Daily Politics from the New Statesman

People up and down the country have been struggling to get NHS dental appointments for the past few years, forcing some to pay inflated prices for private treatment, or ignore their oral health until it’s reached an unbearable point. This crisis is also greatly impacting children across the nation, and today the number one reason children are admitted to hospital is due to severe dental issues.So how did we get here? Why is the UK faced with Dickensian rot in 2024?Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by policy correspondent Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, and senior associate editor, Sarah Dawood.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, is being accused of being a ‘tax avoider’. While these attacks are coming predominantly from the right, they’ve been mounting in recent weeks and now Labour is having to confront the allegations.So what could this mean for the deputy leader? Is Labour in trouble? Or is this a Tory smear campaign?Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent Freddie Hayward; this episode was recorded on Thursday 11th April.Read the pieces mentioned in this podcast: Is Angela Rayner in danger?; What Dominic Raab missed about Angela Rayner at Glyndebourne; I looked into Angela Rayner’s tax affairs – here’s what I foundLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve been digging around in our virtual mailbag and have brought a couple of your questions to discuss. One listener asks: What are the political implications of the Cass report and will it affect how British politicians approach the transgender conversation?And another listener writes in to ask: Could a Starmer win in the UK and a Trump win in the US spell the end for the ‘special relationship’?Ask a question for a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usRead Andrew Marr's piece: Inside Labour’s foreign policy factoryLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British royal family was in crisis even before Queen Elizabeth II died, and the new King and princess of wales both became ill with cancer.In this modern age where access increasingly equates to relevance, and truth and conspiracy so often intertwine, how is Britain’s relationship with monarchy changing? Chris Stone is joined on the New Statesman podcast by author Tanya Gold who has written this week's cover story: The Fragile Crown.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's listener questions time! Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe answer a listener who asks why senior politicians flock to address culture wars issues "which are frankly below their station", and another who wants to know if MPs who are also landlords should recuse themselves from voting on laws affecting renters.Submit a question for us to answer on a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskusListen to our previous episode on leasehold reform with Barry Gardiner MP: https://pod.fo/e/22360dSign up to receive Morning Call, our daily politics newsletter: https://substack.com/morningcallLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

England’s waterways are overflowing with sewage. In a recent report it has been found that a record amount of sewage is being discharged into rivers and seas around England. Data revealed that last year raw sewage was discharged, by private water companies, for more than 3.6 million hours, a 105% increase on the previous 12 months. And in addition to all of this Thames Water, Britain’s biggest water company, is at risk of insolvency.Who’s responsible for this shitstorm? And in how many ways is this damaging for the country?Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by Will Dunn, business editor, and Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor.Read Will's piece: Who killed Thames Water?LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flexible work has existed for decades. Think about local hairdressers, personal trainers, or tutors working for themselves – or even the jazz musicians in the early 1900s who coined the term ‘gig economy’. But the past ten years of technology have made it more accessible – and visible – to both the people who use it and those who work in it.But what is the right balance between job autonomy, economic security and worker’s rights? Is there a world where an evolving labour market provides proper workers’ protections and union representation while maintaining real autonomy and flexibility?This New Statesman podcast, sponsored by Uber ahead of the three year anniversary of their groundbreaking recognition agreement with GMB – the first of its kind in the gig economy – breaks down all of this and more, to discuss the future of work in 21st-century Britain.Journalist Suze Cooper was joined by a panel of guests including Sir Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham since 1994 and Chair of Parliament’s Work and Pensions Select Committee; the GMB trade union’s National Secretary, Andy Prendergast and Uber’s UK General Manager, Andrew Brem.Through the episode, they discussed how changes in ways of working have come to the fore in our everyday lives, with technological advances seeing less of a focus on traditional industries and more on the dynamic, flexible labour market of the 21st century. Alongside these transformations we’ve seen the world of work change in other ways with the rise of hybrid working environments, the gig and sharing economy, work-from-anywhere culture and digital nomads. The pandemic has sped up and baked in these developments across the UK, as people’s approach to work-life balance adjusted, with workers seemingly coming to value their autonomy in much more profound ways than previous generations.Options for flexible work across various apps and platforms have enabled more choice for millions of people around their working patterns, choosing when and where they earn. More and more, it appears British workers are putting greater value on autonomy and flexibility in their lives and careers than their parents and grandparents did, balancing work around other responsibilities like caring or studying. But the question for the UK – and considered by the panel throughout this episode – is how best to deliver this flexibility and autonomy whilst not compromising on the protections and benefits workers need.