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

Is the exit roadmap still what it seemed?

The next stage of lockdown easing is going as planned, but some caveats around international travel and vaccine passports are being floated for further down the line. What did the government’s announcements today clear up? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.

Play 12 mins

Coffee House Shots

Does vaccinated Britain need mass-testing?

Brits will be offered two lateral flow tests a week, it was announced last night. The expansion of testing, the government says, will allow those who haven’t been vaccinated to continue life as normal. But is it really necessary? Cindy Yu speaks to Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews.

Play 13 mins

Coffee House Shots

Does Sadiq Khan deserve a second term?

Sadiq Khan hasn’t been a particularly awe-inspiring London mayor, yet he is still tipped to win in the upcoming elections. Why are his opponents failing to cut through? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

Play 11 mins

Coffee House Shots

Is Starmer really against vaccine passports?

Keir Starmer said that needing a vaccine passport to go to the pub would go against ‘British instinct’, in an interview today. But is he really against the proposals? Katy Balls speaks to Kate Andrews and James Forsyth.

Play 17 mins

Coffee House Shots

Does ‘BAME’ still make sense?

Today’s report from the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has made waves for its rejection of the existence of ‘structural racism’ in the UK, and recommendation to stop using the label ‘BAME’ when it comes to describing minority experiences and ethnic relations. Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Cindy Yu about what it

Play 16 mins

Coffee House Shots

Did police ‘act appropriately’ at the vigil?

A report on the Met Police’s handling of Sarah Everard’s vigil has concluded that the force ‘acted appropriately’. Was the conclusion a surprise, and has the new Policing Bill given them too much power? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

Play 11 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will Salmond’s new party help independence?

Alex Salmond has been building his new Alba Party over the weekend. Two SNP MPs have defected to the former party leader’s side – is he helping further the cause of Scottish independence? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.

Play 15 mins

Coffee House Shots

Is Britain turning into a ‘bio-security state’?

After ruling out vaccine passports for most of this year, the government seems to be moving the goalposts with little discussion. Fraser Nelson writes in his Telegraph column this week that Britain could be moving to a bio-security state – and discusses with James Forsyth and Katy Balls on this episode.

Play 30 mins

Coffee House Shots

What should the government do about China’s sanctions?

China has sanctioned nine Brits and four British entities in retaliation to sanctions imposed by the West earlier this week. What should the government do about this? Katy Balls talks to Cindy Yu and James Forsyth about the next moves.

Play 13 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will Covid restrictions really end in June?

Today Matt Hancock refused to rule out not bringing the government’s Covid emergency powers back for another renewal vote in September, while the Prime Minister has been firefighting his comments from yesterday about pubs and vaccine passports. What kind of normality can we actually expect this summer? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Are summer holidays abroad off the table?

What’s the point of vaccinating the population, if fear of new strains will prevent a return to normality when it comes to air travel? That’s the question the government is facing this week, after comments by Professor Neil Ferguson suggested that foreign travel may still be forbidden this summer. Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Can Anas Sarwar stop the SNP?

Nicola Sturgeon today survived a confidence vote brought forward by the Scottish Conservatives. Newly elected Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Scots deserved a ‘better government’ and a ‘better opposition’. Could he stop the SNP winning a majority in May’s elections? Katy Balls talks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.

Play 18 mins

Coffee House Shots

How will Boris respond to the EU’s vaccine threats?

Overnight the European Commission’s rhetoric on vaccine export bans hotted up. In the run up to Thursday’s meeting between European leaders to discuss its vaccines options, what will the UK government do? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about Boris’s options.

Play 10 mins

Coffee House Shots

Should Britain engage in vaccine diplomacy?

America has belatedly joined the vaccine diplomacy arena, the progress of which by Russia and China has been covered by The Spectator. On this episode of Saturday’s Coffee House Shots, Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls, James Forsyth, Kate Andrews and Fraser Nelson about the latest developments in the race and whether Britain should be

Play 23 mins

Coffee House Shots

What’s next for Sturgeon?

Nicola Sturgeon misled the Scottish Parliament, a special Holyrood committee concluded yesterday. In a defiant response, the First Minister said that ‘opposition members… made their minds up before I uttered a single word of evidence.’ Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about the fallout.

