"A seismic moment": Is Reform now the official opposition?

Keir Starmer has promised to take a tougher stance on immigration — but there are fears the government’s new ban on the recruitment of foreign care workers could deepen Britain’s care crisis, with providers warning it could lead to care home closures due to significant staffing issues. Since 1997, there have been 25 official reviews into the UK’s broken care system, yet little meaningful change. We’re joined by someone who has brought the issue to the political forefront: Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey. His moving personal story of caring for his disabled son, John, struck a chord across party lines — and in his new book - Why I Care: And why care matters - he’s calling for urgent reform.He also explains why he disagrees with the Prime Minister's use of language announcing those immigration reforms, why he's confident that he can match Nigel Farage's appeal to former Tory voters, and why Donald Trump's position on the Ukraine/Russia conflict amounts to little more than appeasement of Vladimir Putin.Plus, it's our first podcast birthday! Stick around for cake, highlights, and a few behind-the-scenes bloopers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has finally unveiled his long-awaited immigration white paper, vowing to bring down the numbers “significantly”. But despite the tough talk, there’s still no cap on net migration.At a press conference, the Prime Minister set out plans to tighten the path to citizenship — including a ten-year wait and tougher English tests, insisting he was pursuing the crackdown because he believed it was the right thing to do rather than as a result of political pressure with the continued rise of Reform. But previous comments he has made on immigration say otherwise. So it this all just a political performance from Starmer?Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp joins Camilla and Kamal in the studio to explain why Labour are just tinkering around the edges of the issue and how the Tories would go further to fix Britain’s “broken” immigration system. He also fronts up to the “serious mistakes” on immigration policy made by previous Conservative governments, but argues that Reform’s proposals for net-zero immigration are “easy promises to make” that “aren’t credible”Producers: Georgia Coan and Lilian FawcettSenior Producer: John CadiganPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Rachel DuffyVideo Editor: Andy MackenzieStudio Operator: Andy WatsonEditor: Camilla TomineyOriginal music by Goss Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the charred remains of a young British woman were found in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in 1988, the Kenyan authorities tried to convince her father – and the public – that she had been killed by wild animals.It soon became clear that 28-year-old Julie Ward had been murdered. But no one was ever convicted.This is the story of how the crime was covered up by the Kenyan authorities, and of the Ward family’s belief that the Metropolitan Police did the same. Plus, of newly emerged evidence which puts the son of Kenya’s former president in the frame for Julie’s murder.In this episode of The Daily T Investigates, the Telegraph’s Katherine Rushton revisits the cold case as part of a months-long investigation.Read: Former president’s son implicated in safari murder of British woman: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/09/presidents-son-implicated-safari-murder-julie-ward/Producer: Lilian FawcettExecutive Producers: Louisa Wells, Cara McGoogan, Venetia Rainey and Adelie Pojzman-PontayMixed by Elliot LampittStudio Operator: Meghan SearleOriginal music by John Cadigan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has Keir Starmer finally got something right? In a slightly awkward speaker phone press conference, the Prime Minister and President Donald Trump announced a new US-UK trade deal, dubbing today a “fantastic, historic day”. The deal will see the US removes tariffs on UK steel and aluminium, and cut car rate to 10%.In return, the UK government will remove the tariff on ethanol for US goods and agrees to “reciprocal market access on beef”. Camilla and Kamal look at the pros and cons of the “very great deal”.And as the Bank of England cuts interest rates - we’ll be asking the shadow chancellor Mel Stride why this is actually bad news for his opposition Rachel Reeves. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] or find us on X, Instagram and TikTok @dailytpodcastProducer: Georgia Coan Production assistance from Lina AdamsPlanning Editor: Venetia Rainey Executive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Ece CelikVideo Editor: James MoorheadStudio Operator: Meghan SearleEditor: Camilla Tominey  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK and India have agreed to the terms of a free trade deal, set to be Britain’s largest since Brexit. Yet, controversial tax breaks could exempt Indian migrants from paying National Insurance for the next three years, a move that critics are calling ‘pro-immigration’. And catholics wait for the sign of white smoke as cardinals gather behind the Vatican’s closed doors to choose the next pope. Despite the unpredictability of the conclave, there are some candidates emerging as favourites with eleven main contenders and the chosen cardinal is widely expected to carry on Pope Francis’s agenda of progressive politics when elected. From St Peter’s Square, The Telegraph’s Tim Stanley speaks with Camilla and Kamal on the frontrunners, the history of the ritual and whether the electors might be watching the Oscar-winning