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 ShowWill Labour reconsider the Chagos deal?
Keir Starmer is stuck between the UN and Donald Trump. Under pressure from the International Court, Labour are due to relinquish British ownership of the…
The Politics ShowRachel Reeves won't resign (yet) - here's why
Rachel Reeves is under fire for her management of the country's finances. With suggestions of an impending income tax raise, some have called for her to…
The Politics ShowThe ideological contradictions of Trump 2
Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, Elon Musk - what do these men have in common? Just a few days from Donald Trump’s second inauguration as US President, hearings to…
The Politics ShowCould it be magic?: Inside Britain's boyband machine
The 90's is often heralded as the era of Blur, Oasis, Pulp - but this decade belongs as much to boybands as it does to Britpop. But what was behind these…
The Politics ShowCould the government raise the top income tax rate?
Would it be politically safe to go back on their promise not to raise income tax if the increase only affected high earners?, a listener writes in to ask…
The Politics ShowElon Musk’s “outrageous” meddling in grooming gangs scandal
Can Elon Musk reshape British democracy? The X-owning billionaire has waded into one of the darkest scandals in recent British history: the horrific rape and…
The Politics ShowThe end of America's global dominance
Donald Trump is talking about the 'Gulf of America' but in reality the US is no where near as powerful as it once was. Kate Lamble is joined by this week's…
The Politics ShowMackenzie Crook on talking to ghosts and playing skinny weirdos
Tom Gatti is joined by BAFTA award winning writer, director, and actor, Mackenzie Crook to discuss his acting career from The Office to Detectorists, as well…
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Submit a question for us to answer on a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus Get our free daily politics newsletter, Morning Call…
The Politics ShowThe world in 2025
Trump round 2, instability in Europe, and power struggles in the Middle East. Hannah Barnes is joined by Katie Stallard and Wolfgang Münchau to take a look at…
The Politics ShowPolitics 2024: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Biggest gaffe? Dampest squib? Best political trolling? Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to go through the highs and the lows of UK…
The Politics ShowWhat Musk's money could do for Reform UK
It's the last listener questions episode of 2024! Hannah Barnes is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to discuss Elon Musk's support and intentions for…
The Politics ShowEmily Thornberry: I won't be on the welcome committee for Trump
The team discuss two big political stories of the week; WASPI women and Prince Andrew's friendship with the alleged Chinese spy. And the New Statesman's policy…
The Politics ShowTorsten Bell: Is Britain's decline reversible?
This conversation was recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival. To watch an extended version or to find out more about Cambridge Literary Festival please…
The Politics ShowHow Paddington became the spokesbear for Britain
First conceived in 1956 by Michael Bond, the marmalade-loving immigrant from Peru has become an iconic British cultural figure – treasured for his chaotic…
The Politics ShowFrance's centre has collapsed, is the UK's next?
The team answer listener questions on the appointment of Heidi Alexander to transport secretary and whether the UK's mainstream centrist politics are at risk…
The Politics ShowWill Starmer engage with HTS?
Will his history as a human rights lawyer play a part? Will Shamima Begum be able to return? And why have all Syrian asylum claims been suspended? Hannah…
The Politics ShowWhat happens when a tyrant flees
On Sunday Morning the sound of gunfire filled the air in Damascus. The noise, not of fighting, but celebrations. President Bashar al-Assad and his family had…
The Politics ShowThe politics of faith: Britain's changing relationship with Christianity
Is the Church experiencing an existential crisis? And what is the role of Christianity in modern Britain? Tom Gatti is joined by Pippa Bailey, David Sexton…
The Politics ShowHunter Biden and South Korea: What's going on in the world?
Hannah Barnes is joined by Will Dunn and Katie Stallard to answer your economics questions AND try to make sense of some big world events this week. LISTEN…
The Politics ShowLabour’s swamp: Keir Starmer resets
Former Labour strategist and architect of the Labour missions, Peter Hyman, joins the New Statesman podcast to discuss Keir Starmer’s “plan for change” speech…
The Politics ShowIs more devolution really a good thing?
Labour’s white paper on how further devolution might work is due to be released in the next few weeks. It has been reported that the government is considering…
The Politics ShowIs the UK ready for AI innovation? | Sponsored
Artificial intelligence is fast becoming a part of life. The UK strives to become a global AI superpower. But do we have the talent, skills and regulatory…
The Politics ShowInside the UK's most influential record store
Banquet Records, in Kingston South-West London, are probably the most influential record store in the UK right now at helping an artist or a band secure a…
The Politics ShowWes Streeting: pouring in money won't change the NHS | Sponsored
Wes Streeting is "a man in a hurry". In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Labour party conference, the health secretary discusses his…
The Politics ShowDazed and confused: how are new MPs adjusting to parliament?
They're terrified of the whips - and of their tiny majorities. From a “fresher’s fair” with free sweets to the struggles of finding a place to live, joining…
The Politics ShowThe politics of assisted dying
MPs are about to vote on arguably the biggest social change since abortion. ***If you enjoyed this, listen to our previous episode, "Is the UK ready for…
The Politics Show"A long conflict plays into Putin's hands" - is the end in sight?
Last week, the US and the UK gave permission for long-range missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces against military facilities inside Russia for the first…
The Politics ShowAutobahn at 50: How Kraftwerk defined modern music
50 years ago this month the German band Kraftwerk released Autobahn – an album that not only marked a dramatic departure in their sound, but went on to change…
The Politics ShowWhen will Labour Britain actually start to get good?
