Talking Politics

For this special edition of Talking Politics, Peston sits down with Sir Keir Starmer for a one-on-one interview right after a well-received speech at the Labour conference, in which he spent much - if not most - of his time taking aim at Nigel Farage.The Prime Minister claimed the next election will be a battle between Reform and the Labour Party, describing it as "the fight of our times" - and said it would be a "mistake" to ignore the threat Reform posed, dismissing claims he was fueling the fire by making Farage the focus of his attacks.Peston also asks him - after the many bruising experiences of late - whether he ever thinks about packing it all in and handing the job over to someone else.All episodes of Talking Politics are also available to watch on the ITV News YouTube channel and ITVX.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Can Sir Keir Starmer's vision for a renewed Britain - littered with attacks on Nigel Farage - help reset the prime minister's own dire standing with the public?In this special Talking Politics at Labour's conference in Liverpool, Robert Peston and Tom Bradby react minutes after the PM's keynote speech.And after a poll revealed Starmer is the least popular PM since records began, can the vision for growth he set out to a supportive flag-waving audience of Labour members help restore voter confidence in his government outside the conference hall?Or could his repeat scripted jibes at the Reform UK leader play into his rival's hands?Got a question for Tom or Robert? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll look to answer it in our next Talking Politics Q&A episode.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

In an exclusive interview Talking Politics, actor and campaigner Hugh Grant said he feels let down by the Labour government.He claims the Prime Minister had promised hacking victims that they would introduce a new law bringing tougher regulations for British newspapers while in opposition.But Mr Grant says they feel “personally betrayed” by seeing the PM forging close relationships with major publishers.The Hollywood star, who was the victim of press intrusion himself, has campaigned on behalf of hacking claimants since 2011, as part of the group Hacked Off.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

The Treasury is expecting £30 billion tax rises in November's Budget - so how will chancellor Rachel Reeves fund that without breaking her spending rules?In Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston look at her possible solutions and why the next moves represent a nightmare for the chancellor.Meanwhile, Nigel Farage claims Reform would save Britain billions cracking down on legal migration by removing the indefinite leave to remain for many who have made Britain home.And while the controversial immigration policy's funding plan has been widely questioned - could it add up to another voting win for Reform?Plus, what does the freedom of speech row that took Jimmy Kimmel off air for a few days tell us about the Trump regime? And how has Robert's question to the US president captured the imagination of Jon Stewart and the makers of Diaper Diplomacy?Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

In this special interview for Talking Politics and the Peston show, Robert Peston speaks to Sir Ed Davey from the Lib Dem party conference.The pair discuss the surge in right-wing politics, whether windfall taxes on banks would choke economic growth and why the Lib Dem leader thinks Elon Musk is running a criminal enterprise. You can watch the interview on the latest episode of Peston on Monday night and on ITVX thereafter.Got a question for Robert and Tom? Email talkingpolitics@itv.comGot a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Tom Bradby is joined by Political Editor Robert Peston and US Correspondent Dan Rivers from the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers, where he has just survived a press conference alongside the US President. Has Sir Keir Starmer, in spite all of his difficulties on the domestic front, played it perfectly with the world's most powerful man - and as a result, bagged billions upon billions of investment from some of America's top companies?Plus, Tom and Dan discuss: After his day at Windsor Castle, why is it that Donald Trump seems to love and respect King Charles and the Royal Family so much? Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

He's already lost his deputy Angela Rayner, the questions are mounting over Peter Mandelson's disastrous appointment, and now one of Keir Starmer's top aides Paul Ovenden has been forced to quit after an ITV News exclusive revealed his own shocking private messages. So how will the PM navigate the deepening leadership crisis without one of his key strategists?In Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are joined by our Political Correspondent Shehab Khan, who exposed the PM's aide's sickening messages about Diane Abbott, to assess the fallout from the story.Tom and Robert then discuss the looming threat to Starmer's position as he prepares to host Donald Trump's state visit and the emboldening of the far-right movement in the UK and US in the wake of the assassination of pro-Trump activist Charlie Kirk.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Should ministers like Angela Rayner get thousands of pounds in severance pay if they resign?In this Q&A Tom Bradby and Robert Peston answer that audience question and more, including:Will Rayner's resignation trigger more investigations into politicians and government officials to see what claims they're making that they shouldn't?Could Keir Starmer ever take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights?How can we have a Deputy PM in David Lammy who openly backs claims for reparations into the billions regarding slavery in the past?And after 10 years of social media churning ‘politics' for entertainment, can it ever now stop being a soap opera?Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Keir Starmer has sacked Peter Mandelson as Britain's UK ambassador to the US following the release of more damaging emails he sent to Jeffrey Epstein.In this emergency episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston react to the continued fallout after the bombshell birthday book revelations and assess the damage to the prime minister and the Labour government.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

