Calling Peston: The ITV News Politics Podcast

Where are we at on coronavirus testing? NHS doctor asks for apology from ministers, plus Shehab on Ramadan under lockdownIn this week's episode we speak to Dr Rachel Clarke, is working on the NHS frontline dealing directly with Covid-19 patients.Shehab and Daniel discuss the government's coronavirus testing plan, while Robert explains how far the government is from relaxing some of the lockdown restrictions.He also offers an insight into how Dominic Raab is running government in Boris Johnson's absence.And since it the month of Ramadan has just begun, we ask Shehab what it's usually like and how this year is going to be much different.Remember to subscribe and rate five stars!

How long could lockdown last for? Plus fundraising Captain Tom Moore on becoming a national heroIn this episode of Calling Peston, the team discuss: When will the coronavirus lockdown end?Is the social care sector is being properly protected?When will there be enough Covid-19 tests to go around?We also speak to 99-year-old fundraising powerhouse Captain Tom Moore, who is walking laps of his garden to raise money for the NHS.

“It’s like going into battle everyday”: Life on the NHS frontline plus Boris Johnson in hospital, and when will lockdown be lifted?It’s been another unprecedented week - the Prime Minister was admitted to intensive care, the government hinted the UK lockdown could last a lot longer and the number of coronavirus tests continued to increase - but enough to reach 100,000 by the end of April?Daniel Hewitt, Shehab Khan and Robert Peston discuss the week’s political decisions and reactions as coronavirus deaths in the UK continued to rise.Daniel also speaks to A&E doctor Dr Alex George about life on the frontline tackling the virus.

Labour special: What does election of Keir Starmer mean for the party?In this special weekend episode of Calling Peston, Daniel, Shehab and Robert discuss the Labour leadership election results and what they mean for the party.In what direction will new leader Keir Starmer take the party?Will he and his deputy Angela Rayner bring the party back together?Where between Tony Blair and Jeremy Corbyn does Sir Keir fall on the political spectrum?Listen to this episode for all the answers.Don't forget to subscribe and rate us five stars.

Testing Times - has Boris Johnson overpromised and undelivered on testing for coronavirus? Plus updates From Italy, Spain and GermanyThis week has seen Britain’s biggest rise in the number of coronavirus infections and coronavirus deaths, as the government faced big questions over why so few people are being tested for the virus.ITV Political Correspondent Daniel Hewitt, himself now isolating, speaks to political reporter Shehab Khan and ITV Political Editor Robert Peston to discuss Number 10’s problems increasing the number of people, in particular NHS workers, tested for Covid-19. Robert, who is now out of isolation, updates us on the latest attempts to buy millions of tests that could tell us if we’ve already had the disease.ITV Europe Editor James Mates updates us on what’s happening in Italy, where there are glimmers of hope. We also ask why Germany has been so much more successful at testing than the UK.

Coronavirus: Who should be at work, what help for the self-employed, and when did Prince Charles last see the Queen?With the UK on lockdown, lots of people have lots of questions about what they can and can't do. Robert, Daniel and Shehab discuss the specifics of how the new rules work and whether there's any protection for the self-employed.We also speak to Royal Editor Chris Ship to find out more about Prince Charles, who is isolating with coronavirus, as he reveals the last time the duke saw his mother the Queen.As the coronavirus crisis continues, we'll aim to bring you podcasts as and when the news decides.Remember to subscribe to the podcast and rate us five stars!

Quite simply, it's been an extraordinary week - and Calling Peston is now moving to Fridays as we cover the political and economic aspects of the coronavirus pandemic. Daniel and Shehab talk about the unprecedented measures to help the UK cope with the coronavirus pandemic which were announced by the government on Friday. For the first time in history, the government will step in and pay workers' wages amid economic uncertainty ushered in by the Covid-19 outbreak. There'll be no more socialising for the foreseeable future with Friday's announcement by the prime minister that all pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes must close. Robert - who is self-isolating - explains how the government plans to manage all of this and afford the measures it's announced. We also speak to ITV News Europe Editor James Mates, who recently reported from Italy, one of the worst-hit countries, explains why the situation there is so bad.

