James Forsyth is former political editor of The Spectator.
35 min listen
Can Joe Biden unite America? (01:05) Why is the UK’s vaccine rollout its most important economic policy? (12:10) And how can re-enactments bring history to life? (22:15) With The Spectator’s economics correspondent Kate Andrews; US editor Freddy Gray; political editor James Forsyth; Capital Economics chairman Roger Bootle; re-enactor Chris Brown and historical consultant Justin Pollard.
12 min listen
No 10 refused to rule out the possibility today, and the Health Secretary has also refused to be drawn on whether or not the vaccinating the most vulnerable would provide the roadmap out of lockdown. Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the possibility that England’s lockdown will last into the summer.
The government’s most important economic policy is its vaccination programme, I say in the magazine this week. The speed at which people are immunised will determine when — and how quickly — the economy can reopen. ‘The advantage the vaccine has given us is so huge that we have to protect that’ But even when
The government’s most important economic policy is its vaccination programme. The speed at which people are immunised will determine when — and how quickly — the economy can reopen. If all goes to plan, Britain will be the first country in Europe to get rid of restrictions and start the job of social repair. Three
14 min listen
Today the Commons debates the ‘genocide amendment’ to the Trade Bill, which would allow judges to restrict the government’s ability to sign trade deals with countries deemed guilty of genocide. It’s a clear swipe at China and its treatment of the Uyghur minority, and on the podcast, Katy Balls discusses with James Forsyth and Isabel
The debate over the so-called ‘genocide amendment’ to the trade bill raises interesting questions about the balance of powers, and responsibilities, between the executive, parliament and the courts. The amendment, which has already passed the Lords, would give English courts the power to rule on whether a state is committing genocide — should the government seek a
12 min listen
The Commons will today see a debate over extending the universal credit uplift. While Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, wants the weekly increase to remain, Rishi Sunak wants to replace it with a one-off £500 payment. Isabel Hardman talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the Tory split.
12 min listen
The new chairman of the BBC has been announced. It’s not Charles Moore, or Paul Dacre, but a low-profile former banker called Richard Sharp. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about what Sharp’s appointment reflects about the government’s war on the BBC.
15 min listen
A leaked Scottish government document suggested that all over-50s could be vaccinated by the end of March, and that UK has capacity to deliver 3.8 million jabs next week. Has the government been underselling its efforts? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
One of the arguments made against leaving the EU was that Brexit Britain would have to subordinate everything in its foreign policy to economics and the need for trade deals. But the UK’s approach to China in recent months shows that this hasn’t turned out to be the case, as I say in the magazine
12 min listen
Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the backbench Covid Recovery Group, has warned that Boris Johnson’s leadership will be ‘on the table’ unless he gives a path out of lockdown. But is the PM really under threat? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forysth and Katy Balls.
What will Brexit Britain do differently? This is going to be the most important question in our politics for the next decade. If the answer is that nothing much will change, it would be hard to argue that the disruption of the past four and a half years has been worth it. But if Brexit
13 min listen
Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, has said today that a national voucher scheme for free school meals would return on Monday, after pictures of the food packages being given to children were widely circulated online. Footballer Marcus Rashford said the Prime Minister promised ‘that he is committed to correcting the issue’. Katy Balls speaks to
11 min listen
Boris Johnson has been criticised for taking a bike ride in the Olympic Park, seven miles away from Downing Street. Should the government make the Covid rules clearer? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
13 min listen
Chris Whitty said that hospitals will face ‘the worst weeks of this pandemic’ in a broadcast round this morning, as he implored Brits to keep social contact ‘to an absolute minimum’. It comes as the government is considering even stricter restrictions to improve compliance. Katy Balls speaks to Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth.
17 min listen
Brexit is done, but Nigel Farage may well remain an influential force in British politics. With his rebranding of the Brexit Party to ‘Reform UK’ approved this week, Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Patrick O’Flynn, former Ukip MEP, about whether or not Sinoscepticism and lockdown-scepticism are enough for Farage to build a new
There’s been a mini reshuffle this evening. Alok Sharma has become the full-time head of COP26, the UN climate change summit the UK is hosting in Glasgow this November, and Kwasi Kwarteng has replaced him as Business Secretary. Sharma will continue to be a full member of the Cabinet. Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who was Secretary of
13 min listen
Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said yesterday that 800 new patients are admitted to London hospitals with Covid-19 every day. Could pressure on the health service force them to delay the vaccine distribution? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
When we interviewed Matt Hancock this week, he was clear that the government isn’t going for herd immunity through vaccination. Instead, the government is seeking to use the vaccine to protect the vulnerable and break the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths. Once that is done, the government will start to ease restrictions. Crucially, he
13 min listen
Last night’s events in Washington DC has sent shockwaves around the world. Trump’s obvious disregard for democracy was on show, leading to a normally diplomatic British government to condemn the President in strong language. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth about how the government sees its past and future relationship with Trump