The Jeffrey Epstein birthday book revelations have further implicated Donald Trump and Bill Clinton and forced a grovelling apology from the UK Ambassador to the US's Peter Mandelson.In Talking Politics, Robert Peston and Tom Bradby examine why Mandelson's past letters to the convicted paedophile financier - released now by a US congressional committee - are so catastrophic for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.The duo analyse how Kemi Badenoch used the issue to finally dominate at PMQs, compare Mandelson's precarious political predicament with Angela Rayner's recent resignation over unpaid stamp duty and discuss the other biggest headaches facing Starmer heading into Autumn's Budget, including why tax rises are now inevitable.Got a question for Tom and Robert?Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer it in our weekly Talking Politics Q&A show

After a momentous day in British politics, Julie Etchingham is joined by Political Editor Robert Peston and Political Correspondent Harry Horton who is at the Reform UK conference in Birmingham.Angela Rayner finally fell on her sword, triggering a major reshuffle of Starmer's top team. David Lammy is stepping up as his deputy, Yvette Cooper becomes Foreign Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood fills in as Home Secretary. Is that the end of the chaos in Westminster for now - or is it just beginning?Meanwhile, Harry Horton joins us from Birmingham where Nigel Farage kicked off Reform UK's biggest-ever conference in high spirits. He talks us through some of the familiar faces there, and why party members see it as a watershed moment for their movement.

In this Q&A Tom Bradby and Robert Peston answer some of our audience's burning questions, namely:When did politicians first stop answering the question? And what are your strategies to make them answer it?The cost of living crisis is getting worse and Rachel Reeves appears clueless to fix it. So is this Autumn now her last chance?If Britain is broke, why do we need to give money to wealthy pensioners?Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.

In this special episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby is joined by Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith to discuss Reform, immigration and Nigel Farage's latest ‘flip-flop'.Why did Mr Farage today change his tune on his party's immigration policy for women and children, after saying at a press conference just yesterday that ‘absolutely anyone' who comes here illegally will be detained and deported? How do Reform's immigration policies in general hold up to scrutiny? And why could tackling the small boats crisis determine which party wins the next general election?You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube, or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

In this special episode of Talking Politics, Film director turned Member of the House of Lords Baroness Beeban Kidron exclusively tells ITV News why she thinks the government is pushing the Artificial Intelligence Bill, and siding with the big tech companies.She tells us why celebrities like Elton John and Dua Lipa are backing her campaign to stop the government from using copyrighted creative work to train AI and what AI-produced films could mean for the industry.You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube, or on your favourite podcast platform.

In this emergency episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby is joined by Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo and US Correspondent Dan Rivers to react to the talks hosted by President Trump at the White House today. Is this a major step towards real, lasting peace in Ukraine - or has the difficult part of the discussions only just begun? What will the possible Ukraine-Russia-US meeting have in store - and is there any agreement on territories that will satisfy the different demands of Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy?You can watch all episodes of Talking Politics on YouTube or the news section of ITVX.

In this special episode, Julie Etchingham is joined by ITV News' Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith to discuss her exclusive interview with the former First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon.Julie reveals how Sturgeon is "lifting the lid" on some deeply personal matters -  and Peter explains how the "formidable" politician was one of the few people he would get nervous about interviewing.They also reflect on some of the biggest moments of her titanic career, such as her relationship with Alex Salmond, her arrest in 2023, her attempt at gender recognition reform and much more.You can watch 'Nicola Sturgeon: The Interview' on ITVX and on the ITV News YouTube page.And, you can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

In this Q&A special Tom Bradby and Robert Peston answer our audience's questions, namely:Are the far left finished in UK politics? Or could Jeremy Corbyn's new party pose a threat to Labour?What are the odds of our next government in 2029 being a coalition?Will Reform end up defeating itself? And could you ever see Nigel Farage leading the Conservatives?Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.

