Boris Johnson has taken the biggest gamble of his premiership with a National Insurance hike to fund the NHS and social care. Labour's leader in the Lords Angela Smith joins Ned Simons, Sophia Sleigh and Paul Waugh to chat through Tory tax rises and where Labour's at ahead of its party conference   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As MPs head off to their constituencies, rising Covid cases and Channel crossings of asylum seekers are ensuring Boris Johnson cannot put his feet up. Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper joins Ned Simons and Paul Waugh to chat through her joust with the Priti Patel this week, as well as the wider problems facing both the government and Labour this summer.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The chancellor's late, late move to outflank Tory rebels on international aid cuts won the day, despite MPs voting against the three line whip. But is the rebellion over and will Rishi Sunak and his party rue the damage caused to their brand? Ned Simons and Paul Waugh are joined by former international development secretary (and former chief whip) Andrew Mitchell. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See...

Football may or may not be coming home, but Boris Johnson and Liz Truss want British firms to export more abroad. Can the UK’s tricky relations with China help or hinder that post-Brexit ambition? Shadow international trade secretary Emily Thornberry joins Ned Simons and Paul Waugh to chat through trade, as well as the next steps for Keir Starmer’s Labour after its ‘Batley bounce’. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday...

Sajid Javid made a phoenix-like return to the Cabinet this week, replacing Matt Hancock after the former health secretary was sensationally caught on camera breaking Covid rules by kissing an aide in his office. Senior Tory and Commons education committee chair Rob Halfon joins Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to discuss a rocky week for the government, and the Covid crisis that’s creeping up in English schools. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a...

It’s the fifth anniversary of the vote to leave the EU and Brexit is still having a profound impact on British politics. Tory former spad Salma Shah and the UK In A Changing Europe’s Anand Menon join Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to unpack the successes and failures of the last five years, and discuss what Brexit means for politics in 2021 and beyond. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for...

Boris Johnson this week delayed so-called “freedom day” from Covid restrictions in a bid to get more vaccines into more arms and protect the NHS. But the prime minister has angered many Tory MPs, who simply do not believe he will stick to the new “terminus” of July 19th. Lib Dem health spokesperson Munira Wilson joins Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to discuss why her party abstained on extending restrictions, and also why the Tories’ so-called culture war was losing them votes in their...

It’s a huge week for Boris Johnson as Joe Biden and leaders of some of the world’s wealthiest countries arrive in Cornwall for the G7 summit. But the prime minister has embroiled himself in a row with the EU over the terms of his own Brexit deal, which has angeried the US president and is threatening to overshadow the event. Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy joins Arj Singh and Ned Simons to discuss how Johnson can reset and repair relations with Biden, and discuss what Labour...

Dominic Cummings took no prisoners this week when laying out claims of a series of “disastrous” government failures that meant tens of thousands of people died of Covid unnecessarily. Conservative MP Bob Seely joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to talk about the former No.10 aide's explosive select committee appearance, why the government needs to be better prepared for “black swan” moments, and the electoral risk facing the Tories if Boris Johnson proceeds with controversial...

Weeks of optimism and cheer as Covid restrictions were eased gave way to another bout of nationwide nervousness amid localised spikes in infections attributed to the variant of the virus first detected in India, prompting debates about how to contain the variant and whether the June 21 unlocking needs to be delayed. Labour MP and Keir Starmer’s new parliamentary private secretary Sharon Hodgson joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to chat through Covid, winning voters in red...

The government’s legislative agenda for the next year or so was unveiled in this week’s Queen’s Speech. But it was perhaps more notable for what wasn’t in it. Boris Johnson’s plan to reform social care was still absent despite his 2019 claim to voters that he had one prepared. And the prime minister is still struggling to define how he will “level up” left behind communities. Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake, an aide to Michael Gove, joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to...

Labour suffered a disastrous series of results in the “super Thursday” local elections, capped by a huge and humiliating defeat to the Tories in a parliamentary by-election in the red wall seat of Hartlepool. There were more losses in red wall and other marginal council areas with the Tories even taking control of Northumberland. It has led to serious questions about Keir Starmer’s leadership, Labour’s strategy, and just where the party goes from here. Senior former Labour adviser Matthew...

It’s been a nightmare week for Boris Johnson, who kicked the hornet’s nest when he blamed Dominic Cummings for a series of damaging leaks. The former adviser replied with a stinging public attack, which has left the prime minister fending off multiple bad headlines around his handling of the Covid crisis. On top of that, the Tories are now facing an Electoral Commission investigation into who funded the refurbishment of Johnson’s Downing Street flat. Meanwhile, with the Covid situation...

