Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Will Starmer crack down on social media?

17 min listen

Courts have started giving out severe sentences to those involved in the riots today, but there is a continued clamouring for Keir Starmer to do more. The next step seems to be cracking down on discussions online, where social media platforms such as X and Telegram could be inflaming the riots. Could the government give in to this pressure, and what do we, as a society, lose if so? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and non-affiliated peer Claire Fox. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Are the riots about to get worse?

When will the violent disorder across England and Northern Ireland dissipate? That’s the question being asked in Westminster as ministers brace for further incidents. Keir Starmer last night chaired his second Cobra emergency meeting ahead of a wave of possible events over the next 48 hours, with 30 potential riots anticipated today. Among possible targets identified by the police are refugee shelters and lawyers’ homes. Last night, Starmer said people will be safe thanks to the police preparations. So far 400 people have been arrested, with the first rioter jailed on Tuesday afternoon. James Nelson, 18, received a two-month sentence after pleading guilty to causing criminal damage in Bolton on Saturday, after he was spotted smashing cars while wearing a balaclava.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Keir Starmer slaps down Elon Musk over ‘civil war’ comment

13 min listen

The Prime Minister has clashed with billionaire owner of ‘X’ Elon Musk over comments that Musk made claiming that – in light of the violent disorder across the country – the UK is heading for civil war. How long will this spat go on? And is this the start of Starmer being tough on the tech giants? Elsewhere, Rachel Reeves has been in North America this week attempting to bang the drum for Britain as 'a stable place to do business' … stable all expect for some significant market turmoil. What's the update?  Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Monday

Katy Balls

Keir Starmer slaps down Elon Musk over ‘civil war’ comment

When Rishi Sunak was prime minister, he welcomed Elon Musk as a guest of honour at the government’s AI summit, with the pair even having a fireside chat. However, the new inhabitant of No. 10 takes a different approach to the billionaire owner of X and Tesla. This afternoon, Keir Starmer’s spokesman has slapped down Musk over comments he made online suggesting civil war in the UK was ‘inevitable’ following a wave of violent disorder in the past week. Asked by journalists about the remark that Musk made on his own social media platform, Starmer’s spokesperson said ‘there is no justification for comments like that’. They went on: What we’ve seen in this country is organized, illegal thuggery which has no place on our streets or online.

Katy Balls

Can our prisons take these ‘thugs’?

16 min listen

Keir Starmer will be chairing his first Cobra meeting, as the government continues to grapple with the rioting that has broken out across the country. The weekend saw numerous examples of violence, including at hotels thought to be hosting asylum seekers. We had a statement from the prime minister condemning the ‘right wing thuggery’, but do we need a more complete approach to extremism? And will our prisons and our courts be able to accommodate the huge influx of offenders?  Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Ian Acheson, senior advisor to the Counter Extremism Project.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Sunday

Katy Balls

Starmer blasts ‘far-right thuggery’ in wake of weekend riots

After a weekend of violent disorder breaking out across the UK, the Prime Minister has this evening issued a statement from Downing Street. ‘I utterly condemn the far-right thuggery we have seen this weekend,’ Keir Starmer says. ‘Be in no doubt: those who have participated in this violence will face the full force of the law.’ The Labour leader goes on to say that ‘the police will be making arrests’ and he can ‘guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder’. It comes as the Home Office announces that emergency security will be provided to mosques immediately – which have already become a target for the mob violence.

Friday

Katy Balls

Could Robert Jenrick overtake Kemi Badenoch?

13 min listen

Kemi Badenoch is the favourite in the Tory leadership race at the moment, which is partly why she's been subject to a fair amount of scrutiny and some mud-slinging this week. But could Robert Jenrick actually overtake her as the frontrunner on the right of the Conservative party? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Thursday

Katy Balls

Sunak’s gift to Labour

12 min listen

Today the Bank of England has cut rates for the first time in four years, bringing more good economic news to the Labour government. On the episode, Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about how this raises the question – again – of why Rishi Sunak called an election before he could reap a summer's worth of economic good news. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Keir Starmer’s plan to soften Brexit

42 min listen

This week: Keir Starmer’s plan to soften BrexitKaty Balls writes this week’s cover piece on Labour’s plans to establish close ties with the EU. Every member of Starmer’s cabinet voted Remain, and the government is trying to ‘reset EU relations through a charm offensive’. Brussels figures are hopeful: ‘There was no real goodwill for the Conservative government.’ There are tests coming: the first deal, Katy writes, could be harmonisation on veterinary standards. But will the UK have to abide by the European Court of Justice? Then there’s the issue of Chinese electric cars: will Starmer accept cheap imports, or follow the EU in raising tariffs on them? For now, EU officials see the new PM as ‘workman-like and not playing to the gallery’. How long will that last?

Katy Balls

From the archives: the Rachel Reeves Edition

40 min listen

Women with Balls will be back in the Autumn with a new series. Until then, here's an episode from the archives, with the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves.  On the podcast, she talks to Katy about being a teen chess champion, going to a school where her mum worked and what Labour needed to do to turn its losing streak.