On this special edition of Talking Politics, Carl Dinnen joins Tom Bradby from President Trump's golf course in Turnberry where he hosted Prime Minister Keir Starmer for talks.Tom asks Carl what it was like being in the room with the two very different leaders and what he made of the issues discussed, including: Trump's shifting position on Putin and the new ceasefire deadlineHow well Keir Starmer is handling the UK/US relationship with Trump in powerTrump and Starmer's positions on the starvation crisis in GazaThe awkward moment Trump reignited his beef with the Mayor of London Sadiq KhanWhy Trump struggled with deflecting questions about his relationship with Jeffrey EpsteinGot a question for our Q&A show? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

What's the problem at the heart of Nigel Farage's new prison pledge? And why was Keir Starmer so unprepared to talk poverty? With Tom Bradby away, Paul Brand joins Robert Peston to discuss that, plus:- Why Kemi Badenoch's reshuffle may have surprised James Cleverly- Can the PM placate Donald Trump during his golfing holiday in Scotland?- Why are UK officials - unlike other nations - so reluctant to reveal details of the PM's movements?Got a question for our Q&A show? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Why is the Afghan data breach so unnerving? And why was Keir Starmer kept in the dark by his defence secretary?In this episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss that plus…Why lessons are still to be learned from Britain's past foreign policy failingsHow Keir Starmer and Donald Trump might have approached the Blair-Bush Iraq conflictThe US President's changing tactics in dealing with Vladimir PutinWhy Trump and King Charles' differing visions for the state visit is causing Downing Street kittensGot a question for Tom and Robert? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

WATCH the full episode here: https://youtu.be/T2wBEjJcaVQOn this episode of Talking Politics Q&A, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston dig into how moves to court Reform voters will only damage Labour. Plus, they answer:Who is the Norman Tebbit of politics today?Is Nigel Farage's £250,000 offer to non-doms to avoid tax good politics?Why does standing in the Mayoral Elections cost £10,000?How can the Lib Dems take advantage of Labour and Tory failings?Got a question for Tom and Robert that you want featured in next week's show?Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

What are the flaws in Britain and France's new effort to control migration and stop the boats?Why could we all be carrying identity cards before the next election?Plus what is the difficult economic truth that ALL politicians need to start talking about?Tom Bradby and Robert Peston reveal all in Talking Politics…Got a question for Tom and Robert? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

Another week, another public spat between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. This time it came after billionaire Musk announced he was launching a new party, the America Party, to challenge the Republican and Democratic "Uniparty".But what did Trump have to say about it, and will this feud ever end?On this week's Talking Politics USA, Tom Bradby and Robert Moore discuss the bromance that's turned into a bust-up, and where Trump goes from here. Also on the show, President Trump and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are very different leaders but are the challenges they face the same and what can they learn from each other?Want to get in touch? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

WATCH the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg_6UdoB3bM In this Q&A special coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Labour's general election win, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston answer our audience's questions about the party and the government, namely:What's Labour's next embarrassing U-turn?If Starmer continues to lose the faith of his party and the country, could he be forced to call a general election?The latest opinion polls show Reform slipping to only 2% ahead of Labour, with the Tories 10 points behind. So, is talk of a Labour crisis exaggerated?Why have we seen a rebellion within Labour about welfare reforms, but nothing when it comes to the genocide in Gaza?Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.

On this episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston dig into Labour's governing woes and debate whether Sir Keir Starmer's chancellor Rachel Reeves will pay the price.You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for Tom and Robert? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston hosted a live question and answer session as rebel Labour MPs dealt Sir Keir Starmer his biggest humiliation yet in government. The prime minister's welfare reform bill passed its second reading in the Commons in the end, but it was watered down so heavily it was barely recognisable from when it was first unveiled. So what happens now to those in receipt of personal independence payments and Universal Credit? And with the government's series of U-turns this week losing them billions of pounds of planned savings, where on earth does Chancellor Rachel Reeves look now to plug the gap? You can also watch all episodes of Talking Politics on YouTube and ITVX. 

