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PODCAST

Coffee House Shots

Daily political analysis from The Spectator"s top team of writers, including Michael Gove, Tim Shipman, Isabel Hardman, James Heale, Lucy Dunn and many others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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All Episodes

9:28

How to write a political sketch – with Madeline Grant

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/23

As MPs depart Westminster for parliamentary recess, The Spectator's political sketch writer Madeline Grant joins Natasha Feroze and economics editor Michael Simmons to talk about how to sketch PMQs and why Keir Starmer makes for the best sketches. Also on the podcast, Michael Simmons looks at the promising FTSE at record high following Trump's trade deal with Japan and the gloomy national debt figures announced yesterday. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go

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15:15

What's left of the Tories?

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/22

The Commons is closing down for the summer, but Kemi Badenoch has treated us to a shadow cabinet reshuffle. At the beginning of the year, Badenoch’s team were keen to stress stability, dismissing talk of an early reshuffle. But, as so often in politics, events have forced her hand. Ed Argar, the shadow health secretary, had a health scare earlier this summer. He has today stepped back from the frontbench to focus on his recovery. Badenoch is therefore using his departure as the chance to make what

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11:09

Reform turns tough on crime

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/21

Nigel Farage has unveiled the party's policy proposals for tackling crime should they get into government. The Reform leader said that his entire policy platform would cost £17.4 billion, and suggested that a Reform government would introduce a 'three strikes' system for repeat serious offenders. Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Tim Shipman about the policy pledges, how the Tories should respond and what Britain can do about its failing water industry. Become a Spectator subscriber today to

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15:27

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 20/07/2025

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/20

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Today, it’s all eyes on the water sector, as Labour announce plans to halve sewage pollution by 2030. Nigel Farage advocates for partial nationalisation, although he’s vague on the numbers.Farage also says net zero targets are defrauding tax payers, but Ed Davey says we actually need more renewable energy to protect industry from rising energy bills.Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this

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1:13:02

Are the Tories toast? with Michael Gove, Tim Shipman...

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/19

The strange death of Tory England has been predicted before. But never has the ‘natural party of government’ faced a greater challenge to survive. The Conservatives are facing attacks on all fronts from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK. Kemi Badenoch’s six-month anniversary as leader was marked by the loss of nearly 700 councillors, with a stern test awaiting next year in Scotland and in Wales. She promises change with her long-awaited policy commissions, ahead of a make-or-break party

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16:42

Will 16 year olds vote Labour?

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/18

Lots to discuss today, between Diane Abbott being suspended (again) and Labour handing the vote to 16-year-olds just before we head into recess.Abbott’s suspension comes after she was accused of ‘doubling down’ on previous claims that Jewish people experience racism differently from black people. She is the latest Labour troublemaker to be left out in the cold, with seven MPs punished this week for voting against the government – four of them suspended from the party. Is Starmer confusing toughness

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16:51

Confessions of a new intake Labour MP: 'We're not...

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/17

Keir Starmer has struck again. Compounding his reputation as a ruthless operator – like Michael Corleone – he is settling all family business by removing the whip from a number of troublemaking MPs, including Neil Duncan Jordan, Chris Hinchcliff, Brian Leishman and Rachel Maskell. This comes after each led respective revolts on winter fuel, planning reform, Grangemouth and the welfare changes. Rosena Allin-Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin have all lost their trade envoy roles too.Many of

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12:27

Mel Stride: 'what I would do differently'

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/16

Last night, Rachel Reeves was the headline act at the Mansion House dinner. In her speech, she made the case that ‘Britain is open for business’ and that we must ‘stay competitive in the global economy’. Critics would say it is hard to claim to be open for business while having also overseen a £25 billion national insurance tax raid that is now known to be costing thousands of jobs.She began by stressing that, despite what recent reporting might suggest, she is ‘okay’ – the economic indicators,

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12:32

Why does Trump like Starmer so much?

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/15

It can now be revealed that a Ministry of Defence data leak has cost the UK some £7 billion and put thousands of Afghans at risk of death. A dataset containing the details of nearly 19,000 people who applied to move to the UK following the Taliban takeover was released in error by a British defence official in February 2022. Ministers were informed of the debacle in August 2023; since then, an unprecedented super-injunction has been in place to stop the press from reporting details. What does this

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9:37

Are you a 'working person'?

