Politics At Jack And Sam's

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 assess 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. 

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 bit Bridget Phillipson. Sam and Anne will debrief Kemi Badenoch's Conservative speech next Wednesday afternoon. 

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 involvement of former Labour Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair.  The duo will also debrief the Starmer speech in an extra episode late on Tuesday afternoon. 

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 getting about him in their WhatsApps.

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 Anne will have their usual morning episodes from conference - plus they will be in your feed on Tuesday afternoon to debrief Sir Keir Starmer's speech. 

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?

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 error.”  In response a Downing Street source said "everything was declared properly in relation to the leadership election".  

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). 

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 parties in our voting intentions poll.  Sam and Anne will debrief Ed Davey's speech in an extra episode late on Tuesday afternoon. 

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 state visit last week.Plus, Gatwick's second runway gets the green light. 

After yesterday's pomp and pageantry at Windsor, today the U.S. President gets down to business, meeting with Prime Minister - Keir Starmer - at Chequers.  Sam and Anne look at what's on the agenda and what the leaders might be forced to talk about, ranging from the recognition of a Palestinian state to their nation's associations with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  Away from the state visit, Sam also has some intel on government exercises and more on the dynamics between the PM and his chief of staff. 

Donald Trump is here and his day is all about time with the King before dinner at Windsor Castle this evening. Away from the carriages and flypasts (and without any mention of Jeffrey Epstein) - there's other business for Sam and Anne.Sam picks up that Keir Starmer did consider effectively demoting Morgan McSweeney. On that, we're back on the softened rules to remove a Labour PM with your messages on it. Also - has the government failed to get to grips with the law which underpins its ‘one in, one out' scheme? 

Are some Labour skeletons about to come crashing out of the closet?  Keir Starmer needs state visit week to go perfectly but it's already had a rocky start with the resignation of one of his most trusted aides.Paul Ovenden quit after ‘inappropriate' messages he sent about Diane Abbott in 2017 resurfaced.  Sam and Anne ponder if there are more messages which are about to cause trouble for other senior Labour staffers.  Also - the first ‘one in, one out' migrant flights were cancelled after legal challenges.And the week hasn't started brightly for the Tories either – as they lose one of their biggest thinkers, Danny Kruger, to Reform. 

With less than 48 hours until U.S. President touches down on UK soil, preparations are ramping up to roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump. The duo look at what deals are on and maybe off the agenda for Keir Starmer and if the unprecedented second state visit can distract from the Prime Minister's gloom at home.  Sam and Anne also discuss the mood around No10, the Labour party and MPs after two high profile dismissals within weeks of the PM's ‘phase two' of government. 

The future of Lord Peter Mandelson – the UK's ambassador to the US - hangs in the balance as more allegations emerge surrounding his communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. With pressure mounting and an imminent state visit from US President Donald Trump, will the prime minister still back him?

Private concerns around the public finance black hole in Whitehall dominates the chatter, as the Chancellor aims to plug the £20-£40 billion gap ahead of the budget.  Sam and Anne discuss the situation and ask: What's the tone on the issue? What happened in Keir Starmer's first new-look cabinet meeting? What influence is the new environment secretary having? Elsewhere, the Prime Minister welcomes the Israeli President to Downing Street as tensions escalate in the Middle East, and we check in on the state of the Labour deputy leadership race. 

With 48 hours until nominations close – the race to become the new deputy leader of the Labour party is well underway.  Sam and Anne discuss who are the runners and riders in the contest and where they will get their support from.  Away from party politics, Kemi Badenoch makes an offer to work with the government to cut the controversial Welfare bill.  Plus, the duo look at who's coming out on top in the polls. 

After the Prime Minister's reshuffle across the weekend, the new look government get to work on phase 2 of the Starmer project.  Sam and Anne discuss if a switch between Shabana Mahmood and Yvette Cooper - at the Home Office and the Foreign Office - will actually make a difference? Elsewhere, the NEC are expected to announce a timetable for the Labour party deputy leadership race, and the Assisted Dying Bill makes its first appearance in the House of Lords. 

Sam and Anne had this down as the first of our conference specials – as Nigel Farage delivered his speech to Reform delegates in Birmingham.  They're still debriefing on that on this episode but they can't ignore one of the most significant days of Keir Starmer's premiership so far and one of the biggest cabinet reshuffles in years.   Angela Rayner has gone. The cabinet has been overhauled with David Lammy now Deputy PM and Shabana Mahmood becoming Home Secretary.And, as you'd expect, Reform are using the Rayner saga to try to make capital – but was Farage polished enough in Birmingham? 

The government minister responsible for housing didn't pay enough tax on her house. Sam and Anne let Angela Rayner's admission sink in on this episode – aa they wonder how much government business is on hold as a result.  The independent ethics adviser Laurie Magnus' view on how she took inaccurate legal advice could be public within days – presumably that means the cabinet reshuffle has to wait until the Deputy Prime Minister knows her fate.Never mind what else it might mean for the early days of Keir Starmer's “phase two”.   But, whatever the outcome, is it safer for Starmer to keep Angela Rayner in a job? 

