Is Angela Rayner staging a coup?

Angela Rayner has entered the chat. Last night she gave a speech to Labour members which many are reading as the soft launch of her leadership bid. She told the room that Labour needs to be more ‘bold’ – echoing Gordon Brown as she called for a more left-wing direction. She took aim specifically at Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms, describing them as ‘un-British’. Is she staging a coup? And is she the viable leader that Labour can rally around?Also today, we had PMQs with lots more difficult questions on Mandelson and Iran – who came out on top?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Isabel Hardman and James Heale.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chancellor will deliver the annual Mais lecture today and is expected to focus on closer alignment with the EU, AI and improving Britain's economic geography ('levelling up' in all but name). While her comments on Europe might gain the most headlines, we're more curious about what she will say over AI – given the current geopolitical context. Given the energy requirements of AI, the Iran crisis has only further exposed the holes in Britain's energy policy – can Rachel Reeves convince Ed Miliband to adapt his policies? And is this about the Chancellor's political headroom as much as the economic?Plus: President Zelensky is in town to sign a defence pact with the UK, while Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yusuf are expected to give their final speeches in the Scottish Parliament before standing down as MSPs. Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons join Patrick Gibbons to reflect on their legacies.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two big topics on the agenda today as Keir Starmer has his pitch – again – on the cost of living. He told us towards the start of the year that every minute not spent tackling the cost of living was a minute wasted, so what has he been doing in all that time?Also today, ahead of her Mais Lecture this week, Rachel Reeves has been laying the groundwork for closer ties with the European Union. This does seem like a change of rhetoric from the Chancellor, who is openly suggesting that Brexit was a mistake. So what would closer ties look like? And is this the only lever that remains for her to deliver growth?James Heale and Tim Shipman discuss.Produced by Megan McElroy.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.As the queue of stationary oil tankers builds up around the Strait of Hormuz, leaders brace for an economic shockwave. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The government's plan to restrict jury trials passed its first parliamentary hurdle this week. It is one measure, amongst many, in a Bill designed to reduce the huge backlog currently facing the Courts. Labour MP Karl Turner and Danny Shaw, a former adviser, join Isabel Hardman to discuss why they have each come to their own, different conclusion about the merits of the Bill. For Danny, it is a pragmatic yet principled measure that will help mitigate an extreme situation. Karl, for his part, is – as you will hear – ferocious in his opposition, and argues that the evidence simply doesn't back it up. Amongst the debate though, there are moments of agreement – from the state of the justice system, to the government's handling of such a controversial measure.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are delighted to be joined by the Sunday Times’ Gabriel Pogrund, whose book – Get In, which details Starmer’s rise to power – is out now in paperback with new revelations on the Peter Mandelson vetting process. It turns out that Keir Starmer did not even speak with his prospective US ambassador before offering him the biggest diplomatic position in Starmer's government. The whole scandal has exposed the prime minister’s startling lack of curiosity and a detachment from important process that seems especially baffling given his background as a lawyer. What is the reason behind this lack of curiosity? And how does Starmer compare to other prime ministers in recent memory?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman and Gabriel Pogrund.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special edition of Coffee House Shots, Tim Shipman is joined by defence editor at the Economist, Shashank Joshi. Two weeks in to the conflict in Iran, they give the definitive take on where we are at, the range of scenarios that the UK government are preparing for, and – crucially – how it could all end.Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This afternoon we have had the first tranche of documents released by the government relating to the process by which Peter Mandelson was chosen to be US ambassador. Whilst we have got a clearer picture on the big question – how much Starmer and the government knew about Mandelson’s association with Epstein – Labour are not out of the woods. Quotes from Jonathan Powell reveal that the vetting process was rushed and that – he thought – they didn’t dig deep enough. There is also the small matter of Peter Mandelson’s request for a payout of over half a million pounds. Oscar Edmondson, Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman discuss.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said today will be the most intense day yet of American strikes on Iran. Over the weekend, Donald Trump claimed the war could soon be over – and suggested the US has already effectively won. He also took aim at Keir Starmer, accusing Britain of joining wars America has ‘already won’. Deputy and US editor Freddy Gray joins the podcast to explain what’s really happening in Washington and why he believes the ‘special relationship’ may be over – and not coming back.Economics editor Michael Simmons also joins to discuss the fallout. As oil prices surge and markets react, Reform UK is seizing on renewed pressure over the cost of living. What does the crisis mean for Rachel Reeves – and how serious could the economic consequences become? They both join Megan McElroy to discuss.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Shipman is joined by Isabel Hardman to discuss the domestic fallout from the conflict in Iran – from oil prices surging past $100 a barrel to renewed pressure on Britain’s cost-of-living crisis.They examine how the rising price of energy could derail Labour’s economic plans, why Rachel Reeves may face difficult choices on fuel duty and support for households, and whether Keir Starmer has the political authority to navigate another economic shock ahead of the May elections.They also debate the government’s new ‘cohesion strategy’ – including plans for an anti-Muslim hatred adviser and a broader crackdown on extremism – and ask whether Labour has found a coherent approach to integration, immigration and social cohesion, or whether the policy risks opening new divisions within the party.Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.