Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.
Rishi Sunak wakes to warnings that the Tories could lose 1,000 seats in the local elections. What had been talked up as expectation management is now viewed as a possibility as the party finds itself squeezed by both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Keir Starmer’s party is showing signs of progress in some so-called red
11 min listen
In today’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister and his party of having ‘killed the dream of homeownership’. With news this week that Rishi Sunak is considering reintroducing ‘Help to Buy’ while Michael Gove is sued for blocking a new housing development in Kent, does Starmer actually have a point? Katy Balls
When Boris Johnson appointed Simon Case to the Cabinet Office, he believed that the youngest cabinet secretary in a century (just 41 when he accepted the role) would be more malleable than his more experienced rivals. Case was appointed in September 2020, when Dominic Cummings was, in effect, running No. 10 and had big ideas about
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The Cabinet Office has published its written statement into the resignation of Sue Gray, stating that it has given a ‘confidential assessment’ to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) about whether she broke civil service rules in taking up a job from Keir Starmer while still a senior civil servant. On the episode, Cindy
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The Tories are preparing for a drubbing in the local elections next week. But just how bad will they be? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and John Curtice. Produced by Natasha Feroze and Max Jeffery.
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Richard Sharp has quit as chairman of the BBC, following an investigation into whether he properly disclosed his role in enabling an £800,000 loan to Boris Johnson before his appointment. What will happen next? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu and Max Jeffery.
Richard Sharp has resigned as BBC chairman following a report into the circumstances of his appointment after claims that he had helped to facilitate a £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson while he was in 10 Downing Street. The report – by Adam Heppinstall KC – found that he had breached the code on public appointments
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A judge has ruled that strikes by the Royal College of Nursing be cut short by a day, because the six-month mandate for strike action will have passed. Two more unions are still to vote on Health Secretary Steve Barclay’s pay offer. If they support it, could the RCN change their mind on the deal?
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This week: In her cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls writes that as Labour prepares for government, Keir Starmer is rooting out the far left sections of his party and replacing them with moderates. She is joined by John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair, to discuss the return of the
On a cloudy Saturday in March, a group of unlikely characters gathered in an office near London’s Old Street for political training. A scientist, a prison officer, an army veteran and four economists were among them and they all hope to be elected as Labour MPs at the next election. A great many of them
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Colin Beattie, the SNP’s former treasurer, said today that he ‘didn’t know’ about the party’s purchase of a motorhome worth £100,000, the vehicle at the centre of an ongoing police probe into SNP finances. What’s going on? And as the military begins to evacuate British citizens from Sudan, did the Foreign Office react fast enough?
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Katy Balls, Fraser Nelson and Isabel Hardman discuss Diane Abbott’s suspension from the Labour party. Given her hasty apology, could Keir Starmer allow such a key figure to Labour’s left back into the party? Also on the podcast, what has been the fallout from Dominic Raab’s resignation? And how is Rishi Sunak trying to woo
It’s the fate of Labour MP Diane Abbott rather than former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab that is dominating the news this afternoon. Although the Sunday papers are filled with details of the series of events that led Raab to tender his resignation following the report into allegations of bullying against him, it’s a letter
What does Rishi Sunak’s mini-reshuffle reveal? When Nadhim Zahawi was sacked as party chairman, the Prime Minister took his time in deciding who would succeed him – eventually appointing Greg Hands. This time around Sunak has moved quickly in the wake of the report into bullying allegations that led to Dominic Raab’s resignation. Sunak hopes
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This morning Dominic Raab has resigned from Rishi Sunak’s government following the findings of an investigation into bullying claims against him. Raab has been one of Sunak’s closest allies, serving as deputy PM and justice secretary. Where does this leave the prime minister? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Natasha
In the last few minutes Dominic Raab has announced that he has resigned from government following the findings of an investigation into allegations of bullying against him. Rishi Sunak received the report – by the barrister Adam Tolley KC – on Thursday morning and spent the evening consulting advisers on the best path forward as
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Today was meant to be judgement day for Dominic Raab as we learnt the outcome of Adam Tolley’s investigation into historic bullying claims made against the deputy PM. His fate now rests squarely in Rishi Sunak’s hands. Will he resign? Also on the podcast, there have been a couple of amendments tabled today on the
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Prime Minister’s Questions was a punchy affair today. Rishi Sunak fought back against accusations that the Conservatives have failed on tackling crime, calling Keir Starmer ‘Sir Softy’ to turn the attack back around on Starmer, for his track record as the Director of Public Prosecutions. But was it an effective attack? Cindy Yu talks to
A seized luxury campervan, a raid on a politician’s home and two arrests. The latest twists in Police Scotland’s investigation into how the SNP spent £600,000 of IndyRef2 donations wouldn’t seem out of place in an Ian Rankin novel. Just a year ago, Nicola Sturgeon looked invincible. Now the SNP is in freefall and Humza
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The investigation into Rishi Sunak leads several papers today, but how much does it really matter? On the episode, James Heale talks to Katy Balls and Conservative Home editor Paul Goodman about why the episode is unlikely to hurt Sunak in the long run. They also discuss the coming report on Dominic Raab’s alleged workplace
