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
Keir Starmer has written to the government to demand that they publish detailed criteria on what would be enough to lift this lockdown. It’s his first offensive as the leader of the Opposition in the current crisis, but it’s not a move that has been welcomed by all on the left. So how shrewd is his
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
Today the Office for Budget Responsibility has released a new analysis of the impact of coronavirus on the British economy. Kate Andrews writes about exactly what it says here, and joins the podcast with Katy Balls and Cindy Yu to discuss its implications.
Play 10 mins
Coffee House Shots
In today’s press conference, Patrick Vallance said that the daily death toll is likely to be even higher this week, before it starts to go down. With the government facing increasing criticism and pressure over PPE and testing, will this be the toughest week yet?
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
On the Andrew Marr Show today, Sir Jeremy Farrar, a senior scientific advisor on the government’s scientific advisory group Sage, warned that the UK is on track to become one of the worst hit countries in Europe by coronavirus. So has the British government been too slow in its response?
Play 18 mins
Coffee House Shots
Throughout recent weeks, Germany has been held up as an example of how to tackle coronavirus. So what exactly makes its response quite so effective?
Play 17 mins
Coffee House Shots
The government is trying to find out the human cost of the coronavirus lockdown, with one model seen by ministers estimating 150,000 ‘avoidable deaths’. So could the cure to the pandemic be worse than the disease itself?
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Dominic Raab confirmed in today’s press conference that the lockdown is not being lifted just yet. On the podcast, Katy and James explain why.
Play 13 mins
Coffee House Shots
The Chancellor ended today’s press briefing with the words: ‘Our economic plan and the plan for charities we announced today are built on one simple idea: that we depend on each other.’ On the podcast, James explains why he thinks coronavirus is the dawn of a new kind of Conservatism.
Play 15 mins
Coffee House Shots
One of the biggest decisions in the government’s approach to tackling coronavirus is when and how to lift the lockdown. But this is also one of the most divisive issues within Cabinet. With the Prime Minister not yet out of hospital, this will be one of the things that Dominic Raab can’t decide in his
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care on Monday night as his condition worsened. What do we know of the situation, and where does government go from here?
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
With Boris Johnson currently hospitalised with no sign of release any time soon, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is the ‘designated survivor’. But at today’s press conference, he admitted he hadn’t spoken to Boris Johnson since Saturday. So who is running the government?
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Tonight, the Prime Minister is admitted to hospital for tests; the Queen gives a statement to the nation; and Catherine Calderwood steps down as Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer after having been found to flout her own social distancing rules.
Play 12 mins
Coffee House Shots
As expected, Keir Starmer has won the Labour leadership contest. But it’s not an easy time to become the new leader of the Opposition. What are his first challenges?
Play 20 mins
Coffee House Shots
Unlike the UK and most of Europe, Sweden hasn’t locked down its population. What explains its difference in approach? Plus, what does the government’s coronavirus exit strategy look like?
Play 16 mins
Coffee House Shots
Katy Balls talks to Sophia Gaston, Director of the British Foreign Policy Group, and Cindy Yu about the Western and Chinese responses to the coronavirus.
Play 15 mins
Coffee House Shots
The government today announced that schools will be closed come this Friday. Boris Johnson wasn’t able to answer when they will resume, but James Forsyth says in today’s Coffee House Shots podcast that this is only the beginning of stricter social measures, some of which could become compulsory in the not distant future. Rumours abound
Play 13 mins
