Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Boris vs Rishi, round VII

The decision by the Cabinet Office to refer Boris Johnson to the police after his ministerial diary revealed visits by friends to Chequers in Buckinghamshire during the pandemic is being felt in Westminster today. Allies of the former prime minister say Johnson is considering taking legal action against the government (taxpayer-funded lawyers for Johnson – hired by the Cabinet Office – flagged the material to officials). Some of Johnson's more vocal supporters have pointed the finger of blame at Rishi Sunak, accusing the Prime Minister of allowing a 'witch-hunt' against Johnson.

Katy Balls

Is Sunak heading for a showdown over Rwanda?

When the Prime Minister first assembled his cabinet, the most controversial appointment was Suella Braverman as Home Secretary. She had only just left the role under Liz Truss after she admitted sending an official document from a personal email account. But when Truss fell, Braverman called for Rishi Sunak rather than a Boris Johnson restoration. She was back in the Home Office after less than a week. ‘It’s either stop the boats or leave the ECHR,’ says one senior Tory Some suspected a grubby deal between the two, but Sunak had plenty of reasons to want Braverman back. While critics accuse her of harbouring unsubtle leadership ambitions, her place in the cabinet keeps an important part of the Tory coalition on side – even if it comes with downsides.

Katy Balls

Are the Tories addicted to psychodrama?

12 min listen

Isabel Hardman speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews about the ongoing case of Suella Braverman's speeding saga.  And now Boris Johnson has returned to the spotlight over reports he broke more lockdown rules. Does the energy around these stories say something about the culture of Westminster? Also on the podcast, Kate Andrews takes a look at  today's inflation figures. Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Katy Balls

Suella Braverman avoids speeding fine probe

Suella Braverman will not face an investigation into whether she broke the ministerial code over her handling of a speeding offence. Following claims that the Home Secretary asked civil servants to arrange a one-to-one speed awareness course for her, after being caught speeding in 2022, Sunak consulted with both Braverman and his independent ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus. In a letter to Braverman, Sunak says Magnus advised that 'further investigation is not necessary': 'On the basis of your letter and our discussion, my decision is that these matters do not amount to a breach of the Ministerial Code. As you have recognised, a better course of action could have been taken to avoid giving rise to the perception of impropriety.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Is the ministerial code fit for purpose?

15 min listen

Paul Goodman, editor of Conservative Home joins Katy Balls and James Heale to discuss the most recent victims accused of breaching the ministerial code. The code covers things like telling the truth in Parliament, keeping cabinet discussions secret and not allowing conflicts to arise between public duties and private interests. But is it fit for purpose? Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Monday

Sunday

Katy Balls

Sunak holds Braverman’s fate in his hands

Suella Braverman is in the firing line, following reports the Home Secretary asked civil servants for advice on arranging a private one-to-one driving awareness course to help her avoid a speeding fine and points on her licence. Braverman is accused of breaking the ministerial code by directing civil servants to assist with her personal affairs. In a sign that Braverman could face an investigation into the matter, the Prime Minister is to have a conversation with his independent ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, tomorrow when he returns from the G7 summit. So how much trouble is Braverman really in? Both her critics and supporters have been out in full force over the past 24 hours to advance their case.

Friday

Katy Balls

The Dambisa Moyo Edition

26 min listen

Dambisa Moyo is an economist, life peer and author of five books: from Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa to her most recent, How Boards Work: And How They Can Work Better in a Chaotic World. Born in Zambia, Dambisa grew up in a house where discussing politics was a regular occurrence at the family table. Dambisa has a large portfolio of academic qualifications from all over the world and has consulted both public and private sector banks. Having sat on numerous boards, Dambisa received a life peerage this year. On the podcast, Dambisa talks about growing up in Zambia, six years after independence; her first job aged 23 at the World Bank, and her new role sat in the House of Lords.  Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Would Starmer really build more houses?

13 min listen

Keir Starmer promised in an interview with the Times today that as prime minister he would back the 'builders not the blockers'. But is it all bluster?  Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman.

