What makes a great politician? | Thérèse Coffey & Michael Gove

This week, The Spectator hosted a debate on the motion: This house believes Britain no longer has free speech.Chaired by The Spectator’s Assistant Editor Isabel Hardman, the debate saw former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie and women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen propose the motion, with former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption and politician and commentator Ed Vaizey arguing against it.In this episode, we hear Jonathan Sumption and Kellie-Jay Keen set out their cases before the panel goes head-to-head on cancel culture, the role of the police, overzealous lawyers and the responsibility of the press. To find out more about upcoming Spectator events, visit events.spectator.co.uk.Produced by Abigail Brierley.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.

With the Budget fast approaching, is Labour about to pick a fight with the City? Could a new bank tax help John Healey plug the fiscal black hole – or would it risk damaging one of Britain’s most successful industries? Meanwhile, the SNP party conference in underway in Aberdeen, and John Swinney is once again talking about Scottish independence. But could Andy Burnham pose a threat to the SNP's hold on Scotland?Plus, Reform is facing fresh questions over misogyny after another round of undercover recordings. Can Nigel Farage get his party back on the front foot?Produced by Abigail Brierley. 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.

As Andy Burnham rolls out the red carpet for Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street, he has publicly sided with Kyiv against the Trump administration, days after the US President called for Zelensky to be replaced. Noa Hoffman is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to weigh up the politics, and to ask whether Ed Miliband’s desire to be seen as a saviour over Israel-Palestine has backfired, with friends of Jonathan Powell, the National Security Adviser, now saying he is likely to quit. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Henry LloydBecome 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.

After last night’s botched coup against the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, and a rather temperate Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, James Heale is joined by Isabel Hardman and Tim Shipman to review the events of the last 24 hours.Produced by Henry LloydBecome 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 IMF has upgraded its forecast for UK growth – but is the good news all it seems? Michael Simmons explains why the assumptions underpinning Britain’s economic outlook may be far shakier than they first appear, as the government prepares for another difficult Budget.Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll puts the Conservatives ahead of Reform. Is Kemi Badenoch finally beginning to turn the tide – and has the Tory strategy of targeting the ‘Waitrose woman’ started to pay off?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Michael Simmons and Noa Hoffman.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.

On this episode of Coffee House Shots, James Heale and Tim Shipman examine claims of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. What do we actually know about Moscow’s attempts to influence the vote – and did they make any difference to the result?Plus: they discuss Andy Burnham’s foreign policy, Labour’s plans for a reset with the EU and Nigel Farage’s latest attempt to put migration back at the centre of the political debate.Produced by Oscar Edmondson & Abigail BrierleyBecome 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.

For this special edition of Coffee House Shots, economics editor Michael Simmons hosts a panel from Conservative Party conference on Britain’s growing NEETs crisis: the hundreds of thousands of young people not in education, employment or training. He is joined by shadow education secretary Laura Trott, the CBI’s Megan Bulford, Spectator commissioning editor Lara Brown and the CPS's Daniel Herring.Why are so many young people struggling to enter the labour market, and is the problem education, welfare, the cost of hiring or something deeper? The panel debate the value of university compared with apprenticeships, whether tax and employment regulation are shutting younger workers out, and whether Britain’s welfare system is making it too easy for young people to fall out of work altogether. Plus: are rising anxiety and poor mental health driving the crisis or are they symptoms of a labour market that is failing the young?Produced by Patrick Gibbons 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.

Labour has held Holborn and St Pancras in the first major electoral test of the post-Starmer era – but what does the result tell us about the state of the left?James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and More in Common’s Luke Tryl to discuss Andy Burnham’s appeal, Zack Polanski’s problems and whether the Greens have already missed their moment. Plus: are the Conservatives beginning to squeeze Reform, and is two-party politics making a comeback?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.

What does it take to become a successful political leader – and are Britain’s politicians getting the training they need?At Conservative Party Conference, Michael Gove was joined by former deputy PM Thérèse Coffey to ask how Britain can develop politicians fit for the future.The conversation was organised in collaboration with the Institute for Government and was chaired by director of the IfG Academy, Vicky Elliott. 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.

Kemi Badenoch has just delivered her conference speech, bringing Conservative Party Conference 2026 to a close.She very nearly almost announced the inheritance tax policy many had expected – instead beefing up the Tory offer to homeowners with a pledge to abolish inheritance tax on the family home. Beyond that, it was relatively light on new announcements: Kemi could hardly be accused of ‘policymaxxing’.What was clear from the Leader of the Opposition’s rhetoric, however, was that there is now plenty of clear blue water between the main parties – setting British politics up for an intriguing run-in. Has Kemi finally found ‘the right way’?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman, James Heale and Lara Brown.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.