Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.

Friday

Katy Balls

Dominic Raab resigns over bullying report

In the last few minutes Dominic Raab has announced that he has resigned from government following the findings of an investigation into allegations of bullying against him. Rishi Sunak received the report – by the barrister Adam Tolley KC – on Thursday morning and spent the evening consulting advisers on the best path forward as he pondered its contents. In the end, Raab made the decision for him. In his letter, the deputy prime minister says he called for the inquiry and 'undertook to resign, if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever'. Raab goes onto say that he believes it is important to 'keep my word' and the report has found against him on two counts.

Thursday

Katy Balls

Does Raab have to go?

11 min listen

Today was meant to be judgement day for Dominic Raab as we learnt the outcome of Adam Tolley's investigation into historic bullying claims made against the deputy PM. His fate now rests squarely in Rishi Sunak's hands. Will he resign?  Also on the podcast, there have been a couple of amendments tabled today on the Conservative's Illegal Migration Bill, will these changes placate the rebels? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and James Heale.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Is Keir Starmer soft on crime?

14 min listen

Prime Minister's Questions was a punchy affair today. Rishi Sunak fought back against accusations that the Conservatives have failed on tackling crime, calling Keir Starmer 'Sir Softy' to turn the attack back around on Starmer, for his track record as the Director of Public Prosecutions. But was it an effective attack? Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

What is the point of Humza Yousaf?

A seized luxury campervan, a raid on a politician’s home and two arrests. The latest twists in Police Scotland’s investigation into how the SNP spent £600,000 of IndyRef2 donations wouldn’t seem out of place in an Ian Rankin novel. Just a year ago, Nicola Sturgeon looked invincible. Now the SNP is in freefall and Humza Yousaf, its new leader, is unable to give a clear answer when asked if his party is currently a criminal organisation. The latest arrest – of the party’s treasurer, Colin Beattie – was on the same day as Yousaf’s supposed policy relaunch day (‘not helpful,’ he said) and more developments are expected from Operation Branchform, the investigation into the missing funds for a referendum campaign that never took place.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

How much does the investigation into Sunak matter?

14 min listen

The investigation into Rishi Sunak leads several papers today, but how much does it really matter? On the episode, James Heale talks to Katy Balls and Conservative Home editor Paul Goodman about why the episode is unlikely to hurt Sunak in the long run. They also discuss the coming report on Dominic Raab's alleged workplace bullying and the centenary of the 1922 committee. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Coffee House Scots: can Humza save the SNP after treasurer’s arrest?

10 min listen

The arrest of the SNP's treasurer Colin Beattie in relation to the probe into the party's finances has overshadowed Humza Yousaf's relaunch speech scheduled for today. Beattie has been taken into custody two weeks after Peter Murrell, the SNP's chief executive, was questioned by police regarding loans made in June 2021. Can Yousaf distance himself from the chaos in his own party? What does this mean for Scottish Labour's chances at the next election? Michael Simmons speaks to Katy Balls and Stephen Daisley. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Monday

Katy Balls

Does Sunak’s maths plan add up?

11 min listen

Parliament is back from the Easter break and Rishi Sunak has taken the opportunity to reiterate his commitment to improving maths literacy in the country. Listeners will remember that the plan to make maths compulsory until 18 was first announced in Rishi's new year's speech along with his five priorities. Why is maths provision so important to him? Also on the podcast, with local elections on the horizon, how does Tory campaigning shape up against Labour's new tactics?  Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman.  Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.

Katy Balls

How Rishi Sunak’s spring challenge could decide the election

Over the past month, there has been increasing optimism within the Tory party that the political situation may not be as apocalyptic as first feared. The polls appear to be narrowing slightly, Rishi Sunak's approval ratings have risen and there are early signs of progress on the Prime Minister's policy priorities. But it's the coming months – as MPs return to Westminster following their Easter recess – that will show whether this trend is here to stay, and if Sunak can stay in control of events. The Prime Minister is kicking off the new season with a speech on one of his favourite topics: maths until 18. When Sunak first included this agenda in his new year's speech along with his five priorities there were raised eyebrows among some Tory MPs who feel it is not a key voter issue.

Friday

Katy Balls

Unions split over NHS pay

There’s disappointment in Downing Street this evening after nurses at the Royal College of Nursing voted to reject the government’s offer of a 5 per cent pay rise for 2023-24, along with a one-off lump sum payment. It was a close result, with 54 per cent rejecting the offer and 46 per cent voting to accept it. Following the result, the union promised fresh strikes as they attempt to put pressure on the government to come up with a more generous offer. The first of these is a 48-hour walkout over the May Bank Holiday weekend. In response, a government spokesperson branded the move ‘hugely disappointing’ and blasted the escalation of ‘strike action with no derogations, based on a vote from the minority of the nursing workforce’.