Coronavirus is now a worldwide pandemic and the UK has stepped up its response. Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that the government is moving to the 'delay' stage of dealing with the virus, and that there could be up to 10,000 people in the UK who...

Could coronavirus cause an economic crash? Has Biden crashed the Sanders campaign? Plus can Priti Patel survive?

Shehab's off this week, so Daniel's joined by ITV News Security Editor Rohit Kachroo - he's been given unprecedented access inside MI5 for an edition of ITV's Tonight programme. He tells us about what it was like to film in the heart of the Security...

Can money buy you the presidency of the United States?Who will be Donald Trump's main opponent in this year's election?Is the UK's relationship with Donald Trump the only thing that matters when it comes to a post-Brexit trade deal?In this special bonus...

In this week's episode Lisa Nandy tells Daniel and Shehab what sets her apart from the others hoping to be Labour leader.And Robert gives an insight into the mechanics of Downing Street, following more controversy involving Dominic Cummings, and this...

It was meant to be a no-drama reshuffle...Sajid Javid's shock resignation as chancellor after refusing to accept Boris Johnson's demand to sack his special advisers turned the Cabinet shakeup into something far more explosive.Daniel, Shehab and Robert...

Regular Calling Peston listeners will have been expecting an episode tonight - but don't worry, it is on its way...Following a very busy day in Downing Street, with Boris Johnson shaking up his Cabinet, we thought it would be better to give you an...

Robert Peston explains the likely reshuffle victims, plus Dan and Shehab interview Labour's Caroline Flint

Three and a half years after the referendum, the UK is leaving the EU on Friday - and in this week's episode, we look at what lies ahead after (to quote Boris Johnson) Brexit gets done. We chat to Maddy Jack from The Institute for Government and Anand M...

In this week's Calling Peston podcast shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry tells us why she thinks she should take over from Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader. She claims to be in with a fighting chance of getting on the final ballot, but Robert tells us why he thinks her chances are slim. He also explains the Huawei saga and why Boris Johnson seems happy to defy US advice to not allow the firm to be involved with the UK's 5G networks. Plus, can you score five out of five in our weekly quiz? Email all the team on our new email address: [email protected] We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every Thursday evening. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

In the first episode of our second series, we take a closer look at the Labour leadership contest. One of the hopefuls, Jess Phillips, tells Daniel and Shehab why she thinks she should take over from Jeremy Corbyn - while accepting she's an underdog in ...

Remember us? We were your daily podcast companion to the general election campaign - and now, after a well earned rest, Daniel Hewitt and Shehab Khan are back every Thursday with series two of Calling Peston, bringing you up to speed with what's happening in the calmer but no less complicated world of UK politics. And if you weren't with us for the first series, hello and don't worry - you know how series one ended anyway... With a new episode every Thursday evening starting from January 16, Daniel and Shehab will call Robert from wherever he is and interrupt whatever he is doing to get his take on the week's top political stories. Each week, we'll talk to a special guest from the world of politics and beyond. Plus, ITV's team of political correspondents based around the country will tell us about the big stories happening outside the Westminster bubble. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, give us a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

The Conservatives have won the election. But beyond that headline, it was a truly remarkable election night, with several shocks along the way - including long-held Labour seats turning blue and Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson losing her seat. Daniel and Shehab were in ITV's Election Newsroom as the drama unfolded - in this episode, they take you through the story of the night, and at the end of it all, get Robert's analysis of the result and what happens next. The election might be over but that's not the end of Calling Peston - this daily election podcast will become a weekly politics podcast. We'll be back soon, so stay subscribed and we'll keep you updated about new episodes. And thanks for being with us during the last five weeks. It's been quite the ride... Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

So, here we are. Five weeks of campaigning comes to an end, and millions of us will cast our vote on Thursday. Before the big day, Daniel and Shehab wrap up the campaign with Robert, and get his take on how it's gone for the parties and what the...