 The date for the budget will be confirmed today – so Sam and Anne look at the options for Rachel Reeves' diary with a backdrop of more market jitters.  They also go over the ways she could plug the hole in the public finances – estimated to be between £20-£50 billion –while still meeting her fiscal rules.  But why isn't the government saying more about the tricky decisions ahead?  There are more scraps from Monday's government reshuffle – with a name of someone who apparently turned down a role.  As well as from the first PMQs after summer, Keir Starmer will meet with the leader of Spain, Pedro Sanches, at Downing Street and new Green leader Zack Polanski gets to work. 

After the Prime Minister's mini reshuffle of backroom staff at Number 10 yesterday, will the optics behind the scenes work?  Sam and Anne discuss why the appointment of Darren Jones is significant to Phase 2 of the Starmer project – but will it there be trouble down the tracks?  Elsewhere, following a series of announcements on asylum and immigration policy, has the Home Secretary wrestled back the narrative on the issue? 

As MPs return to Westminster for a packed autumn term, will the Prime Minister be back with a bang?  Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy discuss what are Keir Starmer's priorities as the so called “reset week” begins.  There's chatter around No10 of a staffing restructure but could this impact the government's message and delivery of their missions?  Back in the Commons, the Home Secretary will lay out the government's plans to restrict family members from joining asylum seekers.   

With MPs returning to parliament in a few days, Sam and Anne look ahead to a packed autumn schedule.In the last episode of the Summer Box Set, both spill the beans on the latest news and gossip around Westminster, Whitehall and beyond.They'll mark the important dates in the calendar, break down the fortunes of the key players, and explain which areas could cause trouble for the government.Normal service resumes on the podcast on 1 September.

More than 50,000 migrants have arrived on small boats across the English Channel since Labour came to power, but will Keir Starmer's plan to smash the gangs and the ‘one in, one out' scheme solve the issue?    In this episode, Sam and Anne are joined by Danny Shaw, a former journalist and adviser to Yvette Cooper, to discuss the Home Office's biggest priorities.  They discuss:   If more needs to be done to stop migrants crossing the Channel.   What policing reform could look like.   Whether there is a plan to lower violence against women and girls.   Sam and Anne's weekday morning episodes return on 1st September. 

Education, education, education' was how Tony Blair set out New Labour's priorities in the early noughties. A quarter of a century on, what story is Keir Starmer trying to tell about schools under his premiership?In this episode, Sam and Anne are joined by Laura McInerney, a former teacher and co-founder of Teacher Tapp, to break down the government's plan for education as we head into a new school year. They ask:•  What will be included in the education white paper?•  Can there be further devolution within the education system?•  Will Bridget Phillipson remain as the education secretary? Sam and Anne are getting a lie-in over summer recess, but they'll be in your feed with special episodes every Monday before normal services resumes on 1 September.

The government has a 10-year health plan it says can fix the NHS, but what does it look like in practical terms and when will the public see a difference? On this episode, Sam and Anne are joined by Alastair McLellan, the editor-in-chief of the Health Service Journal, to deep dive into the details.They ask:•  Where is health service funding going?•  What role will technology and AI play in delivering services?•  And are Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting facing an autumn of ongoing strikes? Sam and Anne are getting a lie-in over summer recess, but they'll be in your feed with special episodes every Monday, before normal service resumes on 1 September.

Sir Keir Starmer is a prime minister who is arguably more comfortable abroad – and has spent his first year in office putting Britain front and centre on the world stage. So, in this episode, Sam and Anne are joined by Politico's editor-in-chief, John Harris, to discuss the major international issues facing the government in the coming parliament.With trade deals and ongoing conflicts across the globe dominating the agenda, the trio ask:• Is the UK living in Trumpland?• How will relationships abroad impact Britain's role in the world?• And does Starmer have the political strength to put pen-to-paper on some upcoming deals with the EU? Sam and Anne are getting a lie-in over summer recess, but they'll be in your feed with special episodes every Monday, before normal service resumes on 1 September.

It is arguably the number one issue facing the government – how do they get the economy thriving and growing again.  Sam and Anne are joined by Sky News' Economics and Data Editor, Ed Conway, to weigh up the options on the table for Rachel Reeves.  Ahead of a crucial budget in the autumn, the trio address:  How will the Chancellor fill the black hole in the public finances? Are tax changes on the horizon? Will there be more nationalisation?  Plus, there is still some time to predict if Rachel Reeves will remain in Number 11 Downing Street, after a tumultuous year in office.  Sam and Anne are getting a lie-in over summer recess, but they'll be in your feed with special episodes every Monday before normal services resumes on September 1st. 

