Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
14 min listen
Rishi Sunak is facing his first Tory Commons rebellion on the issue of UK house building targets. Could this be game over? Also on the podcast, after Chloe Smith announced that she will be leaving politics at the next election, could more follow her out of parliament? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
When Keir Starmer went on the offensive at Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this month over the issue of small boat crossings, it was taken as a statement of intent: the Labour leader was willing to go on the offensive over topics on which his party had traditionally been vulnerable in the eyes of the electorate. This morning, Starmer laid out his vision for immigration more generally. Speaking at the CBI conference in Birmingham, the Labour leader has warned that the days of ‘cheap labour’ and ‘immigration dependency’ must end: ‘Our common goal must be to help the British economy off its immigration dependency. To start investing more in training up workers who are already here.
Are we heading for a return to Brexit wars? It's been the theme of the week so far after the Sunday Times splashed on a report that senior government figures plan to put Britain on the path towards a Swiss-style relationship with the European Union. A backlash quickly ensued, with Tory MPs privately sounding the alarm. Former leader of the Brexit Party Nigel Farage threatened a political comeback if it proved true. Little wonder then that since the weekend, there has been a concerted effort in No. 10 to pour cold water on the reports. As one minister puts it: 'We need to do a much better job of promoting the benefits of Brexit.
13 min listen
Over the weekend, government briefings that they will be looking towards a Swiss-style arrangement with the EU reignited the Brexit rows. Dormant Brexiteers like Nigel Farage and the European Research Group resurfaced, making it clear that they would not accept a so-called 'Chequers 2.0'. On the record, the government has been keen to reject this briefing. So what really happened? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth. Produced by Cindy Yu.
One of the most striking parts of Jeremy Hunt’s performance in the Commons chamber yesterday was how quiet MPs on the backbenches behind him were. There was little in the way of cheering as the Chancellor used his Autumn Statement to set out a series of tax rises and spending cuts. The front pages today reflect the unappetising package Hunt presented – with the Daily Mail accusing the Tories of ‘soaking the strivers’ and the Daily Telegraph lead headline quoting an economist who says the Chancellor has combined ‘the rhetoric of George Osborne and the policies of Gordon Brown’. While Conservative MPs don’t like parts of it, there is a sense that it could have been worse Yet there is little sign yet of a serious Tory rebellion against the measures.
9 min listen
The front pages are almost universally bad today, but the government is more concerned with the reaction from the markets, which, so far, have not turned against yesterday's budget. Could this high tax low spend fiscal statement yet pass scrutiny, given the torrid economic climate at large? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu.
29 min listen
Emma Sayle is the founder and CEO of Killing Kittens, a sexually liberated social network where women come first. She grew up in a military family, and when not in boarding school, Emma would visit her parents all over the world. On the podcast, Emma talks to Katy about her 'outsider's mindset' – never truly feeling like she could fit in; becoming an entrepreneur in the sex tech industry and where the name Killing Kittens came from. Produced by Natasha Feroze.
12 min listen
The Conservative party is still digesting Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement, a far cry from the last fiscal statement from this party. Have the Prime Minister and the Chancellor managed to deliver a budget that hits the political sweet point of cornering Labour without splitting their own party? Isabel Hardman talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu.
It's crunch day for Rishi Sunak. This morning his Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will stand at the despatch box and unveil a mix of spending cuts and tax rises worth in the region of £55 billion in a bid to fill the fiscal black hole in the public finances. Hunt is expected to tell MPs his fiscal plan will help Britain 'face into the storm' by being 'honest about the challenges, and fair in our solutions' to inflation and rising energy prices. The measures Sunak and Hunt are expected to pitch as the best response to the global financial situation – as well as the fallout from Liz Truss's not-so-mini-Budget which spooked the markets – include stealth raids on income tax, national insurance, pension savings and VAT.
12 min listen
Last night there were fears of a direct attack from Russia on a NATO country, after a missile struck two Polish nationals on the border with Ukraine. An investigation is now underway, but who is responsible for these deaths? Also on the podcast, Dominic Raab took PMQs today despite bullying allegations against him gathering pace. What are the latest developments in the bullying row? Cindy Yu speaks with James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson.