After a bad day for the Tories yesterday, today saw an embarrassing moment for Labour after shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth was heard in a leaked recording criticising Jeremy Corbyn. He also said a Labour majority at the election was "not goin...

With just three days to go until the big day, have we seen the moment of the campaign?Today's been dominated by a row over a photo of a four-year-old boy who was forced to sleep on a hospital floor - and Boris Johnson's response to it when interviewed b...

In this bonus episode, Robert answers questions you've put to him on Twitter. Among the questions: Is it possible to leave the EU by January 2020 without it being a no deal Brexit? What is Page 48 of the Tory manifesto? Could severe weather stop the election? How do you deal with the nastiness on social media? What would you have been if you weren't a journalist? We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

With the election less than a week away, Daniel, Shehab and Robert take a look at how the parties are faring as we edge closer to the big day.On a busy Friday on the campaign trail, the Conservatives were attacked on two fronts. Labour leader Jeremy Cor...

Jeremy Corbyn rejected claims today he's made the Labour party a "welcoming refuge" for anti-Semites, amid renewed accusations the party has failed to deal with the issue. Lawyers for the Jewish Labour Movement said 70 Labour staffers past and present have given sworn testimony into an official inquiry by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into anti-Semitism in the party. We speak to our political correspondent Libby Wiener about what's in the leaked copy of the JLM's submission to the inquiry, and we get Robert's take on what this means for Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour campaign. Robert also gives us an insight into what it's like to interview Boris Johnson after he spoke to him on his Peston programme on Wednesday night - and how his approach to interviews differs from his predecessor Theresa May. The PM was out and about today talking about what would happen in the first 100 days of a Conservative government if they're elected. We hear from our correspondent Paul Brand about what was new in today's announcement and what we've already heard before. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

There are just seven days until the general election and Donald Trump has finished his visit without causing Boris Johnson too much embarrassment. In this episode of Calling Peston, the team get Robert's take on the Nato summit and what the parties need to do to pull ahead in the last week of campaigning. But more importantly, Shehab finally gets to meet his admirer, former Tory minister Edwina Currie. She tells us how elections have changed since she was campaigning. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

He’s unpredictable and he’s over here - Donald Trump is in the UK for a three-day visit. He said to journalists this morning that he would "stay out of the election". Less than 10 minutes later, he said Boris Johnson was very capable. Mr Trump then went onto say he was a fan of Brexit, and when asked about whether he could work with Jeremy Corbyn if he became PM, said "I can work with anybody". And on the NHS - the subject of many a row during this campaign, he said the health service would not be on the table during UK-US trade talks after Brexit and America would not be interested even it was "handed to us on a platter". Will the president's comments have an impact on the campaign - or will voters be turned off by a foreign leader talking about our election? Daniel and Shehab get Robert's take. Daniel and Shehab also catch up with ITV News National Editor Allegra Stratton - she's spent the last few weeks travelling the country and racking up thousands of miles (with a few Big Macs and G&Ts along the way) visiting the battleground seats that could be crucial in deciding the outcome of the election. Allegra shares what she's found speaking to voters in those key seats - is Brexit the only thing on their minds? We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn paid tribute to the victims of Friday's London Bridge terror attack at a vigil in London this morning. Campaigning was briefly suspended in London after the attack, with a row quickly breaking out between Labour and the Conservatives over killer Usman Khan's early release from prison. During the last general election campaign, when the Manchester Arena and London Bridge attacks happened, the parties suspended campaigning for longer - so why are things different this time around? Daniel and Shehab gets Robert's take. As we get closer to polling day (10 days, to be exact), we're continuing to catch up with ITV's political correspondents based around the country to find out what's happening in their patch and the key races in their area we should be keeping an eye on that could decide the outcome of the election. Plus, Daniel reminds us of a memorable moment from a past election campaign involving David Cameron which, four years on, he still can't get over. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

