Isabel Hardman

Isabel Hardman

Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and author of Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.

Thursday

Isabel Hardman

Why Kate Forbes is apologising

Somewhat inevitably, Kate Forbes has issued a lengthy apology for her rather forthright comments on moral issues in the early days of the SNP leadership contest. The Scottish Finance Secretary put out a lengthy post on Facebook in which she said: Every leader’s identity is multifaceted – I am a woman, I am a Highlander, I have a faith. Of all these characteristics, the questions over the last few days have focused on my religious faith. I feel greatly burdened that some of my responses to questions in the media have caused hurt, which was never my intention as I sought to answer questions clearly. I will defend to the hilt the rights of everybody in Scotland, particularly minorities, to live and to love without fear or harassment in a pluralistic and tolerant society.

Isabel Hardman

Was there anything Labour about Labour’s five missions?

10 min listen

Keir Starmer has set out Labour's five missions for government in a speech today, but was there anything Labour about them? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman about where this speech leaves the Labour party's chances to win the next election. Also on the podcast: the government's plan to cut the asylum backlog. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Wednesday

Isabel Hardman

Will there be resignations over Northern Ireland?

10 min listen

Rishi Sunak continues to try to get his MPs onside when it comes to the government's deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Some Eurosceptics have warned that the Prime Minister could see resignations from his government if this is handled badly, with some touting Home Secretary Suella Braverman's name. What's the latest? James Heale talks to Fraser Nelson and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu.

Isabel Hardman

Can Sunak avoid a Tory split over the Northern Ireland Protocol?

The most important question at Prime Minister's Questions came from DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, who brought the Chamber to silence as he demanded certain assurances from Rishi Sunak about the negotiations between the UK and EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Sunak has spent the past few days holed up in meetings with the most hardline of his MPs to try to find out what their concerns are ahead of an agreement potentially being reached. It was significant that his answer to Donaldson contained one of the issues that has been raised repeatedly in those meetings.

Isabel Hardman

The secular inquisition: why must Christian politicians defend their beliefs?

Edinburgh What did Kate Forbes’s supporters expect would happen? When the Scottish finance secretary and Scottish National party leadership candidate was asked whether she would have voted for the legalisation of gay marriage if she had been in the Scottish parliament at the time, she said that she wouldn’t, because as a devout Christian she believes marriage is between a man and a woman. She added that if she became first minister, she would not ‘row back on rights that already exist’. Being shocked at Kate Forbes’s views is like being shocked that a Catholic might agree with the Pope In response to her honest answer, several of her backers threw their hands up in horror and withdrew their support.

Tuesday

Isabel Hardman

Time is ticking for Sunak to resolve the Protocol

Today was supposed to be the day when Rishi Sunak presented an agreement which resolved the issues over the Northern Ireland Protocol to his cabinet. That was the plan, at least, when the Prime Minister flew to Belfast on Friday for talks with the parties at Stormont. But today's cabinet came and went and no agreement was on the long table for ministers to read.

Isabel Hardman

Is Rishi Sunak repeating May’s mistakes?

14 min listen

Today was meant to be the day that Rishi Sunak presented his Northern Ireland Protocol plans to parliament, instead he told the cabinet that intensive negotiations continue with the EU. Is he doomed to repeat Theresa May's Brexit mistakes? Will he need the backing of the DUP for any agreement? Also on the podcast, as prospective SNP leader Kate Forbes continues to defend her views on gay marriage, can her campaign survive? Cindy Yu speaks to Isabel Hardman and Patrick O'Flynn.  Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.

Monday

Isabel Hardman

Are we really seeing a ‘great resignation’?

Do over-fifties need to get back off the golf course and into work? That’s the narrative that ministers have been pushing recently, with Jeremy Hunt saying later life ‘doesn’t just have to be about going to the golf course’. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is conducting a review of the factors keeping people out of the workplace in time for next month’s Budget. But a report out today from pensions consultancy LCP suggests ministers might be barking up the wrong tree. LCP’s analysis points out that there are fewer people of working age who are retired now than at the start of the pandemic, and that the missing workers are more likely to be long-term sick. Less golf course, more NHS waiting room.

Isabel Hardman

Is there a campaign to stop Forbes?

14 min listen

Scotland's finance secretary, Kate Forbes has formally declared her campaign to be leader of the SNP. Currently the bookies' favourite – what direction would she take the party in? Also on the podcast, will there be more news on the Northern Ireland protocol this week?

Friday

Isabel Hardman

Will the DUP accept Sunak’s deal?

13 min listen

As it looks like the government is about to agree a new deal with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol, Rishi Sunak is in Belfast today meeting with the DUP. Will they accept a compromise? Max Jeffery speaks to Isabel Hardman and Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. Produced by Max Jeffery.

