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The Covid Inquiry: Inside a toxic government
Module two of the Covid inquiry - decision-making and political governance - was set to be the most controversial section, looking into the workings of central government. And from the use of the term “f***pigs” to Boris Johnson’s query about blowing a hair dryer up his nose, this has rung true.
On this episode of the podcast Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Emma Norris, deputy director at the Institute for Government, and the New Statesman's associate political editor, Rachel Cunliffe, to analyse what the public has learned over the past week about the handling of the pandemic.
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Burnham's Brexit reversal
33:26|Ten years after the Brexit referendum, a British Prime Minister has said out loud what much of the country has concluded: Brexit did more harm than good.Andy Burnham has told his party that no credible ten-year plan for Britain can avoid the Europe question, and has since declined to rule out rejoining the EU in Labour’s next manifesto.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Tom McTague and Ethan Croft to discuss.
The Green Party is in crisis
37:04|It’s been a tumultuous time for the Green Party. Their controversial “Zionism is racism vote” and leader Zack Polanski’s defeat in a by-election in North London has led to turmoil within the party.Meanwhile, is the long-suffering Tory party finally experiencing a “Kemi-bounce”?And how about the Lib Dems? Is leader Ed Davey facing a coup?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Megan Kenyon and Ethan Croft.Correction: Jamie Driscoll was not suspended from the Labour Party. He wasn’t allowed to stand as a candidate and so he left the party.
Reform clears its own officials over donations sting
33:05|Reform clearing its own officials of breaking party funding law, Kemi Badenoch’s inheritance tax gambit and was Britain really better off in the 1980s?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Dunn for our weekly round up. READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2026/10/spains-warning-to-andy-burnhamhttps://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-sketch/2026/10/vegan-sausages-and-loathing-at-green-party-conference https://www.newstatesman.com/business/economics/2026/10/was-britain-really-better-off-in-the-1980s
Labour holds Starmer’s seat
17:42|Labour has held the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, with Sagal Abdi-Wali retaining the seat for the party despite a hard-fought contest from Green Party leader Zack Polanski.The result preserves Labour’s long-standing grip on the constituency, and disrupts Polanski’s momentum.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Megan Kenyon and Ben Walker to discuss.
The Green Party’s Zionism reckoning
26:13|At the Green Party conference, party members backed a motion to describe Zionism as racism.Zack Polanski, currently campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, missed the controversial vote, which called for Israel to be replaced by a single Palestinian state.Is this a watershed moment for the Green Party?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Megan Kenyon.
Is Burnham brave or naive?
38:19|At this week’s Labour conference, Andy Burnham announced bigger and bolder policy ambitions than anyone expected. Was this too big a swing? Or the grand vision the country needs?Elsewhere, next Thursday, there is a by-election happening in Holborn and St Pancras, the seat vacated by Keir Starmer.Oli Dugmore is joined by business editor Will Dunn and political correspondent Megan Kenyon to discuss.
Burnham delivers packed conference speech
21:08|Labour Conference 2026 draws to a close with Andy Burnham's speech.The PM's announcements included scrapping the triple lock pension, electoral reform, a new help-to-buy scheme, Great British Grid, an end to the public ownership ban on water companies and a range of options for our relationship with Europe which he will be looking into.Anoosh Chakelian is at the Labour Conference and is joined by Ethan Croft and Ailbhe Rea to discuss.
Has Andy Burnham reached his peak?
24:07|The Chancellor gives his conference speech just four weeks before his first budget and Andy Burnham proposes a national care service in England. Anoosh Chakelian, Ailbhe Rea and Ethan Croft bring you the latest from the Labour Conference.
Is Ed Davey too nice?
33:39|The rise of balaclava Britain, Kemi Badenoch’s billionaire baloney and Donald Trump’s AI rebrand. Anoosh Chakelian and Will Dunn discuss the stories of the week.📚 READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2026/09/ed-davey-has-a-superpower-immunity-from-embarrassmenthttps://www.newstatesman.com/politics/bursting-the-bubble/2026/09/the-rise-of-balaclava-britain https://www.newstatesman.com/business/economics/2026/09/kemi-badenochs-billionaire-baloney