Will teacher assessed grades work?
17 min listen
Teachers will assess pupil’s grades next year, the Education Secretary said today. Has the decision come too late, and will it disadvantage students? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Katy Balls
Katy Balls is The Spectator’s political editor.
Thursday
The break-up: is Boris about to lose Scotland?
At the stroke of five o’clock last Friday, the new head of No. 10’s Union unit was due to brief government aides on the robust new strategy to counter the SNP. It was urgently needed: campaigning for the Scottish parliament election starts in a few weeks and if Nicola Sturgeon wins a majority — as
Wednesday
Will Gove greenlight immunity passports?
19 min listen
Michael Gove will lead a government review into immunity passports. Does his appointment make IDs a foregone conclusion, what will they look like, and when can we expect to see their domestic rollout? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Tuesday
Sturgeon versus Salmond
20 min listen
Alex Salmond has pulled out from his appearance in front of the harassment complaints committee, where he was expected to give evidence about an alleged breach of the ministerial code by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Fraser Nelson speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the SNP implosion.
Monday
Tory MPs react to Boris Johnson’s roadmap
Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown moves at a much slower pace than many of his backbenchers would like. Despite, this, the Prime Minister has so far managed to avoid a large backlash from Tory MPs with his blueprint for ending lockdown. While leading figures of the Covid Recovery Group were quick to voice their objections in
The lockdown roadmap explained
12 min listen
Boris Johnson has finally set out his roadmap for easing lockdown. On the episode, Katy Balls talks to Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth about what to expect over the next few months.
Has Carrie divided No. 10?
15 min listen
Yet more personnel changes have happened in Downing Street, with Oliver Lewis the latest to depart. The weekend papers were full of briefings that Carrie Symonds is the reason for the latest strife. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson about how much truth there is in that.
Sunday
What to expect from Boris Johnson’s lockdown roadmap
When Boris Johnson stands at the despatch box on Monday afternoon to unveil his roadmap for ending the lockdown, those hoping for a big bang moment in ending restrictions will be left disappointed. Instead, the Prime Minister will announce a very gradual easing of the lockdown stretching to the summer – with Johnson reserving the right to make it
Saturday
Boris’s climate conundrum
13 min listen
While coronavirus has dominated the last year in politics, domestic issues are creeping back onto the agenda. Near the top of the list is reaching Net Zero by 2050 – not least because climate-conscious Joe Biden is now in the White House. Can Britain hit its target? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Sam
Friday
Turbulence in Downing Street as another Vote Leave aide departs
Boris Johnson has lost a longstanding aide from 10 Downing Street this evening with Oliver Lewis quitting as head of the Union unit. Lewis had only been appointed to the job two weeks ago having previously worked on the Brexit negotiations. His resignation comes after a week of bubbling tensions in No. 10 over recent personnel changes.
Has Macron stolen Boris’s G7 thunder?
10 min listen
Emmanuel Macron has said wealthy nations should begin donating up to five per cent of their vaccines to Africa. It comes as Boris Johnson hosts a virtual G7 today – Joe Biden’s first multilateral meeting. Has the French president stolen Boris’s thunder? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
The Suzanne Moore Edition
44 min listen
Suzanne Moore is a journalist. On the podcast, she tells Katy about interviewing to work for Marxism Today, feeling out of place at The Guardian, and standing to be an independent MP.
Thursday
Why Starmer is no modern day Beveridge
15 min listen
Today’s speech from the Labour leader was billed to be ‘Beveridge-style’. On the podcast, Kate Andrews tells Katy Balls and James Forsyth why it was nothing of the sort, and they strategise what Starmer should have said.
Can Keir Starmer cut through?
It’s been a difficult few weeks for Sir Keir Starmer with left-leaning commentators and MPs lining up to criticise the Labour leader. Among recent complaints include the idea that Starmer plays it too safe, has not held the Tories to account despite the high Covid death toll and has failed to make much of an impression on
Wednesday
What’s behind David Frost’s promotion?
The news that David Frost is to be a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office and full member of cabinet has set the cat among the pigeons in Westminster this evening. The UK’s lead Brexit negotiator had previously been lined up to be national security adviser. However, it was eventually decided that he did not
Why is the government banking on lateral flow tests?
17 min listen
It’s not the Forsyth Spit Bucket, but it may help us ease lockdown. Cindy Yu talks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls about why the government is banking so much on rapid tests, given that vaccination was meant to be the route out.
Tuesday
Will rapid testing bring back nightclubs?
9 min listen
Nadhim Zahawi this morning said that scientists are working on rapid Covid tests to reopen large events. The vaccine deployment minister said that ‘new technologies’ are being trialled at the Porton Down laboratories, and ruled out the government introducing vaccine passports. Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
Monday
Is Boris Johnson opening the way for vaccine passports?
The government’s position on vaccine passports is a cause of continuing intrigue. Although Downing Street has insisted on several occasions that they will not be brought in domestically, there have been several statements that suggest otherwise. As well as looking at vaccine passports for international transport, Dominic Raab appeared to at least entertain the idea
Boris Johnson hints at Covid exit strategy
What will the government’s roadmap out of lockdown look like? That’s a question being asked frequently as ministers get to work on a plan for easing restrictions. Given that Boris Johnson isn’t due to announce the details until next Monday, it’s a moving picture — with new data continuing to inform the proposals. Speculation aside,
What does Boris’s ‘cautious’ approach mean for lockdown easing?
18 min listen
Despite the UK hitting its target of giving 15 million people their first vaccine dose by 15 February, Boris Johnson said the path to reopening will be ‘cautious but irreversible’. What does this approach mean for the return to normal life? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.