The Politics Show

For so long a fixture of public debate in the US, the software company Palantir is now increasingly being talked about here in Britain. In September the UK government announced a £1.5bn investment by Palantir in the military. It already has contracts with the police and the NHS.  So, should we be worried? Tanjil Rashid is joined by journalist James Vincent. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New...

Whilst Your Party and the Green Party attempt to occupy the space on the left of British politics that they feel Labour has abandoned, our listener asks, what about the British communist parties? Oli Dugmore is joined by Tom McTague to discuss this, along with other listener questions on political briefings to the press and whether Labour can make a comeback. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/pol...

Shabana Mahmood was back in the Commons today outlining her controversial immigration plans. Meanwhile, Clive Lewis said he’d give up his seat for Andy Burnham and a Labour MP defects to the Greens. In the second half of the podcast, Calum Weir from Labour Together tells us what really matters to Britain.  Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and Ailbhe Rea. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Downlo...

Meet the money men with Britain's future in their hands. * Next week Rachel Reeves will deliver her budget and, for all the talk of fiscal rules, headroom and tax rises, there is a higher power she must contend with. When the Chancellor goes for meetings in the City, she is rarely introduced to the people whose job it is to press the button on buying or selling several hundred million pounds’ wort...

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has set out her plans for the biggest shake up of asylum laws in 40 years. It divided the Labour party, impressed some Conservatives and even earned the home sec an invite to join Reform. But what will it mean in the long term for Britain, and for the families affected? Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe.  LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Downl...

Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has unveiled a series of changes to the migration and asylum system.  The plans, which have been trailed over the weekend, have been met with scorn from within the Labour party. “This approach isn’t just morally wrong” the MP Richard Burgeon tweeted earlier today, “it’s politically disastrous.” Oli Dugmore is joined by Ethan Croft. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Downl...

"If he feels talking about his favourite novel is politically disadvantageous, that's a sad state of affairs" - David Szalay on Keir Starmer's reading habits. -- David Szalay is the winner of the 2025 Booker Prize for Fiction. He disputes claims that his novel, Flesh, is a tale of modern masculinity as reviewers have claimed. Though it certainly explores the male expression of emotion. In Flesh, S...

We share our strategy advice for the Labour rebels allegedly trying to oust Keir Starmer. Ailbhe Rea and Luke O'Reilly join Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions. In this episode: What's the best strategy for Labour rebels hoping to dethrone Starmer? How much power does a party chair wield? Can any politicians affect positive change? LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FR...

After weeks of preparing to break their manifesto pledge, Starmer and Reeves have ditched their plans to raise income tax.  They’re scared it would have angered their MPs and voters, amid a dire performance in the polls. How will Reeves plug the £30 billion gap in public finances if she doesn’t raise income tax? Oli Dugmore is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Will Dunn to discuss. READ: https://www.n...

The BBC is still reeling from the dramatic resignation announcement of its director general Tim Davie on Sunday. Rachel Cunliffe gets Lewis Goodall’s insider perspective, drawing on his time working on BBC’s Newsnight programme. Lewis also shares his thoughts on the leadership threats surrounding Keir Starmer. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/media/2025/11/trumps-attack-can-rescue-the-b...

Labour hit its lowest-ever poll rating last week, coming fourth at just 17 per cent. Westminster is full of chatter about a leadership coup at the hands of Wes Streeting. And Labour MPs and government aides alike are dismayed by Keir Starmer’s leadership and the state of No 10. Has the Prime Minister reached the point of no return? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by our new political editor Ailbhe Rea...

It's now "impossible" to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees. Can COP30 achieve anything material at all? -- Keir Starmer has been in Brazil ahead of COP30 - the world’s largest annual climate meeting - where world leaders were told it’s now “virtually impossible” to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. That’s according to the UN’s chief meteorologist. Brazil wants money to protect the rainfo...

