Politics At Sam and Anne"s

21:56

Ready or not: Keir’s rivals flounder

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/05/05

With days until the local and national elections – amid some grim polling projections – are Labour facing a double-edged threat from both the left and right of British politics?As instability in the Middle East intensifies, Keir Starmer is preparing to host a summit to tackle antisemitism, but will Labour’s punchy attack on the Greens – including claims of antisemitic remarks made by their candidates – cut through with the voters?Away from the campaigning Sam and Anne assess the state of potential

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20:06

Local elections: The pollster’s verdict

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/30

With one week until voters head to the polls in Scotland, Wales and England – are we about to see a seismic shift in British politics?In a special episode, Sam and Anne are joined by YouGov pollster Patrick English to break down the data and assess what it could all mean for the parties.As the vote splits across the spectrum, who is set to benefit – and is British politics entering a new multi-party era?A reminder that all the candidates standing in these elections can be found here.

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21:27

“My prime minister” - the King steps in

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/29

Has King Charles’s warmth and humour helped save the special relationship?It may be a diplomatic win for Keir Starmer in Washington, helping to steady UK-U.S. relations – but have private comments by his U.S. ambassador made life more difficult back in London?Yesterday, the Prime Minister survived a vote demanding he appear before the privileges committee, but after another blockbuster Foreign Affairs Committee session, questions remain over his judgement to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador

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20:10

Will McSweeney stumble on Starmer?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/28

What might Sir Philip Barton and Morgan McSweeney reveal about the Mandelson vetting scandal?Today, the former foreign office mandarin and Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff give evidence to MPs on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.That’s before the Commons vote on whether there should be an inquiry on if the Prime Minister misled Parliament.As well as select committees and votes, there are still 13 active bills to deal with before Parliament prorogues tomorrow.Sam’s in London for a pivotal day

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20:34

The King in Washington: Charles’s real job this week

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/27

Can King Charles save the UK-U.S. special relationship?As the King touches down in Washington for a state visit, Anne – who was at the White House correspondent’s dinner – describes the moment a security incident plunged the night into chaos.With a critical three days ahead Sam and Anne discuss the high stakes diplomacy facing Britain and whether the strained relationship could be reset.Back in Westminster, with Parliament days from prorogation, Sam runs through the key government bills hanging in

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21:04

Cat amongst the pigeons: Mandarins at war

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/23

Will the Prime Minister ever escape the ghost of Peter Mandelson and his decision to appoint the ‘Prince of Darkness’ as the UK’s ambassador to Washington?With fresh committee hearings looming – including an appearance from Cabinet Office permanent secretary Cat Little – and senior ministers appearing uncomfortable defending No10 on the airwaves, Sam and Anne ask if the row is anywhere near its peak.The duo also examine the growing tension between Downing Street and the civil service and whether

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18:53

Keir's cabinet: Who's left on the barricades

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/22

Has the Prime Minister and No10 weathered the storm on the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal?With the dust only beginning to settle, Sam and Anne dissect the mixed, uncomfortable and carefully worded reactions from senior figures across the Labour party after Olly Robbins’ combative session in parliament.Keir Starmer braces for another grilling from MPs at Prime Minister Questions on the Mandelson saga but has he contained the damage, or has he been left out in the cold to face it alone?Away from

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21:15

Why Olly Robbins isn’t Labour’s only problem

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/21

The news agenda may be dominated by Olly Robbins’ highly-anticipated evidence session to MPs on the Mandelson scandal – but is an even more significant story unfolding elsewhere?Cabinet ministers and other senior Labour figures (but not the Prime Minister) will gather at a key conference – setting out competing visions on growth, energy security and economic policy. Are they positioning themselves for a future without Keir Starmer?Sam and Anne assess what Labour grandees can do to revive the party’s

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22:28

The problem with Keir’s Mandelson defence

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/20

The Prime Minister faces another defining day as he confronts MPs over one question - when did he and No10 learn that Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting?Keir Starmer has blamed top foreign office diplomat - Sir Olly Robbins - for not telling him, but allies of the mandarin are fighting back ahead of his expected appearance before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee tomorrow.Sam and Anne unpack the competing claims, the ongoing fallout and whether this has become a defining crisis for

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20:07

Going postal: The election brawl begins

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/16

With three weeks to polling day, postal voting is underway in local and devolved elections across the UK - but will the process stay clean and how much could deepfakes distort the campaign?In Scotland, an almighty row has erupted between Labour and Reform over an alleged behind-the-scenes alliance to remove the SNP, with both parties branding each other liars.Down in Wales, questions are being raised over whether a party could win the most votes yet fail to form the next administration under the new

