Not Another One

The team take differing views on the epic politics of 2024, with the help of Jess Phillips and Mel Stride. Plus festive wine tips from Iain and leading critic Will Lyons.

Keir Starmer has spent much time meeting EU leaders …but will better relations lead to a better Brexit deal? Should Starmer be more ambitious and rejoin the customs union and the single market? What would happen if he tried?

In her budget Rachel Reeves argued that investment leads to growth… but this week she demanded big savings from each department..is she a big public spender or a miserly chancellor? Does she know who she is as a chancellor seeking economic growth?

Keir Starmer attempted to reset the government this week after a bumpy start to his spell in power. But do these exercises - a relaunch speech with a list of goals - make any difference? Our team discuss the history of the reset and look back at what happened when parties went further and changed leader.

Tim Montgomerie explains why he has defected from the Conservative party to Reform. Will the Farage surge continue and sweep him into power or will it fade away? Our team discuss the Reform leader and how the other parties will respond.

For more than a decade politics has been defined by the rise of the outsider, in the US with Trump and his supporters and in the UK with Brexit and much more. Our team ask whether this trend has peaked. Or is there more to come? What is behind voter alienation? Is it all about migration or is there more going on? What’s the role of technology?

Labour and Reform have attacked the previous government for introducing an “open borders” immigration policy. Net migration in the year up to the summer of 2023 was more than 900k. What is the likely political impact? And who is right?

In the light of John Prescott’s death and the outpouring of tributes across the political spectrum we explore the role of the deputy in politics, from Clement Attlee to Willie Whitelaw to Michael Heseltine to Nick Clegg to Angela Rayner.

Fleetingly we become MPs and declare how we would vote in next week’s potentially historic debate, while reflecting on the unusual politics around the Bill. Plus, is the economy heading for another deep crisis?