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the podcast we're bringing you a conversation from the New Statesman's Path to Power conference which looked inside the Labour Party machine as it gears up for the next election.In this session Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman, was joined by Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South and Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions, to discuss Labour's plans for labour.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an episode we like to call “You Ask Us”. Our first question from James who says: "How would the results of a general election change if all British residents were allowed to vote, not just British Citizens? In other words what happens if we let immigrants without British passports vote?" Ryan also writes in to say: "Will Labour be forced into a strict immigration policy come the general election in order to stop it being the dominant issue?" Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor of the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent, Freddie Hayward, and down the line by senior data journalist Ben Walker.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week the UK government accused China of stealing 40 million UK registered voters’ names and addresses. The breach occurred in 2021 and 2022, in which time GCHQ has ascertained that China state-affiliated actors also targeted several parliamentarians’ emails - including former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith. So what could the Chinese government do with this data? How real is the threat of China to Western democracy? And what is our government doing to mitigate this risk?Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor of the New Statesman, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, discuss the UK's China strategy in the run up to the election.Read: China’s global coal machine won’t be stopped so easilyLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each one of us in the UK is likely to be or become a carer at some point in our lives. Women have a 50:50 chance of caring by the time they are 46 and men by the time they reach the age of 57.But the UK’s social care system is failing all of us. This includes those that require care (whether this is older or disabled adults), and both formal employed carers and informal carers who tend to be parents, children, siblings, or spouses.Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor of The New Statesman, is joined by Jess Prestidge from the Centre for Social Justice, and former BBC correspondent and family carer Humphrey Hawksley.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an episode we like to call “You Ask Us”.Our first question from Adam in Cardiff who says: "Does it matter who was elected in the Welsh Labour leadership election? It seems that both candidates had a very similar platform. Does the selection of Vaughan Gething have political implications in Westminster?"Rory also writes in to say: "With the Mayoral elections coming up, what would the significance of a Labour clean sweep be? A lot has been said about the different experiences of Labour and Tory Mayors under the previous government… might a Labour government try to depoliticise devolution?"Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor of the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent, Freddie Hayward. LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stability, investment, and reform - these are the three pillars for growth set out by Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Mais Lecture to business and finance leaders earlier this week.“In a changing world, Britain has been behind the curve,” she said, but a Labour government, she stated, would seek to bring a “new chapter in Britain's economic history”. Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, who both attended Reeves' lecture on Tuesday evening at Bayes Business School in City University.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are women still taken less seriously than men? Alona Ferber, senior editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Mary Ann Seighart, journalist, former assistant editor of The Times, visiting professor at Kings College London and author of The Authority Gap: Why women are still taken less seriously than men, and what we can do about it.One of the things that shocked Mary Ann Seighart most from writing this book was that even the most senior, successful, authoritative women are taken less seriously. Even being president of a country doesn't insulate women from the authority gap. Why is this?LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Walker shares exclusive analysis on the impact of a dying electorate.In our weekly listener questions episode, Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Freddie Hayward and Ben Walker to answer two questions from New Statesman listeners:Nick asks: "what is the whip system and how (the hell) can it be democratic?" Freddie explains how it works, and Ben shares his experiences being 'whipped' in his role as a borough councillor.And an anonymous listener asks for analysis on