Shows / The Politics Show
The Politics Show
Helping you make sense of politics – every week.
Anoosh Chakelian and the New Statesman team bring you sharp reporting, clear analysis and thoughtful conversations to help you understand what’s really going on in Westminster and beyond.
The New Statesman is Britain’s leading source of news and commentary on politics and culture with a progressive perspective. On The Politics Show, our journalists and expert guests cut through the noise of the headlines to explain the forces shaping our world…
Episodes
The Politics ShowNS#156: Leadership, lies and let down
Today, Helen and Stephen discuss the audacity of the Leave campaign and the extent to which it was dominated by lies and deceit. What will Cameron do next?…
The Politics ShowNS#155: Results special
NS editor, Jason Cowley, joins Helen and Stephen to examine how the referendum results have broken-down across the country. What will happen next in Scotland…
The Politics ShowNS#154: Referendum Special
This week, Helen and Stephen reflect on the death of Jo Cox and how the tragedy has resonated through politics. They also take stock of the EU debate ahead of…
The Politics ShowNS#153: Intermission
We're taking a break this week, following the death of Jo Cox MP. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question…
The Politics ShowNS#152: Polls, predictions and Morningside Pie
This week, Helen and Stephen are joined by deputy web editor Anoosh Chakelian to talk about Europe: are the polls to be believed? Who is making the positive…
The Politics ShowNS #151: Vice, votes and videogames
This week, Helen and Stephen get to grips with Jeremy Corbyn’s Vice News documentary. Together they probe Labour’s media strategy and query whether Ed Miliband…
The Politics ShowNS #150: Englishness, X-men and equality
This week, Helen and Stephen try their best not to talk about the EU. Instead they turn to Boris Johnson’s media strategy, MP’s expenses, and Labour and the…
The Politics ShowNS #149: Monarchy, mayors and the media
This week, Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush review the Queen’s Speech and discuss candidates for the next mayor of Manchester. George Eaton catches up with the…
The Politics ShowNS#148: Welsh Labour, Leave and Lemonade
This week, Helen and Stephen discuss the shake-up in the Welsh assembly: what’s going on with UKIP? And can Labour work with Plaid Cymru? George Eaton explores…
The Politics ShowNS#147: Results special
Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush are joined by our acting Staggers editor, Henry Zeffman, to digest last Thursday’s elections. What do the results mean for Labour?…
The Politics ShowNS#146: Counts, candidates and Captain America
This week, the NS podcast comes to you on the day the country heads to the polls. Helen and Stephen are joined by acting Staggers editor, Henry Zeffman, to…
The Politics ShowNS#145: Anti-Semitism, suspensions and Sadiq
This week, Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush are joined by Henry Zeffman, our acting Staggers editor, to discuss Labour's anti-Semitism controversy. George Eaton…
The Politics ShowNS#144: Academies, America and achievable promises
This week, Helen and Stephen take a break from Brexit coverage to interview two special guests. Laura McInerney, editor of Schools Week, joins to talk about…
The Politics ShowNS#143: Election Special
This week, Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush are joined by our team of ballot-box buffs from London, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. Get set for 5 May with stories…
The Politics ShowNS#142: Spies, socialism and the SNP
This week, Helen and Stephen discuss British politics since the election of Jeremy Corbyn: what has changed and what are politicians over-looking? Anna…
The Politics ShowNS#141: Students, lists and Duncan Smith
This week, Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss post-budget ructions in the Tory party. George Eaton considers the fall-out from Labour’s leaked list. And…
The Politics ShowNS#140: Budget Special
This week, Helen, Stephen and George discuss Osborne’s latest budget. Listen in to find out what cola-glugging Stephen Bush thinks about the sugar tax, what…
The Politics ShowNS#139: Twitter, tax and equality
This week, Helen and Stephen talk women and the EU (and expensive hovercraft). George Eaton joins down-the-line-from-the-lobby, with Corbyn's latest attempts…
The Politics ShowNS#138: Celebrity, uncertainty, and cinema
