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James Heale

James Heale

James Heale is The Spectator’s deputy political editor.

Friday

James Heale

How select committees could cause trouble for Keir Starmer

It's not just the Tories facing a big vote next week. Across the House of Commons, MPs will be choosing which of their number should chair the 26 select committees up for grabs. Every MP gets a vote but only backbenchers can stand: nominations close on Monday with voting done on Wednesday. Positions are allocated in line with the election result. Labour's gargantuan majority thus ensures that they chair 18 of the 26 committees. The Tories are reduced to five with the Lib Dems awarded three. Select committees are another reminder that, for all the recent attention on the smaller parties, parliamentary institutions can often help the big ones. The four Green MPs, for instance, will not get a seat on a single select committee.

Thursday

James Heale

Miliband’s net zero madness & meet Reform UK’s new poster boy

39 min listen

This week: Miliband’s empty energy promises. Ed Miliband has written a public letter confirming that Labour plans to decarbonise the electricity system by 2030. The problem with this, though, is that he doesn’t have the first idea about how to do it. The grid doesn’t have the capacity to transmit the required energy, Ross Clark writes, and Miliband’s claim that wind is ‘nine times cheaper’ than fossil fuels is based upon false assumptions. What is more, disclosed plans about ‘GB Energy’ reveal that Miliband’s pet project isn’t really a company at all – but an investment scheme. This empty vessel will funnel taxpayer money into the hands of private companies rather than produce any energy itself.

James Heale

The ‘British Muslim patriot’ on a mission to get Farage into No. 10

Few people had heard of Zia Yusuf before he spoke at Reform’s final campaign rally in Birmingham. But after a stirring speech to 4,000 supporters, he became one of the election’s overnight stars. ‘This boy’s got real talent,’ admitted Nigel Farage afterwards. He is now emerging as one of the more intriguing figures in the landscape of the right: a self-described ‘British Muslim patriot’, a 37-year-old multimillionaire, who says his mission in politics is to take Farage to No. 10. Farage is clearly Yusuf’s political lodestar: his name features dozens of times in our hour-long exchange When we meet at The Spectator office (his £100,000 Range Rover parked outside), Yusuf says that a Reform UK government is quite conceivable.

Wednesday

James Heale

Tory leadership race latest: Priti out

14 min listen

The first round of the Conservative leadership race has seen Dame Priti Patel eliminated with the fewest votes. Robert Jenrick came out on top but, with a second vote taking place on Tuesday, where could Patel's supporters go? Who could get eliminated next? Will 'Melmentum' build? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.

James Heale

Grenfell report: why did it take so long?

16 min listen

Seven years after the tragedy, the inquiry into the Grenfell fire has published its report. What did we learn from it and who bears responsibility? And, with thousands of buildings still believed to contain flammable cladding, what should happen next? With such important lessons to be learnt, why do British inquiries take so long? Also on the podcast, a look at the first PMQs following summer recess and the Tory leadership election. James Heale speaks to Isabel Hardman and Liam Halligan, Telegraph columnist and author of Home Truths. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Tuesday

James Heale

Inside the 1922 hustings for Tory leader

This evening Tory MPs filed into parliament's Committee Room 14 to hear from the six hopefuls aspiring to lead their party. Each candidate had up to ten minutes to make a final pitch to colleagues, followed by questions. Robert Jenrick went first, followed by Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride, Priti Patel and, finally, James Cleverly. 'Tired' is how one describes his performance Jenrick has spent the summer campaigning heavily on migration and the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights), so opted to focus much of his speech about the economy and public services: ‘Making the NHS work for our constituents’ was a theme in his remarks. Three of the four questions he faced came from his declared backers (Jack Rankin, John Hayes and Andrew Rosindell).

James Heale

Tom Tugendhat’s pitch: I’m a proper conservative, honest guv

Tom Tugendhat finally launched his leadership campaign today with a big speech in Whitehall – the third he has made in as many weeks. After previous efforts on the riots and public sector reform, today was Tugendhat’s last chance to hammer home his main message before the first ballot of MPs tomorrow: I’m a proper conservative, honest. To this end, he offered more red meat than a butchers, pledging (again) to potentially leave the ECHR, increase defence spending to three per cent of GDP and commit the party to 100,000 net legal migrants if he wins.  He offered more red meat than a butchers, pledging (again) to potentially leave the ECHR Indeed much of the speech focused on migration: a key issue in a contest where four of the six contenders served in the Home Office.

Wednesday

James Heale

What’s behind Starmer’s ‘reset’ with Europe?

16 min listen

Keir Starmer has been in Germany today visiting Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before heading to Paris to meet President Macron. This is part of his plan to 'reset' relations with Europe - but how close does he want to get to the EU? And, given Brexit wounds are still raw, what's achievable?  James Heale is joined by Katy Balls and Sophia Gaston, head of the foreign policy unit at Policy Exchange to discuss. Produced by Megan McElroy and Patrick Gibbons.

Tuesday

James Heale

Just how ‘painful’ will Starmer’s October Budget be?

15 min listen

Winter is coming. That’s the message from Keir Starmer’s set-piece speech this morning from the No. 10 rose garden. After a tricky few weeks for the new Prime Minister on cronyism claims and anxiety about cuts to the winter fuel allowance, Starmer and his team attempted seize the agenda with a speech looking ahead to the months to come. However, anyone hoping for optimism will be disappointed, with Starmer warning things can only get worse. How bad can they be? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.

Saturday

James Heale

What could a Kamala Harris presidency mean for the UK?

