Share
In The Room
2. Mandelson and Starmer: Is the HR process to blame?
The fallout from the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador isn’t going away. But it’s far from his only controversial hire.
Former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former No. 10 special advisor, analyse Downing Street's hiring and firing crisis.
They explain how hiding behind "process" is actively damaging Starmer’s ability to lead with integrity, asking the questions Number 10 won't answer: How exactly did Mandelson clear vetting? How did Matthew Doyle - Starmer’s former Director of Communications - fly under the radar despite ties to a convicted pedophile? And why on earth is the Minister for Inquiries now the subject of an inquiry?
Cover image: PA
Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.
This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios
Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose
Producer: Sam Durham
More episodes
View all episodes
3. Inside Downing Street when war breaks out
42:33|A week is a long time in politics. After a crushing by-election defeat last week, the Prime Minister was hoping for a quiet week to recalibrate. Instead, he got a new war. The US and Israel’s joint attack on Iran has set in motion a whole new set of pressures on his government; navigating the ‘Special Relationship’ with the US, confronting the long shadow of Iraq hanging over the Labour Party and keeping the domestic ship afloat.In this episode, former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former Special Advisor to Boris Johnson, reveal the reality of Number 10 on a war footing. What’s it like inside COBR meetings? Does the ‘boys club’ mentality take over? And how the hell do you keep the country running?Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction01:28 Iran War: recap of the week’s events04:41 Domestic backdrop: Spring statement07:01 The strange geography of 10 Downing Street this week09:45 How to spot the signs of war in Number 1012:45 History lesson: Gordon Brown’s COBR meetings16:51 Why Boris Johnson didn’t like COBR meetings19:40 The ‘Boys Club’ mindset at a time of war24:03 Party politics during war26:30 Why the Conservatives haven’t backed Labour30:15 The importance of a US ambassador31:50 Bizarre phone calls with POTUS33:10 Theresa May holding hands with Trump35:28 What should Starmer do next?Cover image: PA
1. Starmer: Symptoms of a PM in trouble
40:04|What does it feel like to be inside Number 10 when the PM’s power is fading? With pressure mounting for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to go, former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, ex-advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, reveal the sights, sounds - and even smells - that emerge when the foundations at 10 Downing Street start to shake. They also offer up some sage advice to an imperilled PM and ask: How can he turn this sinking ship around? Is it time for him to dance like no one’s watching? And is there anyone who can help him?Cover image credit: PA
In The Room - Trailer
01:38|Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work. Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water? Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest news, revealing how decisions get made, why they go wrong, and what should happen next. In The Room is straight-talking, insider analysis with a dose of humour, every Friday.