Katy Balls is The Spectator’s former political editor.
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11 min listen
Once again it’s all about the fish – following protests from French fisherman over their rights in the waters surrounding Jersey, Boris Johnson has despatched Royal Navy boats to the Channel. Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about why tensions escalated so quickly.
From our UK edition
It’s polling day for the local elections but the focus of the government is on Jersey, where a row has broken out over post-Brexit fishing rights. After 80 French boats gathered at St Helier in protest over new licences required for fishing there, the UK hit back by sending two British naval patrol vessels as
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21 min listen
Arlene Foster’s departure has left the DUP in a difficult place. Unionists could become disaffected if another relative moderate takes over, but younger voters might abandon the party if a hardliner becomes leader. What does this mean for Northern Ireland? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Denis Staunton, London editor of the Irish Times.
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12 min listen
Boris Johnson’s mobile phone number has been available online for 15 years, it emerged last night. Why does the Prime Minister give it out so freely? John Connolly speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.
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28 min listen
Over the last year of intermittent lockdowns, most of us have spent more time staring at the four walls of our living room than we ever thought possible. One of the biggest factors affecting someone’s pandemic experience is the type of accommodation they’re in, and 8.4 million people in England are living in unaffordable, insecure
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28 min listen
In this week’s podcast, ITV’s political editor Robert Peston joins The Spectator‘s deputy political editor Katy Balls to talk over this week’s cover story, on the maelstrom of mayhem surrounding Boris Johnson. (1:29) With the recent exit of Johnson’s oldest advisor, Lord Udny-Lister, from Downing Street, the rumbling row over what Boris did or didn’t
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Keir Starmer was pictured shopping for wallpaper in John Lewis today, poking fun at Boris’s ongoing No. 10 refurbishment troubles. But is the Labour leader really just playing to the PM’s advantages? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth.
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Will the Downing Street flat criticism bounce off Boris Johnson? The Prime Minister is under fire this week over the refurbishment of the No. 11 apartment. After the Electoral Commission launched a formal investigation, today’s front pages make particularly miserable reading for No. 10. However, the Prime Minister has earned a reputation as a politician who
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When Boris Johnson made the extraordinary decision last week to brief newspapers that Dominic Cummings was behind a series of leaks, the move seemed close to kamikaze. He had chosen a target who isn’t exactly known for walking away from a fight. And there’s another, more serious question: why did nobody in No. 10 stop
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13 min listen
Arlene Foster has stepped down as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. What’s next for the party? Isabel Hardman speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
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The row over the refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat has stepped up a gear this morning after the Electoral Commission launched a formal investigation. Following initial enquiries to determine who originally paid £58,000 towards the cost of the lavish refurbishment of the Prime Minister and his fiancée Carrie Symonds’s flat, the commission has concluded there are
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14 min listen
Reports today suggest that the Conservative Party initially covered the costs of the Downing Street refurbishment. Will Conservative members, and the public at large, care? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.
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11 min listen
Simon Case dodged questions from MPs about his lockdown leak inquiry at a select committee appearance this afternoon, and refused to go into details about how Boris Johnson paid for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, saying the PM would make the ‘relevant declarations’. Why did Case stonewall the committee? Katy Balls speaks to
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21 min listen
The Downing Street psychodrama continues today, with the Daily Mail reporting that Boris Johnson said he would rather see the ‘bodies pile high in their thousands’ than order a third lockdown. Where will the war between the PM and his former adviser Dominic Cummings end? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.
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When No. 10 briefed three newspapers on Thursday night that Dominic Cummings was behind a series of damaging leaks against the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson hoped the move would put him on the front foot and calm the government lobbying row. Instead, that decision appears to have spectacularly backfired. After Cummings hit back with an explosive blog, the newspaper
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10 min listen
After damning accusations in the papers that Dominic Cummings leaked a series of the Prime Minister’s texts, the former No 10 aide has wasted little time in hitting back. In a blog this afternoon, he attacks the Prime Minister and those closest to him. Gus Carter speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
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17 min listen
Downing Street insiders have accused Dominic Cummings of being behind a series of lobbying leaks. But why is the Prime Minister’s team turning on the former adviser, and will he hit back? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
From our UK edition
After yet another week of government leaks of private correspondence sent by the Prime Minister, Downing Street has hit back. But it’s not to deny the contents of any of the messages – which range from WhatsApps with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince over football to discussions with UK entrepreneur James Dyson about ventilators – it’s
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13 min listen
Joe Biden is hosting world leaders for a virtual summit on climate change today. In attendance was Boris Johnson, who was keen to impress the President with his own green credentials. Will he succeed? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
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COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference due to be held in Glasgow, isn’t until November, but work is already underway in Downing Street to put the government’s green agenda front and centre. After confirming earlier this week that the government will seek to cut carbon emissions by 78 per cent by 2035, Boris Johnson has