Katy Balls

There is a feeling of deja-vu in Westminster today as Keir Starmer unveiled his plan for change and six 'milestones' (not pledges) to turn the country around. They are: raising living standards in every part of the UK; rebuilding Britain with 1.5 million homes and fast-tracking planning decisions on major infrastructure projects; ending hospital backlogs and meeting the standard of 92 per cent of patients being treated within 18 weeks; putting police back on the beat; giving children the best start in life; and securing homegrown energy and putting the UK on track to 95 per cent clean power by 2030. The problem with setting out any list of priorities is that others are conspicuous by their absence, namely immigration.

Last night was The Spectator’s Parliamentarian of the Year Awards. Politicians of every stripe were in attendance, with Wes Streeting, Robert Jenrick and Stephen Flynn among those present. There were a number of notable speeches – including a fiery opening monologue from the Health Secretary – but none caused as much of a stir as Nigel Farage’s acceptance speech for Newcomer of the Year. He warned of a ‘political revolution the likes of which we’ve not seen since Labour after the First World War’. How did that go down in the room? Also on the podcast, at PMQs today Kemi Badenoch and Keir Starmer seemed to have settled into a rhythm. Has the Wednesday ding dong become stale and predictable? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman.

The government is trailing a major policy speech ahead of Thursday, in which the Prime Minister will set out key 'milestones' that he wants to hit, in terms of healthcare, living standards, the climate and so on. It's all sounding a little like a previous prime minister... Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Heale about the opportunities and perils in setting public targets. Produced by Cindy Yu.

The controversial assisted dying bill has passed its second reading in the House of Commons with a majority of 55 after just hours of debate. It now heads to committee stage for further scrutiny. What does the bill's passing at this stage mean for its likelihood of eventually becoming law? And will Labour's front bench unify behind the bill given the deep-seated opposition from figures such as Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood? James Heale discusses with Katy Balls and Michael Gove. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Cindy Yu.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson joins The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls to divulge the contents of his new book, Unleashed. He reflects on his premiership as PM during the pandemic, describing the time as a ‘nightmare’ for him. He also details how he managed to suppress the force of Nigel Farage, and gives advice to Keir Starmer on how to build a relationship with Donald Trump. Watch the full interview on SpectatorTV: https://youtu.

Kemi Badenoch has signalled that she could change her position on the ECHR. At a conference today, she said "we will review every policy, treaty and part of our legal framework - including the ECHR and the Human Rights Act." What could this mean for the Conservatives going forward? Katy Balls discusses with Michael Gove and James Heale.

The government have announced their latest effort to get Britons back into work. A series of benefit changes intend to tackle the fact that Britain is the only major economy where the employment rate has fallen over the past five years, largely because more people are out of work due to long-term ill health. Why are the UK's post-pandemic figures so much worse than other countries? And can Labour's plans work? The Spectator's data editor Michael Simmons joins Katy Balls and James Heale.

Today is the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference, at which Rachel Reeves has laid out her plan to 'Get Britain Working' and prove Labour as the party of business ... despite what the recent Budget and the employers national insurance increase might suggest. What's the mood of big business today?  Also on the podcast, a petition has gone viral over the weekend calling for a general election. Various people have signed it, from Nigel Farage to Michael Caine. But should Labour actually be worried? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman.  Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Tim Shipman, chief political commentator at The Sunday Times, joins Katy Balls to discuss his new book, Out: How Brexit Got Done and the Tories Were Undone. The final instalment in Shipman's Brexit quartet, the book goes behind the scenes in Westminster to reveal the warring factions at the heart of Boris Johnson's government. Considering all of this, has the Tory party left this era of controversy and backstabbing behind? Or, with a new leader, is there a whole new chapter to come?