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Coffee House Shots
Does Burnham have a foreign policy?
As Andy Burnham rolls out the red carpet for Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street, he has publicly sided with Kyiv against the Trump administration, days after the US President called for Zelensky to be replaced. Noa Hoffman is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to weigh up the politics, and to ask whether Ed Miliband’s desire to be seen as a saviour over Israel-Palestine has backfired, with friends of Jonathan Powell, the National Security Adviser, now saying he is likely to quit.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Henry Lloyd
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Blue tsunami: what does it mean for Britain?
12:02|Donald Trump has suffered a generational defeat in the US midterms, with Democrats making sweeping gains across the country. Has the Trump coalition finally fallen apart? And what does the result mean for the future of the Republican Party?James Heale is joined by US Editor Freddy Gray and Political Editor Tim Shipman to discuss the fallout. Is this a vote against Trump rather than an endorsement of the Democrats? And could the result pave the way for a 2028 presidential run by Ron DeSantis or JD Vance?Plus: could Trump's response to the defeat reignite tensions with Iran, and what might that mean for Britain? And in Westminster, who came out on top at PMQs, as Alex Burghart faced Louise Haigh?Produced by Abigail Brierley.
The King schools Burnham | with Robert Tombs
14:50|Has King Charles shown Andy Burnham how to handle the row over slavery reparations? Following the Commonwealth summit, historian Robert Tombs joins James Heale to discuss why the King’s carefully worded speech struck the right tone – and whether Burnham’s intervention risks opening the door to billions in compensation claims.They also discuss Britain’s role in abolishing the slave trade, the growing demands for reparations and whether the Commonwealth still has a future.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Goodbye to hardline immigration reforms
15:51|Shabana Mahmood has unveiled her long-awaited reforms to immigration rules, including on indefinite leave to remain, and with them the partial climbdown briefed over the past few days. Noa Hoffman is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale to examine what has and has not changed in the new plans.Produced by Henry Lloyd
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 01/11/2026
13:42|Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.The Budget is here. And the prime minister is open to an apology for slavery.
Can Netanyahu cling on? Inside Israel’s election deadlock
20:17|In this Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots, James Heale is joined by Noa Hoffman, who has been reporting on the election from Israel, and former Foreign Office special adviser Ben Judah to unpack the results. They discuss the historic turnout among Arab Israeli voters, the growing influence of ultra-Orthodox parties and why, despite the failures of October 7, Netanyahu continues to command support.Plus: could an unlikely alliance between Jewish and Arab parties reshape Israeli politics? Produced by Abigail Brierley
The OBR's verdict on Healey
27:47|John Healey’s budget on Wednesday contained 98 measures, the most since 2010, and yet the OBR appears to be questioning the extent of his £15 billion in headroom. Tim Shipman speaks to the OBR’s David Miles about a tax take heading for a post-war high, the cuts pencilled in for the end of the parliament, and why, by his reckoning, Britain is 25% poorer than it expected to be in 2008.Produced by Henry Lloyd
The Spectator's post-Budget briefing
29:17|The Spectator’s editor Michael Gove, political editor Tim Shipman, economics editor Michael Simmons, economist and CEO of the Great British Business Council Catherine McBride and Harry Bell, director of financial planning at Raymond James, will give their insights into the autumn Budget, just hours after it is announced.
Healey's 'breathing space' budget – was that it?
12:34|Chancellor John Healey has just delivered his first Budget of the Burnham premiership – but has he done enough to turn the economy around?In this special edition of Coffee House Shots, Economics Editor Michael Simmons and Deputy Political Editor James Heale unpack the Budget, from £100 energy payments and downgraded growth forecasts to what this means for Britain’s banks.But is the Chancellor offering households genuine breathing space? And with the markets barely reacting post Budget, has Labour missed its chance to make a bold economic statement?Plus: what does the Budget mean for the prospect of an early election next spring?Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Abigail Brierley.
Kwasi Kwarteng: what could go wrong for Burnham's budget
19:43|Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng joins Tim Shipman and James Heale to discuss the challenges facing the government ahead of tomorrow’s Budget. How close is the relationship between Number 10 and Number 11? And how much influence has Andy Burnham had on the Chancellor’s plans?How are Labour MPs feeling about a Chancellor they see as short on imagination? Plus, how should the Conservatives respond to the Budget – and what does Kwarteng make of Liz Truss’s new book?Produced by Abigail Brierley.