Breaking political news kicks off Political Business’ first podcast of 2026 as Kemi Badenoch sacks Robert Jenrick from the Conservative shadow cabinet, amid claims he was planning a defection to Reform UK.
In this episode, Nathan Parsad-Wyatt and Kevin McKeever unpack:
Why Jenrick was seen as a leadership threat to Badenoch
Whether Reform UK benefits from ex-Tory defectors
The political theatre behind the timing of the sacking
What this tells us about the state of the Conservative Party
The conversation then turns to Labour’s growing leadership anxiety, with MPs increasingly talking about a post-Keir Starmer era. We explore:
Why Starmer’s authority appears to be fading
Wes Streeting’s leadership positioning
The significance of the Progress anniversary dinner
Whether Labour has a clear vision beyond cost-of-living messaging
Finally, we assess what the Labour government is actually delivering in early 2026, including:
New economic growth figures
The Northern Powerhouse Rail recommitment
Infrastructure, cost of living and the road to the May elections
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