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Spending review: smoke, mirrors and no strategy Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

There were few surprises in Rachel Reeves’s spending review today. Health was the big winner, with a £29bn increase in day-to-day spending and £39bn was announced to build social and affordable housing. The main eyebrow-raiser was the announcement that the Home Office will end the use of hotels for asylum seekers within this parliament; this could save £1bn or it could become Labour’s ‘stop the boats’ moment. The bigger picture was confusing – with increases measured against levels three years ago, is there really as much cash as Rachel Reeves wants you to think there is? And what’s the strategy behind it all?

The Spectator’s new political editor Tim Shipman joins deputy political editor James Heale and economics editor Michael Simmons to breakdown the Chancellor’s speech.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Labour goes nuclear while Reform turns to coal Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Rachel Reeves has pledged a ‘new era of nuclear power’ as the government confirms a £14.2 billion investment in the Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk. This comes on the eve of Labour’s spending review, with the government expected to highlight spending pledges designed to give a positive impression of Labour’s handling of the economy. However, as Michael Simmons tells James Heale and Lucy Dunn, there are signs that the government’s National Insurance hike is starting to bite.

Plus – Nigel Farage has made two announcements in as many days. This morning, he unveiled Reform’s new chairman, former MEP Dr David Bull, taking over from the recently returned Zia Yusuf. And yesterday he was in Port Talbot, where he pledged to reopen their steel works and even explore reopening coal mines, with one eye on next year’s Welsh elections.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Labour try to silence ‘austerity-lite’ accusations Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

James Nation, formerly a special adviser to Rishi Sunak and now an MD at Forefront Advisers, joins the Spectator’s deputy political editor James Heale and economics editor Michael Simmons, to talk through the latest on the government’s spending review, which is due to be announced on Wednesday. The last holdout appears to be Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, pushing for more police funding. But, against a tough fiscal landscape, what can we expect? And how much does it matter with the wider public? Plus – former chairman Zia Yusuf returned to Reform just two days after resigning, what’s going on?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Rupert Lowe on Reform turmoil, Chagos 'treason' and taking the Tory whip Jun 07, 2025

Show notes

The Spectator’s editor Michael Gove and assistant editor Madeline Grant interview Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth and notorious Westminster provocateur. Earlier this year, Lowe was suspended from the Reform party amid claims of threats towards the party’s then-chairman Zia Yusuf, and a souring relationship with Nigel Farage. Following his political ‘assassination’, he now sits as an independent MP and continues to be one of the most energetic parliamentarians in challenging the Westminster orthodoxy.

During the discussion – recorded before Zia Yusuf resigned as party chairman on Thursday – Lowe diagnoses the issues that have blighted Reform and its bid to ‘professionalise’; challenges Michael on the then-Tory government’s mismanagement of an 80-seat majority and its record on Covid; addresses his interview with Emily Maitlis and her questioning on the grooming gangs scandal; but admits, in spite of it all, that he would still prefer Nigel Farage to be Prime Minister over Keir Starmer.

Watch the interview in full on Spectator TV.

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Surprise Labour victory as Reform’s fallout continues Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Scottish Labour have a new MSP today as Davy Russell won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, taking the seat from the SNP. Labour won with 31.6% of the vote with the SNP second on 29.4%, Reform close behind on 26.1% and the Conservatives a distance fourth with just 6% of the vote; this marks rare good news for both Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

Both SNP and Reform will be disappointed not to have won, but Reform have been quick to highlight how close they came, considering how new the party is. Plus, there are signs that Reform took votes away from the incumbent SNP, demonstrating again that Reform can appeal to voters across the political spectrum – what does this mean for next year’s Holyrood elections? This comes as Reform reels from the resignation of its chairman Zia Yusuf last night – how much impact will this have on the party?

Lucy Dunn was in Scotland for the by-election and joins James Heale, alongside former Reform strategist Gawain Towler.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Megan McElroy.

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Zia Yusuf resigns from Reform Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Zia Yusuf resigned this evening from his position as chairman of Reform UK, saying: ‘I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time.’ This comes after he tweeted yesterday that it was ‘dumb’ for Sarah Pochin, Reform’s newest MP, to urge the Prime Minister to ban the burka during PMQs.

Did he jump before he was pushed? And can Reform UK really claim to have ‘professionalised’ when this is the second high profile departure this year?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale.

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From Thatcher to Truss, who's haunting Mel Stride? Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride delivered a speech today where he attempted to banish the ghost of Liz Truss and improve the Conservatives' reputation over fiscal credibility. And he compared leader Kemi Badenoch to Thatcher, saying she too struggled at first and will 'get better' at the dispatch box. LBC broadcaster Iain Dale and the Spectator's economics editor Michael Simmons join deputy political editor James Heale to unpack Stride's speech, talk about Labour's latest policy announcement over free school meals and discuss why both the main parties are struggling with fiscal credibility.

Plus, Iain talks about his new book Margaret Thatcher and the myths he seeks to dispel. Why does he think the former PM still endures 35 years after she left office?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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To spend or not to spend Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Rachel Reeves unveiled billions of pounds of investment today for transport and infrastructure projects, as Labour attempts to demonstrate that next week’s spending review is not just about departmental cuts. However, most of the political noise today has centred on her announcement that the winter fuel cut will be reversed by the end of the year. But what does this all mean for the average voter, for the Chancellor’s fiscal headroom – and why is the government still blaming its own ‘fiscal rules’?

James Heale and Michael Simmons join Lucy Dunn to unpack the Chancellor’s announcements and explain the economic jargon, plus a look at today’s PMQs.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.

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Is the public ready for difficult decisions on defence? Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Former Commander of Joint Forces Command – and one of the authors of the Strategic Defence Review – General Sir Richard Barrons joins Lucy Dunn and James Heale to talk through the main conclusions of the review, and the questions it raises. Labour have talked up the fact that this is the first government in a generation to not reduce the size of the armed forces. But, as Sir Richard explains, difficult choices await politicians and the public if the UK wants to be more prepared, and faster, for potential threats.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Is Britain 'battle-ready'? Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

Today the government has published the long-awaited strategic defence review. The brief was to take a new look at some of the challenges to the UK in 2025, and what is needed to ensure our security and reset our defence priorities.

We are still waiting for some of the detail, but so far we know: £15 billion for new warheads to be carried by the new Dreadnought-class submarines; a dozen new SSN-Aukus attack submarines; £1.5 billion to build at least six munitions' factories; £6 billion to procure munitions over the remainder of this parliament; and £1 billion for digital capability and a new CyberEM Command. Where is all that money coming from?

Most of the squabbling today has been over the commitment to 3 per cent of GDP on defence spending. Labour have so far only gone as far as to say that’s an ‘ambition’. But are Labour being ambitious enough? Is the UK still a global player when it comes to defence if we can't commit to 3 per cent?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Emma Salisbury, research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

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