Wednesday

Isabel Hardman

How Nicola Sturgeon views her own legacy

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed her 'intention' to resign as First Minister, staying in office until her successor is elected. She said she had been wrestling with the decision for 'some weeks'.  Sturgeon sounded emotional as she opened by saying First Minister was 'the best job in the world' and a privilege that had 'sustained' her. She explained that 'part of serving well would be to know almost instinctively when the time is right to make way for someone else', and that she knew that this time had come now. 'Be in no doubt, this is really hard for me. My decision comes from a place of duty and love,' she added. Her reasons for quitting did not include a 'reaction to short-term issues', a coded reference to the row over Isla Bryson and gender recognition reform.

Isabel Hardman

Nicola Sturgeon quits

Nicola Sturgeon is expected to quit as First Minister of Scotland at a press conference later this morning. She has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks over the case of convicted rapist Isla Bryson, but also over her government's handling of the NHS crisis and striking workers.  This is an unsurprising surprise: Sturgeon had not seemed confident that she would be the SNP leader by the time the next election – or de facto independence referendum as she wanted it to be. The way the Bryson case had diverted attention from the independence cause had, for the first time, left the First Minister politically weak.

Thursday

Isabel Hardman

Is Lee Anderson No. 10’s secret weapon?

10 min listen

The chatter in Westminster has been dominated by comments the new deputy chairman of the Conservative Party gave to James Heale, The Spectator's diary editor, in an interview published today. When asked if he was in support of the death penalty, Lee Anderson said: 'Yes. Nobody has ever committed a crime after being executed. You know that, don’t you? 100 per cent success rate.’ On the podcast, Isabel Hardman talks to James and Katy Balls about whether No. 10 anticipated that the Conservative Party's new deputy chairman would be making quite so many headlines, so soon into his promotion. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Wednesday

Isabel Hardman

Will Britain send Ukraine jets?

10 min listen

President Zelensky was in Westminster today to address Parliament. The Ukrainian leader came to London to ask MPs to give Ukraine fighter jets. Will Rishi Sunak agree to?  Max Jeffery speaks to Svitlana Morenets and Isabel Hardman.  Produced by Max Jeffery.

Isabel Hardman

Sunak and Starmer talk tough on Putin at PMQs

Prime Minister's Questions was very much not the main event today, with MPs looking forward to Volodymyr Zelensky's address in Westminster Hall afterwards. Keir Starmer kept his questions to the theme of UK political unity in supporting Ukraine in their fight against Russia, while SNP leader Stephen Flynn used his two questions to ridicule the interventions made by Liz Truss.  Starmer appeared to have three aims with his questions. The first was to leave Zelensky in no doubt that Labour was as supportive of his fight against Putin as the Conservative party. He used soaring rhetoric about standing on the shoulders of giants to 'support Ukraine's fight for freedom' and repeatedly talked about the whole house agreeing on this.

Isabel Hardman

Should ex-MPs get a medal for their service?

Should ex-MPs get a medal thanking them for their service? That's the suggestion of the Commons Administration Committee, which has today published a report called 'Smoothing the cliff edge' about what happens when MPs leave parliament, either of their own accord or because voters have turfed them out. It's an interesting piece of work, with the central thesis that the current treatment of ex-MPs could be putting off the very best from going into politics in the first place. It says: The evidence we heard and the academic research we consulted showed us that if we do not provide sufficient support to MPs when they leave parliament, this could deter others from seeking election in future.

Isabel Hardman

Does Rishi’s reshuffle show he’s given up on the Red Wall?

Tories in Red Wall seats are in a mixed mood after Rishi Sunak's reshuffle. They are pleased that Lee Anderson has been made deputy chair of the party, though this is in part to counterbalance the appointment of a south-west London MP as party chairman. There are also some wry smiles from Conservatives who had been planning a rebellion to force Rishi Sunak's hand on the European Convention on Human Rights: Anderson would have been a key figure in this revolt, which is presumably a good reason for giving him a government job.  The Conservative party is adopting a defensive crouch to stem losses in its heartlands at the next election Sunak has, though, ignored the plea of the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs to bring back the Minister for the North job at cabinet level.

Tuesday

Isabel Hardman

What’s behind Rishi’s reshuffle?

13 min listen

Rishi Sunak announced a reshuffle of his cabinet this morning. Among other changes, Greg Hands will become the Tory party chair, and Michelle Donelan will become the culture secretary. Why is Sunak making these changes just 18 months before an election? Will they make any real difference to how his government works? Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Max Jeffery.

Isabel Hardman

Three problems with Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle

Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle has confirmed a new set of government departments focused on science and business, and a new party chair. That's all well and good: the Prime Minister is very keen to make Britain a science superpower and wants to put the right people in the right jobs as he prepares for the next election. Civil servants are moving into new jobs, as are ministers. The new departments will use the existing government estate, but it isn't yet clear where they'll all be. But there are a number of potential problems with what's been announced today.Is this the right reorganisation of Whitehall?