the proportion of voters who have died since the 2019 election - Ben responds with some exclusive analysis, hot off the press.Want to ask a question for a future episode? Go to www.newstatesman.com/YouAsk UsJoin our community of free thinkers by becoming a New Statesman subscriber, and get your first month free: https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribeGet a free daily dose of politics from Freddie Hayward by signing up for the Morning Call newsletter: https://substack.com/morningcallLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tory racism row exposed the Prime Minister's weakness.It's been another "torrid" week for the Conservatives, with a row over alleged racist comments made by their largest donor overshadowing the announcement of new extremism rules.Rachel Cunliffe is joined by George Eaton and Freddie Hayward to discuss how Rishi Sunak's response to Frank Hester's alleged comments exposes his weakness as leader - and the impact this might have on the next election.Submit a question for "You Ask Us": https://www.newstatesman.com/youaskusJoin our community of free thinkers by becoming a New Statesman subscriber, and get your first month free: https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribeGet a free daily dose of politics from Freddie Hayward by signing up for the Morning Call newsletter: https://substack.com/morningcallLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the beginning of February Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, travelled to Liverpool to interview two regional mayors: Andy Burnham the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.Their new co-authored book, Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain, chronicles their intersecting journeys in politics, the careers paths which brought them to Westminster, and ultimately their joint decision to leave Westminster in order to affect greater change for the regions they represent. This episode was recorded on the 5th of February, 3 days before Labour rowed back on their pledge to invest an annual £28 billion on kickstarting a green industrial revolution. We discuss the proposed £28 billion investment during this conversation, the contents of which are now out of date.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's listener question time!Neil from Cambridge asks: "Rishi Sunak and other Conservatives keep telling us that Labour will take us 'back to square one' either through their policies or lack of a plan. What point in time does he want us to think of as being 'square one'? And why does he think that voters would believe that it is necessarily worse than where we are headed now?"Jon says: "Why do you guys propose on your podcasts that Starmer is currently lying, intending on being radical and inspiring once in office? Don’t you think with a 30 point lead he can afford to show his true colours?"Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, policy correspondent at the New Statesman, steps in for Anoosh this week, and he is joined. by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday, Jeremy Hunt delivered the spring statement, the last before the next general election and his fourth budget since becoming Chancellor in October 2022, after replacing Kwasi Kwarteng.Non-doms have been abolished, national insurance has been cut by 2p, a vaping tax has been introduced, and the NHS has been promised 3.4 billion towards a digital transformation. But while inflation remains high and most of the nation is feeling the prolonged squeeze of the cost of living crisis - will these proposals make any real difference?Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by Will Dunn, business editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over 5 million people in the UK live in a leasehold; a property ownership agreement which entitles people to the space inside the property but not necessarily the building it’s in nor the land it is built on. England and Wales are the last countries in the world where leaseholds are still widely used. So why is this, how does it affect the 5 million people living in these properties, and is it all a big feudal con?Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North.Watch Barry Gardiner's documentary: LeaseholdListen to our podcast on the collapse of rentier capitalism: The housing crash is just beginningLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a dramatic and chaotic campaigning period for the Rochdale by-election, the controversial politician George Galloway will be returning to Westminster - yet again. He currently represents the Workers Party of Britain, but this is the fourth city he’s been elected to represent and the third party in four decades.Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, is joined by the New Statesman's Britain editor Anoosh Chakelian, and senior data journalist, Ben Walker.Read Anoosh's report here: Rochdale’s by-election brings the Gaza war to BritainLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Lee Anderson’s rant against Sadiq Khan on GB News, to Liz Truss’s appearance with Steve Bannon, this week has been nothing short of a conspiratorial catastrophe for the Conservative Party.