James Heale is The Spectator’s deputy political editor.
10 min listen
Rishi Sunak has returned to one of his pet bugbears: getting the unemployed back into work. His speech to the Centre for Social Justice this morning was peppered with his favourite facts about the post-pandemic welfare crisis embroiling Britain. Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Michael Simmons. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Rishi Sunak has returned to one of his pet bugbears: getting the unemployed back into work. His speech to the Centre for Social Justice this morning was peppered with his favourite facts about the post-pandemic welfare crisis embroiling Britain. The number on long-term sickness benefits has jumped by a third since Covid and now stands at an eye-watering 2.8 million. Those claiming personal independence payments has doubled from 2,200 new awards a month in 2019 to 5,300 in 2023. Spending on benefits for people of working age with a disability or health condition has duly increased by almost two-thirds to £69 billion. He said, bluntly, that Britain 'cannot afford' the current system which is 'not fair on taxpayers.
11 min listen
Sunak's top team is considering another ban: smartphones for teens. A consultation is due to begin this month that will question whether children need a smartphone, and if social media should require age verification. Could the debate bring the party together? Also, there's another suspension in Westminster. Mark Menzies has been suspended after claims he made a late night call to ask for money to pay off 'bad people'. He strongly disputes the claims. Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale. Produced by Megan McElroy.
You’ve got to feel for Rishi Sunak. He spends his days slaving around the clock to shave half a percentage point off inflation, only to find one of his MPs making lurid headlines, again. Today, the Tory boat has been rocked by Mark Menzies, who lost the whip following claims that he had misused campaign funds. He has also been suspended as the government’s trade envoy to Colombia, Chile, Peru and Argentina. Labour is naturally keen to take full advantage of a fresh set of Tory woes According to the Times, the MP demanded that his constituency manager pay thousands of pounds in cash to ‘bad people’ with whom Menzies had found himself in a flat in December.
11 min listen
The day after her book was published, Rishi Sunak faced down questions from Keir Starmer and Labour members at PMQs about Liz Truss. While he had his replies at the ready, the questions underscored the main issue for Sunak: how should he deal with his predecessor? Also on the podcast, there is more inflation news for the Government, and how will Starmer deal with internal party discipline? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
14 min listen
It’s not just Britain that has a growth problem. Today’s release of the IMF’s April 2024 World Economic Outlook report argues that the global economy is following the lacklustre trend. Within this bleak picture, how does the UK look compared to its counterparts? Also on the podcast, MPs are set to vote this evening on the government's generational smoking ban. Is Rishi Sunak a 'finger wagging control freak' as Liz Truss claims? How many could rebel? James Heale speaks Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.
A fag-end measure for a fag-end government? That's how Labour are keen to present Rishi Sunak's plans to stop young people born after 2008 from ever being legally allowed to smoke. The Commons will tonight debate the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, with Tory MPs being granted a rare free vote. With dozens of Conservatives expected to vote against the legislation, Wes Streeting and others are keen to depict themselves as riding to Sunak's rescue by lending him Labour votes. 'Rishi Sunak might be weak but Labour will not allow the Liz Truss wing of the Conservative Party to choke off the Smoking Bill today', the Shadow Health Secretary tweeted this morning.
She's back. Liz Truss is in the headlines once more this week ahead of tomorrow's publication of her book Ten Years to Save the West. Part memoir, part cri de coeur, it tells the tale of her ten years in government and the lessons she learned about being, in her words, 'the only conservative in the room.' In her first TV interview, Truss spoke about some of the book's themes which, in turn, offer us some clues about her plans for life after office. Some in Truss's circle hope she can become the British equivalent of America's Barry Goldwater The question being asked in Westminster is what she wants to achieve with the book: a big pay cheque or relevance on the right? It's clear from the publicity surrounding the book, as well as it contents, that Truss has her sights set on America.
14 min listen
It's 18 months since Liz Truss left Downing Street and her new memoir, Ten Years to Save the West, is out. She gave her first interview to Fraser Nelson on Spectator TV, covering why she wants to abolish the Supreme Court, Donald Trump, her husband's warning that her leadership bid would end in tears, and so much more. We also cover Iran's missile attack on Israel, and what might come next. James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson. Produced by Megan McElroy.
Parliament's return from recess this week means the Rwanda Bill is now back in the Commons for the final game of ping pong. Rwanda has previously dominated the news agenda whenever it is debated in parliament. But this week it is expected – by both supporters and opponents of the scheme – to feature far less heavily in the headlines. A good indication of where MPs' minds are at is to look at the predominant focus on policing, rather than migration, in this afternoon's Home Office questions. One government source referred to this week as 'process-y', with a Rwanda sceptic conceding that 'a horrible sense of inevitability hangs over the final stages of this process.