You might not have heard of Zohran Mamdani, but last week he took New York by storm to win the city's Democratic primary, beating establishment figure Andrew Cuomo and put himself within touching distance of becoming the city's next mayor.So who is he, how did he do it and why do some people view him as so controversial?On this week's Talking Politics USA, our Washington producer Aisha Kherallah spoke with Tom Bradby about the 33 year old's remarkable rise.Also on the show, Tom and correspondent Rachel Younger discuss a week of wins for President Trump - aka "The Daddy" - and what it might mean for his grip on power.Want to get in touch? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

WATCH the full episode here: https://youtu.be/KyZqfgQaBgEIn this Q&A special Tom Bradby and Robert Peston answer our audience's questions, namely:Can you ever envisage a UK government banning the burka?Was anti-terror law really written to stop groups like Palestine Action?Is the UK legally obliged to give free accommodation to illegal migrants?Do disaffected Labour voters receive enough media coverage of the Lib Dems and Greens?Have you ever seen a politician cry?Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.You can catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.

Has Donald Trump's approach to Iran and Israel empowered Vladimir Putin? Is Britain buying US nukes for the RAF a bad deal? And why is the government in yet another U-turn mess on welfare?Tom Bradby and Robert Peston talk through all the key political talking points.Got a question for Tom and Robert? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com and we'll answer them on our Talking Politics Q&A show.

On Talking Politics USA this week, Tom Bradby is joined by Robert Peston, Emma Murphy in Iraq and Dan Rivers in Washington to discuss America's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and the potential consequences for the Middle East and the rest of the world.The team discuss what Iran might do next, whether President Donald Trump and his administration really want regime change in Iran, and what America's actions tell us about the state of the relationship between the UK and the U.S.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com to make sure we're talking about the issues that matter most to you.

In a special edition of Talking Politics USA, Lucy Watson is joined in the studio by Jessica Taylor, election expert and analyst for the Cook Political Report, who joined ITV News on US Election night in 2024 as Donald Trump swept to a second term in the White House. They discuss: How the growing conflict in the Middle East is splitting the MAGA faithfulWhat impact will Trump's popularity have on next year's midterm electionsAnd the potential frontrunners to lead the Democratics and Republicans in 2028Catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics USA on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment below.

In a Talking Politics exclusive, the architect of the assisted dying bill Kim Leadbeater joins the podcast as MPs prepare for a crucial vote on the era-defining legislation.She explains to Paul Brand why she is "positive and optimistic" a majority will support the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in Friday's defining vote.And while Health Correspondent Rebecca Barry outlines the concerns from sections of the medical community - and the many unknowns that remain on how assisted dying will be implemented - Kim argues why MPs are ruling on "the most robust assisted dying bill in the world".Meanwhile, Robert Peston shares his analysis after grilling Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the G7 in Canada on splits among world leaders over the Iran-Israel conflict and the handling of the grooming gangs inquiry.

This week on Talking Politics USA, we hear from U.S. correspondent Dan Rivers about what influence Donald Trump could have on the developing conflict between Israel and Iran.Lucy Watson speaks to Pete Souza, the man who was Barack Obama's chief photographer for eight years in the White House and thinks the images from today's administration are more like a "reality show".And Stacy Foster recalls her whirlwind time covering for Dan in DC - from rushing coast to coast to cover the protests in Los Angeles, to trying to grab a glimpse of President Trump's much-discussed military parade.Want to get in touch? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

In this week's Q&A, Paul Brand and Robert Peston answer the political questions that matter to you, including:What has Keir Starmer achieved since he became PM?What can the government realistically do to bring the cost of living down?Why isn't financial, legal and political education part of the curriculum?Which MP would you pick to take a lie detector test?Catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.

In this special edition of Talking Politics, Paul Brand is joined by Political Editor Robert Peston, Economics Editor Joel Hills and Investigations Editor Daniel Hewitt to pour over the key inclusions - and omissions - in Rachel Reeves's spending review, discussing…The chancellor's key announcementsThe winners and losers as the austerity era endsWhat the headline announcement on affordable housing means for the country's housebuilding crisisWhy this is the most significant political moment for this governmentWhere the money has been found for savingsAnd whether Rachel Reeves's many jokes at Nigel Farage's expense will backfire on her.Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.

