Coffee House Shots

Latest Episodes:

The greatest political books ever: how many have you read? May 07, 2026

Show notes

It’s polling day! Tim and James take the opportunity to go through their favourite political books ever, fiction and non-fiction. They discuss the books that have shaped their understanding of politics and make the case for the top spot.

Is your favourite on the list? Have you read their number one? And which rankings would you dispute? They discuss with Megan McElroy.

If you enjoy Coffee House Shots, you can join Tim Shipman and James Heale live as the election results roll in. Will Starmer survive the night? Are Reform and the Greens about to redraw the political map? And what happens next? Along with a panel of familiar faces and special guests, get the only analysis you’ll need as the political fallout begins. Watch live on Friday at 3 p.m. here, and tap the bell now to be notified in advance.

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Are the Greens repeating Corbyn's mistakes? May 06, 2026

Show notes

As voters prepare to go to the polls in a set of local elections that could redraw the political map, we examine the ‘outsiders’ on today’s episode – starting with the Greens. After Zack Polanski’s grilling on the Today programme, are the Greens facing the same scrutiny that once engulfed Labour under Jeremy Corbyn?

Also on the podcast: Tim writes a letter to Britain’s aspiring prime ministers. What does Keir Starmer still lack? Does Andy Burnham have a plan beyond Manchesterism? And why do so many politicians seem to hate politics?

Noa Hoffman discusses with Tim Shipman and James Heale.

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Who will survive the local elections? May 05, 2026

Show notes

The local elections are nearly upon us. Political editor Tim Shipman and deputy political editor James Heale bring you the one-stop shop podcast with everything you need to know ahead of the day. What could happen to Keir Starmer, what will a really bad day look like for Labour, and is the political map about to be redrawn?

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Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 03/05/2026 May 03, 2026

Show notes

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Politicians react to potential bans on Palestine marches, in the wake of the Golders Green stabbings.

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LIVE: The Fight for the Right | Nick Timothy & Claire Coutinho vs Danny Kruger & Matt Goodwin May 01, 2026

Show notes

The Conservative party was once the natural political home for those on the right. No longer. The Tories’ vote share collapsed at the 2024 general election and the party, under new leadership, has since been outflanked by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

Earlier this week, The Spectator pitted the Conservatives, represented by Nick Timothy and Claire Coutinho, against Reform UK, represented by Matt Goodwin and Danny Kruger, for the definitive debate on which party truly represents the future of the right. Listen to an excerpt of that debate here, and for more The Spectator events go to spectator.com/events

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Why did the assisted dying bill fail? | Lord Moore vs Lord Falconer Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

The assisted dying bill has stalled in the House of Lords – but is it dead, or merely delayed?

After weeks of fraught debate, multiple amendments and accusations of filibuster, supporters of the bill are considering whether it could return to the Commons – and whether the Parliament Act might ultimately be used to force it through. Lord Falconer, who has long championed assisted dying, argues that a small group of peers used procedure to block the will of the elected House. Lord Moore disagrees, warning that the bill was deeply flawed, that the Lords was simply doing its job of scrutiny, and that using the Parliament Act on a matter of conscience would be ‘horrendously divisive’.

In this special Coffee House Shots conversation, Charles Moore and Charlie Falconer debate where the bill went wrong, whether the Lords overreached, and whether assisted dying can ever be safely introduced into the NHS.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

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The end of the peer show Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Hereditary peers have left their red leather benches for the final time. The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act became law earlier this year, which removes all hereditary peers' right to speak and vote in Parliament by virtue of their family ties. Critics have described their role as indefensible, but others accuse Labour of political point-scoring and vandalising the upper house – removing a 'living part of Britain's constitutional inheritance'.

James Heale and Megan McElroy discuss – joined by Lord Strathclyde and Lord Courtenay.

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Starmer vs the basics of politics Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Does Keir Starmer have confidence in Rachel Reeves? Kemi Badenoch pressed the Prime Minister on his Chancellor’s future at PMQs – and he declined to answer, twice. Westminster (and Twitter) is now awash with reshuffle rumours.

No 10 has since issued a denial, but the damage may already be done, raising a familiar question: is Keir Starmer just bad at politics?

With recess looming and Labour braced for a battering at the local elections, Tim Shipman and Noa Hoffman join Megan McElroy to discuss.

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Morgan McSweeney faces the music Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

It’s a blockbuster day in parliament today. To kick things off, we had Philip Barton pleading ignorance; to close the proceedings tonight we have a vote on a possible Privileges Committee probe. But in between we have Morgan McSweeney, the longtime bete noire of the Labour party left, giving testimony on the appointment of Peter Mandelson as British ambassador. McSweeney pushed hard for Mandy to be given the gig: a decision which he said in his opening statement to the Foreign Affairs Committee was a ‘serious error’. However, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff denied pressuring Foreign Office officials to clear the appointment ‘at all costs’.

It wasn’t as explosive as Olly Robbins last week and there seemed to be a more personal subplot running between McSweeney and chair Emily Thornberry – who was denied her frontbench role by Keir Starmer. Is the Prime Minister more or less secure after this latest testimony?

Noa Hoffman speaks to Tim Shipman.

Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson.

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Can the King handle Trump? Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

King Charles is about to travel to Washington to visit President Trump. The brief? Fix the strained relationship. No pressure!

Can royal diplomacy steady relations? Will the trip be awkward given Trump's recent words on Starmer, Chagos, The Falklands, and Canada? Does the King have what it takes to navigate such a diplomatic minefield?

Elsewhere, Morgan McSweeney will appear before MPs tomorrow to explain his actions relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. Given he's already said he doesn't recognise portrayals of himself in the media, is he going to come out swinging?

Tim Shipman and James Heale discuss.

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