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Welfare U-turn: is Keir in control?
Keir Starmer has performed a screeching about-turn on his flagship welfare reforms, all in the hope of quelling the rebellion from more than 120 MPs who have been promised ‘massive concessions’ over concerns about disability benefits.
These include moderating the bill to make it easier for people with multiple impairments to claim disability benefits, and offering to protect Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for all existing claimants for ever – to ensure there would be no detriment from the reforms for existing claimants, a key concern of the welfare rebels. But new claimants will be affected, as ministers desperately try to stop ever-spiralling disability and sickness welfare spending climbing to £100 billion by 2030. It means another big U-turn for Starmer – and another hole in the Treasury’s finances. Early estimates suggest that the welfare bill climbdown could cost £2 billion: money which Rachel Reeves will now have to find elsewhere. Can Starmer recover?
Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Luke Tryl, director of More in Common.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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'The return of the prodigal son'? – Labour conference lookahead | with Jonathan Ashworth
24:33|Ahead of Labour Party conference, Tim Shipman is joined by former shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth to discuss the mood inside the party, Andy Burnham’s growing authority and whether he could be tempted to call an early general election. They also consider the pressures facing Burnham on tax, welfare, Europe and the North Sea – and why, sooner or later, he will have to start making enemies.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Is the AI dream over for Andy?
10:30|Andy Burnham pitched Britain to the UN this week as an 'honest broker' on artificial intelligence, only for Washington to ask OpenAI and Anthropic to make Britain's AI Security Institute wait its turn. Michael Simmons is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to discuss James's column on the backlash, data centres and whether Burnham's Makerfield test will make room for AI innovation.Produced by Henry Lloyd
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.