Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.

Does Zahawi have to resign?

14 min listen

This morning government minister Chris Philp gave a less than convincing defence of former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi as the row over his tax affairs continue to cast a cloud over Rishi Sunak’s government. Does he have to go? Also on the podcast, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy will lay out Labour’s foreign policy plans today

Katy Balls

Is Rishi Sunak changing his tune on Nadhim Zahawi?

A week is a long time in politics. Last Wednesday, Rishi Sunak stood at the despatch box and defended Nadhim Zahawi over his tax affairs. During Prime Minister’s Questions, Sunak said that when it came to reports that Zahawi had to pay millions to Revenue and Customs to settle a tax dispute, his party chairman

Will Tory sleaze hurt Sunak?

12 min listen

Having just recovered from his own seatbelt fine saga, Rishi Sunak spent the weekend fighting two more Tory sleaze scandals. First over the ongoing investigation into Nadhim Zahawi’s taxes and the second linked to the BBC chairman Richard Sharp’s £800,000 loan guarantee. Both stories link back to Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister, but how

Katy Balls

Can Nadhim Zahawi survive his tax troubles?

As a new week begins in Westminster, Nadhim Zahawi is under increasing pressure over his tax affairs. It’s one of two stories – the second being whether the BBC chairman Richard Sharp helped Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 – loan that is leading to talk of Tory sleaze. The Conservative party chairman is facing questions

How much trouble is Sunak in?

This week Rishi Sunak will meet with his Cabinet at Chequers as he tries to focus minds in his government and party towards the next election. However, while the Prime Minister wants to focus on his five priorities – half inflation, reduce debt, grow the economy, cut waiting lists and stop the boats – a

Should Sunak be fined over seatbelt-gate?

14 min listen

Rishi Sunak may be facing a fine from the police for not wearing a seatbelt in the backseat of a car on his tour around the country yesterday. Is this all a storm in a teacup or is there a legitimate point to the row? Kate Andrews and Fraser Nelson debate on the podcast, hosted

Katy Balls

The Nimco Ali Edition

33 min listen

Nimco Ali is an activist, government advisor, author and FGM survivor. Born in Somaliland, Nimco moved to the UK as a child fleeing civil war. On holiday in Djibouti aged 7, she was subjected to female genital mutilation, a traumatising moment in her life that led her to become one of the world’s leading anti-FGM

What’s behind the Tory rift on levelling up?

10 min listen

Rishi Sunak faces the fury of Red Wall MPs and other Tories today as he announced the distribution of the second round of the government’s levelling up fund. Of all the regions receiving money, the southeast will in fact receive the most (£210 million), while the government would rather point to the fact that, on

Can Keir Starmer be trusted?

12 min listen

In today’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Rishi Sunak went heavy on accusations that Keir Starmer cannot be trusted, having flip-flopped on various policy positions throughout his time in politics – ‘he is not just for the free movement of people; he also has the free movement of principles’. On the podcast, Katy Balls discusses with Fraser

Katy Balls

Sunak, Starmer and the Davos divide

What self-respecting political leader would be seen in Davos? The World Economic Forum has become synonymous with sybaritic technocracy – champagne receptions, luxury chalets, £50 burgers and traffic jams of black limousines. David Cameron and George Osborne were in their element at these summits, sometimes staying to ski afterwards. But Rishi Sunak, a Goldman Sachs

Katy Balls

Is the Trussite Tory ‘growth group’ a threat to Rishi Sunak?

Tory MPs gathered last night for the first meeting of a new growth caucus. Under the working title ‘Conservative Growth Group’, this gathering of like-minded MPs is planning to push a growth agenda – and manoeuvre the Prime Minister into adopting some of its preferred policies. The group is led by two men who served

Will the Scottish trans row go to court?

15 min listen

Westminster and Holyrood are going head to head on Scotland’s newly passed Gender Recognition Bill. Last night, the UK government blocked the legislation from Edinburgh, citing that the powers it gives – requiring those identifying as a different gender to only live in that gender for three months, and reducing the age of self-identification to

Why the government will block the SNP gender bill

The UK government has this evening confirmed that ministers will move to prevent the Scottish government’s gender recognition legislation from receiving Royal Assent. Announcing the decision in a statement, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said he had made the decision to make an order under Section 35 of the Scotland Act to stop the legislation passing

Katy Balls

Is Sunak heading for trouble on the Protocol?

There has been excited chatter in recent days that a breakthrough on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be imminent. Last week, the UK government and Brussels agreed a new technical arrangement on sharing trade data, which was heralded as a ‘new basis’ for talks, following a meeting between EU chief negotiator Maros Sefcovic, and James

Katy Balls

What will be on the agenda at Davos?

12 min listen

It’s looking like a busy week in Westminster. So busy in fact that prime minister Rishi Sunak will not be attending the annual Davos meeting, organised by the World Economic Forum. His opposite number Kier Starmer will be making the trip however, is this a shrewd move from Labour?  Also on the podcast, amended plans

Is Boris on manoeuvres?

13 min listen

Boris Johnson’s potential comeback has been dominating headlines for several months now. As Rishi struggles to unite the party, Katy Balls, Fraser Nelson and James Heale discuss whether the prime minister should be worried. 

Should Sunak unleash Kemi Badenoch?

17 min listen

Rishi Sunak is in Scotland meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and said today that he is concerned about new gender laws in Scotland which would allow 16-year-olds to apply for a gender recognition certificate to change their gender. But with Sunak trying to improve relations with Holyrood, should he send Kemi Badenoch, the minister

Katy Balls

Sunak and Sturgeon are heading for a clash over gender self-ID

Rishi Sunak is keen to distance himself from Liz Truss over Scotland. Shortly before she became prime minister, Truss suggested it was best to ‘ignore’ the ‘attention seeker’ Nicola Sturgeon. But Sunak is adopting a more conciliatory approach towards the SNP leader. The pair enjoyed a working dinner last night in Inverness on Sunak’s first

SNP: do you attract more flies with honey or vinegar?

12 min listen

Welfare reform is back on the agenda. Today there have been reports of how the Tories plan to reform welfare benefits in this country. What is Mel Stride thinking? Also on the podcast, Rishi Sunak will this evening travel to meet with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. What will they be discussing? Why is it

Why did Sunak change tack on private healthcare?

10 min listen

Rishi Sunak has finally answered questions over his healthcare arrangements with a statement in Prime Minister’s Questions, stating that he is currently registered with an NHS GP but has used private healthcare in the past. Is this change in tack an admission that he should have answered the question sooner? Katy Balls talks to Isabel