Coffee House Shots
Is Rishi Sunak right about Rwanda?
Cindy Yu is joined by immigration minister Robert Jenrick, Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews to discuss the Rwanda plan and whether it can truly stop the boats.
Play 71 mins
Podcast
Coffee House Shots
Instant political analysis from the Spectator‘s top team of writers, including Katy Balls, James Heale, Isabel Hardman, Cindy Yu, Kate Andrews and many others.
Instant political analysis from the Spectator‘s top team of writers, including Katy Balls, James Heale, Isabel Hardman, Cindy Yu, Kate Andrews and many others.
Coffee House Shots
Has Brexit Failed?
Seven years after the Brexit vote, Katy Balls is joined for a fringe panel from the Conservative Party Conference to discuss if voting to leave the EU was worth it, where the wins are and if opportunities are being missed. Katy Balls in conversation with John Redwood MP, Theresa Villiers MP, Camilla Cavendish, Charles Grant and
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Coffee House Shots
Scottish Labour moves right – and wins
Labour has secured a resounding win against the SNP in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election with a swing of 20.4%. Fraser Nelson speaks to Katy Balls and Iain Macwhirter about whether this the end of the Scotland hegemony of the SNP, and if Labour have drifted closer to the right.
Play 19 mins
Coffee House Shots
What’s behind the PM’s plan to axe A-levels?
One of the announcements made in Rishi Sunak’s conference speech was to scrap A-levels in favour of a new qualification which includes compulsory English and Maths. With several problems in the education system, and years of disruption for students, what was behind the PM’s decision to radically overhaul the system? James Heale speaks to Fraser
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Rishi Sunak’s conference speech gamble
After spending most of his conference refusing to say much at all, Rishi Sunak used his speech to make three big policy announcements on HS2, smoking and A-levels. Will these gambles pay off? Fraser Nelson speaks to Katy Balls, Isabel Hardman, Kate Andrews and John Connolly.
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
What’s going on with HS2?
It’s day three at Tory conference and the story that won’t go away is HS2. Rishi Sunak insisted in his media round this morning that a decision has not been made, meanwhile Downing Street sources are reporting that a decision has been made. Standing outside the Midland hotel, Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Are the Tories preparing for opposition?
Isabel Hardman and James Heale discuss day two of the Conservative party Conference. From Jeremy Hunt’s speech, to Mark Harper’s Hs2 dodge and a swelling support for Kemi Badenoch.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Coffee House Shots Live: Who would vote Tory?
The Spectator’s Fraser Nelson, Katy Balls and Kate Andrews are joined by special guest Frank Luntz for a live recording of Coffee House Shots from Tory party conference. It was at this event two years ago that Frank first declared Liz Truss to be the next Tory leader. Who might succeed Rishi Sunak? And is a Labour
Play 47 mins
Coffee House Shots
How’s the mood at Tory conference?
It’s day two at Tory conference and the mood seems muted and lacking in energy. This is in direct contrast to Rishi Sunak who appeared to have fire in his belly in a tetchy interview over the weekend with Laura Kuenssberg. He will be hoping to use this conference as his reset moment, but will he
Play 9 mins
Coffee House Shots
When conferences go wrong
The Conservative party conference begins in Manchester this weekend. Where have conferences gone wrong for previous Tory party leaders, and what will Rishi Sunak want to get out of this one? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Craig Oliver, dormer director of communications in No. 10 under David Cameron.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Is the UK doomed to be a high tax country?
Tax levels in the UK are at their highest since records began 70 years ago and are unlikely to come down, or so says the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) in their report today. How has the tax burden increased over the four years of this parliament? What’s driving up taxes? Also on the podcast,
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
What’s behind Labour’s private school U-turn?
Another day, another U-turn. But this time it’s Labour, who have changed tack on their plans to end charitable status for private schools. Labour leader Keir Starmer previously declared that the charitable status for private schools could not be justified, so what’s behind the move? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and John McTernan, former
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Would Labour grant more oil licences?
The UK’s largest untapped oil and gas field has been given the green light in a move that has been criticised by Labour, although Keir Starmer has said he will honour the Tories’ approval of the controversial Rosebank site should Labour enter government next year. Has the language changed around net zero? Also on the
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Is Suella after the Tory leadership?
Suella Braverman is in Washington today, giving a speech to a think tank on illegal migration in which she will argue that seeking asylum and seeking better economic prospects are two different things. It’s a punchy line she’s taking, should Rishi be taking note? Or is this a thinly veiled bid for the Conservative leadership?