In this week's Talking Politics USA, Lucy Watson, US correspondent Dan Rivers and former White House adviser Laura Schwartz answer your questions, including:If Elon Musk and Donald Trump continue fighting, who will come out of it worse?What's the difference between Trump's travel ban and his 2017 'Muslim ban'?How effective is Trump's 'Mexican wall' and immigration policies?How can a President who claims to understand business not understand the negative effect from constantly changing tariff arrangements?Why are the Democrats' approval ratings down so low?Is the While House press office just a propaganda machine?Do you have a question you'd like the team to answer? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Lucy Watson, Dan Rivers, and Laura Schwartz gather for an impromptu bonus episode after relations between the world's richest man and perhaps the world's most powerful man collapsed at lightning speed.Elon Musk ramped up the row between the pair yesterday after claiming, without evidence, that Trump's administration hasn't released all the records related to sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein because the president is mentioned in them. He wrote on X: "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public."So what on earth just happened? Where did this spat begin? And how damaging could this be to the U.S. President? The team will be back on Monday with another Q&A session.

Keith Kellogg has perhaps the hardest job of all in the Trump administration. The retired general is the US President's Special Envoy for Ukraine, putting him right at the forefront of the American effort to end Russia's invasion - travelling between Washington, Kyiv, Turkey, the Middle East, attempting to reconcile the very, very different demands of Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and an increasingly impatient Donald Trump. And it has not been an easy ride. He was the first American official to meet with Zelensky after Trump called him a 'dictator' back in February; he was just a metre away when the pair later had that extraordinary shouting match in the Oval Office. And this week, he's been tasked with diffusing escalating tensions after Ukraine's audacious drone attack on Russian war planes. So it was quite a moment for our US Correspondent Dan Rivers to sit down with him for an extended interview, to discuss whether there is really ANY path to peace any more, and what it's been like dealing with Donald Trump behind the scenes.

In this episode of Talking Politics, UK Editor Paul Brand and Political Editor Robert Peston evaluate the potential political gain and public damage from Robert Jenrick's recent video stunts.The pair are then joined by Economics Editor Joel Hills to preview the challenges for Rachel Reeves heading into next week's Spending Review, including whether tax rises could now be unavoidable.Plus, they dig into why the UK's recent tariffs arrangement has caused absolute consternation among the country's biggest food suppliers.Watch or listen to the latest episode of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.

This week on Talking Politics USA, Dan goes behind the scenes at the White House to meet Natalie Winters, co-host of Steve Bannon's 'War Room' and one of the new MAGA media cohort who have been granted greater access by President Donald Trump.As Elon Musk bids farewell to the White House, Lucy Watson and Laura Schwartz join Dan to discuss whether this really is goodbye to the world's richest man and what his legacy will be.Plus after Trump goes to war with Harvard, Dan reflects on meeting students at the university and the team discuss the new TACO meme which is ruffling the president's feathers.Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

In this special edition of Talking Politics, Robert Peston meets ex-Civil Service chief Simon Case. Sir Simon served four prime ministers as Civil Service chief before standing down as Cabinet secretary in December.In a wide-ranging conversation about the prime minister's plans to significantly invest in the UK's defence capability, including its nuclear deterrent, Sir Simon warned that the UK and West "better be ready" for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Plus:The future of America in EuropeThe struggle of government spending trade-offsThe infamous Truss letter: His side of the story You can watch or listen to more episodes of Talking Politics on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform. Got a question for Robert and the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts and we'll feature them in our Q&A special episodes.

In this week's Q&A, Paul Brand, Robert Peston and Harry Horton answer the political questions that matter to you, including:Why do you give Farage so much air time? Are we suffering from 'Farage Derangement Syndrome'?How long can Labour get away with blaming the previous government for their problems?What are the team's most difficult or awkward interviews? Catch up with the latest episode of Talking Politics USA on ITVX, YouTube or on your favourite podcast platform.Got a question for the team? Email us on talkingpolitics@itv.com or comment on our social media posts.