Katy Balls

Are Suella Braverman’s critics right?

12 min listen

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman has come under fire from senior Conservatives who have accused her of 'racist rhetoric', but are these accusations fair? Also on the podcast, Katy Balls takes a look at the latest deal on strikes and Natasha Feroze asks Fraser Nelson why he's against voters bringing ID for the May local elections.

Katy Balls

The Martha Lane Fox Edition

33 min listen

Baroness Martha Lane Fox is a dotcom pioneer having started lastminute.com in 1997. She sits on the board of some of the country's most prominent brands, including Marks & Spencer and Channel 4, and has made significant contributions to the government's digital agenda. On the podcast, Martha talks about the early years of the dotcom bubble; the car crash which led to her spending two years in hospital; and some of the campaigning work she has done to promote more accessibility for women in tech. Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Thursday

Katy Balls

Is Starmer worried about Sunak?

23 min listen

Fraser Nelson speaks to Katy Balls and Stephen Bush from the Financial Times about the two party leaders as Britain starts to think about the next year's general election. As Labour's lead in the polls narrows, is their campaigning strategy working? And how is a fractious Conservative party responding to having Rishi Sunak as their leader? Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Katy Balls

Will Sunak’s charm offensive on Biden pay off?

Joe Biden’s trip to Belfast was seen in government as a chance to strengthen the special relationship. The initial hope had been that by the time the US President jetted to Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, power-sharing would have returned to Stormont. However, after the DUP voted against Rishi Sunak’s renegotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Biden instead used his speech in Belfast to praise the Windsor Framework and express his ‘hope’ that ‘the assembly and executive will soon be restored’.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Rishi meets Biden: bi-latte or bi-lateral?

15 min listen

James Heale is joined by Katy Balls and Talk Radio political editor, Peter Cardwell who has been in Belfast for Biden's state visit. A symbolic time as Northern Ireland marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Given the President's proud Irish roots and vocal criticism of former Prime Ministers, was Rishi Sunak able to thaw the special relationship?

Tuesday

Katy Balls

It’s springtime for Rishi

Two years ago when the Tories won the Hartlepool by-election at the local elections, the political mood was summed up by a 30ft inflatable blow-up of the then prime minister Boris Johnson looming over the town. He was photographed in front of it as part of his victory lap. The message was clear: under his leadership, the Tories were insurmountable and no seat was safe for Labour in what used to be the party’s heartlands. There are no plans for similar photo ops for the local elections next month. In fact, according to one No. 10 staffer, photographers are actively being avoided. No national media were invited to the Tories’ campaign launch. The elections are viewed in Downing Street as an exercise in damage limitation.

Monday

Katy Balls

Channel crossings have fallen. Why?

14 min listen

Channel crossings were down 17 per cent in the first three months of 2023, compared with 2022. Why? And a new poll of Tory members from Conservative Home shows Rishi Sunak jump from being the sixth least popular member of the cabinet in November, to being the sixth most popular member member today. Does it matter?  Max Jeffery speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.  Produced by Max Jeffery.

Saturday

Katy Balls

Have US-UK relations improved with Rishi Sunak?

10 min listen

Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and Freddy Gray about Biden's upcoming visit to the UK. Given the President's proud Irish roots, how much will he try throw his weight around on Brexit? And how worried are the Democrats about Trump's indictment?

Katy Balls

Katy Balls, Lisa Haseldine and Graeme Thomson

20 min listen

This week: Katy Balls discusses why Humza Yousaf is the Union's best hope (01:00), Lisa Haseldine reads her interview with former Georgian defence minister David Kezerashvili (07:00), and Graeme Thomson asks whether supergroups are really that super (13:54).  Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

Friday

Katy Balls

Does CPTPP make it harder to reverse Brexit?

16 min listen

Britain has agreed to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a £9 trillion trade bloc with 11 members. James Heale, speaks to Katy Balls and a special guest, Alexander Downer about whether this is a win for the government. And what it could mean for those looking to reverse Brexit.

Katy Balls

The Penny Mordaunt Edition

27 min listen

Penny Mordaunt is the Conservative MP for Portsmouth North and one of the most recognisable women in British politics. She has served in several ministerial roles from International Development to Defence and she is currently Leader of the House. On the podcast, Penny talks about the last two tumultuous years; some of her proudest moments in politics – increasing armed forces pay and leading a Lords reform rebellion, and adding some humour to business questions in parliament.