Helen and Stephen talk plots from Super Tuesday and Europe. George Eaton explores Labour’s latest drama. Then the SRSLY Podcast’s Anna Leszkiewicz joins to…
The Politics ShowNS#137: Boris, Brexit and online abuse
This week, Helen and Stephen discuss Boris Johnson's Vote Leave announcement. We hear from George Eaton on the latest dispatch-box battles. And tech-writer…
The Politics ShowNS#136: Prizes, prejudice and polls
This week, Helen and Stephen hand out half term report cards to the Tory front bench. George Eaton brings us the latest from Westminster. And Barbara Speed…
The Politics ShowNS#135: Trident, Tories and tough love
This week, Helen and Stephen talk Trident: the terrors of nuclear war and the attractions of virility symbols. We hear from George Eaton, down-the-line from…
The Politics ShowNS#134: Bernie, Bankers and EU Battle
This week, Helen and Stephen ask what we can learn from Cameron’s EU renegotiations, and discuss why we need banking to stay in Britain. George Eaton then…
The Politics ShowNS#133: Divisions, Dodgy-Deals and Dr Who
This week, Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush talk Labour splits, George Eaton discusses Osborne’s Google tax blunder, and a new feature - ‘You Ask Us’ - sees our…
The Politics ShowNS#132: Integration, Inquest, and Autopsies
This week Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush discuss Labour's post-mortem into its general election defeat, then delve inside the world of forensic anthropology (and…
The Politics ShowNS#131: Leadership, Legacy and the Latest in videogames
This week, co-hosts Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush review the extended Labour reshuffle and discuss David Cameron’s legacy. We also hear from George Eaton…
The Politics ShowNS#130: Reshuffle, Revolt and Writing Gender
This week co-chairs Helen Lewis and Stephen Bush discuss the never-ending Labour reshuffle and are joined by Stephanie Boland to talk about gender in…
The Politics ShowNS #129: Star Wars Special
We review the latest Star Wars film, The Force Awakens, and ask: in what order should you watch the full series? And who might possibly be related to whom?…
The Politics ShowNS #128: Christmas Special 2015
We review the year in politics, and ask the most important of questions: what is your favourite siege? Plus, a festive Joke of the Week. (Helen Lewis, Stephen…
The Politics ShowNS#127: Rhetoric, Racism and Reform
This week, we talk about Momentum: what is it for and what do people fear it is? Then consider Trump's devastating views on Muslims: is this a turning point in…
The Politics ShowNS#126: Benn, By-election and Books
This week we discuss Hilary Benn's electrifying speech before the Syria vote and Labour's prospects ahead of the Oldham by-election. We then take a look at…
The Politics ShowNS#125: Security and the State
This week Jason Cowley interviews the philosopher John Gray about the future of the state. We also discuss the spending review, the tampon tax, and finish up…
The Politics ShowNS #124: How cities will save the world
This week, we talk about Corbyn's media gaffes, and explain how cities will save the world. (Helen Lewis, Anoosh Chakelian, George Eaton, Jonn Elledge, Barbara…
The Politics ShowNS #123: Isis and the threat to Britain
Editor Jason Cowley talks to Shiraz Maher about the threat Isis pose to Britain. Plus: we talk Corbyn's week in Westminster, and an interview with Goldsmiths…
The Politics ShowNS #122: His Dark Materials
We talk the week in politics and the newly announced BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. (Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush, George Eaton, Barbara…
The Politics ShowNS #121: Girls in bands and tax credit cuts
We talk a taxing week for the Tories and the women in rock and roll. (Anoosh Chakelian, Stephen Bush, George Eaton, Kate Mossman, Stephanie Boland) LISTEN…
The Politics ShowNS #120: Corbyn's China Problem and William Boyd on John le Carré
This week, we talk Corbyn's China problem, and William Boyd talks about a new John le Carré biography. (Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush, George Eaton, Tom Gatti…
The Politics ShowNS #119: The afterlife of Terence Trent D’Arby
We talk the fiscal charter, Labour in chaos, and the lives of Terence Trent D'Arby. (Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush, George Eaton, Anna Leszkiewicz, Kate Mossman)…
The Politics ShowNS #118: Cultural Appropriation
This week we talk Conservative Party Conference, David Cameron's speech, and discuss the problem with "cultural appropriation". (Helen Lewis, Anoosh Chakelian…