We couldn't get to recess without a reshuffle after all. Standby for movements on the Conservative frontbench today.  It sounds like Sir James Cleverly is on his way back to shadow cabinet. Sam and Anne discuss how Kemi Badenoch will feel about the optics of that return.  Also, on the day MPs leave Westminster for summer, the Chancellor faces the Treasury Committee after an eventful couple of weeks. 

The Government announces the “Reed Reforms” to fix Britain's water system, but will it make a difference?  Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy consider if customers' bills will go down and what practical changes will be made.  The Prime Minister meets with two world leaders later this week ahead of the parliamentary summer recess.  Plus, we hear about an unexpected visitor in the Coates household. 

The Prime Minister suspends four Labour MPs for “persistent breaches of discipline” as the fallout from the welfare reforms continues.  Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy discuss who they are, why now and what was the point, as the government attempts to restore order on the backbenches.   Keir Starmer also welcomes German Chancellor – Friedrich Merz – to London, in the hope of signing a wide-ranging bilateral cooperation treaty.  Plus, the PM's missions reappear on the agenda as he makes a speech at the first Civil Society Summit. 

Now details of the enormous accidental data breach by a British soldier that put thousands of Afghans' lives at risk can be discussed publicly – Sam and Anne try to address some of the biggest questions on this episode. They include: Why did the government break the glass on using a superinjunction? Has anyone been sacked? Why did the Labour government keep the superinjunction in place for so long?  There's still a bit of time to go over Rachel Reeves' Mansion House speech. Did it reassure financiers and investors? 

With the Chancellor set to make a keynote speech to the City at Mansion House - are her fiscal rules as iron clad as we thought?  Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy explore what options are on the table for Rachel Reeves to fill the large black hole in the public finances.  Across the pond, Donald Trump says he “likes” Keir Starmer, even though “he's a liberal” - as he puts pressure on Vladimir Putin to sign a ceasefire agreement.  Plus, the government pushes a new scheme to promote the purchase of electric cars, but it will make a difference? 

The Chancellor is back out on the road to start the government's re-launch week, ahead of the parliamentary recess.  In today's episode, Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy explain how comments on a proposed wealth tax by Rachel Reeves' cabinet colleagues may have already put her in a tricky situation.   Elsewhere, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Windsor Castle will host U.S. President – Donald Trump – for a second unprecedented state visit in September. 

Ex-Conservative chairman and friend of Boris Johnson - Sir Jake Berry – is defecting to Reform UK, causing more problems for Kemi Badenoch.  On today's episode, Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy discuss if his defection will divide parts of Reform policy.  Elsewhere, the Anglo-French summit gets underway, as the Prime Minister hopes to announce a migration deal with the French President to deter small boat crossings.  Plus, chatter around Whitehall that No10 are considering a pre-summer reshuffle, but will it have any value? 

After yesterday's royal welcome from King Charles, President Macron will get down to business today, meeting the Prime Minister for lunch, after PMQs.  But, as Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy discuss on this episode, away from the pomp, Keir Starmer's in-tray doesn't look any less challenging.   It includes a headache for health secretary Wes Streeting as resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, announce a new strike as well as a punchy warning from the OBR on making promises to the public.  Also today. the Welfare Bill returns to the Commons – with reports of another rebellion brewing.  

The first European state visit since Brexit starts today – as President Macron arrives at Windsor Castle.   On this episode, Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy look at what's on the agenda beyond the pomp and ceremony. Will the government get its “one in, one out” migration deal over the line?  Plus, which one of our presenters needs to make a confession about the 2008 French state visit? 

Could Westminster be on for a quieter week?Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy ponder that as the Prime Minister takes stock after the welfare rebellion - with some in the party telling Sam they're just focussing on getting to recess before a September reset.But the issue they can't shake off - will there be tax rises? With the Chancellor's black hole adding up to far more than £5.5bn - is there any other choice, In fact, could that black hole be more like £20bn?And which taxes would they be?

Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.   After Chancellor Rachel Reeves was seen visibly sobbing in PMQs, the Prime Minister last night confirmed she would be Chancellor for a long time to come – but will that be enough to calm fears in the markets? And what do we think is really going on with the Chancellor? Sam and Anne discuss.   And what about Keir Starmer's fate – are some in his own party questioning his longevity?  Also, the NHS 10-year plan includes the creation of 200 new neighbourhood health centres as well as improvements to the NHS app – but does it improve the fundamentals?  

The Prime Minister fended off losing a Commons vote on welfare changes but wakes up with a massive repair job to do within his party – and economically.  Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy wonder what the consequences will be after those last-minute concessions to keep Labour MPs on side.   There'll be new ways of balancing the finances (could they be filling a black hole by sending more?) but ALSO a post-mortem of how the government misjudged the mood of its own MPs. 

Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. Its judgement day for the government's welfare bill and it's unclear from all sides whether the legislation will pass, despite billions of pounds worth of concessions from the Prime Minister to win over his backbench MPs. The bill could lead to Sir Keir Starmer's largest rebellion so far, exactly one year on from the day that he came into power, leaving questions about his credibility and authority to govern.