Afleveringen
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Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer both want an orderly transition but one day in, it's looking anything but orderly.
It's a transition beset with bad blood and uncertainty and also some serious technical hurdles. Is he building a plane mid-flight or is he more like Gromit, sitting on a speeding train, laying down the track in front of him?
The biggest unanswered question facing Andy Burnham is who will be his chancellor. Three names are in contention: bookmakers' favourite Wes Streeting, rank outsider Shabana Mahmood, and Ed Miliband — the bête noire of the bond markets.
Patrick reports from parliament's bars, where the champagne is flowing and Labour MPs have suddenly become shameless attention-seekers, hoping to seduce Andy Burnham's allies.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture: Getty Images
Audio: Reuters
Email us: [email protected].uk
0:00 - Can Andy Burnham Build the Plane Mid-Flight?
1:15 - Drama on the Commons Terrace: Euphoria & Champagne
4:20 - Keir Starmer's "Revenge" Timetable
6:30 - The Next Chancellor: Miliband vs. Streeting vs. Mahmood
13:12 - Scrapping the Triple Lock & Upcoming Wealth Taxes
17:37 - Inside Number 10: Starmer's Farewell Speech
19:33 - The £10bn Defence Plan Rupturing Labour
21:55 - Civil Service Gridlock: Why Access Talks Are Delayed
25:20 - The Crypto Billionaire Bankrolling Nigel Farage & Reform UK
29:00 - Will There Be an Emergency Election?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Andy Burnham could be prime minister within weeks after Keir Starmer's resignation. He may now need to build a government before the World Cup final. This is where the real trade-offs start. How long can Andy Burnham's hopey, changey, Northern Soul vibes last in Downing Street? There's already an almighty row going on over who will be his chancellor.
Also today, where did all go wrong for Keir Starmer and what did Labour MPs think of his resignation speech?
Wes Streeting has said he will not contest Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership, but are there any other possible candidates for the leadership contest?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Producers: Harry Kitson, Euan Dawtrey
Picture credit: Getty Images
Audio: Reuters
00:00 — Starmer’s Resignation: The Total Lack of Contrition
00:48 — A Surreal Timeline: Six Prime Ministers in a Decade
01:56 — The Emotional Exit vs. The Bitter Backroom Reality
03:04 — Where It Went Wrong: Sins of Tone & Policy U-Turns
04:30 — The Brutal Verdict: "He Wasn't Up To It"
05:47 — Outsourcing Power: Sue Gray, McSweeney, and Rachel Reeves
08:46 — Enter Andy Burnham: Can He Rebrand the Labour Party?
11:36 — Ed Miliband vs. The Financial Markets
14:31 — Team Burnham's Impossible Economic Trade-offs
16:36 — Will the Gloss Wear Off? The Unforgiving Spotlight of No. 10
18:24 — Legitimacy Crisis: Nigel Farage Demands an Early Election
20:06 — The Whitehall Machine in Total Chaos
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Andy Burnham's victory in Makerfield makes him Labour leader and prime minister in waiting. How will the next days and weeks play out?
Keir Starmer has said he will stand in a leadership contest if one is triggered. So does that mean a bloody contest rather than a coronation?
In a special episode recorded live on Times Radio with Ed Vaizey, we go through the possible scenarios.
And if Andy Burnham does become prime minister, what will he do with power? Who will be in his cabinet? We're told that Shabana Mahmood has turned down the offer of chancellor and will stay as home secretary. Is Ed Miliband still a likely candidate for chancellor? And what to do about Wes Streeting?
We also look at the Conservative win in Aberdeen South. Is this a green shoot for the Conservative Party?
And will the Makerfield result prompt some soul searching in Reform UK?
Ed Vaizey, presenter, Times Radio
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Harry Kitson, Erin Carney
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture: Getty Images
00:00 - Intro: "They’re Going to Have to Drag Him Out"
00:20 - Welcome to The State of It: The Makerfield Shockwave
00:56 - An Extraordinary Result: How Andy Burnham Defied Political Gravity
03:00 - "Vote Burnham, Get Starmer Out" Campaign Strategy
04:05 - Keir Starmer Strikes Back: Leadership Contest or Coronation?