Yesterday evening, BBC director general Tim Davie resigned, as first reported in the New Statesman by our new political editor Ailbhe Rea, along with his head of news, Deborah Turness. In the end, it came down to a Panorama documentary accused of featuring a misleadingly edited speech by Donald Trump. But, having weathered years of BBC scandals, could Davie’s departure be described as death by a t...

Has Labour let down Millennials? Are tax hikes on the horizon? And what would happen to the commonwealth if Britain dumped our King?  Rachel Cunliffe joins Anoosh Chakelian to answer listener questions. Treat yourself or someone special to big ideas, bold politics and proper journalism from just £2 this Christmas when you subscribe to the New Statesman. Subscribe today at  newstatesman.c...

“The dream of home ownership is closed off to younger people today” - Steve Reed, Housing Secretary Steve Reed exclusively tells the New Statesman about the seven billion pounds Labour are giving to the six mayoral combined authorities for social and affordable housing. In an interview with Oli Dugmore, Labour’s housing secretary outlines the plan, and discusses young people’s housing woes, abolis...

Voters in New York City have elected a socialist, Muslim, 34-year old Mayor. Here's what Labour need to learn from Zohran Mamdani's campaign. -- Zohran Mamdani calls himself "Donald Trump's worst nightmare". In the UK, senior Labour figures including Wes Streeting have praised the young Democrat Mayor-Elect's campaign. But should Labour be celebrating a win in America's Democrat stronghold, when t...

A four-month investigation with Channel 4 News reveals harrowing failings at one of Britain’s most prestigious hospitals. Oli Dugmore speaks to the New Statesman's Investigations Editor, Hannah Barnes. Read: Britain’s next maternity scandal LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsle...

Is Britain becoming a country of mass violence? On Saturday evening, a Doncaster to London train was forced to stop in Huntingdon after eleven people were injured in a stabbing spree.  Anthony Williams, a 32 year-old British national, was charged on Monday with multiple counts of attempted murder. Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe. Read:  Knife crime is creepi...

Today, Nigel Farage set out his updated vision for the UK economy. At a speech and press conference in London, The Reform UK leader talked tax, immigration, welfare, Brexit and his days working in the City. The New Statesman’s Ethan Croft was at the event. Ethan joins Oli Dugmore to discuss. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answe...

Is Build Baby Build doomed? Is Katie Lam running for leader? Where is Priti Patel? Can the UK really support 5 large leftist parties? Luke O’Reilly joins Anoosh Chakelian to answer listener questions. Ask us a question LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning ✍️...

The Deputy PM believes that Labour can beat the threat of the populist right, Nigel Farage and Reform. Lammy says that Labour can achieve this by tackling the cost of living crisis, uniting the centre and left of British politics and putting security first. Oli Dugmore sat down with David Lammy to discuss his plan. Read: Nigel Farage can be stopped LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app...

Which are the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and how might this map onto voter intent? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker, to discuss what we can learn from the English Indices of Deprivation. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱 Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every...

Another bad week for Prince Andrew. You could say the man hasn’t had a good week since 2011. Although, actually, he does live in a 30-bedroom mansion in Windsor and enjoyed a million quid a year from his mum. In this week's cover story Will Lloyd makes the case for abolishing the monarchy , and that the Windsors have always been more involved with British politics than we know. He speaks...

With the Autumn budget looming, the government has some tough decisions to make. Rachel Reeves has to find a predicted £30bn in extra revenue to meet her self-imposed fiscal rules. But as part of its manifesto pledges, Labour promised not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT. And after a crushing defeat in Wales last week, what can the government actually get away with without angering t...

The Caerphilly by-election proves Reform can be beaten. But is Keir Starmer the man to do it? Last week voters in Caerphilly confounded pundits by electing their first Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS). Reform UK had expected to be the party to overturn Labour's 100 year dominance in the Welsh seat - but they were wrong. The loss was a disaster for Labour, but came with a glimmer of hope: Refo...