The State of It

Keir Starmer is being accused of misleading MPs over his appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. How bad is it for the prime minister? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times Producer: Euan Dawtrey Executive producer: Molly Guinness Picture credit: Getty Images Email us: thestat...

While Keir Starmer may get some credit with the public for his response to the war in Iran, he's still stuck with its consequences: rising prices just when he'd said he was going to cut the cost of living. Meanwhile has Reform UK's response compromised its ability to campaign on the cost of living? Also, who is now wielding the power in Number 10? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Patri...

We take you inside the Iran discussions in Number 10. What do they reveal about Keir Starmer's thinking and about Labour's electoral predicament? And as polling suggests that two parties with 2% of MPs command 44% of the vote, does Labour have a coherent argument to coax voters away from the Green Party and Reform UK? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Patrick Maguire, chief political co...

The end of Britain’s political duopoly now looks complete, as Labour suffers a catastrophic by-election defeat to the Greens in Gorton and Denton. Reform comes second, while the Tories lose their deposit with just 2% of the vote. Keir Starmer is now a prisoner of the left, and Britain is undergoing a tectonic realignment of its electoral politics. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Patri...

Join Caroline as she visits Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion. Burner phones to make sure the Russians don't track them as they travel in on a train called the Bravery Express. A meeting with the first lady, and with a woman who was captured and held in a forced labour camp. Kyiv is a busy, modern city where some residents have to find tents to get heating and electricity. Car...

Three separate scandals have raised serious questions over Keir Starmer's judgement. It's empowered Labour MPs who were once written off as cranks. And with many files still to come out, the questions will keep on coming. Meanwhile, the PM is selling the idea that the Gorton and Denton by-election is a two-horse race between Reform UK and Labour, but will voters believe him when the Green Party is...

The Labour Together scandal is the latest storm threatening to capsize the government - and Gabriel has been right at the heart. For the first time, he describes what happened when a Labour think tank set private investigators on a journalist. Their secret report falsely accused Gabriel of acting as a Russian agitator and "grotesquely subverted" his faith in an attack on his and his colleagues' re...

Listen to what Labour ministers and MPs are saying about their colleagues in a week of chaos in Westminster. The prime minister thought it was all over for him this weekend, but a scrambled rearguard action has left him looking stronger than he has for some time. But to survive, Keir Starmer may now have no choice but to move leftwards. And there's much worse to come when the Mandelson files are r...

A guest slot to give you a taste of our new podcast, The State of It: USA. Give it a go and please subscribe. His enemies were hoping that Donald Trump would come out badly from the Epstein files, but he hasn't. Gerry argues that the scandal is a parable about modern capitalism, and remembers the time Jeffrey Epstein tried and failed to make friends with him. Katy tells the inside story of her int...

The extraordinary emails between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein could constitute the biggest scandal since the Profumo affair. Lord Mandelson has quit the Lords but it's a bit more complicated than that, and the prime minister still has a lot of firefighting to do. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times Patrick Maguire, chief politica...

Bonus episode. Join Caroline and Steve on the plane with the prime minister. Why did he end speaking to journalists from a loo? What's it like to travel with a PM? And how can Starmer balance concerns about espionage and human rights with the UK's business interests? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times Producer: Euan Dawtrey Executive p...

We reveal what MPs are saying about the decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. It creates a new D-Day for Keir Starmer: 26th February. On Labour's left wing, it's Operation Stop Streeting. Meanwhile, the prime minister's off to China but can he make the case to voters that getting closer to China will make everyone feel better off? And Gabriel reveals so...

The extraordinary tale of how the Chagos deal went down in Number 10. Plus, how long can Keir Starmer maintain his softly, softly approach to Donald Trump? With the news that China's mega embassy has been approved, we hear about Gabriel's attempts to get his hands on a note sent by Boris Johnson to the Chinese embassy. And who else is heading into the arms of Reform UK? Caroline Wheeler, political...

Keir Starmer's sending mixed messages to his MPs: warm words but ice cold briefings about any leadership machinations. Can the two positions co-exist? Gabriel gives the inside story of the scoop that could lead to the departure of West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford. And has Reform hit a ceiling? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The...

Starmer wants to win over voters on the cost of living but can he make a convincing case, especially when Nigel Farage is planning to campaign on the same issue? Meanwhile the mood in the Labour Party remains bleak. Will Wes Streeting move against Keir Starmer? It surely can’t go on like this…or can it? Plus, in a new world order, there’s only so long you can sit on the fence. Steven Swinford, pol...

Hold onto your hats for a year that promises plenty of political drama. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times Producer: Euan Dawtrey Executive producer: Molly Guinness Picture credit: Getty Images Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co....

Political moment of the year? Civil war of the year? And who or what gets The Actual State of It Award? 2025 offered rich pickings for our inaugural Christmas awards. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times Producer: Euan Dawtrey Exec...

Senior Labour figures say a challenge to Keir Starmer's leadership could come as early as next month. But who will move first? Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner are all on manoeuvres. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Time...

Angela Rayner turned down a chance to appear on I'm a Celebrity because she wasn't done with politics. Will she return to cabinet or make a bid for the leadership herself? Patrick has been told what she really thinks of the idea of a pact with Wes Streeting. Also, Keir Starmer's plan for turning things around – and the bear traps on the path ahead. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caro...

The budget gave Labour MPs a lift but for how long? They're already getting uneasy, and some members of the cabinet are so cross that they're proactively ringing The Times. Also, Patrick reminisces about his weekend at the Your Party conference...and Brexit makes a comeback. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times Patrick Maguire, chief pol...

The dust has settled on Rachel Reeves’s budget. What does it really mean for the country? Is there any real economics behind it? And is it politically fatal for Labour? Tune in to our bonus episode recorded live in Westminster. Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times Fraser Nelson, columnist, The Times Mehreen Khan, economics editor, The...

Rachel Reeves may have appeased Labour MPs but at what cost? We exclusively reveal just how bad relations are between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. We also discuss whether recent allegations against Nigel Farage are a big problem for him, and the political fall-out from Gabriel's story that West Midlands Police acted on false intelligence when they banned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Vil...

Shabana Mahmood brings Blue Labour values to the Home Office, but can the human rights lawyer in Keir Starmer hold the line? Also, after last week's episode unleashed chaos in Westminster, we look at the anatomy of a briefing war and the chancellor's sudden u-turn on income tax. And today's scoop: how the Corbynite left is eating itself while Zack Polanski is eating their lunch. Warning: offensive...

We reveal how the prime minister intends to fight a leadership challenge that he now sees as inevitable. Meanwhile the chancellor plans to scrap the two-child benefit cap to appease some Labour MPs, even though there are no votes in it. And why are phrases like 'carpet bombing' and 'harassment' being applied to Steve's reporting style? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Caroline Wheeler,...

Before the election, Rachel Reeves said she wasn't going to raise taxes on working people. Well, guess what? It looks like that's exactly what she's about to do. We reveal the measures the treasury is considering. And even the Labour whips are talking about a spring leadership challenge. Could a former leader make a comeback? And is Keir Starmer's Terminator demeanour helping or hindering him? Ste...