Podcast
Daily political analysis from The Spectator’s top team of writers, including Tim Shipman, James Heale, Michael Gove, Isabel Hardman and many others.
Daily political analysis from The Spectator’s top team of writers, including Tim Shipman, James Heale, Michael Gove, Isabel Hardman and many others.
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson held a press conference this afternoon to announce that only groups of six or smaller would be able to meet from Monday. The new restrictions come after a spike in coronavirus cases, and were brought in alongside threats to fine those who break the rules. But is there more to come? John Connolly
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
As Michel Barnier arrives in London for another round of trade talks, Brandon Lewis today said that government plans to reinterpret the Brexit withdrawal treaty could break international law. Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about what the No. 10 proposals could mean, and whether Tory backbenchers can stomach the move.
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson last night issued a warning to the European Union that Brexit negotiations must be concluded by October 15 or Britain will walk away. Will this focus minds, or might it spell the end for the talks? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about the government’s hardline approach.
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
The deadline for a Brexit deal is fast approaching, but the level of subsidies paid to companies and industries could prove a stumbling block. Will state aid – which makes up just 0.34 per cent of the UK’s GDP – scupper an agreement with the EU? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
Rishi Sunak has faced a backlash this week over proposals to increase taxes to pay for the UK’s coronavirus response. Can the chancellor push the changes through, and how will the party react? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
Play 15 mins
Coffee House Shots
Matt Hancock today announced Operation Moonshot, a £500 million scheme to ramp up the UK’s testing capacity and offer a return to normality without social distancing. Does it really offer a way out? John Connolly speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Bolton and Trafford were returned to Manchester’s local lockdown this morning after yet another U-turn by the government. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer went head to head for their first PMQs of the new parliamentary term. Finally, Rishi Sunak and the PM met members of the 2019 Tory intake in an attempt to shore
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Simon Case has been appointed the new cabinet secretary, tasked with leading the UK through its coronavirus recovery and reforming the civil service. Is he up to the job? Gus Carter speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the country’s most powerful official.
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
After the Grenfell Tower fire, new fire safety legislation was introduced in an attempt to ensure the tragic incident was never repeated. But the new rules have left some tower block tenants unable to sell their properties, and they could be forced to pay tens of thousands to replace dangerous classing. Why? Fraser Nelson speaks
Play 18 mins
Coffee House Shots
The government will launch a new publicity campaign to coax people back into the office, it was announced today. This morning’s headlines took a hardline approach, telling readers that they could lose their jobs unless they returned to work. Is this really the government’s approach, and why are offices important? John Connolly speaks to Fraser
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
The government has announced that self-isolating Britons will be paid £13 a day to stay at home. Will this help improve the beleaguered test and trace system? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Kate Andrews.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
The government reversed its position on masks in schools late yesterday evening, announcing that secondary school pupils in local lockdown areas would be mandated to wear face coverings in communal areas. Could masks in offices be next? John Connolly speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about why the government keeps changing its mind.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Reports on Sunday suggested the BBC was going to drop ‘Rule, Britannia!’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ from its Last Night of the Proms schedule because of the songs’ associations with slavery and colonialism. Boris Johnson hit back at the broadcaster today, however, calling for an end to ‘this general bout of self-recrimination and wetness’.
Play 15 mins
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson has returned from his holiday to embark on a media campaign promoting September’s schools reopening. With Scottish pupils already back – and the initial signs of their return looking positive – can Gavin Williamson stage a successful reopening, or will the beleaguered education secretary face another fiasco? John Connolly speaks to Fraser Nelson
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Following the exam results fiasco, the Tories’ lead in the polls has dropped to just two points in the latest YouGov survey. With Labour on the up, what is Keir Starmer doing right, and should we expect further gains? Cindy Yu speaks to the Spectator’s deputy political editor Katy Balls and Stephen Bush, political editor at
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
UK debt has hit £2 trillion, the Office for National Statistics said today – an increase of over £200 billion on last year. What does this mean for the economy, how does the UK compare to the rest of Europe, and does Boris Johnson plan to keep on spending? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Birmingham and Oldham are on the brink of reentering lockdown, with cases in both rising significantly in comparison to the rest of the country. But how severe is the outbreak, and can the government risk shutting down the UK’s second largest city? Cindy Yu speaks to Kate Andrews and Katy Balls about the contenders for
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
A new poll today shows that support for Scottish independence is at a record high of 55 per cent. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson about why – in particular, how does Nicola Sturgeon continue to exceed Westminster’s expectations?
Play 14 mins
Coffee House Shots
Matt Hancock today confirmed that Public Health England will be scrapped and replaced by a new National Institute for Health Protection, which will be led by Baroness Dido Harding – who currently runs the Test and Trace scheme. John Connolly speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about why.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Gavin Williamson announced this afternoon that pupils receiving A-level and GCSE results this year would be awarded teacher-predicted marks. Why has the government finally changed its mind, and will Gavin Williamson stay in the Cabinet? Cindy Yu speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
As the backlash to the government’s exams fiasco continued over the weekend, Gavin Williamson has been steadfast in not U-turning. But with GCSE results out later this week and Ofqual’s algorithm revealing significant inequalities, is this position sustainable? John Connolly talks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
Kaya Ilska is a free school meals student, coming from a single mother family. She is incredibly bright – and was predicted 4 A*s by her teachers, a set of grades high enough to meet her offer to study Medicine at UCL. But the government’s exams algorithm this week downgraded her results down to AABB,
Play 20 mins
Coffee House Shots
After much speculation, France has been put on the quarantine list, along with Netherlands, Monaco, and Malta. But do the numbers really back it up? Cindy Yu talks to Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews about this decision. Also on the podcast, further lockdown easing and, are schools actually returning?
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
It’s A-Level results day and much as expected, a large minority of A-Level grades from across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have been downgraded. For some schools and colleges, more than half of their students have been affected. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to Fraser Nelson and Mary Curnock Cook, former head of Ucas
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
Gavin Williamson last night announced that A-level students getting their results tomorrow could appeal using mock exam grades. Meanwhile, today, new figures showed that the UK economy contracted by over 20 per cent between April and June. Among all this, why has Labour failed to show how they could govern the country better? Fraser Nelson speaks
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
After a week of feet dragging, the Scottish government has today dramatically U-turned on downgrading exam results for 76,000 students. Those who received lower marks will now revert to the original predicted grades given by their teachers. Meanwhile, we are two days away from the English A-Level results being out, so will Gavin Williamson also
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Over the weekend, the city of Preston in the north of England was partially locked down. But on what basis? Cindy Yu talks to Kate Andrews and Fraser Nelson about whether the government is implementing local lockdowns based on the right metrics.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
The Liberal Democrat leadership race will finally come to an end this month but, after December’s crushing election defeat, is the party over too? In a special Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots, Gus Carter speaks to Katy Balls and Nick Tyrone, author of Politics is Murder, about how a new leader could pull the
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Belgium, Andorra and the Bahamas were added to the UK’s quarantine list yesterday evening, meaning Brits returning from those countries will be required to stay at home for two weeks. With Belgium’s neighbour, France, also seeing a surge in coronavirus cases, will they be next? Gus Carter speaks to Katy Balls – who is on
Play 11 mins
Coffee House Shots
The government has announced the most ambitious planning reforms of a generation – but could they backfire? Meanwhile, as the contacting tracing regime continues to lag, health officials launch a new coronavirus app that will tell people if they may be at risk from the virus. Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Kate Andrews.
Play 10 mins