06:37 - Starmer's Response: "I'm Not Going to Walk Away"
07:14 - Inside Starmer's Bunker: Refusing an Orderly Transition
09:16 - The Secret List: 80+ MPs Backing Andy Burnham
11:06 - Nigel Farage's Disappointment: Reform UK Share Drops
12:00 - Kemi Badenoch's Tories Resurge in Scotland
13:04 - Did Reform UK Choose the Wrong Candidate?
14:04 - The Identity Schism Deepening Inside Reform UK
16:00 - What Does an Andy Burnham Premiership Actually Stand For?
17:48 - Tax Overhauls: Radical Land Tax vs. Council Tax
18:38 - The NATO Summit and the Defense Investment Plan Dilemma
21:00 - Tough Decisions on Welfare Cuts and Benefits
23:16 - The Power Brokers: Louise Haig & Anneliese Midgley
24:40 - Cabinet Secrets: Ed Miliband vs. Shabana Mahmood
27:12 - Shabana Mahmood’s Hardline Immigration Reforms
28:22 - Wes Streeting's Defiance: Forcing a Platform Battle?
32:38 - What Happens to the Hardcore Starmer Loyalists?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Makerfield is the most consequential by-election in history. Andy Burnham is confident he'll win. What happens then? When and how does he make a move? What can Keir Starmer do to thwart him? We have several scoops for you today.
Listen to find out which cabinet ministers are thinking of resigning after Makerfield and which senior figure has been ghosting the PM.
If Andy Burnham does get to Number 10, the whole direction of his premiership will depend on who he picks for his cabinet. We bring you the latest on what his team is thinking.
And of course it's also possible that Reform UK could beat Labour in Makerfield — what then?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Video editor: George Clare
Picture credit: Getty Images
Audio: Times Radio
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Exclusive stories from the front line of the government's war over defence spending.
And there's a swagger about Andy Burnham's team: they're more and more confident that he'll win in Makerfield. What happens next? And how will the enmity between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer influence the outcome?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture: Getty Images
Email us: [email protected].uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Nigel Farage has said that the death of Henry Nowak is proof that "we’re living in a two-tier culture...where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities". Police bodycam footage shows Nowak, 18, being arrested for alleged racial abuse minutes before he died from stab wounds in December 2025. It's a tragedy that's very quickly become political. We explain why it's an issue that's particularly tricky for Labour to respond to. Also, a snapshot of strange by-election campaign where cabinet members are not welcome, Labour MPs might be allowed a selfie with Andy Burnham (if they're lucky), and the future of the country is decided upon by a tiny group of people in a club where they hold auctions of exotic birds.And what the Mandelson files tell us about the Labour Party – and about Patrick Maguire Syndrome.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture: Henry Nowak with his father, Mark (Family handout/PA)
Audio: PA, ITV
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In the Makerfield by-election, Reform UK have put forward a local plumber in the hope of derailing Burnham’s push for power — but a string of deeply questionable old social media posts has left the campaign wobbling. Meanwhile, on Reform’s right flank, Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain party is threatening to split the vote after a Sunday Times poll put them on 7% — enough to potentially hand Labour the advantage.
Back in Downing Street, Rachel Reeves is machine-gunning her colleagues. The question is whether she genuinely believes she can survive in post under an Andy Burnham leadership.
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Scoop: Keir Starmer thinks he can remain prime minister till 2027, even if Andy Burnham wins in Makerfield...And if Burnham loses, what then?Fear and loathing in Number 10: we have details about the extraordinary levels of anger at the top of government.Makerfield is the most consequential by-election in history. Can Andy Burnham win in this pro-Brexit, anti-establishment seat? He's pitching himself as the anti-politics candidate, while simultaneously plotting his route to Downing Street.And if he does win, what will he do with power? Could he end up as a Keir Starmer in running shorts?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary, but he hasn't launched a leadership challenge. Why not? More than 90 Labour MPs have now called for the prime minister to go, but Keir Starmer is hanging on. What can he do now? And what's the next move for Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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An extraordinary day in British politics: Keir Starmer vows to fight on, but the resignations keep on coming. How long can the prime minister survive? What's next, and who will move first? Wes Streeting has one shot: will he take it? What is Andy Burnham's plan?
