Katy Balls

Katy Balls

Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.

Monday

Katy Balls

Can Nadhim Zahawi survive his tax troubles?

As a new week begins in Westminster, Nadhim Zahawi is under increasing pressure over his tax affairs. It's one of two stories - the second being whether the BBC chairman Richard Sharp helped Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 - loan that is leading to talk of Tory sleaze. The Conservative party chairman is facing questions over his suitability to remain in government after reports emerged last week that he had agreed to pay millions of pounds to settle his tax affairs. Last year it was reported that HMRC was investigating whether Zahawi ought to have paid capital gains tax following the sale of a stake in YouGov, held by Balshore Investments. Over the weekend, Zahawi issued a statement admitting he had agreed to settle unpaid tax relating to shares held in an offshore trust.

Sunday

Katy Balls

How much trouble is Sunak in?

This week Rishi Sunak will meet with his Cabinet at Chequers as he tries to focus minds in his government and party towards the next election. However, while the Prime Minister wants to focus on his five priorities – half inflation, reduce debt, grow the economy, cut waiting lists and stop the boats – a Tory sleaze row threatens to overshadow his best efforts. Sunak is fighting fire on multiple fronts. First, his party chairman Nadhim Zahawi has had to issue a statement on his tax affairs in which he says an error that has reportedly resulted in him paying millions belatedly was ‘careless and not deliberate’. This has already led to calls from the opposition for Zahawi to go.

Friday

Katy Balls

Should Sunak be fined over seatbelt-gate?

14 min listen

Rishi Sunak may be facing a fine from the police for not wearing a seatbelt in the backseat of a car on his tour around the country yesterday. Is this all a storm in a teacup or is there a legitimate point to the row? Kate Andrews and Fraser Nelson debate on the podcast, hosted by Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

The Nimco Ali Edition

33 min listen

Nimco Ali is an activist, government advisor, author and FGM survivor. Born in Somaliland, Nimco moved to the UK as a child fleeing civil war. On holiday in Djibouti aged 7, she was subjected to female genital mutilation, a traumatising moment in her life that led her to become one of the world’s leading anti-FGM activists today. She went on to set up Daughters of Eve, a survivor-led organisation that has helped transform approaches to ending FGM, as well as the Five Foundation, a global coalition for the same cause. Now, Nimco travels the world to lobby governments to ban FGM and recognise the practice as a human rights issue.

Thursday

Katy Balls

What’s behind the Tory rift on levelling up?

10 min listen

Rishi Sunak faces the fury of Red Wall MPs and other Tories today as he announced the distribution of the second round of the government's levelling up fund. Of all the regions receiving money, the southeast will in fact receive the most (£210 million), while the government would rather point to the fact that, on a per capita basis, the North and Wales benefit more. Cindy Yu discusses with Katy Balls and James Heale. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Can Keir Starmer be trusted?

12 min listen

In today's Prime Minister's Questions, Rishi Sunak went heavy on accusations that Keir Starmer cannot be trusted, having flip-flopped on various policy positions throughout his time in politics – 'he is not just for the free movement of people; he also has the free movement of principles'. On the podcast, Katy Balls discusses with Fraser Nelson and Isabel Hardman whether that's such a bad thing. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Sunak, Starmer and the Davos divide

What self-respecting political leader would be seen in Davos? The World Economic Forum has become synonymous with sybaritic technocracy – champagne receptions, luxury chalets, £50 burgers and traffic jams of black limousines. David Cameron and George Osborne were in their element at these summits, sometimes staying to ski afterwards. But Rishi Sunak, a Goldman Sachs alumnus, has decided not to go this year, no doubt worried that his attendance would reinforce stereotypes he’s trying to dispel. Sir Keir Starmer has no such inhibitions. He’s making his debut as a Davos Man this week, alongside Rachel Reeves, his shadow chancellor. He will attempt to look like a prime-minister-in-waiting on a panel with Mark Rutte, the Dutch Prime Minister, about ‘repowering the world’.

Katy Balls

Is the Trussite Tory ‘growth group’ a threat to Rishi Sunak?

Tory MPs gathered last night for the first meeting of a new growth caucus. Under the working title ‘Conservative Growth Group’, this gathering of like-minded MPs is planning to push a growth agenda – and manoeuvre the Prime Minister into adopting some of its preferred policies. The group is led by two men who served as cabinet ministers under Liz Truss: former levelling up secretary Simon Clarke and former environment secretary Ranil Jayawardena. While many of the policies are ones that the former prime minister is likely to support – and she is a member of the group – she does not have a formal role in the organisation.  The group currently has around 40 members and will work to discuss supply-side reform.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Will the Scottish trans row go to court?

15 min listen

Westminster and Holyrood are going head to head on Scotland's newly passed Gender Recognition Bill. Last night, the UK government blocked the legislation from Edinburgh, citing that the powers it gives – requiring those identifying as a different gender to only live in that gender for three months, and reducing the age of self-identification to 16 – would contravene the UK's Equality Act. In the end, it may be the courts that decide. Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Monday

Katy Balls

Why the government will block the SNP gender bill

The UK government has this evening confirmed that ministers will move to prevent the Scottish government’s gender recognition legislation from receiving Royal Assent. Announcing the decision in a statement, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said he had made the decision to make an order under Section 35 of the Scotland Act to stop the legislation passing – on the grounds that it ‘would have an adverse impact on the operation of Great Britain-wide equalities legislation’. This is the first time in the history of the devolution settlement that the government will make a Section 35 order to block a bill in the Scottish parliament.