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss why Rishi Sunak and senior Conservatives are “too scared” to call out islamophobia – while Reform and GB News are “driving them a bit demented”.Become a New Statesman subscriberhttps://www.newstatesman.com/subscribeDownload the app (subscribers can listen ad-free):iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is currently facing multiple crises, from geopolitical conflicts to pandemics and climate change. But amidst this turbulence, international aid budgets are being stretched as domestic issues take precedence. The UK has cut its overseas aid budget significantly, from 0.7 to 0.5 per cent of gross national income. Meanwhile, low-income countries need more support than ever, as they deal with the fall out of wars, extreme poverty, natural disasters and humanitarian issues. The costs involved are huge, and while aid still has a role to play, we need to look beyond grants to unlock funding on a bigger scale to fix these problems.In this sponsored podcast, host and freelance journalist Emma Haslett is joined by Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham and chair of the cross-party international development parliamentary committee; James Mwangi, founder of Climate Action Platform for Africa, an organisation working to unlock Africa's potential as a global hub for climate action; and Hannah Ryder, CEO at Development Reimagined, an Africa-led and women-led international development consultancy.Focusing on the African continent, they explore the need to reform global financial institutions, and how the UK can develop new models of financial support that rely less on aid and more on partnership and collaboration with low-income countries.This podcast is sponsored by ONE, a not-for-profit international development organisation which campaigns to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030.Join the fight for a more equal future: visit one.org.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From opaque contract awards, to cosy relationships between politicians and business elites, the idea of a ‘chumocracy’ has long been making headlines and raising eyebrows. But just how endemic is the issue? And how does it affect the functioning of the state?Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, policy correspondent at the New Statesman, is joined by business editor, Will Dunn, to explore the links between peers and politicians, and the awarding of government money. Read Will's cover story: The rotten stateLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I've heard speculation that the Tories' election strategy is not really about "culture war and wedge issues" or evoking fear of Labour spending plans. It's about showing Starmer as indecisive and untrustworthy, and the Labour Party as divided." - one listener writes in to ask if the Conservatives election tactics have changed in recent months.Another listener writes in to ask if Labour "have got away with the 28 billion thing"; this being the u-turn the previous promise to spend £28 billion a year on kickstarting a green industrial revolution if they win the electionAnoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to answer these questions.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost five months on from the beginning of the conflict, Labour appears to have shifted its position - calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza. This culminated in a chaotic debate in parliament last night with SNP and Tory MPs walking out and this morning Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the house, is facing calls to resign.Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, to discuss how this breakdown in order reflects the current state of British politics.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is one of the biggest plastic polluters in the world. According to Greenpeace we produce more plastic waste per person than almost any other country, with our supermarkets creating roughly 800,000 tonnes every year.We need to find ways to minimise waste through keeping products and packaging in circulation for as long as possible. This is where the circular economy comes in - a more sustainable model of production that reduces, reuses, repairs and recycles. With a general election coming up, creating a circular economy will be a crucial component of the next government’s net zero agenda, and businesses will need to play their part.In this sponsored podcast, host and freelance journalist Emma Haslett is joined by Julian Hunt, vice president of public affairs, communication and sustainability of GB and Northern Europe at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners; Ruth Jones, Labour MP for Newport West and shadow minister for environmental protection and animal welfare; and Dr Costas Velis, a lecturer in resource efficiency systems in the School of Civil Engineering (SoCE), at the University of Leeds. They explore how the UK can move towards a circular economy, and the role businesses play in enabling that shift.This podcast is sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.To learn more about Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' work in making its packaging more sustainable, you can check out its This is Forward packaging commitments or for further information about the company head here.Listen to the podcast in full here or on the Spotlight on Policy podcast channel.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More councils have gone bust in 2023 than in the 30 years before 2018, with eight effectively declaring bankruptcy since that year: Northamptonshire, Croydon, Slough, Northumberland, Thurrock, Woking, Birmingham and Nottingham. But why are councils going bust? Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by policy correspondent Megan Kenyon and Jonny Ball, associate editor of the New Statesman’s policy section, Spotlight, to delve into what’s happening in townhalls across the country.Read Anoosh's report on Thurrock: The town that was gambled awayFollow the council bankruptcy trackerLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The results of yesterday’s by-elections are in, Kingswood and Wellingborough - both previously Conservative seats - have turned red in a historic loss for the Tories.Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by the New Statesman's associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, and senior data journalist Ben Walker to discuss what these results mean for Labour, the Conservatives, and Reform UK.Join like minded readers that support our journalism. Enjoy unlimited access to our writing and subscriber-only benefits from just £2 for 2 months. Visit www.newstatesman.com/subscribe-2-for-2LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Labour has suspended not one, but two parliamentary candidates for reported comments made over Israel. The party has been on a mission to purge anti-semitism from its ranks over the past few years, so just how catastrophic has this week been for them?Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined in the studio by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.Join like minded readers that support our journalism. Enjoy unlimited access to our writing and subscriber-only benefits from just £2 for 2 months. Visit www.newstatesman.com/subscribe-2-for-2LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did one detective take on an international network of romance fraudsters? This episode was written Stuart McGurk and read by Will Dunn. The commissioning editor was Melissa Denes.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our polling expert answers listener questions.Many of you have written in with questions for Ben Walker, the New Statesman's polling data analyst. In this episode Anoosh asks Ben your questions:What impact will tactical voting have on the next election?How will constituency boundary changes impact the main parties?Why are voters less "brand loyal" than in the past?Will 2024 see more green MPs elected?Submit a question for the New Statesman team to answer at www.newstatesman.com/youaskusBecome a New Statesman subscriberhttps://www.newstatesman.com/subscribeDownload the app (subscribers can listen ad-free):iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Liz Truss’s “PopCon” undermine Rishi Sunak?On Tuesday Tory right-wingers gathered in Westminster for the launch of “Popular Conservatism”, a new political group spearheaded by Liz Truss, who was joined by the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg, Lee Anderson and Mark Littlewood, formerly of the IEA.Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward attended the launch and join Anoosh Chakelian on the podcast to discuss what the new group hopes to achieve and whether they pose a threat to Rishi Sunak’s beleaguered – and increasingly gaffe-ridden – premiership.Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usBecome a New Statesman subscriberhttps://www.newstatesman.com/subscribeDownload the app (subscribers can listen ad-free):iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2010s were a decade that many hoped would usher in a new era of leftist revolutions. Yet, as we look back, the question looms large: What went wrong?In this episode of the podcast Alona Ferber, senior editor, is joined by William Davies, writer and Professor in Political Economy at Goldsmiths, University of London, to look back at the 2010s, the figures, events, and politics that defined this decade - and ask why did the left's aspirations for revolution during the 2010s fall short?Read William Davies' essay The 2010s: a decade of revolutionaries without a revolutionAudio featured from: BBC, Channel 4, Sky News, Garlic Toothpaste, The Telegraph, CNN, The HillLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's disposable vape ban follows a generational ban on smoking and an XL Bully ban. Is this Rishi Sunak's legacy? The Conservatives are typically against a "nanny state" but low-cost, high-impact interferences into personal choice seem to be Rishi Sunak's bread and butter. Anoosh Chakelian, Freddie Hayward and Rachel Cunliffe discuss the decision-making behind the bans and impact on the nation.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK government and the DUP appear likely to break their Brexit impasse with a new deal, a listener asks what Labour would do differently in Northern Ireland.For two years, the DUP has been boycotting power sharing in Stormont in opposition to post-Brexit trade rules. Now the UK government has published a deal which would reduce checks and paperwork on goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which could lead to the return of devolution within days. Anoosh Chakelian, Rachel Cunliffe and Freddie Hayward answer a listener question about how Labour would approach Northern Ireland and what that would mean for the future of the Union.The also discuss the most influential Labour backbenchers as a listener asks who could rise to replace Keir Starmer as leader in the future.Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New technology means cancer diagnosis is better than ever.Advances in genomic testing and other new technologies mean we are spotting cancer earlier, and getting better at identifying the best treatment for patients.But a greater understanding of the disease – or group of diseases – means a requirement for more tailored treatment plans to improve patient outcomes. This involves challenges for the health service when it comes to capacity, cost, personnel, infrastructure, and expertise. Is the NHS ready?In this special podcast, sponsored by Daiichi Sankyo, Becky Slack meets Karin Smyth, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, Professor Clare Turnbull of the Institute for Cancer Research, and Dr. Marc Moodley, Medical Director of Oncology for Daiichi Sankyo. They explore what the new developments in cancer diagnostics and treatment mean for patients and the NHS, and discuss Labour’s plans for the health service.This New Stateman podcast has been funded by and developed in