Katy Balls

How Keir Starmer plans to snatch the centre ground from the Tories

Tories have spent the week giving speeches about what it means to be a conservative at the National Conservatism conference in Westminster's Emmanuel Centre. However, another speech on conservatism could reveal more about what the next ten years will look like in UK politics. Over the weekend, much of the news agenda was centred on Saturday's Conservative Democratic Organisation. On the same day, Keir Starmer gave a speech at the Progressive Britain Conference, which received far less attention. The Labour leader was quick to dispute the conclusion of many pollsters that the local election results suggest the party would fall short of a majority: 'Even by Westminster standards – the spin last week was quite something. But all that noise, it’s water off a duck's back.

Katy Balls

Tories’ thoughts are turning to defeat

Ever since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister, his aides have worried that May would be the month of mutiny. His mandate over the party has always been weak, since he lost the summer’s leadership race to Liz Truss. He was also certain to preside over heavy losses in the local elections, so the aftermath of that defeat was seen as the ideal time for a rebel to strike. As if to tempt fate, Sunak invited more than 200 Tory MPs for drinks in the No. 10 garden on Monday night. He attempted to lift spirits with jokes at Keir Starmer’s expense. ‘He was meant to be writing a book about his ideas for Britain,’ Sunak said. ‘But – and I’m not making this up – he has had to return the advance to the publisher because he couldn’t come up with any.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Rishi’s ECHR battle at the Council of Europe

11 min listen

The Prime Minister has gone to Iceland today to see the Council of Europe, where he has been talking about immigration and the ECHR with other European leaders. On the episode, Katy Balls explains his mission to get other leaders on board with the UK's hardline approach to immigration. Cindy Yu also talks to James Heale about the second day of the National Conservatism Conference and Michael Gove's recommendation for conservatives. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Monday

Katy Balls

Why did Braverman’s immigration speech ruffle feathers?

14 min listen

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that there is no good reason the UK can't train its own lorry drivers and fruit pickers in order to bring immigration rates down. Katy Balls speaks to James Heale and Isabel Hardman about why this has rubbed some up the wrong way and Keir Starmer's speech over the weekend, outlining Labour's vision for the future.

Katy Balls

Suella Braverman’s immigration speech ruffles feathers

How should Rishi Sunak govern? Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, his MPs have plenty of views on the matter at the moment – and many are keen to air them publicly. In the face of disappointing local election results, a couple of hundred members of the pro-Boris vehicle the Conservative Democratic Organisation gathered in Bournemouth over the weekend (James Heale writes about the event here) where its members reminisced about the Johnson days and critiqued Sunak. Tonight Sunak is due to host a coronation garden party for all MPs, but ahead of that charm offensive a number of ministers and MPs are heading to the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster for the National Conservatism conference.

Saturday

Katy Balls

Coffee House Shots Live: Coronation special

71 min listen

The coronation will commemorate the start of a new era, but what will this mean for the United Kingdom? How will Charles III secure his place in history – and what kind of monarch will he be? From pageantry to the polls: will the coronation distract voters from the Tories’ predicted heavy losses in the local elections? And will Rishi Sunak be able to turn his party’s fortunes around for the general election? Fraser Nelson speaks to Katy Balls and special guests Camilla Tominey and Matthew Goodwin for a special edition of Coffee House Shots Live.

Friday

Katy Balls

What will boost growth?

11 min listen

The UK economy grew by 0.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year. Jeremy Hunt said that the government needed to 'stay focused on competitive taxes, labour supply and productivity.' Is that enough to improve growth? Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.

Thursday

Katy Balls

Can Kemi brush off the Brexiteers on EU law?

11 min listen

Will Kemi Badenoch, the business and trade secretary, lose her supporters in the ERG, after the government confirmed that it would be going back on its pledge to remove all EU legislation from UK law by the end of 2023? James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Tories beware: the Lib Dems are back

Every prime minister has at least one guilty pleasure; Rishi Sunak has several. Colleagues tease him for his taste in music (Michael Bublé), television (Emily in Paris) and literature (Jilly Cooper CBE). One of his favourite novels is Cooper’s first ‘bonkbuster’ Riders, a tale about the great and good – and a Tory minister for sport – frolicking in the fictional Cotswolds county of Rutshire. Infidelity, duplicity and intrigue, all playing out in Conservative heartlands. More pessimistic Conservatives see an effective anti-Tory tactical vote emerging  Sunak’s problem is that these days places like Rutshire might no longer be Tory safe seats. Formerly true-blue parts of the country may be set to turn yellow.

Tuesday