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/14

Tomorrow Rachel Reeves will deliver her big speech in the City. The annual Mansion House address is a chance for the Chancellor to set out her vision for the British economy. But amid a gloomy set of economic indicators (including two consecutive monthly GDP contractions) it is difficult to see what good news she can offer.Westminster would be alive with speculation about what she might announce – initially, there was talk of reforms to cash ISAs; now, attention has turned to the prospect of Reeves

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15:49

Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 13/07/2025

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/13

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning’s political shows.Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander faces questions over the shrinking economy, possible autumn tax rises, and the migrant deal with France. Plus, the Ofcom CEOsays new regulations are a big moment for online safety, and Chris Philp says Reform don't have the answers, after more Conservatives defect to the party.Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.We are hosting a Coffee House Shots live tomorrow (15th July) at The Emmanuel Centre in

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22:00

Amanda Spielman on the SEND row and Labour’s Ofsted...

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/12

As Labour looks to get a grip on public spending, one rebellion gives way to another with the changes to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system threatening to become welfare round two.On this week’s Saturday edition of Coffee House Shots, Lucy Dunn is joined by The Spectator’s Michael Simmons and former Ofsted chief Amanda Spielman to explore what the government is planning – and why so many Labour MPs are worried. Is the system failing the children it's meant to support, or

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15:19

Sacré bleu! We have a migration deal with France

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/11

On today’s podcast: sacré bleu – we have a one-in, one-out migration deal with France. In a press conference yesterday, Keir Starmer and President Macron announced a deal they hope will curb Channel crossings. But, as ever, the devil is in the detail, with some key concerns about the numbers and the time frame. Digital ID cards are also back on the agenda – after an intervention from former MI6 boss Alex Younger on Newsnight. The argument is that they could deter the ‘grey labour force’ and make it

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14:28

The unstoppable Angela Rayner

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/10

There is the small matter of the Macron–Starmer press conference today, at which the Prime Minister will hope to announce a new migration deal with France. But we thought we would dedicate today’s podcast to Angela Rayner. With some MPs thinking that the answer to Labour’s woes could be to ‘give it Ange until the end of the season’. As Tim Shipman reports in the magazine, she has undergone quite the political transformation – keeping her head down and away from incoming fire. Downing Street is

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12:09

Wes Streeting takes on the doctors

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/09

The public won’t forgive and nor will I, said Health Secretary Wes Streeting of plans by junior doctors to strike over his refusal to cave to demands for 29 per cent pay rises. Speaking to theTimeshe said:‘There are no grounds for strike action now. Resident doctors have just received the highest pay award across the entire public sector. The Government can’t afford to offer more and it wouldn’t be fair to other NHS workers either, many of whom are paid less’.Is Wes Streeting right? And who's going

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13:27

Can Keir defrost the 'entente glaciale'?

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/08

Zut alors! The French are in town. Emmanuel Macron is on his state visit this week, spending time today with the King and tomorrow with the Prime Minister. His itinerary includes a state dinner and an address to both Houses of Parliament this afternoon.All the pageantry, of course, is for a reason: to defrost what Tim Shipman calls the ‘entente glaciale’ and the stalemate over migration. Keir will be hoping to get the French to sign a ‘one in, one out’ migration deal – with Labour seemingly

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12:51

Keir can't catch a break

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/07

Keir Starmer will have been hoping for a more relaxed week – but he certainly won’t be getting one. He is facing a fresh rebellion over support for children with special educational needs (SEND), which threatens to become welfare 2.0.The plan involves overhauling the SEND system and it’s another case of Labour MPs exclaiming that they didn’t stand on a Labour ticket just to target the most vulnerable in society. The main concern among backbenchers is whether it should be legally enforceable for

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22:00

Labour’s first year (in review) with Tim Shipman &...

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/05

Cast your mind back a year. Labour had just won a storming majority, promising ‘change’ to a stale Tory party that was struggling to govern. But have things got any better?In the magazine this week, Tim Shipman writes the cover piece to mark the occasion of Labour’s first year in government. He takes readers through three chapters: from Sue Gray (freebies scandal and winter fuel cut) to Morgan McSweeney (a degree of professionalisation and dealing with the Donald) to the point at which ‘things fall

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13:11

Corbyn is back! ... or is he?

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/04

Some sore heads on Coffee House Shots this morning, after last night’s Spectator summer party. But while we were having fun, a drama was brewing in the Labour party after it was finally confirmed that Jeremy Corbyn is starting a new left-wing party... or is he?The news was broken last night by another MP: Zarah Sultana, a long-time admirer of Corbyn. Elected as a Labour MP in 2019, she lost the whip last July for voting to lift the two-child-benefit cap. However, after discussions with figures

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14:08

NHS reforms: Labour puts on a brave face

Coffee House Shots ·

2025/07/03

Today Wes Streeting – with the help of Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves – announced his 10 year plan for curing the NHS. It’s all about creating a ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’, but what does actually mean in practice?Much of the plan was leaked in advance: first, focusing on preventing disease before it becomes too late; second, improving community healthcare services to help reduce pressure on hospitals; and third, embracing the tech revolution to bring the NHS into the ‘digital age’. One of the

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