Which of the seven politicians won the ITV election debate? What was the gossip in the spin room? And what does Robert make of the free wine provided by ITV? In the bonus episode of Calling Peston, ITV political correspondent Daniel Hewitt and Political Editor Robert Peston give their verdicts following the two hour live television debate between the seven main political parties. Find out why the Tories chose Rishi Sunak and Labour chose Richard Burgon to stand in for their leaders, as they discuss if Jeremy Corbyn missed an open goal by not showing up. They debate the moments of the debate, including THAT comment by Nigel Farage on Donald Trump, and whether it has in any way moved the dial in this election. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

In a week that's had a row over the NHS, Labour being attacked over anti-Semitism and the release of a big poll, Daniel and Shehab ask Robert for his take on whether the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems are up or down at the end of week three of the election campaign. Daniel and Shehab chat to Professor Colin Rallings - he's ITV's election expert and is part of the team that produces the exit poll you'll hear at 10pm on election night. The poll correctly predicted the Conservatives wouldn't get a majority in the 2017 election - and you may be surprised by just how much work goes on behind the scenes to come up with the prediction. It's a fascinating listen - and if you want to hear more, you can find the whole interview at youtube.com/itvnews. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign - and we'll also be putting out a bonus episode this Sunday night with reaction to what happened in the ITV Election debate, with representatives from seven parties taking part. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

Are the Tories and Labour not being honest about the spending pledges they've made to the public during the campaign? Think tank The Institute for Fiscal Studies says both parties have failed to set out "properly credible" tax and spending plans in their election manifestos. The IFS says Labour's claim that its plans to raise an additional £83 billion in taxes would not affect 95% of the population was "not true" - and if the Conservatives were elected, it was "highly likely" they would spend more than their manifesto implied, meaning higher taxes or more borrowing. Daniel and Shehab call Robert for his take on it. All this week we’ve been speaking to ITV’s political correspondents based around the country to find out the key races in their area. Today we speak to Alison Mackenzie, who covers the Midlands, ITV Wales Political Editor Adrian Masters and Joe Pike, who covers Yorkshire. Along the way, Daniel shows off his detailed knowledge of the motorway system - whether it's impressive or not, we'll let you decide. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

The NHS has taken centre stage in the election campaign today, with Labour and the Tories clashing again over whether the NHS is "up for sale" in a US trade deal. Today Jeremy Corbyn produced what he said were 451 pages of "uncensored" government documents which, he said, showed the NHS would be "on the table" in talks with the Trump administration. But the Tories hit back, accusing the Labour leader of "out-and-out lying" - deliberately taking passages out of context from documents which had been publicly available online for weeks. Boris Johnson described the Labour claims as "total nonsense", insisting: "The NHS is not on the table in any way." So what's the truth? We get Robert's take and we hear from Romilly Weeks about the key points from the documents. We talk to ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith who was at the SNP's manifesto launch in Glasgow - he takes us through the headlines as Nicola Sturgeon insisted there is "every chance" her party will hold the balance of power at Westminster after the general election. A little further afield, we hear from ITV News Europe Editor James Mates, who's in Spain (lucky him). He's been speaking to Brits living there who will be voting in the election back home about what's on their mind as they prepare to cast their vote. And Daniel and Shehab discuss a very important question, sparked by a tweet by Lib Dem candidate Chuka Umunna - do you have chips when you have a Full English breakfast? We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

Labour launched its race and faith manifesto today - but the headlines have been dominated by an unprecedented intervention in an election campaign by the Chief Rabbi of Britain. Ephraim Mirvis criticised Labour's handling of anti-Semitism, saying the party was "incompatible" with British values and the "soul of the nation" was at stake in this election. Jeremy Corbyn says anti-Semitism is "vile and wrong" and has "no place whatsoever" in the Labour Party. We get Robert's take on the issue which has dogged Labour for the last few years and what impact it could have on the election. What's gone wrong with the Liberal Democrats' campaign? Jo Swinson started the campaign pitching herself as a serious contender for Number 10, but the polls have not been moving in the right direction for her party. We catch up with our correspondent Rachel Younger who's following the Lib Dem campaign for us and has been speaking to their leader today. One politician not hitting the campaign trail this election is Andy Burnham. The former health minister was Labour MP for 16 years and is now Mayor of Greater Manchester. He tells us why he thinks this election is being fought on a more local basis than past ones, reveals how he'd vote in a second referendum should Labour get into power - and shares a memory from campaigning on the doorstep that'd he rather forget. And don't forget to register to vote! The deadline is 11.59pm TONIGHT. You can do it at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. We’ll bring you a new episode of Calling Peston every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