10 min listen
On this special Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots we discuss Patrick Maguire's scoop this week about former Labour leader Harold Wilson's secret affair with his deputy press secretary. Where does this rank in the history of parliamentary affairs? And – on a more serious note – are there any lessons that Keir Starmer can learn from Harold Wilson? Katy Balls speaks to Patrick Maguire and James Heale.
Graham Stuart has this afternoon quit the government, saying he wishes to focus on local issues after service in various ministerial posts. The Yorkshire MP has spent seven of the last eight years in office, including as energy minister since September 2022. But in a letter today to Rishi Sunak, he says that 'I have decided that now is the time to step down' from government. There had previously been reports that Stuart was unhappy with Sunak's net zero speech reset and had even threatened to quit over the scrapping of the so-called 'boiler tax.' Stuart though is making clear that his resignation is about spending more time in his constituency in what a difficult election year for the Tories.
13 min listen
The row over Angela Rayner's tax affairs has deepened today. This morning, Greater Manchester police have announced that – following a reassessment of the case – they will open a formal investigation into Angela Rayner. What does this mean for Keir Starmer? And why would it be so difficult for him to sack her? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
The great schism on the right of British politics was aptly displayed last week. On Wednesday night, as the Prime Minister attended a 'pretty downbeat' drinks reception at the Carlton Club, across town the real action was happening at the Boisdale restaurant in Canary Wharf. Some 300-odd journalists, MPs and donors flocked there to pay tribute to Nigel Farage on his 60th birthday, in an occasion that was somewhere between a reunion and a rally. Much of the talk was about the forthcoming general election, with Farage himself teasing a return as leader of Reform UK. Taking to the stage in his blue velvet double-breasted jacket, he declared 'This seems like the perfect occasion to make an announcement,' before insisting 'I genuinely haven't made up my mind'.
12 min listen
Today we have had the Cass Review, a landmark report into gender services for children in England, authored by paediatrician Hilary Cass. She concludes that medical interventions were being made on the basis of 'remarkably weak' evidence and that there is a lack of a holistic approach to those questioning their gender. How big of an issue will gender politics be at the next election? Also on the podcast, after William Wragg gave up the whip last night will his decision to voluntarily resign call into question Rishi Sunak's authority? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Isabel Hardman and James Heale. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Six days after his involvement in the honeytrap sexting scandal was revealed, Will Wragg has now resigned the Tory whip. It follows his decision on Monday night to quit his roles as vice chairman of the 1922 committee and the public administration select committee. Wragg had previously announced in late 2022 that he would be standing down at the next election meaning he looks likely to sit out his last few months in parliament sitting as an independent. A statement from the whips' office made clear that Wragg was 'voluntarily relinquishing' the whip. So, why now? Within government there is a sense that the initially supportive reaction of Wragg was somewhat misjudged.
'I come here with no intention to lecture anybody'. David Cameron's line mid-press conference summed up the Foreign Secretary's approach on his trip stateside. Appearing alongside his counterpart Anthony Blinken, Cameron emphasised the extent to which Britain and America are acting in lockstep on Ukraine, Gaza and other various crises. 'In a time of danger like this international affairs, close alliances really matter' he said. Cameron's trepidation is understandable: he is due to have meetings later today with skeptical congressional leaders on giving further aid to Ukraine.
Will Wragg has now resigned as both vice-chairman of the 1922 committee and chairman of the public administration select committee. It follows last week's revelation that he was the source responsible for passing on phone numbers to a source who subsequently tried to 'honey trap' them over text messages. The circle of those caught up in the Westminster honeytrap scandal has continued to expand in recent days, with at least 15 figures now believed to be involved. These people were sent messages from an unknown sender identifying themselves either as ‘Abi’ or ‘Charlie’. Three Tory MPs – Wragg, Andrea Jenkyns and Luke Evans – have already said that they were targeted in a ‘spear-phishing’ attack.
10 min listen
Angela Rayner has faced fresh allegations related to her taxes. Keir Starmer and other MPs in the shadow cabinet have come to her defence. Could these accusations jeopardise her position as shadow deputy Prime Minister? Also on the podcast, what are Richard Tice's plans for Reform? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale.
Richard Tice spent this morning fulfilling a role well-known to leaders of smaller parties: defending their vetting procedures amid criticism of unsuitable candidates. The Reform leader was grilled by journalists at a Westminster briefing over the suspension or ditching of at least a dozen election candidates over their social media posts. ‘If you’re going to have a glass on a Friday night, don’t use Twitter,’ Tice told his party’s electoral hopefuls. Voters want more NHS funding; they just don’t want to fund private tax breaks to do this The main topic of the briefing was about health and Reform’s plans to redirect net zero funds to improve the NHS.