The Politics ShowNS #117: Conference Season and Poets' Lives
This week, we discuss the end of Labour's party conference (and the start of the Conservatives') and a new biography of Ted Hughes. (Helen Lewis, George Eaton…
The Politics ShowNS #116: Conferences and campaigns
This week, we discuss the upcoming Labour Party Conference, and ask, when should we start caring about the US presidential race? LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the…
The Politics ShowNS #115: Corbynmania Triumphs
This week, we digest what the success of Jeremy Corbyn means for the Labour party. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN…
The Politics ShowNS #114: Lengthy leaderships
This week, the Labour leadership contest finally comes to an end and the Queen celebrates a record-breaking reign. Plus, we chat Abel Ferrara's Pasolini…
The Politics ShowNS #113: Europe's refugee crisis
This week, we ask whether Cameron will respond to the growing refugee crisis in Europe, discuss the Labour leadership as the election grows ever closer, and…
The Politics ShowNS #112: Going Underground
This week, we explain why we're backing Tessa Jowell as Labour's candidate for London mayor, talk women-only carriages on the tube, and speak to Tom Shone…
The Politics ShowNS #111: Sarah Churchwell on the American South
Sarah Churchwell talks to Tom Gatti about how nostalgic literature became an agent in American racism. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New Statesman app MORE…
The Politics ShowNS #110: Love's Labour's Lost
This week, we talk about the Labour supporters denied a vote in the leadership election, and the Ashley Madison leak. (Helen Lewis, Anoosh Chakelian, Stephen…
The Politics ShowNS #109: Cooper v Cumberbatch
This week we turn to speeches great and good: discussing Yvette Cooper's attack on Jeremy Corbyn and Benedict Cumberbatch's take on the famous Hamlet…
The Politics ShowThe NS Podcast #108: The day the Tube stood still
This week, we discuss London's Tube strike and Andy Burnham's recent moves in the leadership election (Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush, Jonn Elledge, Anoosh…
The Politics ShowThe NS Podcast #107: Corbyn’s Coming
Jason Cowley, Stephen Bush and Stephen Brasher assess the Labour leadership race and Jeremy Corbyn’s surprise surge. LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download the New…
The Politics ShowThe NS Podcast #106: Runners and riders
This week, we discuss the Labour leadership race and the US presidential race. (Helen Lewis, George Eaton, Stephen Bush, Nicky Woolf). LISTEN AD-FREE…
The Politics ShowNS #105: Live from Latitude
This special edition of the NS podcast brings you the highlights of our live events from the literature tent at Latitude festival. Featuring Richard Curtis…
The Politics ShowNS #104: Parenting penalties
We discuss the Labour leadership race, as Jeremy Corbyn jumps into the lead, and ask why women in parliament face a double-edged sword when it comes to having…
The Politics ShowNS #103: Budgets and Reddit
We talk the budget, and what it means for Labour, and the mysterious case of Reddit's disappearing moderators. (Helen Lewis, George Eaton, Stephen Bush…
The Politics ShowNS #102: Budget Special
From inheritance tax to maintenance loans to the new "living wage", we bring you a run down of this morning's budget. (Anoosh Chakelian, Stephen Bush, Helen…
The Politics ShowNS #101: Athens and airports
We talk about the financial crisis in Greece, its domestic ramifications, and ask whether the UK really needs another runway. (Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush…
The Politics ShowNS #100: Harry Potter Special
For the 100th episode of the NS podcast, the team explore the politics, economics, and pedagogy of the Harry Potter series. In collaboration with the NS's new…
The Politics ShowNS #99: Andy Burnham and abortion drones
This week, we discuss our interview with Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham, and how drone technology could aid women who need abortions. (Helen Lewis…
The Politics ShowNS #98: A Clockwork Orange is the New Black
We discuss Labour leadership contests and binge-watching Netflix's Orange is the New Black. (Helen Lewis, Stephen Bush, George Eaton, Caroline Crampton…
The Politics ShowNS #97: What makes us bored?
This week, we discuss party leadership elections, the problem with the tube map, and why we get bored. (Caroline Crampton, Stephen Bush, George Eaton, Barbara…