Chopper's Political Podcast

Nigel Farage could "pick up the phone" and speak to Donald Trump about relations between the US and UK if he wanted to - but he has to focus on building Reform UK, one of his key allies has said.Gerry Gunster, the founder and chief executive of Washington-based Gunster Strategies Worldwide, told Chopper's Political Podcast that relations between the pair were strong.His comments come amid speculation that the relationship might have soured after Farage did not witness in person Trump's swearing in Washington in January.Farage told GB News this week that he had not spoken to Trump since he became President in January as he did not want to cut across formal links between London and Washington.However Gunster said: "If Nigel Farage wanted to pick up the phone and get hold of the president of the United States, he would do it. "Nigel is not one of those guys that is going to do something like that unless it is of the utmost importance, because Nigel has a job to do to build this Reform party. "And the President of the United States, as you can see, has his job to do. I don't think that the fact that there hasn't been any 'talks with each other' means anything."This week, Christopher Hope is also joined by Labour MP Jake Richards to discuss digital IDs, as well as Rory Cellan-Jones who discusses his battle with Parkinson's.

Former EU Ambassador to the UK and US João Vale de Almeida has voiced his advice to Ursula von der Leyen in the wake of President Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on a number of countries. Speaking to GB News' Political Editor Christopher Hope, he said: " I would tell her to stay cool, but stay firm and react in a smart way. Our purpose should be to go back to where we were before in terms of not escalating a tariff war. But if that is what the US wants we will have to play, we'll have to play a game. But I think first objective, let's talk and let's try to scale things down. If that doesn't work, I think we'll have to respond in a robust way."

Former Conservative MP Mark Field has warned that the UK is years off a trade deal with the US. Speaking to GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope he said that President Donald Trump 'will do a trade deal with us only when they want to use it as a precedent for the trade deal that they're going to do with the E.U.'

Labour MP for Blackpool South Chris Webb has sent a clear message to Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the Spring Statement, as he asks for coastal communities not to be forgotten. Speaking to GB News’ Political Editor Christopher Hope on Chopper’s Political Podcast, Mr Webb emphasised how “we cannot go back to austerity”. Speaking to GB News’ Political Editor Christopher Hope on Chopper’s Political Podcast, Chris Webb MP has spoken out against Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall's announcement this week on reforming the welfare system. The Labour MP for Blackpool South said that there is a ‘considerable amount’ of Labour MPs who are concerned, at least until the Chancellor gets on her feet on Wednesday and reveals the figures.

Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe is too right wing to join the Conservative party, ex-Cabinet minister Sir David Davis has said, who said the rise of Reform UK was a symptom of his party's failure over the past years.Party grandee Davis told today's Chopper's Political Podcast said that Reform had grown in popularity because "we were not proper Tories for too long", and added that new Labour MPs were telling him they feared only being in office for a single Parliamentary term.Davis - a Tory MP since 1987 and a former Cabinet minister - said that it was "probably right" for Lowe - who lost the whip as a Reform UK MP after a spectacular falling out with its leader Nigel Farage - to be an independent MP.Asked by host Christopher Hope if he felt that Lowe would be welcome in the Tory party, he replied: "No, I don't. I think, if anything, Rupert is a bit to the right of the rest of them, of Nigel Farage."Sit back, pour yourself a drink and join GB News' Political Editor Christopher Hope at his regular table in a Westminster pub where he will discuss the latest insider political intrigue and gossip with everyone from popstars to politicians. New episodes released every Friday.

A rural Labour MP has broken ranks with Sir Keir Starmer to demand the Prime Minister takes urgent action on the controversial inheritance tax raid on British farmers.Henry Tufnell is one of three Labour MPs to have called for the Prime Minister to rethink plans to force more farms to pay 20 per cent inheritance tax on estates worth over £1million.Tufnell, who was elected as the Labour MP for Mid & South Pembrokeshire last July, told today's Chopper's Political podcast that having a rethink on the plans is a "a fantastic opportunity for Labour, who've won a huge amount of rural seats, to come in and reset that relationship".Sit back, pour yourself a drink and join GB News' Political Editor Christopher Hope at his regular table in a Westminster pub where he will discuss the latest insider political intrigue and gossip with everyone from popstars to politicians. New episodes released every Friday.