partnership with Daiichi-Sankyo, a pharmaceutical company specialising in oncology and speciality medicines. For more information visit www.daiichi-sankyo.co.uk--To hear all our Spotlight on Policy podcast episodes, visit the standalone feed here: https://podfollow.com/spotlight-on-policy-from-the-new-statesmanRead more from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team here: https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlightLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve seen the fastest turnover of prime ministers in our history, and more MPs have been suspended from the house or stood down from their seats than ever before in recent years. Politicians breaking the rules and expecting to get away with it is one of the biggest issues in our parliament today - which seems to be unable to escape the mire of sleaze, cronyism and dishonesty.This conversation was recorded at the winter Cambridge Literary festival in December when Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, spoke to Chris Bryant, Labour MP for the Rhondda and Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital about how politicians can reform parliament and win back public confidence.Tickets for the 2024 five day Spring festival are available from the 1st of February, please visit cambridgeliteraryfestival.com to find out more.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week former minister Simon Clarke wrote in the Telegraph, the Conservative party faces an electoral "massacre" under Rishi Sunak's leadership and warned “extinction is a very real possibility for our party”. “He does not get what Britain needs. And he is not listening to what the British people want.” and “Instead of conviction, we have convention.”A listener writes in to ask: with all the disarray and rebellion in the Tory party, what's the likelihood of a confidence vote anytime soon?Anoosh and Freddie also review whether the are Conservatives 'salting the earth' or 'laying traps for Labour' .Switch on with 50% offRefresh your perspective in 2024 with free-thinking journalism and 50% off our annual subscriptions. Simple use the code JAN50 at the checkout.*Offer ends 31st January and applies to the first year only.www.newstatesman/subscribe LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh reports on the Port Talbot steelworkers job losses, and how they will impact Labour's green agenda.2,800 industrial jobs will be lost in Port Talbot steelworks if planned "green" updates go ahead. Anoosh Chakelian visited the Tata Steel plant to meet the workers who will lose their jobs, and joins Freddie Hayward to report what she found. They discuss the impact of the green transition on industrial communities, and whether Labour's planned investment is enough to deliver on environmental goals while protecting the economy.Switch on with 50% offRefresh your perspective in 2024 with free-thinking journalism and 50% off our annual subscriptions. Simple use the code JAN50 at the checkout.*Offer ends 31st January and applies to the first year only.www.newstatesman/subscribe LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has now passed the 100 day mark. On the 14 January Alona Ferber attended the Jewish Labour Movement conference, which happened to take place on the 100th day of the war. In this podcast she speaks with Susan Neiman, the American moral philosopher, about the splits this war has caused on the left and tensions she sees between tribalist currents on the left and universalist principles, which Neiman believes are the values of a true left. Read Susan Neiman's essay: The universalist tradition has been forgotten, the Enlightenment betrayedSwitch on with 50% offRefresh your perspective in 2024 with free-thinking journalism and 50% off our annual subscriptions. Simple use the code JAN50 at the checkout.*Offer ends 31st January and applies to the first year only.www.newstatesman/subscribe LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"How powerful are select committees in holding government and other bodies to account? Highly important topic at the moment, given Lord Cameron cannot be held to account in the House of Commons?" a listener writes in. But while the foreign secretary wouldn't usually be seen in the House of Commons, he may be forced to answer questions there soon using an arcane mechanism that hasn't been used since 1957.Join Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, and Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, as they answer listener questions.Switch on with 50% offRefresh your perspective in 2024 with free-thinking journalism and 50% off our annual subscriptions. Simple use the code JAN50 at the checkout.*Offer ends 31st January and applies to the first year only.www.newstatesman/subscribe LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re discussing the Rwanda bill, yet again. On Tuesday there was a rebellion from the right of the Conservative party who attempted to put down amendments on the bill to try and ensure neither UK nor international law can be used to stop a person being deported to Rwanda, and to make it more difficult for people to appeal against their deportation.The bill still managed to pass through the Commons on Wednesday evening but what do we know about this divide amongst the Conservatives? Is Tory unity a thing of the past? And what does it mean to enter an election with such a fragmented party?Switch on with 50% offRefresh your perspective in 2024 with free-thinking journalism and 50% off our annual subscriptions. Simple use the code JAN50 at the checkout.