Allegations of cronyism and government by WhatsApp have been intensifying around the Conservatives as Boris Johnson’s texts to manufacturer and Tory donor James Dyson add to the lobbying scandal engulfing former PM David Cameron and members of the Cabinet. Labour think they’ve found a message to take to the doorstep for local elections, but are claims of Tory sleaze enough to take power nationally? A scandal of another sort has however overshadowed the Greensill story, as failed plans by...

With local elections around the corner, Boris Johnson’s Tories find themselves in a stronger position than they would have imagined just a few short months ago. Will the successful deployment of coronavirus vaccines wipe the memory of the issues Britain endured during repeated lockdowns, giving the prime minister a vaccine bounce? Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth are joined by Tory peer and polling expert Lord Robert Hayward to discuss whether the success of the rollout compared...

The scale of protests, anger and shared feeling amongst women that they aren’t safe in British society after the killing of Sarah Everard has sparked a change in attitudes towards women’s safety in Westminster. But is a government led by a prime minister who’s been accused of sexism multiple times really capable of the change needed? Joining Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss how to improve things is shadow domestic violence minister Jess Phillips, who calls for...

The disappearance of Sarah Everard, Harry and Meghan’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, and the resignations of two government equality advisers have revealed just how much work there still is to do to make Britain a more equal society for all. Joining Arj Singh, Rachel Wearmouth and Paul Waugh, Tory chair of the Commons women and equalities committee, Caroline Nokes discusses the need for Royal transparency, why women feel unsafe on our streets, and why she wears “woke” as a “badge of...

This week Rishi Sunak delivered his heavily-trailed Budget, revealing a spend now, tax later approach to the economic recovery from coronavirus. It included big spending on Covid support measures but a sting in the tail as taxes were hiked to their highest level since the 1960s. There were also accusations of “pork barrel politics” as Tory areas benefited from funding for levelling up. Joining Arj Singh and Paul Waugh, shadow Treasury minister Pat McFadden talks through the repercussions of...

After Boris Johnson revealed his “road map” for the country to exit lockdown but with the vaccination programme continuing to go well, attention is turning towards the path to economic recovery. What will chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget next week do to help those in need now? What might it tell us about the government’s vision for the future? And are vaccine passports inevitable to allow the economy to open up? Joining Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth, ex-Treasury Sonia Khan...

As the lockdown continues in Britain, attitudes are changing across Westminster to problem gambling as restrictions leave people couple up at home, inundated with betting ads and turning to online gambling sites for entertainment. Can an unlikely cross-party coalition of campaigners bring about change? Labour MP and PPS to Keir Starmer, Carolyn Harris, joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what needs to happen and why those calling for a challenge to Keir Starmer’s...

The government is facing another big Tory rebellion, this time over the cladding scandal which has seen people trapped in unsafe, unsellable flats after the Grenfell disaster, because their buildings are covered in unsafe material. Boris Johnson’s lockdown caution is also causing consternation on the backbenches, as the vaccine rollout continues to move along at pace. Meanwhile, a week to forget for Keir Starmer adds to a sense of dissatisfaction at the party’s direction of travel in...

Monica Lennon and Anas Sarwar join Rachel Wearmouth and Paul Waugh to discuss what Scottish Labour’s future is in Scotland and what they would do as the next Scottish Labour leader.  Will they support an independence referendum? And how do they view the stewardship of the devolved government by the SNP in Holyrood? And what view do they take on Brexit affecting Scotland and its place in a post-Brexit Britain? Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a...

Yet more sobering coronavirus death statistics this week raised the prospect of restrictions continuing for some while yet. And with lockdown comes renewed attention to the plight of many juggling work and childcare, with many left without the means to provide classes or food for their children. The government looks set to make another U-turn on Universal Credit - but was the political damage avoidable? Joining Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth, Conservative chair of the Commons...

This week Britain faced a grisly milestone, with the highest number of daily deaths with coronavirus reported. The government has vowed to get tough on members of the public who are flouting lockdown measures, but is that where blame should lie? As the government tries to explain that we’re all in this together, senior ex-MPs Caroline Flint and Caroline Spelman talk about their cross-party work to ensure the least well off areas of the country are not left behind in the drive to achieve net...