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20:39

Trump v Britain: The war of words spirals

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/15

Donald Trump unloads another scathing attack on Keir Starmer – throwing out threats and casting doubt on the special relationship once again – raising fresh question about what could happen next.All very awkward as the Chancellor touches down in Washington for a key IMF meeting and a state visit from King Charles looms on the horizon.Away from Trump-Starmer division – Sam and Anne unpack the reaction to yesterday’s exclusive revelation on the podcast that defence chiefs are trying to find more cuts

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22:21

Is Starmer guilty of “corrosive complacency” on defence?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/14

The man who wrote Keir Starmer’s defence review says the Government is putting the UK ‘in peril’ at a time of war.With more pressure to overhaul the defence budget, Sam reveals that talks going on this week to find billions of pounds worth of savings from this year’s MOD budget.Also – has Ed Miliband shifted his stance on new North Sea oil and gas drilling?Plus, in our weekly polls check-in: are the Greens shifting the dial of momentum in their favour?

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21:03

The rising cost of trouble abroad

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/13

What is the Prime Minister’s top priority as he faces down a critical month? He has a busy basket of problems on the domestic and foreign front – all set on the backdrop of a crucial set of elections.In the Middle East, with no peace deal between the U.S. and Iran and the Strait of Hormuz still blocked, a leading think tank issues some stark warnings about the impact on British households.In Parliament, as the session draws to a close, MPs face the mammoth task of sifting through 17 pieces of

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31:45

Why is so much at stake in the May elections?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/04/06

With one month to go until the local elections in England, Wales and Scotland - is the electoral map about to be redrawn?In his first major test since the general election, Sir Keir Starmer faces a major health check and verdict on his government and leadership. Could the results reshape his premiership?In this special episode, Sam and Anne are joined by elections analyst Professor Rob Ford to discuss the key battlegrounds across the country.Can the SNP hold on for a fifth term at Holyrood?Could

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20:05

Keir takes charge on Iran contingencies

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/03/30

MPsmaybeonrecess-butastheIranwarentersitsfifthweekshouldWhitehallrampupcontingencyplanningforitsimpactathome?WiththeStraitofHormuzstillshutandreportsofapotentialU.S.groundinvasionthePrimeMinisterwillhostaroundtablewithkeystakeholdersfromindustrytodiscusstheongoingimpacts.Elsewhere,Labourlaunchitslocalelectionscampaign,andtheduolookatthepollsfromanationalperspective,assessingthestateofthepartieswithakeymonthaheadtoMay7th.NextMondaySamandAnnereturnwithalookaheadtothelocalelectionswithacademicandpollste

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19:55

From Tehran to Teesside: Could Starmer run out of...

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/03/26

The Iran conflict may be dominating the headlines, but it’s the unintended consequences back home that are bothering the Prime Minister.With Tehran rejecting Donald Trump’s 15-point peace plan, will the government be forced to step up contingency planning to cover issues as diverse as fertiliser, fuel costs and even helium production?Sir Keir Starmer is in Finland for a military summit – so Sam and Anne assess the urgent priorities at home and abroad.But back in Westminster, the Morgan McSweeney

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19:17

The fuel plan ministers don’t want to talk about

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/03/25

How does the government plan for making sure the country has enough fuel without accidentally triggering a change in public behaviour which causes shortages?Sam and Anne discuss that tightrope this morning. Ministers will be frustrated by comments from the CEO of Shell about ‘ripple effects’ from the Iran war.The UK says supplies are solid, but it’ll be looking at different approaches being taken elsewhere in Europe.It’s the last PMQs before recess and what’s the story with Morgan McSweeney’s phone

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22:26

Rachel Reeves takes back control

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/03/24

Does Donald Trump always chicken out or is Keir Starmer in the dark about what is going to happen next in the Middle East? The U.S. President has paused military action in Iran for five days, but pressure remains on the government to support those struggling with energy bills.Sam and Anne unpack a turbulent 24 hours for the Prime Minister - examining how far the Chancellor can go to help those in need and whether she can afford it.Has Rachel Reeves learnt the lessons from Liz Truss – can she steady

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21:55

The cost of war becomes Reeves’ nightmare

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/03/23

As oil prices climb again – with neither the U.S. nor Iran backing down over the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz – what can the Prime Minister do to ease the economic strain?Later today Keir Starmer will convene an emergency COBR meeting to assess the cost-of-living impacts of the Iran war and consider if the government can further support households with a potential energy crisis looming.Sam and Anne examine the economic challenges facing the PM and the Chancellor, what role Britain is really

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21:42

Is Reeves next on the Rayner hit list?

Politics At Sam and Anne"s ·

2026/03/19

After a targeted attack on Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms, has Angela Rayner forced another climbdown from the Starmer premiership?Rayner allies are eyeing her return to frontline politics before the May elections – will Rachel Reeves be her next target? And does the Prime Minister really need his former deputy’s support?Sam and Anne consider all the factors and assess how credible a Rayner vision for Britain would be.Elsewhere, the UK launches a 50% tariff on all steel goods being imported

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