Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.

Who is running the government?

16 min listen

With Boris Johnson currently hospitalised with no sign of release any time soon, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is the ‘designated survivor’. But at today’s press conference, he admitted he hadn’t spoken to Boris Johnson since Saturday. So who is running the government?

Katy Balls

How Dominic Raab ended up as de facto deputy

Following the Prime Minister’s admission to hospital on Sunday, Boris Johnson remains in St Thomas’s hospital ‘for observation’. While a No. 10 spokesman insists that he remains in ‘good spirits’ and continues to be in touch with colleagues, questions remain when it comes to whether he will be forced to take a few days out for his recovery.

Katy Balls

Government adviser: mass antibody test ‘at least a month’ away

With pressure growing on the government to forge an exit plan out of the current lockdown, antibody tests have been regularly cited by ministers and officials as a means to return to some form of normality. Boris Johnson says a home testing kit which would identify whether an individual has suffered from the disease – and therefore has

Boris admitted to hospital

12 min listen

Tonight, the Prime Minister is admitted to hospital for tests; the Queen gives a statement to the nation; and Catherine Calderwood steps down as Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer after having been found to flout her own social distancing rules.

Katy Balls

Keir Starmer’s first challenge as Labour leader

As expected, Sir Keir Starmer has been announced as the new leader of the Labour party. The former shadow Brexit secretary won on first preference votes with 56 per cent of the vote to Rebecca Long Bailey on 27 per cent and Nandy on 16 per cent. Angela Rayner has been elected as deputy leader on third

Matt Hancock looks to clinical trials for a coronavirus way out

After a week of criticism over the government’s lack of mass testing, Matt Hancock and deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam used Friday’s press conference to try and move the focus to other methods for tackling the coronavirus outbreak. The Health Secretary reiterated that social distancing remains the best way to prevent spread of the disease

Katy Balls

Has Sweden got it right?

16 min listen

Unlike the UK and most of Europe, Sweden hasn’t locked down its population. What explains its difference in approach? Plus, what does the government’s coronavirus exit strategy look like?

Katy Balls

Boris Johnson’s government the most popular in a decade

Another day, another set of dreary headlines for the government over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. As well as publications that tend to be hostile to the Conservatives, the Telegraph today splashes with criticism of the testing shortage, saying there are ‘Questions without answers’. Yet despite all the noise, the polls tell a rather different

Four graphs that show the effect of social distancing in the UK

Those who tuned into the government’s daily press conference were given a glimpse of what will come to pass if Boris Johnson has to take a break from his duties as a result of his coronavirus diagnosis. The government’s ‘designated survivor’ Dominic Raab led the conference – providing an update on Foreign Office efforts to bring Brits

Katy Balls

What Boris Johnson’s coronavirus diagnosis means for the government

Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus. The Prime Minister took a test for the virus on Thursday at the advice of Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty after experiencing mild symptoms. As a result Johnson is now self-isolating in 10 Downing Street, a spokesman said: ‘After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested

Katy Balls

The Lisa Nandy Edition

30 min listen

Lisa Nandy is the Labour MP for Wigan and former shadow energy secretary. She is one of the remaining three contenders for Labour leader. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about her childhood ambitions, cross-party friendships, and the worst advice she’s ever been given.