film Conclave for research. Producer: Georgia CoanProduction assistance from Oliver Macnaughton and Lina AdamsPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: James SimmonsVideo Editor: Valerie BrowneStudio Operator: Meghan SearleEditor: Camilla Tominey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week’s local elections marked a turning point for Reform UK. Nigel Farage’s party gained control of councils for the first time, picking up hundreds of seats, many in once-safe Conservative areas. And in a shock Westminster by-election, they even beat Labour to claim their fifth MP in Runcorn and Helsby.The current national share estimate puts Reform on 32% - with Labour down to 19% and the Conservatives on 18%. And as the two main parties continue to tank in the polls, we’re already hearing rumours of a watering down of the winter fuel cut to save Labour votes - and the potential ousting of Kemi Badenoch as Tory Leader after disastrous results at the polls. Kamal and Camilla are joined by our Data Editor Ben Butcher to find out what the data is saying about Reform and if Nigel Farage is a serious contender for the next Prime Minister.Producer: Georgia CoanPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: James Simmons Video Editor: Valerie BrowneStudio Operator: Meghan SearleEditor: Camilla Tominey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the country marks VE Day later this week, we hear from one of the few living voices who can still speak to the harsh reality of World War II. Mervyn Kersh is 100 years old and one of the last surviving British soldiers to have taken part in the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.A Jewish man from London, Mervyn felt a deep personal duty to join the fight against the Nazis — not just for his country, but for his people. He shares his extraordinary memories of the war, describes meeting Bergen-Belsen inmates and the moment victory in Europe was declared.In this special episode of The Daily T, Camilla speaks to Mervyn in his North London home about witnessing history, anti-semitism then and now, and the importance of sharing his stories, 80 years on.Producer: Georgia Coan and Lilian FawcettPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Rachel DuffyCamera Operator: Andy WatsonVideo Editor: Andy MackenizeOriginal music by Goss Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cricket legend Sir Geoffrey Boycott is one of the world's most famous sportsmen. The England test batsman was the man who could defend against the very best fast bowlers, score plenty of runs and give England a chance.Theresa May once described him as her political hero; gritty, digging in and getting the runs in the end. But last year he discovered his throat cancer, which he first battled in 2002, had come back, undergoing a three-hour operation to remove the cancerous tissue.In this special episode of The Daily T, Geoffrey Boycott joins Kamal and Telegraph Chief Cricket Correspondent Nick Hoult to discuss pontificating politicians, showman sportsmen and why he's 'absolutely sympathetic' to Esther Rantzen's arguments for assisted dying.Read: Sir Geoffrey Boycott: After everything I’ve been through, I wouldn’t be against assisted dying, by Oliver Brown: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2025/05/03/geoffrey-boycott-politics-farage-starmer-cancer-nhs-health/Senior Producer: John CadiganPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Rachel DuffyStudio Operator: Meghan SearleVideo Editor: Andy MackenizeOriginal music by Goss Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has had a breakthrough night at the local elections — making big gains in local councils, winning their first mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire with Andrea Jenkyns, and snatching a knife-edge by-election victory in Runcorn and Helsby.The results have Reform celebrating, Labour licking its wounds, and the Conservatives turning on themselves, with one MP blasting leader Kemi Badenoch for "staying out of the limelight" after a dismal performance.Kamal and Camilla are joined by Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice to ask what this all means for the political landscape and if it is really a serious threat to the two-party system.And as Prince Harry loses a legal challenge over his security whilst in the UK, we ask what it means for his and his family's future in the country.Producer: Georgia Coan and Lilian FawcettPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Rachel DuffyStudio Operator: Meghan SearleVideo Editor: Andy MackenizeOriginal music by Goss Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next week marks 80 years since VE Day — the end of the Second World War and the defeat of Nazi Germany. But in the shadow of that anniversary, and in the wake of the October 7th attacks, Holocaust denial is on the rise once again — fuelled by misinformation and conspiracy theories spreading online.Today on The Daily T, we look back at a landmark legal battle that confronted those lies head-on. It’s been 25 years since David Irving sued historian Deborah Lipstadt for libel — and lost. The trial exposed him as a Holocaust denier and neo-Nazi sympathiser, in a courtroom showdown that made headlines around the world.Camilla and Kamal are joined in the studio by Lipstadt and the lawyer who helped her win the case, Anthony Julius, to reflect on what was at stake then, and what’s at stake now.Producer: Georgia CoanPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Rachel DuffyStudio Operator: Meghan SearleVideo Editor: Andy MackenizeOriginal music by Goss Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.