Katy Balls

Is Sunak heading for trouble on the Protocol?

There has been excited chatter in recent days that a breakthrough on the Northern Ireland Protocol could be imminent. Last week, the UK government and Brussels agreed a new technical arrangement on sharing trade data, which was heralded as a ‘new basis’ for talks, following a meeting between EU chief negotiator Maros Sefcovic, and James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary. Since then, there has been speculation that the two sides could enter the ‘tunnel’ – the intensive end stage of negotiations – as soon as this week. There is a desire on both sides to find an agreement on changes to the Protocol could ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. However, today Downing Street urged caution – with No.

Katy Balls

What will be on the agenda at Davos?

12 min listen

It's looking like a busy week in Westminster. So busy in fact that prime minister Rishi Sunak will not be attending the annual Davos meeting, organised by the World Economic Forum. His opposite number Kier Starmer will be making the trip however, is this a shrewd move from Labour?  Also on the podcast, amended plans to widen police powers when it comes to public protests are being introduced to parliament today, what impact will the Public Order Bill have on civil liberties? Will the government come to regret this?  Katy Balls speaks to Isabel Hardman and Kate Andrews.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Saturday

Katy Balls

Is Boris on manoeuvres?

13 min listen

Boris Johnson's potential comeback has been dominating headlines for several months now. As Rishi struggles to unite the party, Katy Balls, Fraser Nelson and James Heale discuss whether the prime minister should be worried.

Friday

Katy Balls

Should Sunak unleash Kemi Badenoch?

17 min listen

Rishi Sunak is in Scotland meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and said today that he is concerned about new gender laws in Scotland which would allow 16-year-olds to apply for a gender recognition certificate to change their gender. But with Sunak trying to improve relations with Holyrood, should he send Kemi Badenoch, the minister for women and equalities, to fight the fight for him? James Heale speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.

Katy Balls

Sunak and Sturgeon are heading for a clash over gender self-ID

Rishi Sunak is keen to distance himself from Liz Truss over Scotland. Shortly before she became prime minister, Truss suggested it was best to ‘ignore’ the ‘attention seeker’ Nicola Sturgeon. But Sunak is adopting a more conciliatory approach towards the SNP leader. The pair enjoyed a working dinner last night in Inverness on Sunak’s first trip to Scotland since becoming Prime Minister. They discussed the NHS, the economy and strikes. While there was a ‘robust’ exchange on independence, the post-match report does not point to a war of words between the pair. Yet cordial relations between them could prove short-lived.

Thursday

Katy Balls

SNP: do you attract more flies with honey or vinegar?

12 min listen

Welfare reform is back on the agenda. Today there have been reports of how the Tories plan to reform welfare benefits in this country. What is Mel Stride thinking? Also on the podcast, Rishi Sunak will this evening travel to meet with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. What will they be discussing? Why is it that our prime ministers treat trips north of the border like foreign visits? Cindy Yu speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.  Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.

Wednesday

Katy Balls

Why did Sunak change tack on private healthcare?

10 min listen

Rishi Sunak has finally answered questions over his healthcare arrangements with a statement in Prime Minister's Questions, stating that he is currently registered with an NHS GP but has used private healthcare in the past. Is this change in tack an admission that he should have answered the question sooner? Katy Balls talks to Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu.

Katy Balls

Rishi’s plan to unite the right

When Rishi Sunak addressed his cabinet this week, he tried to strike an optimistic note. Despite Labour’s commanding poll lead, the misery of strikes and the deepening NHS crisis, the Prime Minister said progress was possible, but on one condition: ‘There are challenges we face,’ he said. ‘But when we are united there is nothing we can’t do.’ His implication, of course, was that a warring Tory party will achieve nothing. Despite bringing some calm to Westminster after a turbulent year, Sunak is already the subject of hostile briefings from his own MPs. His five priorities – halve inflation, reduce debt, grow the economy, cut NHS waiting lists and stop illegal Channel crossings – led to much public enthusiasm from Tory MPs.

Tuesday

Katy Balls

Is No. 10 trying to ban strikes?

13 min listen

Business Secretary, Grant Shapps has introduced a bill proposing a minimum level of public sector work during strike action for six key industries. Labour's Angela Rayner told the Commons these plans are 'insulting and utterly stupid'. As a policy that Tories largely agree on, could this bill bring the party together? Also on the podcast, Isabel Hardman reacts to Ken Clarke's suggestion that the middle class should pay fees to use the NHS, and why has former minister Claire Perry O'Neill torn up her Conservative party membership?James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Monday

Katy Balls

Should Sunak use an NHS GP?

9 min listen

In an interview on Sunday, Rishi Sunak refused to tell Laura Kuenssberg whether he has a private GP. Could this question come back to haunt him amid accusations he is 'out of touch'? As Parliament returns from recess, ministers are holding talks with unions to avoid further public sector strikes. However, with strike action still set to go ahead, the expectation of these talks by union bosses may not coincide with reality. Is the government fighting a losing battle?  Also on the podcast, could a Boris Johnson comeback be on the cards? Isabel Hardman speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson. Produced by Natasha Feroze.