James Forsyth is former political editor of The Spectator.
14 min listen
Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch could replace Gavin Williamson as education secretary in the next reshuffle, according to reports today. Should he be moved, and how is he making his case for staying? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.
It is already known that there will be a campaign of booster shots in the UK this autumn to boost immunity among the over-50s. But it now looks like the government is planning one for autumn 2022 as well. Steven Swinford reports in the Times today that the UK has ordered 35 million doses from
11 min listen
A record number of students got As or A*s in their A levels this year. After last year’s fiasco, teachers were given the responsibility of grading their own pupils. Has leniency put less well-off kids at a disadvantage, and will the achievements of future students now look worse? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and
12 min listen
With the Chancellor’s leaked letter to the Prime Minister (which apparently he’d never seen) showing some disagreement about COVID policy, is this an omen signalling a fracas to come over future spending plans? Isabel Hardman talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth
14 min listen
Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon seem to be battling for the position of most amiable leader. The First Minister invited Johnson to meet with her on his visit to Scotland, but the PM politely declined, instead inviting Sturgeon to a more formal meeting of devolved administrations. The Prime Minister’s visit to Scotland is part of
The US has never been more worried by the rise of China than it is today. In my Times column today, I mention a new book by Joe Biden’s China director on the National Security Council which sets out why ‘China now poses a challenge unlike any the US has ever faced’. Rush Doshi notes that
10 min listen
The Prime Minister joked yesterday that thanks to Margaret Thatcher closing coal mines, the UK ‘had a big early start and we’re now moving rapidly away from coal altogether.’ Is this typical Boris, or has he misread the room? Isabel Hardman speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
9 min listen
US intelligence agencies are combing through reams of documents from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, according to reports from CNN, which could provide a vital indication as to whether Covid was leaked. What would be the repercussions if it was? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.
The debate over Scottish independence has gone rather quiet since the Holyrood elections in May. Boris Johnson is visiting Scotland this week without the issue dominating. But, as I say in the magazine this week, the issue is likely to return to the fore this autumn. Sturgeon is on the verge of doing a deal
Since the Holyrood elections in May, the campaign for Scottish independence has been noticeably quiet. But that is about to change. This autumn Nicola Sturgeon will try to push the issue to the top of the agenda once again. The expectation in Edinburgh is that Sturgeon will soon unveil a governing agreement with the Greens,
10 min listen
Boris Johnson is visiting Scotland today, but has declined an offer from Nicola Sturgeon for a meeting. Why doesn’t the PM want to meet with the First Minister, and, after a period of relative quiet, is independence back on the agenda for Sturgeon’s government? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth.
10 min listen
Nicola Sturgeon said she expects that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will soon be recommending that those aged 16 and above will be offered a vaccine. Is this an acceptance that vaccine certificates and Deliveroo discounts aren’t enough to reach herd immunity? Isabel Hardman speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
Mobility data suggests that public behaviour hasn’t changed much since 19 July, so-called ‘freedom day’. One suspects that part of the reason for this is fear of being ‘pinged’. Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary and chair of the Commons health committee, a fortnight ago called for the double vaccinated to be excused from self-isolation if
15 min listen
In a ConservativeHome poll on who should replace Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak came out on top. It comes as the Chancellor is reportedly pushing the PM to relax travel restrictions. Is this a problem for No. 11? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
15 min listen
Team GB has had a brilliant start in Tokyo – can the government learn lessons on how to pick and nurture talent? And looking to the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 – which foreign secretary Dominic Raab said he is ‘very unlikely’ to attend – should Britain boycott them? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth
What is the biggest single threat to the Tories being re-elected? The NHS waiting list, I say in the Times today. Already more than five million people are waiting for routine hospital treatment in England. Sajid Javid has warned that this number could rise to 13 million — which would be one in four of
10 min listen
A row is brewing with France over the government’s decision to put the country on an ‘amber plus’ list, where restrictions on quarantine are tighter. But the reasoning for this has been ill-communicated by the government – is the measure worth the trouble? On the podcast, Katy Balls summarises the reasons for a backlash succinctly:
12 min listen
With over two thirds of young people now vaccinated, does the messaging on how to reach the final third need to shift? And are the government putting the cart before the horse by hinting that vaccine passports are more about coercion than safety? And finally are we in for another turbulent exam season? James Forsyth
In the last week, the number of people testing positive for Covid has dropped by 36 percent. A fall in cases following the final stage of unlocking was not what most models had predicted. There are several possible causes for this, including people adjusting their behaviour to avoid being pinged. But one significant factor is that
Last week there was acute concern in government about the country’s re-opening. Would restrictions need to be reimposed when schools return in September? Ministers fretted. But those nerves have now been replaced by cautious optimism. Case numbers have been falling for a week straight and it increasingly looks as if this wave has peaked. No