The Tories have launched their manifesto - and they'll be hoping it goes down a lot better than the one Theresa May delivered during the 2017 election. That manifesto was remembered for the social care policy which damaged her campaign. So what's in the 2019 edition? We take a look and speak to Robert, who says the Conservatives could be taking a risk given the party has chosen not to compete with the spending pledges in the Labour manifesto that Jeremy Corbyn announced last week. On the podcast throughout this week, we'll be hearing from ITV's political correspondents based around the country to hear about the key battles happening where they are, and how they could shape the overall result. Today we hear from Hannah Miller in north west England and Martin Stew in the north east - both sat in cars hiding from the rain when they speak to us, in a reminder that life reporting on the election campaign trail isn't always that glamorous. We’ll bring you a new episode every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

We're now at the end of the third week of campaigning and so far this general election has not disappointed. Hecklers have kept us entertained up to this point - Jo Swinson got her dose in Glasgow on Friday - but now we are finally getting down to the political details. Labour has launched its manifesto - a document titled 'It's Time For Real Change' - and claims it is the most "radical" released for years. The Tories on the other hand will not release their manifesto until Sunday but leader Boris Johnson has already let some policies slip, including a plan to cut national insurance. Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats also launched their manifesto, with the slogan Stop Brexit, Build A Brighter Future. The polls are putting the Tories in first place, with Labour second, followed by the Lib Dems - but who is up and who is down at the end of week three? We’ll bring you a new episode every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, do rate us and leave a review.

Today's election campaign has been all about Labour's manifesto launch.Jeremy Corbyn said his manifesto - titled "It's time for real change" - was full of popular policies that the political establishment had "blocked for decades". He made a series of pledges, including nationalising the railways, mail and water, raising the minimum wage to £10 and scrapping tuition fee. He'd said Labour would also impose a windfall tax on oil and gas companies. Libby Wiener fills us in on the key points. Daniel and Shehab speak to Robert (today, he's in a car park in Birmingham) about whether Labour's spending pledges outlined today add up - and, in the face of polls suggesting the party are several points behind the Tories, whether the manifesto will win over enough voters. And, Daniel has a quick-fire quiz about manifestos for Shehab, in a never-to-be-repeated-again feature - and that's a manifesto promise... We’ll bring you a new episode every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, rate and review the podcast.

Daniel, Shehab and Robert bring you this special edition of Calling Peston from the post-debate spin room in Salford straight after Tuesday night's head-to-head between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn on ITV. The room is packed full of Conservative and Labour politicians telling journalists their man won - Daniel and Shehab speak to two of them: Tory Chairman James Cleverly and Labour’s shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler. We also get results of YouGov’s snap poll on who won the debate, and catch up with Robert on what he thinks could be the lasting effect of this head-to-head on the election campaign. And after Corbyn and Johnson were asked by debate moderator Julie Etchingham what they would buy each other for Christmas, Robert tells Daniel and Shehab the presents he would get them... We're back on Thursday at around 5pm with a new episode, and we'll bring you episodes every weekday right up until the election. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, rate and review the podcast. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

The Calling Peston team are in Salford in Greater Manchester - where Johnson v Corbyn: The ITV Debate is taking place on Tuesday evening. Daniel's been behind the scenes on the set of the debate - and Robert gives his take on what we can expect from the head-to-head and what difference will it make to the campaign. We'll bring you a special episode of the podcast at 6am on Wednesday morning with reaction and analysis to the debate - and then we're back again as usual at 5pm on Thursday. Don't forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, rate and review the podcast. Get in touch with the Calling Peston team - contact @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston. For the latest election news, go to itv.com/news and follow @ITVNewsPolitics on Twitter.