Recorded at Temple Church as part of the Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, editor of Insight, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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For now, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to stay as the Reform leader Nigel Farage calls this a “truly historic shift in British politics”
Steven and Lara caught up at the Times office in Westminster just after 4pm to unpack the results from England’s local council and mayoral elections, alongside national contests in Scotland and Wales, as Reform and the Greens surge and Labour suffer huge losses.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Thursday's local elections are set to blow apart Britain’s political duopoly, and the fallout for Labour could be existential. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister as rivals circle. Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are all positioning. But who moves first?
Meanwhile, it's not all smooth sailing for the insurgents. Questions over Reform's Nigel Farage’s £5 million gift from Thai-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne aren’t going away.
And on the left flank, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has seen his approval ratings dip after questioning police tactics during the Golders Green attack.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Morgan McSweeney has told MPs that the revelations about Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein were like a knife through his soul. The more we learn about the appointment process, the madder it sounds. And the odd thing is that crucial decisions were not written down: there are no receipts.
There's a mood building in the Labour Party that Keir Starmer will need to go big or go home: come up with a bold agenda, make the case for it and then deliver it. Has he got it in him? And how far to the left will he take the government?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sir Olly Robbins dropped bombshell after bombshell when he spoke to MPs. Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Office’s chief civil servant, has accused Downing Street of placing the department under constant pressure to get Lord Mandelson through vetting. He also said the prime minister had tried to find an ambassadorial job for Matthew Doyle, another Labour peer who's been in trouble for a friendship with a paedophile. Where does it all leave Sir Keir Starmer?
Plus, we reveal when the next tranche of Mandelson files will be published.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Parliament TV
Audio credit: Parliament TV
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Everything you need to know about the latest instalment of the Mandelson scandal. What Labour MPs are saying about Keir Starmer; our verdict on whether he can survive it, and why Patrick thinks the prime minister is doing "the political equivalent of smoking outside a hospital".
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Audio: Reuters, x.com/KemiBadenoch, x.com/Nigel_Farage
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Kidney machines replaced with rockets and guns: Keir Starmer says security is his priority but where will the money for defence come from and when will he tell us?On the road with Nigel Farage.If the polls are right, which major cabinet minister is likely to lose their seat? Spoiler: most of them.And as Labour moves closer to the EU, can they convince voters that it's a good idea?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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As Reform rolls its tanks onto Labour’s lawn across the old Red Wall and the Greens set their sights on London, Starmer braces for a bruising set of local elections.
Has David Lammy given up on London? And Steve reveals Reform's antagonistic campaigning slogan...
Meanwhile, with the economic toll from the Iranian conflict unfolding, we explain how it might take Gabriel a little longer to find his daily packet of Quavers.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Inside the negotiations between the government and the doctors' union, the BMA. Why is Keir Starmer putting himself front and centre of this rather than leaving it to his health secretary, Wes Streeting?Even though the Green Party's spring conference this weekend descended into chaotic rows, their leader Zack Polanski has a plan to win over the unions, and it might just work. We have some exclusive words from him. Scoop: what exactly is going wrong with the small boats talks between Britain and France?
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: [email protected].uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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We reveal what happened when Morgan McSweeney lost his phone, and what it means for the Mandelson files. As Angela Rayner looks like she's preparing to challenge Keir Starmer, other senior Labour MPs are jostling for position.What is the government willing and able to do to help in the Strait of Hormuz? Spoiler: not much.And as the questions about Britain's economy and place in the world get harder, are fewer Labour politicians interested in asking, let alone answering, them?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: [email protected].uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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EXCLUSIVE: how the British government could intervene in the Strait of Hormuz. Is falling out with Donald Trump politically helpful for Keir Starmer?What is the government likely to do about energy bills?Angela Rayner is back and she's trying to reassure the City that everything would be fine if she were PM.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: [email protected].uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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