Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Are ‘sinister forces’ conspiring against Nadine Dorries?

From our UK edition

12 min listen

Nadine Dorries has hit out on various platforms saying that 'sinister forces' stopped her from receiving her peerage, as promised to her by former prime minister Boris Johnson. This has been met by a strong rebuke from Number 10, but do Boris and Dorries have grounds to feel aggrieved? Also on the podcast, tomorrow we will learn the Privileges Committee's findings on whether Boris Johnson knowingly misled the House. What should we expect?  James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Paul Goodman, editor of Conservative Home.  Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.

Monday

Katy Balls

Sunak comes out fighting over Boris honours row

From our UK edition

12 min listen

This morning Rishi Sunak has delivered a direct rebuke of Boris Johnson over the resignation honours row, during an interview at London Tech Week. Is this the Prime Minister going into fighting mode? Do his comments go some way towards heading off a Johnson-led rebellion?  Also on the podcast, Nicola Sturgeon was released from custody yesterday evening after seven hours of questioning. What's the latest? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale.  Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.

Katy Balls

Sunak comes out fighting over Boris honours row

From our UK edition

Rishi Sunak has just delivered a direct rebuke of Boris Johnson over the resignation honours row. Sunak used an interview at London Tech Week to hit back at Johnson, following the omission of Nadine Dorries from Johnson's honours list. That decision kickstarted a chain of events that led to Dorries, Johnson and Nigel Adams quitting over the weekend and sparking three by-elections. The PM was asked whether his predecessor – who criticised Sunak's government in his resignation statement – had undermined him. He replied: 'Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do because I didn't think it was right. That was to either overrule Holac (the House of Lords appointments committee) or make promises to people. If people don't like that then tough.

Sunday

Katy Balls

Nicola Sturgeon arrested in SNP finance investigation

From our UK edition

14 min listen

Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with the probe into SNP finances.A spokesperson for Nicola Sturgeon confirmed: ‘Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday 11th June, by arrangement with Police Scotland, attended an interview where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform. Nicola has consistently said she would co-operate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so.’ Katy Balls, Fraser Nelson and Iain Macwhirter discuss.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Saturday

Katy Balls

Why did Labour U-turn on its green investment pledge?

From our UK edition

14 min listen

Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and former Labour advisor John McTernan about Labour's announcement that they are watering down their green investment pledge. Is Labour in trouble over this U-turn? And could this be seen as a change in strategy for the party? Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Katy Balls

Is this the end of Boris Johnson?

From our UK edition

19 min listen

Kate Andrews, Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson react to the news that Boris Johnson has decided to stand down as an MP. Will the former Prime Minister go quietly? Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Friday

Katy Balls

Is it really over for Boris Johnson?

From our UK edition

It’s Boris day in Westminster. First, the publication of his resignations honours list and now a resignation from the man himself. This evening Boris Johnson has released a statement announcing that he has ‘today written to my Association in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to say that I am stepping down forthwith and triggering an immediate by-election’. Johnson adds that he is ‘very sorry’ to leave the ‘wonderful constituency’. His decision comes after he was passed a draft report of the Privileges Committee, which is understood to recommend a suspension of more than ten days: the length that could spark a by-election.

Katy Balls

Is Boris’s honours list a lesson in cronyism?

From our UK edition

11 min listen

Boris Johnson has published his resignation honours list, proposing a number of supporters, long time loyalists and even young staffers to be given peerages and honours. But is this an abuse of a system which should, instead, be about rewarding people for their public service? Cindy Yu talks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Boris Johnson’s honours list is a loyalty test

From our UK edition

Finally the day has come. After countless reports over the contents of Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, the names are out. The Prime Minister has approved Johnson’s list. It includes a peerage for former No. 10 special adviser Charlotte Owen, who at 29 will become the youngest ever life peer. There are also knighthoods for Simon Clarke and former Tory chairman Ben Elliot. This is a slimmed down version of the original list – reported to include Johnson’s father Stanley – which officials advised the former prime minister to trim after it came in at nearly 100 names. It is still not without controversy. The sitting MPs – Nigel Adams, Alister Jack, Nadine Dorries and Alok Sharma – tipped for peerages are absent.

Katy Balls

Rachel Reeves backtracks over Labour’s £28bn climate plan

From our UK edition

Rachel Reeves has just rowed back on a flagship Labour policy. Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, the shadow chancellor watered down her earlier pledge to spend £28 billion a year on climate investment 'for each and every year of this decade' – Labour’s version of Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. Explaining her decision to delay the spending, Reeves insisted that a Labour government would still hit the figure eventually. Reeves promised to 'ramp up' the investment over time to reach a total of £28 billion a year in the second half of the parliament at the latest. So, what's behind the change of approach? It comes after the policy received heavy criticism publicly from the Tories and privately from figures in her own party.