And what's behind the global "incumbency curse" which has seen so many incumbent leaders ousted in 2024 elections? Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor…
The Politics ShowMarr on Prescott: "I'm very upset he's gone"
Andrew Marr pays tribute to "an extraordinary character" - the former Labour deputy Prime Minister and titan of Blair-era New Labour, who died on Thursday…
The Politics ShowSinn Féin's growing pains
In 2020, Sinn Féin, a left-wing party born out of Ireland’s nationalist movement, claimed victory. At the time Ireland’s two major parties, Fianna Fáil and…
The Politics ShowBooker prize winner Samantha Harvey: "political choices are sculpting the surface of the earth"
The author of Orbital says Elon Musk's "individualistic" future is "problematic in all sorts of ways". Samantha Harvey, winner of the 2024 Booker Prize for…
The Politics ShowHow do we reduce the life expectancy gap?
Where you live could drastically impact how long you live. According to the Office for National Statistics, a person in South Kensington, one of London’s…
The Politics ShowWill Team Trump push Labour to the right?
And what can Keir Starmer learn from Theresa May's relationship with Trump? (keep hands firmly in pockets) Read: Andrew Marr's weekly column LISTEN AD-FREE…
The Politics ShowThe return of the Blairites
As Starmer contends with a fraught political landscape, he has increasingly turned to figures from the Blair administration: Jonathan Powell, Liz Lloyd, Peter…
The Politics ShowTrump, Putin, and the future of Ukraine?
Last month Russia gained the most Ukrainian territory since March 2022 when the war was in its infancy. At least 10,000 North Korean troops have also joined…
The Politics ShowHow anger defined 2024
Why are we all becoming increasingly angry? And what did Donald Trump understand about harnessing this emotion to win back the presidency? Tom Gatti is joined…
The Politics ShowFuel Poverty and Rising Costs: Who’s Struggling This Winter? | Sponsored
Fuel poverty is hitting homeowners, full-time workers, and young people. As energy prices rise and the cost of living crisis deepens, heating our homes is…
The Politics ShowAre Reform UK a threat to Labour?
Nicholas Harris reports from the new Labour seat of Southport, which was rocked by riots three months ago. There he found anger and resentment towards…
The Politics ShowTrump: The Sequel - is the UK watching?
Class? Gender? Economy? What did the Democrats get wrong, what did Trump get right, and how will the UK respond to this? Hannah Barnes is joined by senior…
The Politics ShowUS Election: What's at stake - for America and the world?
The US has headed to the polls and we want to ask what’s at stake - what will a Trump or Harris victory mean for America, international diplomacy, even your…
The Politics ShowBezos, Murdoch, Musk: what drives the men who control our media?
What was behind the Washington Post's shock decision not to endorse a presidential candidate? Its owner, Jeff Bezos, has cited reasons of impartiality and a…
The Politics ShowCould “abrasive” Kemi Badenoch ever be Prime Minister?
David Gauke reveals his pick for the Tory leadership “not without reservations”. As Labour deliver “hard decisions” in their first budget in 14 years, a…
The Politics ShowBudget 2024: Will Labour's gamble pay off?
The first Labour budget in 14 years is "refreshing" but risky, say the IFS. Rachel Reeves has delivered her maiden budget in the House of Commons. As expected…
The Politics ShowIs American conservatism over?
One week from the US Presidential Elections, the race remains tight. There’s been renewed focus on Trump’s political rallies. At Madison Square Garden in New…
The Politics ShowWhy Britain can't move on from its 'blitz spirit'
A new film from Steve McQueen is about to hit cinema screens: Blitz. Set during the devastating German bombing raids of 1940 to 1941, it follows Saiorse Ronan…
The Politics ShowLabour's first three months: the voters' verdict
Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe hear from a focus group of voters in a marginal Kent constituency, to get their views on Labour's first three…
The Politics ShowThis is how Labour can fill the 'black hole'
Ben Zaranko, senior research economist from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, takes us through the numbers ahead of next week's budget, and the New Statesman's…
The Politics ShowCan we ever trust the US polls?
We’re just two weeks from the 2024 US Presidential election. Donald Trump is up against Kamala Harris. Polls are vanishingly close. They suggest Harris has a…
The Politics ShowWho made Donald Trump?
Donald Trump has reshaped American politics. But who shaped him? A new film has some answers. The Apprentice, written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali…
The Politics ShowWill Kemi Badenoch split the Tories?
With "normal" James Cleverly out of the Tory leadership race, a listener asks if a Badenoch or Jenrick leadership would split the Conservative party in two…
The Politics ShowShould the government prescribe Ozempic?
The health secretary Wes Streeting has suggested this week that weight loss injections should be used to get Britain back to work. Is this a good idea? And…
The Politics ShowAre we actually ready for assisted dying?
This is a deeply personal, deeply divisive issue; and today a private members bill to permit assisted dying in the UK is being presented to the House of…
The Politics ShowHow do we solve the NHS productivity puzzle? | Sponsored
The NHS is facing the most difficult period in its history. Just days into office, the new government declared the official position of the Department for…
The Politics ShowRachel Reeves on who will foot the budget bill
Andrew Marr sits down for an exclusive interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. And later on in the episode the team discuss what we might have missed…
The Politics ShowNicola Sturgeon on Boris Johnson the “playground bully”
Power shifts inside Number 10, a Tory leadership shock twist, and Sturgeon reviews Johnson’s book. **follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode**…
The Politics ShowThe US election result is already being legally challenged
Right now the Republic National Committee is involved in around 120 legal cases across the US connected to the upcoming 2024 elections. It's predicted that we…
The Politics ShowIs our political funding system broken?
"If we don't like it, we should demand it changes," one listener writes in. Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton to answer listener…
The Politics ShowWhat really happened at the Conservative Party party?
And why is democracy a low priority for American voters? Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr, George Eaton, and Katie Stallard. Sign up to the New…