired by two new books, Ian Dunt’s  How Westminster Works...and Why It Doesn’t  and Paul Johnson’s  Follow the Money , on the subject. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download th...

As the  New Statesman  publishes the Left Power List – the 50 most powerful people on the British left – George Eaton, senior editor, joins Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Wearmouth and Freddie Hayward to discuss who’s on the list and why. They talk about how power has changed on the left, what the reaction has been. Then in You Ask Us they tackle listeners’ questions on what the National Conse...

With rising energy prices, Small businesses are keen to take more control over their bills. Smart meters can help companies understand in detail how they are using energy, which can help find ways to make things more efficient. In this special episode of Spotlight, in partnership with Smart Energy GB we speak to Josh Kay, co-founder of a production and art fabrication company the Syrup Room and Vi...

In a bonus episode of the  New Statesman Podcast , we bring you a discussion between Andrew Marr and David Gauke after the local elections earlier this month, in which the Tories did poorly.   They talk about the rise of the “Not the Conservatives” party, the chances of Labour winning the next election, and whether voters are concerned about the chances of a coalition. Subscribe to...

  Why is this lying bastard lying to me? That’s the question Jeremy Paxman famously asked when trying to pin down slippery politicians, and it’s the title of Rob Burley’s new book, published on 11 May. With 25 years of experience working with the great political interviewers of our age  –  from Andrew Neil to Emily Maitlis, and Andrew Marr to Beth Rigby  –  he joins Rachel...

Now all the local ballots have been counted, Anoosh is joined by Freddie Hayward, Rachel Wearmouth and Ben Walker to work out who did well, who did badly, and what the results might tell us about the next election. They look at what’s behind Labour wins in places like Medway and Thanet, whether Keir Starmer should be worried about the Greens, and how the Lib Dems are doing.   LISTEN AD-F...

In this special edition of the  New Statesman Podcast  we bring you the  New Statesman  debate, recorded live at the Cambridge Literary Festival , on the motion: “This house believes it is time for Britain to abolish its monarchy.”    The death of the Queen, followed by Harry and Meghan’s revelations, marked a turning point for the royal family. On the eve of the coro...

As the first results from the English local elections come in, Rachel Wearmouth, Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker look at what they mean for the main parties. They talk about where the Conservatives are losing, and where Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are succeeding. Subscribe to Morning Call  LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we...

What’s it like to be a child today? Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Zoë Grünewald discuss the  New Statesman 's recent interview with Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England – who is tasked with protecting and promoting the rights of children – and how government and tech companies are failing young people.   We hear about what it’s li...