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
Is Sunak helping Starmer on HS2?
Rishi Sunak is on his tour of hard truths, saying the unsayable on areas of policy where he believes his predecessors didn’t want to be honest with the public. First we had the net zero pivot – scaling back the government’s environmental commitments – and over the weekend there has been speculation that HS2 could
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Is it time to take the Lib Dems seriously again?
Conference season has kicked off this weekend with the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth. Buoyed by their success in the recent by-elections, could the Lib Dems be the kingmakers at the next election? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Stephen Bush, associate editor at the Financial Times. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Play 20 mins
Coffee House Shots
What’s next for the Murdoch empire?
Rupert Murdoch stepped down as chairman of News Corp and Fox News this week. But is this really the end of Murdoch’s career? ‘I can guarantee you that I will be involved every day in the contest of ideas’, he wrote in a statement. And what will the media tycoon’s legacy be? James Heale speaks
Play 19 mins
Coffee House Shots
Why can’t Hunt cut taxes?
Jeremy Hunt said yesterday that it would be ‘virtually impossible’ to cut taxes in 2023. James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about why the government has decided to spent more, rather than cut levies, and about whether Hunt and Sunak’s economic plan will come under criticism from Tory MPs at the Conservative
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
What is Sunakism?
Rishi Sunak is being attacked by Conservative and Labour politicians for choosing to delay some of Britain’s climate commitments. But is his new approach to policy really a welcome one? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and Rupert Darwall, a senior fellow at RealClearFoundation.
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
Why Sunak wants to dilute net zero
Rishi Sunak is set to give a speech this week outlining changes to the government’s environmental policies. The plans to phase out new petrol and diesel cars, and gas boilers, will likely be delayed. What does the Prime Minister stand to gain? James Heale speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Will Starmer soften Brexit?
Keir Starmer is in Paris today. It’s a bid to ‘look statesman-like’, Katy Balls says, but also underlines where a Labour government would take British relations with the EU. Oscar Edmondson talks to Katy and Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
What Liz Truss’s big speech was really about
Liz Truss took the stage this morning for her first major intervention on the economy since leaving No. 10. Her speech at the Institute for Government comes almost a year to the day since her mini-Budget saw the markets panic and her premiership come to an abrupt end not long after. What did she have
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Coffee House Shots
How America’s 2024 election will affect Britain’s
For the first time since 1992 the US and the UK will have elections in the same year, and – for the first time since 1964 – there is a real chance that those campaigns could overlap. How will they impact each other? Kate Andrews speaks to Katy Balls and Freddy Gray.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Is it right to cut back HS2?
The government is reportedly looking into whether it should cut the second phase of HS2. But with so much money having already been pumped into the project, should they just see it through to the end? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
What is Starmer’s small boats plan?
Keir Starmer today unveiled Labour’s plan to stop illegal migration. Trying to deport migrants to Rwanda is a waste of money, he said – the millions would be better spent on a ‘new security agreement’ with Europe. But what does that mean? Max Jeffery speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Is Labour the party of the pensioner?
At PMQs, neither Labour nor the Tories wanted to commit to keeping the state pension triple lock. Have the two parties, awkwardly and unofficially, reached a consensus on dropping the promise? Max Jeffery speaks to Isabel Hardman and James Heale.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Will Rishi axe the pensions triple lock?
Rishi Sunak has refused to commit to keeping the pensions triple lock in the next Conservative manifesto. What’s behind his equivocation? And, if the triple lock is ditched, will Labour follow suit? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
‘Chinese spy’ arrest – what we know so far
Over the weekend, it was reported that a parliamentary researcher was arrested on suspicion of spying for China. The accused has released a statement this morning claiming he is ‘completely innocent’. Katy Balls speaks to Cindy Yu and James Heale about the arrest and what this could mean for Britain’s relationship with China
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Coffee House Shots
Is Humza Yousaf a people-pleaser?
James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Lucy Dunn for the latest update on Scottish politics. Humza Yousaf has been on a ‘reset’. But critics claim the Scottish First Minister is simply rehashing Nicola Stugeon’s policies. Also on the podcast, will Labour take the Scotland by-election from the SNP? And what happened at the Holyrood
Play 8 mins
Coffee House Shots
India trade deal: is this what Brexit was for?
Rishi Sunak has landed in Delhi ahead of the G20 summit this weekend. He will be hoping to smooth the way for a new free trade deal with India. What does a good result look like for the prime minister? Will the new deal result in increased immigration? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and
Play 11 mins