Thursday

Katy Balls

How far can the Green Party go without Caroline Lucas?

From our UK edition

12 min listen

The Green Party's first and only MP, Caroline Lucas, has announced today that she'll be stepping down at the next election. On the episode, Katy Balls talks with Isabel Hardman and Fraser Nelson about Lucas's achievements and what it's like to be the sole MP of your party in a parliamentary system like ours. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Should Rishi be worried about Covid inquiry messages?

From our UK edition

13 min listen

It was prime ministers questions today and while Rishi Sunak is away in the US Oliver Dowden stood in. The Covid inquiry was a hot topic of debate. Rishi Sunak says he is not worried about being embarrassed by messages seen by the inquiry, but is he right to be so calm?  Also on the podcast, the OECD has forecasted that the UK will narrowly avoid recession. But with growth at only 0.3 per cent for 2023, can we consider this a good outcome? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Katy Balls

Why Rishi Sunak fears the Covid inquiry

From our UK edition

A former Labour spin doctor recently offered some advice for governments considering a public inquiry. Rule No. 1: Don’t. But if ‘you’re stupid enough’ to do so: don’t make the inquiry independent, don’t give it powers, know the conclusion you want, set the remit accordingly and appoint a chair who knows the brief. Unfortunately for Rishi Sunak, the inquiry he has inherited from Boris Johnson’s time in Downing Street ticks none of these boxes. ‘It’s basically going to show that everyone hated each other. The pettiness will be embarrassing’ Even before its official launch this week, there were signs of trouble. The brief is to provide a factual account of the Covid-19 response across the UK and to identify lessons about preparing for future pandemics.

Katy Balls

Will the first migrant flight to Rwanda take off in September?

From our UK edition

Rishi Sunak attempted to get on the front foot this week by giving an update on the progress he has so far made on his pledge to stop the Channel migrant boats. The Prime Minister announced that the government had procured two new barges to house those seeking asylum and said that small boat arrivals to the UK are down by 20 per cent this year. However, the game changer would be flights to Rwanda getting off the ground. The Sun reports today that flights could take off as soon as September if they win a key legal fight in the coming weeks. As I reported last month, September is viewed within the Home Office and No. 10 as the best case scenario for flights departing to Rwanda. The Court of Appeal’s verdict is expected in the coming weeks.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Can Sunak and Biden crack AI regulation?

From our UK edition

12 min listen

The Prime Minister will be flying stateside tonight to visit Joe Biden. Top of the agenda will be AI regulation and Britain's role in it (they may also talk about Ben Wallace's bid to become the next Secretary General of Nato). It's a tricky issue and famously fast moving, so can the two leaders crack it? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Heale. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Rishi’s US charm offensive

From our UK edition

As Rishi Sunak faces concern at home that his five priorities are slipping out of reach, he is flying to Washington tonight for another foray on the world stage. The Prime Minister will spend two days in the USA where he will meet President Joe Biden for his first bilateral in America (and the fifth since he entered No. 10). While Boris Johnson made his dislike of the phrase ‘special relationship’ well known, Sunak has no such qualms – though one government aide suggests that it still may not appear in his lexicon: the Prime Minister prefers instead to refer to America as the UK’s greatest ally.

Monday

Katy Balls

Is Andy Burnham a problem for Starmer?

From our UK edition

11 min listen

James Heale is joined by Isabel Hardman and Katy Balls to discuss Rishi Sunak's visit to Dover in a bid to tackle small boats. Also, following a clash between Keir Starmer and members on the left of the party, how much of a problem has Andy Burnham become for the Labour leader?

Saturday

Katy Balls

Who will be on the candidates list?

From our UK edition

14 min listen

James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Lord Stewart Jackson, regional chairman of the Conservative Democratic Organisation. On the podcast they discuss Labour and the Conservative's candidates selection process and the politics behind it.

Friday

Katy Balls

Is the government heading for a court defeat?

From our UK edition

14 min listen

The Cabinet Office has officially triggered a judicial review against the Covid Inquiry – but is this a misstep, if eventually they will lose their legal case against it? On the episode, James Heale talks to Katy Balls and the Institute for Government's Catherine Haddon. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

The Penny Junor Edition

From our UK edition

32 min listen

Penny Junor is a journalist, biographer and author of several books. She began writing at the Evening Standard. Soon into her career, Penny was given an opportunity to write a book about Princess Diana which led to several more books about the Royals – The Firm: The Troubled House of Windsor and Charles: Victim or Villain? Aside from that, Penny has penned books on key political figures including John Major and Margaret Thatcher. On the podcast, Penny talks about her decision to leave university in second year to get married and become a journalist, she shares how her perspective on the Royal family changed throughout her career and she talks about some writing plans for the future.