James Heale is The Spectator’s deputy political editor.
From our UK edition
One of the great gifts in politics is the capacity to surprise. Kemi Badenoch, again, demonstrated her ability in this respect when she chose to wrong-foot Keir Starmer at the last PMQs before recess. All of Westminster is talking about Morgan McSweeney’s missing phone, which has taken on the status of Chekhov’s gun in the
From our UK edition
Britain’s response to the conflict in Iran is dominating Westminster – but is Keir Starmer really keeping the country out of war? After a tense Liaison Committee appearance exposed divisions over defence spending, pressure is also mounting on the government’s economic strategy. With energy prices rising, mortgage products disappearing and fears of inflation returning, how
From our UK edition
23 min listen
Three big stories are on the agenda this morning: the war in Iran has dominated over the weekend, with Trump now failing to conceal his feelings towards Keir Starmer; Ed Miliband is also rising in profile, with those close to the cabinet briefing against him and his influence; and, finally, the Liaison Committee will sit
From our UK edition
30 min listen
This week James Heale and Tim Shipman share a byline to tell the story of Reform since the 2024 election, and where they are going. Nigel Farage reveals he is talking to potential Blue Labour defectors, shifting his leadership style and offering a ‘less is more’ approach on policy. Essex and its resident Tory big
From our UK edition
51 min listen
As Reform chips away at the Tory vote, the Conservatives face a stark choice – join forces with Nigel Farage or fight alone. James Heale, The Spectator’s deputy political editor, will be joined by Conservative peer Daniel Hannan, journalist and politician Paul Goodman, shadow cabinet member Victoria Atkins, and former Brexit secretary David Davis as they lock
From our UK edition
45 min listen
Nigel Farage is a shark – hell bent on devouring Britain’s political class, as illustrated with the Spectator‘s cover story this week, co-authored by James Heale and Tim Shipman. Yet, from rows over the pension triple lock to stagnation in the polls, it isn’t clear that Farage has a strategy for power. Reform may win
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The Tories launched their local election campaign this morning, with a beaming Kemi Badenoch surrounded by rows of flag-waving party members. The polls remain stubbornly low for the party, but the Conservative leader gave little sign of that getting to her. In a 20-minute speech, she gave an upbeat, on-message performance which centred on her
From our UK edition
11 min listen
Angela Rayner has entered the chat. Last night she gave a speech to Labour members which many are reading as the soft launch of her leadership bid. She told the room that Labour needs to be more ‘bold’ – echoing Gordon Brown as she called for a more left-wing direction. She took aim specifically at
From our UK edition
Shabana Mahmood made an impressive start as Home Secretary. Within her first 100 days, she had set out a tough new plan to ‘stop the boats’, drawing lessons from the experience of Denmark. Yet as we now move from winter to spring, it seems that much of the Labour party is becoming increasingly squeamish about
From our UK edition
Two big topics on the agenda today as Keir Starmer has his pitch – again – on the cost of living. He told us towards the start of the year that every minute not spent tackling the cost of living was a minute wasted, so what has he been doing in all that time? Also
From our UK edition
Is any party having a ‘good war’ on Iran? After Donald Trump’s first strikes, I suggested that the Prime Minister had few appealing options. A week on and both the Tories and Reform now appear to be rowing back on their initial statements calling for greater UK involvement. One party which feels confident that they
From our UK edition
35 min listen
Does Britain still have a coherent foreign policy? James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by Ben Judah, former special adviser to David Lammy, and Ameer Kotecha, who recently resigned from the Foreign Office. Together they discuss why Britain’s diplomatic establishment is under growing criticism – from accusations that the department has become bloated and
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15 min listen
Deputy political editor James Heale and deputy editor of The House magazine Sienna Rodgers join Patrick Gibbons to discuss the challenge the Greens pose to Labour in London. James’s political column this week explains how the shockwaves of the Gorton and Denton by-election have reached the capital. Could Labour’s ‘strongest heartland’ fall to the Greens
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21 min listen
As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, the British government continues to face questions about its response. Was the UK too slow to act, and if so – why? Tim Shipman reveals in the Spectator today that Keir Starmer was initially minded to approve American use of British bases but was persuaded not to
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12 min listen
It was a bad tempered PMQs today – Kemi Badenoch attacked Starmer over his involvement, or lack thereof with the Iran conflict. And Starmer hit back at Badenoch over her questions. Not the type of unity you’d want to see on the major foreign policy issue of the day. Also today, three more arrests have
After Gorton and Denton, where next? The scale of the Green triumph in Manchester has sent shockwaves through Sir Keir Starmer’s party. Much has been written about looming losses in Cardiff and Edinburgh. But the Greens – with their appeal to urban professionals, young Muslims and the economically disaffected – pose a threat in the
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Today’s Spring Statement was intended to be the anti-Budget: no rabbits, no leaks, no lengthy speeches. After last November’s disaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was not entrusted to upload a copy of the Chancellor’s speech; even the name of the ‘Spring Statement’ was rebranded by Treasury spin doctors as a simple unexciting ‘forecast’.
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12 min listen
Rachel Reeves has today delivered her much anticipated spring statement, her opportunity to address the looming energy crisis, the uncertainty in the Middle East and the crashing Labour market … unfortunately, she did none of the above. The Treasury promised that the spring statement was going to be boring – and at least it delivered
From our UK edition
20 min listen
The fallout from America’s audacious attack on Iran continues, and there are a whole host of questions for Keir Starmer. The prime minister has been accused of being slow to react, having initially confirmed that ‘the United Kingdom played no role in these strikes’, Labour since agreed to allow the Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford bases to
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Next month marks forty years since the United States bombed Libya. Ronald Reagan requested the use of British air bases for F-111s to retaliate against Colonel Gaddafi after the West Berlin discotheque bombing. Margaret Thatcher readily agreed, despite the refusal of France and other European allies. She later reflected on the episode as cementing the