*Offer ends 31st January and applies to the first year only.www.newstatesman/subscribe LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. According to a recent study, the annual State of Nature report, nearly one in six of more than ten thousand species assessed – that's 16 per cent – could be lost. Many key habitats for our nature are at risk, and this is a problem both for biodiversity but also for our ability to cope with the climate crisis. How can we protect and restore nature? And what role can technology play? In response to this challenge, the Natural History Museum and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have launched a groundbreaking partnership to develop an innovative new tool which brings together a broad range of UK biodiversity and environmental data types in one place in real time. This will help the Museum’s scientists to build on scientific understanding of the UK’s biodiversity and environment, and drive forward science-led nature recovery in the UK’s urban spaces. In this special episode, The New Statesman’s Chris Stone meets Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, and Hilary Tam, Principal for Sustainability Transformation at AWS to find out how the Data Ecosystem works and how they hope it might help reverse nature loss in Britain.  This episode is sponsored by Amazon Web Services. To find out more about their partnership with the Natural History Museum, visit https://aws.amazon.com/uki/cloud-services/sustainability-aws-and-nhm/Read more about how AWS can help you Transform your legacy IT infrastructure into a modern, scalable and secure cloud environment: https://www.newstatesman.com/companies/amazon-web-services-aws Get involved with Nature Overheard: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/monitor-and-encourage-nature/nature-overheard.html Visit the Urban Nature project from Summer 2024: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/urban-nature-project.htmlLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Labour Party has a talent for losing elections. Over the last century, it has held office for just 33 years and has produced just six prime ministers. The Conservatives, by comparison, have held office for 67 years and produced 14 prime ministers. It is the burden of history that explains Labour’s caution at the outset of this election year.Senior editor George Eaton joins associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe in the studio to discuss why Team Starmer are refusing to believe the hype around them.Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I felt sure that millennials would never forgive the Lib Dems, but it seems like young people who are leaving London are voting Lib Dem in Tory strongholds. So have millennials forgiven the Lib Dems?" one listener asks.The team discusses how voter priorities change with age, and how this might be advantageous for the Lib Dems.Another listener writes in to ask whether the actions of the Israeli government that the British state are supporting are really in the British national interest? This episode was recorded on Thursday the 10th of January, prior to the UK-US strikes on Yemen.Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between 2009 and 2015 more than 700 people who ran Post Offices, also known as sub-postmasters, were wrongly accused of embezzling money and subsequently prosecuted. The fault was actually that of a dodgy computer accounting system.In addition to having to pay back the money from their own pockets, the strain, stress and stigma of this wrongful conviction destroyed the livelihoods of many of the sub-postmasters who were subject to criminal convictions, imprisonment, and bankruptcy. In some cases this also led to illness, divorce, and suicide.In 2019, the High Court ruled that the Horizon system was faulty and in 2020 the government set up a public inquiry. But this has had renewed national interest thanks to the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office which aired in the new year week, and has resulted in a major intervention by the government - which will introduce a blanket law to exonerate all those who were convicted.What can we as a nation can learn from one of the country’s greatest miscarriages of justice?Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2024 countries with more than 4 billion people will be sending their citizens to the polls. The US, Russia, and India to name a few; this is set to be the biggest election year in history. In this episode of the podcast Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Stateman's foreign correspondent Bruno Maçães and senior data journalist Ben Walker to review some of the major political forces at play around the globe in 2024.Download the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"How likely would it be for parliament to introduce a Proportional Representation system similar to the rest of Europe? Would this even be feasible given both main parties benefit from a First Past The Post system?", one listener asks. And after the team tackles the questions of constitutional reform they answer listener Paul's question about Rishi Sunaks recently revealed consultations with Dominic Cummings.Submit a question:https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-usDownload the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Dr Emma Runswick, junior doctor in the North West and the current Deputy Chair of the BMA Council. They discuss what's driven junior doctors to the current 6 day walk out, on top of an accrued 28 days of stoppages over the past year. Will the BMA settle for anything less than a 35% pay rise? Has the new health secretary Victoria Atkins made any changes? And is this industrial action putting patients in danger?Download the app:iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl=en_GB&gl=USSubscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel:https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.