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will the EU go through with its threat of blocking vaccines?

The European Medicines Agency has announced that the Oxford-Astrazeneca jab is safe after all. In light of this, will the European Commission go through with its threat of banning vaccines from leaving the bloc? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.

Play 12 mins

Coffee House Shots

What’s behind the EU’s vaccine flip flop?

Ursula von der Leyen today said that the EU could block vaccine shipments to the UK if it doesn’t export AstraZeneca jabs to the bloc. The Commission’s head is under pressure to fix a rollout programme that continues to flounder – just 12 per cent of EU citizens have received a dose compared to 39

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Is Boris being too soft on China?

Starting ‘a new Cold War on China’ would be ‘a mistake’, Boris Johnson said today as he set out the government’s integrated defence review. The military reassessment – the biggest in decades – also outlined plans to lift the UK’s cap on the number of nuclear warheads from 180 to 260. Why does the review

Play 11 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will Tories kickback on new police powers?

Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick is facing calls to resign after women were forcibly removed from Saturday’s vigil for Sarah Everard. It comes as a bill that gives police more powers to crack down on protests will soon come before Parliament. How big will the backbench rebellion be? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and

Play 12 mins

Coffee House Shots

Life as a Lobby journalist

The Lobby refers to the group of political journalists with access to the Palace of Westminster. On this episode, three former Lobby hacks – Fraser Nelson, James Kirkup (of the Social Mobility Foundation) and Francis Elliott (retiring political editor of the Times) – discuss their rehabilitation from the job, the old days of boozing lunches

Play 30 mins

Coffee House Shots

What’s behind the UK’s EU export slump?

Britain’s exports to the EU fell by 40 per cent in January 2021, new figures from the ONS show. Are the numbers a real reflection of post-Brexit trade, or should they be treated with caution? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

Play 16 mins

Coffee House Shots

Why Scottish independence is not inevitable

A number of polls in recent days have shown a majority support for Scotland staying in the UK. Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about how Scottish independence is not inevitable.

Play 13 mins

Coffee House Shots

Was that Keir Starmer’s best PMQs?

Keir Starmer pushed the PM on the 1 per cent pay rise for nurses at PMQS today. Did shorter, snappier questions bring results for the Labour leader? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

Play 10 mins

Coffee House Shots

Sunak’s NHS pay rise headache

NHS chief Simon Stevens today confirmed that the health service budgeted for a 2.1 per cent pay rise this year (rather than the 1 per cent being recommended by the government), putting pressure on the Treasury to stump up more cash. What are their options, how are Tory backbenchers reacting, and can Starmer turn the

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will the government respond to Harry and Meghan interview?

The government has so far kept quiet about Harry and Meghan’s shocking interview with Oprah, in which – among other revelations – the couple claimed that a member of the royal family made racist comments about their son Archie’s skin colour. But with Boris Johnson set to host a government press conference at 4pm today,

Play 13 mins

Coffee House Shots

Is an early election on the cards?

With economic growth of over seven percent forecast for 2022, could 2023 be an election year? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about the next poll’s likely date.

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Is a one per cent pay rise fair?

Unions are threatening strike action after the government recommended a one per cent pay increase for nurses in England. Will the backlash force a U-turn, and what will the public make of it? Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson.

Play 13 mins

Coffee House Shots

Budget Day Two: Has Rishi survived the scrutiny?

Day Two is sometimes when the budgets come unravelled. But Rishi Sunak’s Budget seems to have survived the scrutiny of the polls, pundits and papers. Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will Rishi Sunak’s budget give Britain a boost?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged a further £65bn in today’s budget, bringing the government’s total spending during coronavirus to more than £400bn. But aside from splurges on extending furlough and the Universal Credit uplift, and new ‘restart grants’ offered to ailing businesses, the first belt-tightening measures were announced. Income tax thresholds will be frozen, and cooperation

Play 14 mins

Coffee House Shots

Will Brand Rishi take a hit?

Rishi Sunak has been a popular Chancellor, mainly because he’s responsible for pandemic giveaway after giveaway. But with tomorrow’s Budget, the tone will begin to change. Can he get through it unscathed? Katy Balls talks to Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth.

Play 13 mins