Politics At Sam and Anne"s

20:24

Rachel Reeves tells Sam to prepare for tax rises

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/15

The Chancellor tells Sam – on the record – that she is considering tax rises and spending cuts ahead of a critical autumn budget. In an exclusive interview – her first since being briefed by the OBR on the size of the black hole – Rachel Reeves discusses whether there is a way out or if she’s stuck in a ‘doom loop’. As she meets with economic leaders at the IMF in Washington – the duo consider the political ramifications and options on the table for her to plug the £20-30 billion gap in the public

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19:36

Has Kemi's stamp duty pledge flopped?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/14

On the day, the government wants to talk about cutting ‘burdensome bureaucracy’ in the planning system – China is the story it can’t shake off again. Sam and Anne go over the fresh warning about “significant threat” posed by Chinese hackers and how they contributed to a record number of serious online attacks. And there’s more to say about the collapse of the China spy trial.Ministers are sure Jonathan Powell had no role in the case being dropped – but could the PM’s national security adviser walk

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19:57

China spy trial and the British deep state

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/13

As Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are exchanged on one of the most significant days for peace in the Middle East – what role did Britain play in the peace plan? With the Prime Minister in Egypt for the summit of peace – Sam and Anne assess if Keir Starmer can take any credit or whether he is there for the photo opportunity after criticism from international allies.  Back in Westminster, the duo unpick the background to the China spy row as an angry shouting match erupts across

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19:44

Why India is a taxing trip for Starmer

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/09

It’s day two of the prime minister’s trip to India - but has there been any progress towards an enhanced trade deal for the jumbo business delegation?Sam has the latest update from Mumbai – as he travels with Keir Starmer – after speaking to senior figures on the trip. The transcontinental duo also caught up with YouGov pollster Patrick English – to ask what state the parties are in with the voters as conference season concludes.

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19:31

Kemi Badenoch speech: Not dead yet

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/08

Sam and Anne break down Kemi Badenoch’s speech to the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The duo consider: Did she do enough to dampen the threat of a leadership challenge? Will her big headline announcement – to abolish stamp duty – cut through with the voters? Why did she attack some political opponents but not others? Plus, Sam and Anne briefly reflect on the conference season before MPs return to Westminster next week.

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20:03

Why is Starmer visiting Putin's friend?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/08

Sam and Anne join forces 4,600 miles apart as the Prime Minister takes a jumbo trade and business delegation to India. In Mumbai, the PM is given a warm welcome – with banners and posters lining the streets – but will the trip help or hinder the existing trade deal between the nations and business? Back in Manchester, Anne has the latest from the Conservative conference as Kemi Badenoch prepares to make her speech to party members. Elsewhere, the tit for tat trade war between the European Union

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20:09

Robert Jenrick vs Kemi Badenoch

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/07

Sam and Anne have done the late-night Conservative conference parties and have news from those – as well as the day ahead. It’s ‘law and order’ day in Manchester - Robert Jenrick will unveil plans to abolish the sentencing council to end what some Tories call “two-tier justice system.” But Jenrick is at the centre of another story – calling the Handsworth area of Birmingham one of the “worst integrated places” he’d ever seen.Sam and Anne discuss if he’ll mind having those comments out

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20:48

Is £47bn of Tory cuts realistic?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/06

Sam and Anne manage about three points from the “10 things you didn’t know about Mel Stride” briefing before getting onto the substance of the day. (Licenced pilot and unpublished novel, by the way) It is the shadow chancellor’s big day at Conservative conference in Manchester – where he’ll identify billions of pounds of budget cuts – is there a distinct policy difference between ‘Melonomics’ and Reform UK? And, away from Manchester, should China be considered a friend or enemy of Britain after

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20:07

Sam reveals a Tory donor defection to Reform

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/05

The Conservative party conference week starts with Sam's story about another Reform defection.Mark Gallagher donated to Kemi Badenoch's leadership campaign, but the Tories claim he was never "really true blue".Also on this preview episode - the active operation to "get" Ms Badenoch in Manchester, as the leader confirms the Conservatives would take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if they got back into power.We'll have an extra episode on Wednesday to review Kemi

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20:44

Kemi tells Anne "we are a distressed asset"

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/02

48 hours before the Conservatives arrive in Manchester (and some are joking that they hope the party enjoys its last conference), Anne’s got an interview with Kemi Badenoch. The Tory leader tells members to “hold their nerve” with her – and comes out swinging about recent defections to Reform. But was it wise to liken the party to a “distressed asset”? Elsewhere, Sam’s got more on the digital ID cards plan – with support apparently slipping in cabinet and in the country. Is AI having a role in

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20:20

Will Labour really leave Liverpool happy with Keir?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/10/01

The Prime Minister’s speech may have settled nerves amongst his party, but has he opened a can of worms by attacking Reform? Sam and Anne asses the mood of Nigel Farage and some within Starmer’s inner circle - who arguably seem a bit displeased. Plus, as conference wraps up, focus turns quickly to the deputy leadership race and things are already hotting up between Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson.