Katy Balls

Keir Starmer’s plans to soften Brexit

Anew political bromance is brewing on the continent. Keir Starmer has met Olaf Scholz, his German counterpart, three times since he entered Downing Street last month. Already the two men have found plenty in common. Both are social democrats, both are lawyers from similar backgrounds and both went through a socialist phase before selling themselves on competence. ‘Charisma is largely alien to them,’ said Der Spiegel after the two met recently at Blenheim Palace. ‘Perhaps this is why they like each other so much.’ Most importantly, Starmer and Scholz are both very keen for a new, closer relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

How should Starmer respond to the Southport riots?

13 min listen

Rioters in Southport have clashed with police after three young girls were fatally stabbed outside a Taylor Swift themed dance class on Monday. The crowd was heard chanting ‘English til I die’ in the violence, which took place outside a mosque. The police have confirmed a 17 year old was arrested over the attack, and he was born in Wales. Is this quickly becoming a major test for the new Prime Minister? What sort of political tensions are becoming apparent following the incident? What role has social media played in spreading disinformation? Megan McElroy speaks to Katy Balls and Paul Brand, UK Editor of ITV News, who has been reporting from Southport.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Winter for boomers

-18 min listen

Rachel Reeves wakes to mixed headlines today after she announced a range of spending cuts to part fill a £22 billion ‘shortfall’ in public spending for this year alone.  The most controversial move by Reeves on Monday was her decision to axe the winter fuel benefit for pensioners not eligible for benefits. That saves £1.5 billion but has already been blasted by Martin Lewis and Age UK as a blunt measure that will hurt those on modest pensions who struggle to make ends meet.  Is there more hard medicine to come? Katy Balls speaks to Kate Andrews and John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair.

Katy Balls

Rachel Reeves’ biggest controversy is yet to come

Rachel Reeves wakes to mixed headlines today after she announced a range of spending cuts to part fill a £22 billion 'shortfall' in public spending for this year alone. The Chancellor accused the Tories of spending money they did not have in government and going more than six billion pounds over budget on asylum. These claims have been rubbished by the former chancellor Jeremy Hunt who in turn suggests that Reeves is indulging in political theatre having been reluctant to openly talk about tax rises and difficult spending choices in the election. Monday's political theatre paved the way for tax rises in the autumn budget The most controversial move by Reeves on Monday was her decision to axe the winter fuel benefit for pensioners not eligible for benefits. That saves £1.

Monday

Katy Balls

How will Labour fill the surprise £20bn ‘black hole’?

15 min listen

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has today been providing covering fire for a raft of unpopular policies, including changes to the winter fuel allowance and cancellations to various building projects. She gave a damning statement in the Commons earlier this afternoon about the economic situation that Labour have inherited from the Tories. We now know that the first budget will come at the end of October. Is she laying the foundations for more unpopular decisions? Is the Starmer honeymoon over?  Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Katy Balls

What’s next for Suella Braverman?

13 min listen

It's a busy day in Westminster as we await the new Chancellor's ‘spending audit’ of the financial challenges Labour has ‘discovered’ on entering government. But in the meantime there has been some movement in the Tory leadership race, with the deadline for applicants later this afternoon. Kemi Badenoch is the latest to declare, whilst Suella Braverman – the onetime standard-bearer of the Brexiteer right – has penned a piece for Monday’s Telegraph, declaring that she will not throw her hat in the ring. What's next for her?  Patrick Gibbons speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

Katy Balls

Will Rachel Reeves get away with a ‘doctors’ mandate’ to hike taxes?

It's 'blame the Tories' day in Westminster as Rachel Reeves prepares to take centre stage. The new Chancellor will this afternoon publish a 'spending audit' of the financial challenges Labour has 'discovered' on entering government. Reeves will address the Commons chamber detailing these spending pressures before giving a press conference at the Treasury early this evening. It comes after Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden wrote to colleagues ordering them to 'bring out the dead' and identify looming crises in their departments. Expect high doses of political theatre throughout the day from Labour as they attempt to hammer their point home. What tax rises is Reeves planning and will Labour face a voter backlash?

Sunday

Katy Balls

Can anyone stop Kemi Badenoch?

Kemi Badenoch has become the sixth – and potentially last – candidate to enter the Conservative leadership race. In an op-ed for the Times published in the last hour, the Tory frontrunner launched her campaign with a promise to 'renew by starting from first principles'. 'We can’t control immigration until we re-confirm our belief in the nation state and the sovereign duty it has, above all else, to serve its own citizens,' she writes. She also suggests hers will be a small state approach - arguing 'our public services will never fully recover from the pandemic until we remember that government should do some things well, not everything badly'. Badenoch writes.

Saturday

Katy Balls

Who might replace Simon Case as Cabinet Secretary?

13 min listen

The rumour swirling around Westminster is that there will soon be a new Cabinet Secretary, the most senior civil servant position. Politico reported that current Cab-Sec Simon Case is being advised to step down for health reasons at the end of the year, providing an opportunity for Keir Starmer to fill the position with his person. But who might that be? Who are the runners and riders to become one of the most powerful people in government? Katy Balls speaks to Henry Newman, former advisor to Boris Johnson and editor of the Whitehall Project substack.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Friday

Katy Balls

Labour’s ‘£20 billion black hole’ strategy

17 min listen

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give a statement to Parliament on Monday outlining the state of public finances, including a '£20 billion black hole'. James Heale talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about the strategy behind this: will this speech lay the ground work for the Autumn budget? How new are these economic issues? And, with the Conservatives embarking on a long leadership election, will Labour have a free rein for their plans?  Produced by Patrick Gibbons.