Share

Coffee House Shots
Keir's worst week – but Kemi's best?
The sun is setting on Keir Starmer’s worst week in No. 10 – but potentially Kemi’s best. We go into the weekend with MPs publicly calling for his most senior aide, Morgan McSweeney, to step down because of his role in the botched vetting of Peter Mandelson, and with huge questions remaining about how much the Prime Minister knew about Mandelson’s association with Epstein. All of this means that the upcoming by-election on the Labour party’s patch in Gorton and Denton is poised very precariously.
Meanwhile, Kemi has seized the opportunity to capitalise on Labour’s woes – but are she cutting through enough? And with her position looking more assured, and fiscal responsibility as their rallying cry, could it nearly be over for her shadow chancellor, Mel Stride?
Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Michael Simmons.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.
For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.
Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk
More episodes
View all episodes

Can Kemi hoover up votes with benefits reform?
13:02|After fresh polling from YouGov put the Tories ahead of Reform UK today, the leader of the opposition has set out plans to get people off of unemployment benefits, and limit what successful claimants can spend it on. James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons to weigh up the policy proposal, another poll from Survation, and whether Andy Burnham will go to the country for an early election.Produced by Henry Lloyd.
Chagos U-turn: has Burnham seen sense?
14:21|Donald Trump has forced a rethink of the Chagos deal, after publicly criticising the agreement during his meeting with Andy Burnham. Is Labour preparing to abandon one of Keir Starmer’s most controversial foreign policy decisions? And, with Labour conference approaching, could Burnham be tempted to call a general election? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Noa Hoffman and Tim Shipman.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Will Trump give Burnham the time of day?
11:16|Andy Burnham is off to meet Donald Trump. What can he expect from his first face-to-face with the US president? Tim Shipman and Freddy Gray discuss the diplomatic choreography behind the meeting, the issues likely to come up – from Ukraine and Iran to the Houthis – and whether Burnham risks upsetting the Labour left with his stance on Saudi Arabia.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
What's the mood at Lib Dem conference?
17:00|Patrick Gibbons is joined from Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton by deputy political editor James Heale and Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at RUSI and who is now the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone. They discuss Ed Davey’s attempt to put more substance behind the stunts, how the party can keep making gains across the south east and whether defence and national security can give the party a more serious national profile. Plus: has Brighton provided any clues to who might eventually succeed Ed Davey?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Calum Miller on growth, Burnham & closer EU defence ties
10:37|From the hallways of the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, the Spectator's deputy political editor James Heale speaks to foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller MP about the party’s pitch on growth, what Andy Burnham means for the Lib Dems and why Britain should pursue closer defence ties with Europe.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 20/09/2026
12:39|Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Ed Davey talks popularity contests, and Bridget Phillipson defends the government ahead of Andy Burnham's first meeting with Donald Trump.
Is Burnham ready to talk about war?
15:45|Military and intelligence chiefs across Europe are sounding increasingly stark warnings about the threat posed by Russia, from cyber attacks and sabotage to drones and hybrid warfare. But is Britain taking the danger seriously enough – and are the armed forces actually ready for what might come next?Patrick Gibbons is joined by Tim Shipman and Noa Hoffman to discuss Britain’s military preparedness, Andy Burnham’s approach to foreign policy and what to expect when the Prime Minister comes face-to-face with Donald Trump in New York next week.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Have women ever had it so good? | with Julie Bindel & Miriam Cates
22:49|In this episode, we return to a live Spectator event asking: have women ever had it so good?The Spectator’s commissioning editor Lara Brown is joined by Zoe Strimpel, author of Good Slut; Spiked columnist Ella Whelan; feminist writer Julie Bindel; and broadcaster and former Conservative MP Miriam Cates, as they debate women’s freedom, feminism, sexual liberation and the changing relationship between men and women.We pick up the conversation as the panel turns to prostitution and pornography, and asks whether porn and feminism are fundamentally in conflict – or whether the two can coexist.To find out more about upcoming Spectator events, visit events.spectator.co.uk.Produced by Abigail Brierley.
Have we found Reform's achilles heel? – with Luke Tryl
11:11|More voters than ever before say they are willing to vote tactically at the next election, according to new polling from More in Common, and the trend is not running Reform's way – even Conservative supporters are more ready to lend their vote to the Lib Dems than to Nigel Farage. James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by the pollster's executive director, Luke Tryl, to discuss the findings and whether a 'stop Reform' vote could keep Farage out of Downing Street.Produced by Henry Lloyd