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19:35

‘Renew Britain’ - but did it renew Keir Starmer?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/30

This is what Sam and Anne made of Keir Starmer’s speech to the Labour conference in Liverpool. It was an hour that was often pitched at Middle England voters tempted by Reform – but also seemed to go down well with Labour’s soft left. The PM doubled down on his stance that some of Nigel Farage’s policies are racist. How will all that go down outside the conference bubble? In the Politico pub, Sam and Anne also debrief on what the PM was saying about working people – which, they reckon, is sounding a

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22:16

Starmer's future: renewal or decline?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/30

It’s speech day for the Prime Minister but will it do the job, and can he convince conference he is the man to fix Britain? Sam and Anne look ahead to Sir Keir Starmer’s critical address and his argument of a choice between renewal or decline. The pair also reflect on the Chancellor’s speech and her strongest indication yet that tax rises could be on the horizon for the November budget. And away from Liverpool, Donald Trump has announced a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza – which includes the

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21:08

Can Rachel Reeves clamber out of the black hole?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/29

Rachel Reeves gets her moment in Liverpool, but Sam and Anne explain why the podium at Labour conference might be the second biggest thing of her week. By Friday, the OBR will have put a number on the size of the black hole – the money she’s got to find to fund policy u-turns on policies such as winter fuel. You’re not getting that number from anyone from government in Liverpool though. Elsewhere, Andy Burnham is still in lots of the conversations – and we hear what members of the Cabinet are

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19:55

Is Keir for keeps? Labour conference special

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/28

Sam and Anne have their Labour conference curtain-raiser - and wonder if Andy Burnham has gone a little bit into the rearview mirror as delegates turn up on the banks of the Mersey?There are already conference titbits to share - it sounds like Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall will get the job of implementing digital ID cards, fresh after overseeing welfare reform. And Yvette Cooper’s new Foreign Office team are apparently clamping down on the use of official government planes. Sam and

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20:15

What does Andy Burnham want?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/25

Is Labour’s king of the north about to challenge the Prime Minister in Westminster? After an explosive interview – the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says MPs are urging him to challenge Keir Starmer. The duo consider: What vision Mr Burnham has for the country? Can the PM match him and how could he respond? How much will it impact political and policy narrative ahead of Labour’s party conference in Liverpool next week?

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18:35

Is Jaguar Land Rover suffering the "curse of Starmer"?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/24

Are we all in danger of missing the biggest story of the day? Sam ponders that as he links up with Anne to go over Westminster’s day. One of the country’s biggest car producers is shut because of a cyber-attack. The problems at Jaguar Land Rover have been going on for weeks – we discuss why this might be more of a political story than it seems. Elsewhere, the Tories continue to pile the pressure on the PM’s chief of staff - Morgan McSweeney - over leaked lawyer advice and a £700,000 “admin

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23:35

Ed Davey debriefed: Why so much about Nigel Farage?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/23

Why was Ed Davey using so much of his Lib Dem conference speech to talk about Nigel Farage?And was threatening ‘Trump’s America’ becoming ‘Farage’s Britain’ a good way to get attention – especially with a claim that a Reform government could involve rolling back gun laws. Sam and Anne’s conference debrief go over what was in his Bournemouth speech (criticisms of the BBC) and what wasn’t (much on the economy).

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18:07

Is Ed Davey the future of the Lib Dems?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/23

What can Sir Ed Davey achieve in 55 minutes? That’s how long his speech to Lib Dem conference delegates is coming in at. Sam, who’s at the conference in Bournemouth, and Anne consider the behind-the-scenes tussles and where the Liberal Democrats are trying to position themselves ahead of the next set of elections. Away from conference, the OECD will release its latest economic outlook, but will it be a good or bad result for Rachel Reeves? Plus, we have our weekly look at the state of the

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19:44

The problems with Farage's big deportation plan

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2025/09/22

Reform UK announce that they would scrap indefinite leave to remain within 100 days of government but what impact will this have? Sam and Anne discuss the practicalities of the policy and whether Nigel Farage is trying to force the hand of other parties on immigration policy. Elsewhere, the UK follows other nations in formally recognising a Palestinian state, to the dismay of the Israeli Prime Minister. Anne has some intel on the whereabouts of Peter Mandelson and whether he got an invite to the

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