14 min listen
Today the planned rail strikes have been cancelled at the 11th hour. Is this an indication that a deal may be soon reached to end the months of disruption? Also on the podcast, after it was announced that Arts Council England would cut its funding, it looks like the English National Opera will be forced out of London. Is this 'levelling up'? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
11 min listen
Alongside an interest rate hike of 3 per cent, the Bank of England have today warned the economy will 'be in recession for a long period'. How much of the blame can we place on Truss's economic policy? What will this recession look like? Also on the podcast, Rishi Sunak plans to remove the 'legal but harmful' censorship clause from the Online Harms Bill, what will this mean for online safety? Katy Balls speaks with Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Kate Andrews. Produced by Natasha Feroze and Oscar Edmondson.
13 min listen
Rishi Sunak has said that he will now attend the Cop 27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, which begins on Sunday. What's behind the U-turn, and should we expect more policy reversals from the new PM? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth. Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Max Jeffery.
Just over a week into Rishi Sunak's premiership and the new prime minister has performed his first government U-turn. After Downing Street initially said Sunak would not attend the COP27 climate summit as he was too busy preparing for the 17 November Autumn statement, he will now go. Announcing the decision on social media, Sunak said: 'There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables. That is why I will attend COP27 next week: to deliver on Glasgow's legacy of building a secure and sustainable future'. So, what's behind the change of heart? There have been signs since the weekend that Sunak could go after all.
17 min listen
Matt Hancock has signed up to be a contestant on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! What's behind the former health secretary's move into reality television? Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, took to television studios this morning to defend how the government has handled overcrowding at the Manston processing centre for asylum seekers. Is there a rift growing between him and the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman? Max Jeffery speaks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls. Produced by Max Jeffery.
Matt Hancock has this morning had the whip suspended over his decision to appear on the new series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here. Less than an hour after the news broke that the former health secretary – who resigned over a breach of Covid rules through an extra-marital affair – plans to head to the jungle to appear on the primetime reality show, the new chief whip Simon Hart suspended the whip with immediate effect. Announcing the news, Hart said: ‘Following a conversation with Matt Hancock, I have considered the situation and believe this is a matter serious enough to warrant suspension of the whip with immediate effect’. Now this decision ought not to have come as a complete surprise to Hancock. There is precedent here.
The safest place for a minister in a crisis is meant to be the despatch box. The thinking is that it allows an under-fire minister to influence and even control events. This is what Suella Braverman tried to do this evening when she faced MPs in the Commons chamber following a series of allegations over both her handling of security matters and the detention of migrants under her watch. After apologising this morning for using her personal email address to handle official documents on seven occasions, Braverman appeared in the Commons to address the other crisis facing her: the situation at the Manston migrant centre in Kent. While the disused airport is designed to hold up to 1,600 people, the current number being processed there is thought to be closer to 4,000.
How much trouble is Suella Braverman in? Rishi Sunak’s decision to re-appoint her as Home Secretary less than a week after she was forced to resign over a security breach has proved to be the major upset of the reshuffle. Since then, opposition parties have gone on the attack with some Tory politicians also raising concerns about Braverman’s suitability for the role. Former Conservative party chairman Jake Berry went public last week to say that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case had been deeply worried by the incident which saw Braverman share a confidential document on immigration with an MP using her personal email. He said Braverman – who has developed the nickname ‘leaky Su’ in the media – was responsible for ‘multiple breaches of the ministerial code’.
14 min listen
Suella Braverman is under attack for sharing confidential documents with other members of parliament, and has admitted to sending official documents to her personal email on six occasions. Could she be forced out, again? Also on the podcast, as Rishi Sunak faces pressure on the small boats crisis as well as his decision not to attend the COP27 climate summit, what sort of leader will he be? Will he buckle under the pressure? James Heale speaks with Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls. Produced by Natasha Feroze and Oscar Edmondson.
11 min listen
Reports today suggest the government is planning to pledge £50 billion to close the fiscal black hole. Are they laying the groundwork for a combination of spending cuts and tax rises?Also on the podcast, after Elon Musk completed his purchase of Twitter today, what will the repercussions be for the Online Safety Bill? Max Jeffery speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Produced by Max Jeffery and Oscar Edmondson.
