Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
From our UK edition
13 min listen
Rishi Sunak announced a reshuffle of his cabinet this morning. Among other changes, Greg Hands will become the Tory party chair, and Michelle Donelan will become the culture secretary. Why is Sunak making these changes just 18 months before an election? Will they make any real difference to how his government works? Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Max Jeffery.
From our UK edition
Rishi Sunak this morning embarked on a minor reshuffle of his cabinet as he restructures several Whitehall departments. Today's cabinet meeting has been pushed back from this morning to mid-afternoon so as to allow for the changes to take place. In a sign of Sunak's reluctance to ruffle feathers among Tory MPs, no sackings took place. Instead the focus was on rearranging government departments and then matching them largely with serving ministers.
From our UK edition
18 min listen
Today Liz Truss has broken her silence, giving her first broadcast interview since leaving No.10 to SpectatorTV. Was she denied a ‘realistic chance’ at success? Fraser Nelson speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. You can watch the full interview now on SpectatorTV: https://www.youtube.
From our UK edition
15 min listen
In his column for the Telegraph, Fraser Nelson says that Sweden has become a gangster's paradise, with its liberal approach to criminal justice allowing a shocking subculture of violence. He is joined by Katy Balls and Fredrik Erixon, Swedish economist and writer, to discuss how the country should respond to gun violence.
From our UK edition
10 min listen
In her Times column this week Katy Balls says that Rishi Sunak is about to roll his sleeves up on EU trade and small boats, potentially setting him against both the right and the left of his party. What should we expect? Also on the podcast, as allegations about Dominic Raab's bullying continue to swirl, is this another area where Rishi will be forced to get tough? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
From our UK edition
27 min listen
Miriam Cates is the Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge. Before becoming a Member of Parliament, Miriam worked as a science teacher and business owner and spent many years raising her three children at home. On the podcast, Miriam talks about her entry into politics through village life as the local Parish Councillor; how her life as a mother has shaped her views on gender and online harm; and how the 2019 caucus operates. Produced by Natasha Feroze.
From our UK edition
13 min listen
A new poll today shows that more than half of voters think that Rishi Sunak has handled the economy badly, and that a third of voters think Boris Johnson was a better prime minister. This comes as Sunak marks his first 100 days in office. But did the PM ever have a political honeymoon to speak of? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Cindy Yu.
From our UK edition
11 min listen
Today the Times has reported that a partial agreement has been made over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Why are the government playing down the progress made over the Irish border? Also on podcast, Boris Johnson has been on maneuvres this week, weighing in on the row over sending jets to Ukraine. Has he succeeded in undermining Rishi Sunak? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.
From our UK edition
There’s a new default conversation for Tory MPs at any Westminster drinks party: is this 1992 or 1997? Is the party doomed or not? In 1992 John Major became the only prime minister to have been 20 points behind in the polls and then gone on to win two years later. But in 1997, with the Tories mired in accusations of sleaze, Major lost by such a landslide that his party was out of power for three terms. There are some Tory MPs who argue that a narrow victory would be worse than giving Labour a small majority At last week’s cabinet away day, William Hague was brought in as the evening entertainment to make the case for optimism. The current situation, said Hague, more closely echoed the electoral landscape of 1990, when Major went on to turn the party’s fortunes around.
From our UK edition
12 min listen
The IMF report suggests Britain will be the only advanced economy to fall into recession this year – predicting the worst growth figures of any G7 country. Historically, how reliable have these forecasts been? Can we take some of it with a pinch of salt? Also on the podcast, MPs have approved new powers to curb public sector strikes, is this a ray of hope for party cohesion? Natasha Feroze speaks to Kate Andrews and Katy Balls.
From our UK edition
12 min listen
The problem of Nadhim Zahawi may not have gone away as quickly as the Prime Minister might have hoped. Today, allies of the former Tory Chairman have suggested the decision to sack Zahawi has been 'rushed' and 'unfair'. Is there more of this story to come? Natasha Feroze speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
From our UK edition
13 min listen
This morning, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired the Conservative party chairman Nadhim Zahawi over the scandal surrounding his tax affairs. This story has been ongoing for a few weeks now – why now? Natasha Feroze speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
From our UK edition
Nadhim Zahawi has this morning been sacked as Conservative party chairman. The Prime Minister made the decision to remove Zahawi from his government after an investigation by the Prime Minister's independent ethics adviser found he had breached the ministerial code over his tax affairs. On receiving the report earlier today, Sunak decided that Zahawi could not remain in post now 'it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the Ministerial Code': 'As a result,' the PM wrote, 'I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s Government'. The row over Zahawi's tax affairs has been going on for weeks, with Sunak even defending him earlier this month at Prime Minister's Questions, suggesting the matter had been resolved.
From our UK edition
43 min listen
Katy Balls, The Spectator’s political editor, writes about the return of Tory sleaze. She’s joined by Jill Rutter, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government, to discuss the problems piling up for Rishi Sunak and the Tories. (00:50) Also this week, security expert Mark Galeotti writes about why Europe has been reluctant to give Ukraine tanks. Journalist Owen Matthews and Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the United States Army (Europe), join the podcast. (18:44) And finally, Gus Carter, The Spectator’s deputy features editor, writes in this week’s magazine about bison being reintroduced into the UK. He joins the podcast with the environmentalist Stanley Johnson. (33:40) Hosted by William Moore. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
From our UK edition
12 min listen
Over the last few days, Downing Street has been quietly distancing itself from Nadhim Zahawi, though seems unwilling to do anything until the investigation into Zahawi's tax affairs finishes. Today, the Tory chairman's plight was made worse by comments from Jim Harra, chief executive of HMRC. Cindy Yu discusses with Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu.
From our UK edition
12 min listen
Today, Rishi Sunak faced another round of questioning over the two ongoing Tory sleaze scandals. What is it about these stories that infuriate voters, and can the Prime Minister close the chapter on them as he promised to do? Max Jeffery talks to Katy Balls and pollster James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners. Produced by Max Jeffery and Cindy Yu.
From our UK edition
When Rishi Sunak stood on the steps of Downing Street to give his first speech as Prime Minister, he had a simple message: ‘This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.’ He wanted his premiership to move on from the scandal, mayhem and psycho-drama of his two predecessors. As Michael Gove later put it: ‘Boring is back.’ The government, he said, has an ‘utter determination to try to be as dull as possible’. But the Tory scandal stories that Sunak is so keen to avoid are not, it seems, over yet. His party chairman, Nadhim Zahawi, is reported to have had to pay a penalty of more than £1 million as part of a settlement to the taxman over a ‘careless’ error.
From our UK edition
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 at Chatham House. What can we expect? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Stephen Bush. Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.
From our UK edition
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 had 'already addressed this matter in full'. Only now Zahawi is not only facing an investigation by the Prime Minister's new independent ethics adviser, but the line coming from No. 10 also appears to be changing. Yesterday at a lobby briefing, the Prime Minister's spokesperson appeared to suggest that Sunak was not aware when he appointed Zahawi as chairman that he had agreed to pay an alleged £1 million penalty to the taxman.
From our UK edition
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 much damage could this do to Rishi Sunak? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
