Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.
11 min listen
The Chancellor is making final preparations to his Budget, announced next Wednesday. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the major themes coming up, and whether this is the moment when Rishi Sunak sees a turn in his popularity.
43 min listen
Nikki da Costa is the former director of legislative affairs at No 10 Downing Street. She served under Theresa May and Boris Johnson and was pivotal in the government’s wrangles with Parliament over Brexit. On the podcast, she talks to Katy about why she and David Davis didn’t quite get on; why she quit May’s
14 min listen
Compared to our extremely strong vaccine rollout, the booster numbers are not doing so well. But what is causing the slow take-up? Cindy Yu is joined by James Forsyth and Katy Balls to discuss this as well as the ever-rising covid figures, partisan mask wars, and a potential new trade deal with New Zealand.
Is the government considering activating its ‘plan B’ Covid plans? Not yet. After the Business Secretary played down talk of new restrictions this morning, Sajid Javid used today’s press conference to confirm that he would not be implementing the back-up plan ‘at this point’. However, the Health Secretary suggested that further measures – namely vaccine
11 min listen
There was a sombre tone as Boris Johnson faced Keir Starmer at the despatch box for PMQs. This was seen as one of the Labour leader’s most successful outings as he emphasised finding common ground on tackling certain issues like online abuse, extremism and terrorism Cindy Yu is joined by Katy Balls and James Forsyth
55 min listen
Will the green agenda really create new jobs – or will the cost of net zero dampen economic growth? Katy Balls, the Spectator’s deputy political editor is at Conservative Party Conference for a live recording with: Will Gardiner, CEO of DraxJake Berry MP, chair of the Northern Research GroupBim Afolami MP, chair of the Parliamentary
11 min listen
With COP26 fast approaching, the Heat and Buildings Strategy has been published today along with the Net Zero Strategy. But what do these papers mean for the environment, you, and your boiler? Isabel Hardman is joined by James Forsyth and Katy Balls to dissect these plans as well as looking at why the NHS is
The Conservative party doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to early elections — MPs are still scarred by Theresa May losing the Tory majority after going for a snap poll in 2017. But that hasn’t stopped talk of an early election building in recent weeks. This isn’t about a vote tomorrow or next
12 min listen
Parliament meets today to pay tribute to David Amess MP who was stabbed to death at his constituency surgery last week. But what have we learnt about the suspect currently still in police custody? And going forward what can be done to keep our representatives safe? Katy Balls is joined by Isabel Hardman and James
12 min listen
In an attempt to save the Northern Ireland Protocol, the EU has promised ‘very far reaching’ changes which are due to be revealed tomorrow. Dominic Cummings has also piled into the debate, suggesting that Boris ‘never had a scoobydoo what the deal he signed meant’. He also claimed that it was ‘always the plan’ to
Is Dominic Cummings about to derail the government’s plans for a new Northern Ireland protocol? That’s the concern inside government as Boris Johnson’s former adviser shows that he still has the ability to change the political weather from afar. On Tuesday night, there was renewed hope that a solution could be found between the UK and EU on
As a general rule in post-Brexit politics, when David Frost makes a public intervention on the Northern Ireland protocol, it tends to dampen rather than soothe UK-EU relations. Frost, charged with improving the protocol, is a divisive figure in Brussels who is seen to catch flies with vinegar rather than honey. His speech was expected to be
11 min listen
Katy Balls and James Forsyth dissect the Covid report to see if anyone came out smelling like roses. They also look at the ongoing gas crisis and how the government is planning to proceed.
Has Rishi Sunak had to perform an embarrassing climbdown over an energy bailout? That’s the suggestion in the papers this morning as the Treasury considers formal proposals from the Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to assist businesses struggling with the hike in fuel prices. It comes after a brutal briefing over the weekend in which a
10 min listen
With the energy crisis showing no signs of improving, many industries warned over the weekend that they may have to shut down some manufacturing points due to the rising costs. This has lead to tensions between the Treasury and the Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng about how to proceed. Isabel Hardman is joined by Katy Balls
As Boris Johnson’s holiday in Marbella gets underway, back home his ministers are making headlines for infighting following a hostile briefing from the Treasury. The stark rise in energy prices has led industry leaders to warn that some UK factories are at risk of closure within days unless the government steps in to help with spiralling fuel
13 min listen
Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson about the rise of ‘Trussmania’ that seemed to be sweeping the Conservative party conference in Manchester.
12 min listen
The former housing secretary, Robert Jenrick delivered a warning to his former colleagues in government yesterday that a failure to build new homes will cost the Conservatives down the line. Cindy Yu is joined by James Forsyth and Katy Balls to discuss this, as well as the update to Covid holiday restrictions and the sad
31 min listen
Dehenna Davison is the MP for Bishop Auckland, and a rising star in Boris Johnson’s 2019 ‘red wall’ intake. On this episode, recorded just after Conservative party conference, Dehenna tells Katy about what it was like to lose her father to a pub brawl so young, getting her work marked in Latin by Jacob Rees-Mogg
10 min listen
Although Boris won over the audience during his conference speech, the opinion polls might say otherwise. Starmer’s voice of reason could be starting to resonate with the public as the cost of living continues to rise. Underlying tensions with businesses are also still bubbling. Are they really to blame for labour shortages? And what now