Ahead of the first head-to-head election debate between Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson on Tuesday on ITV, host and moderator Julie Etchingham speaks exclusively to Daniel and Shehab. Julie reveals how she prepares, how nervous the politicians get, what they do during the ad break and ultimately, whether TV debates make a difference in deciding how we vote. You can watch the fascinating interview in full at youtube.com/itvnews. Daniel and Shehab also catch up with Robert, fresh from interviewing Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson. He shares what Tory candidates are being told about the opinion polls by the man running the Conservative Party campaign. Daniel reveals which MP he accidentally invited to Alton Towers and Shehab has a sixty-second rundown of what’s been happening in the campaign today. We’ll bring you a new episode every weekday around 5pm throughout the election campaign. Don’t forget to subscribe - and if you like what you hear, give us a review.

Earlier this week on the podcast, Robert Peston dropped by the Calling Peston studio/cupboard to answer some of the many election-related questions you tweeted him. We couldn't fit all of the Q&A in that episode, so here it is for you in full. Among the questions: why hasn't the Russian interference report been released; will Remain parties come together to form a coalition - and are we now stuck with winter general elections forever? We'll do another Q&A with Robert on the podcast soon - so send your election questions by tweeting @DanielHewittITV, @ShehabKhan and @Peston using #CallingPeston. We'll be back as usual with a new episode on Monday evening.

Today's campaign can be summed up with two B's: broadband and (the Tory) bus. There's been loads of talk about Labour's £20 billion pledge to provide free full-fibre internet access across the UK by 2030, which the party says would be funded by renationalise part of BT. The Tories and Lib Dems have said the scheme is unaffordable. We chat to our correspondent Libby Wiener who spoke to Jeremy Corbyn in Lancaster today - he told her "It is affordable, and it's got to be affordable because our country needs it." Is the policy a gamechanger? As for the Conservatives, Boris Johnson launched the party's battle bus in Greater Manchester today. Robert Peston got on the bus to speak to the prime minister in his first sit-down interview of the campaign. We bring you the key parts of that interview - watch it in full at youtube.com/itvnews. And Daniel and Shehab take a look at who's up and who's down at the end of week two of the campaign.

New figures out today show more patients than ever waited longer than four hours in A&E in England during October. Labour's seized on the data, saying the NHS was in crisis - but Boris Johnson says Labour would "rack up such colossal debt" that it would be impossible to invest the money needed into the health service. With the NHS high up on many voters' key priorities, will today's figures see support switch away the Conservatives and to Labour? Robert gives us his take. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been heckled for a second day in a row during his visit to Scotland. Our correspondent Libby Wiener has been following Mr Corbyn - we chat to her about how the party's campaign in Scotland is going so far. Plus some very important discussion about what really is the right way to make a cup of tea, after a Tory campaign video showed Boris Johnson adding milk to his cup of tea BEFORE removing the bag.

With the Brexit Party not standing in Tory-held seats to avoid splitting the Brexit vote, and a Lib Dem candidate standing aside in a marginal seat to avoid splitting the Remain vote, it feels like tactical voting could play more of a role in this election than ever before - but will it make a significant difference to the outcome? We ask Robert about that, plus Labour's £26 billion NHS announcement - and get his take on another day where the Tory campaign was dominated by the floods, with Boris Johnson confronted by angry residents in South Yorkshire. Daniel and Shehab chat to Alastair Campbell, who knows all about confrontations between senior politicians and the public. He was communications director for Labour during the 2001 election campaign when deputy prime minister John Prescott punched a protester who threw an egg at him. He tells us what it was like at the heart of the campaign dealing with the fallout. And he exclusively tells us why he'll be backing ex-Tory minister David Gauke, who's standing as an independent the South West Hertfordshire seat he's held since 2005. It's all about tactical voting...