16 min listen

As the Democratic National Convention draws to a close in Chicago this week, Patrick Gibbons is joined by James Heale and Gerry Baker, editor at large of the Wall Street Journal to try to make sense of what a Harris presidency could mean for the UK. Is she continuity Biden? Do we really know what she stands for?  Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Cindy Yu.

Friday

James Heale

Is the energy price cap hike bad news for Labour?

17 min listen

Ofgem, the energy regulator, has announced that the price cap will rise by 10% in October. Is this bad news for Labour, or will they be successful in framing it as part of their economic inheritance from the Conservatives? And could this strengthen opposition to the proposed change to winter fuel allowance? Patrick Gibbons speaks to James Heale and John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair.  Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Cindy Yu.

Thursday

James Heale

Can Labour crack apprenticeships?

11 min listen

Today's GCSE results show an exams system that has largely returned to pre-Covid norms. It has also given the government a chance to talk about skills and apprenticeships – something that Bridget Phillipson's predecessor as education secretary was also keen on. Cindy Yu talks to James Heale and Amanda Spielman, former chair of Ofqual and Ofsted, about the state of the British education system. Produced by Cindy Yu.

James Heale

Yvette Cooper has her work cut out on illegal migration

Happy immigration stats day, one and all. The Home Office has this morning released a raft of data on visa numbers and asylum claims up until June. While Yvette Cooper might prefer to talk about the policing aspect of her brief, the numbers today show the challenges of migration. The figures released today covers three main aspects: legal arrivals (visas granted), illegal migration (primarily small boats) and asylum applications being granted for those who do arrive here illegally. The most common nationality on these not-so-small boats is now Vietnamese Take the number of visas being handed out in the first six months of this year. A mixed pattern emerges here, as the Tory tightening of restrictions began to take effect from December.

James Heale

Farage’s next move in his plan to destroy the Tories

On Tuesday afternoon, a familiar figure pulled up at a Westminster café to plot the Tories’ downfall. Nigel Farage beamed from the back of his black Range Rover as he arrived to welcome Reform’s latest recruits. The purpose of the Old Queen Street summit was to plan the party’s path to next year’s local elections in May. Where better to scheme than in the neighbouring street to Conservative Central Headquarters? ‘It baffles me how we’re the most successful political party in the western world,’ says one Tory While the Tories are enjoying a four-month leadership contest, Farage and his aides are hard at work. A constitution has been drafted to turn the limited company into a proper political party, with parameters to prevent any Ukip-style feuding.

Wednesday

James Heale

Labour cronyism claims continue

13 min listen

The government seems to have appointed another party-political advisor to the civil service – this time Labour Together's Jess Sargeant to the role of deputy director at the Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Constitution Group. Is the Labour party just as prone to a bit of cronyism as they accuse the Tories of having been? Cindy Yu talks to James Heale and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Tuesday

James Heale

Can Starmer reinvigorate Welsh Labour?

12 min listen

Keir Starmer has been meeting the new First Minister Eluned Morgan as part of a two day trip to Wales. While the trip included a visit to a wind farm, Starmer quickly faced questions about the fate of steel workers in Port Talbot. What does this challenge tell us about Starmer's Industrial Strategy and his relationship with the devolved nations? Could Welsh Labour soon face the same anti-incumbency threat that the Conservatives and the SNP faced?  James Heale is joined by Tom Baldwin, Starmer's biographer, and Ruth Mosalski, political editor at WalesOnline. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Monday

James Heale

Prison overcrowding triggers emergency measures

15 min listen

The fallout from the riots continues as the numbers being processed by the justice system have led to emergency measures being triggered by the government. What does this mean and, given the prison system was at breaking point even before the riots, what happens next?  Also on the podcast, the six Tory leadership contenders have found something they all agree on: opposition to Labour's proposed change to winter fuel allowance. What does this tell us about future political battles?  James Heale and Isabel Hardman join Cindy Yu to discuss. As Cindy mentions in the episode, the journalist Chris Atkins - who was jailed for five years for tax offences - appeared on The Spectator's food and drink podcast Table Talk to talk about his experience.

James Heale

Reeves risks a grey backlash over winter fuel grab

A backlash has been steadily growing since Rachel Reeves announced the scrapping of the winter fuel allowance a fortnight ago. Currently, all 11.4 million pensioners receive an extra £200 to help heat their homes every winter, with those over 80 receiving a blanket £300 payment. Under Reeves’ plans, only those receiving pension credit or other means-tested benefits will be eligible for the additional support. It is aimed at saving £1.4 billion for the Treasury's coffers as part of Labour's attempts to fill the supposed £21.9 billion 'black hole' left by the Sunak government. There is certainly a strong case for asking whether the payments should exist in their current form.

James Heale

Prison overcrowding triggers emergency measures

At last, it's happened. After months of warnings, the government has today activated emergency measures to ease prison overcrowding. Across the north of England defendants waiting for a court appearance will be kept in police cells until prison space is available. The system, known as 'Operation Early Dawn', was activated this morning – the second time in fourth months. Under the measures, defendants will only be summoned to a magistrates' court when a space in prison is available. Prior to this, they will be kept in police holding cells or released on bail while they await trial.

Saturday

James Heale

What are Sue Gray’s plans for the civil service?

21 min listen

Labour is planning to reform the civil service into five 'missions' that will lead the agenda, moving away from the purely departmental way of arranging priorities at the moment. Cindy Yu talks to James Heale and Jill Rutter from the Institute for Government and UK In a Changing Europe (and a former civil servant) about what these plans really mean. Produced by Cindy Yu.