A political party can run the slickest election campaign ever, but there’s always one thing it can never control - and that’s events. The devastating floods in northern England have forced many to leave their homes - and sparked visits to the worst-hit areas by Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Jo Swinson. Boris Johnson chaired an emergency Cobra meeting today but has been criticised by his opponents over the government's response to the floods. We ask Robert whether the way the PM has dealt could affect the Conservatives campaign. And what do people in Yorkshire think when party leaders come to visit them at times like this - it is helpful or just electioneering? We get the view of Geri Scott from the Yorkshire Post. Labour says it has successfully thwarted a cyber-attack targeted at its digital platforms - we ask who might be behind it and whether we could see more of this in the run-up to polling day. Robert also answers some election questions you’ve been asking him on Twitter (keep them coming - tweet @Peston using #CallingPeston).

The first week of campaigning is almost over and what a week it's been. After a great deal of focus on Labour and the Conservative campaigns, Friday saw the launch of the Scottish National Party's election bid as Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted to form a “progressive alliance” after the election to evict Boris Johnson from 10 Downing Street. Daniel and Shehab ring Robert from the SNP launch in Edinburgh to ask whether a vote for the SNP is really a vote for Labour, as the Conservatives claim. Also, a new Friday feature on Calling Peston - who's up and who's down? Robert attempts a set of quick-fire questions about each of the main political parties. And we may be only 3 days in, but it feels like a lifetime for the ITV News teams following the parties around the country eating sandwiches in motorway service stations everyday. We speak to Paul Brand and Rachel Bradley on their election diets while they cover the Conservative campaign. We've also got an interview with Professor Jane Green from the British Election Study on whether we can trust the polls and what impact (if any) the Brexit Party may have on this election. We played a small part of our chat with Jane on today's episode - the full interview is on the ITV News YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zd5j6tIU0s and is well worth a watch.

Day two of the campaign and it’s just as full on as day one. After the Tories had what can be described as not the best of starts to the campaign, Labour’s been hit with the double whammy of deputy leader Tom Watson resigning and two former Labour MPs urging voters to back Boris Johnson. And if that wasn’t enough, after just one episode, Daniel’s co-host Shehab is nowhere to be seen! We track him down to find out exactly what he’s playing at. The big theme of today's campaign has been the economy - with Labour and the Conservatives making big spending promises to voters. Labour's pledging an extra 150 billion pounds and investment on a scale "never seen before". The Conservatives say they'll also borrow more to spend more on transport and hospitals. Do the sums add up? We call Robert on his lunch break to get his take on it all. With the chancellor and shadow chancellor in the north west of England, we talk to the political editor of the Manchester Evening News, Jen Williams, about the gap in government investment between the north and south - and what else matters to voters away from the Westminster bubble.

Boris Johnson has been to see the Queen, the election campaign is officially underway and this is our first episode - and there’s loads to talk about... Daniel and Shehab talk to Robert about how the Conservatives’ election campaign hasn’t got off to the best start, with resignations, apologies and criticism over their editing of campaign videos. Will the last 24 hours have any long-lasting impact? Labour will be looking to take advantage of the Tories' shaky start - what will be the key messages Jeremy Corbyn and his team be making over the next five weeks? We chat to our political correspondent Romilly Weeks who's on the road following the Labour campaign (and fresh from having her lunch in the back of a car - the glamour of covering an election campaign). Plus, after one of the ITV News politics team was mistaken for Boris Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds at the Liberal Democrat launch yesterday, we ask Robert if he’s ever been mistaken for someone famous. Turns out he has quite a few lookalikes...

The Calling Peston podcast will bring you up to speed with everything you need to know about the 2019 General Election, with a new episode released every weekday afternoon of the campaign at 5pm. Our first episode will be out on Wednesday November 6, and we'll be with you right through to election day. Before that, have a listen to ITV News Political Reporters Daniel Hewitt and Shehab Khan on what you can expect from us over the next five weeks (and explain the title of this podcast...) Hit subscribe now to be notified when we release new episodes.