The New Statesman Podcast

And what do Labour really want from digital ID cards?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Yesterday morning, on Yom Kippur - the holiest day in the Jewish calendar - worshippers were attacked outside a synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.Two Jewish men were killed, three remain in hospital and the attacker, now known as Jihad Al-Shamie - a British citizen of Syrian descent - was shot dead at the scene by police.It was soon declared a terrorist incident. In close proximity to the October 7th anniversary, Jewish communities across the country have been shaken.Oli Dugmore is joined down the line by Ethan Croft.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Keir Starmer is polling as the UK's most unpopular Prime Minister in history. But days after his conference speech, some are asking whether a Starmer comeback is on the cards. What would that look like? Are they delusional? Tom McTague is joined by Andrew Marr.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Donald Trump says he has a plan to end the war in Gaza and bring eternal peace to the Middle East.Will Lloyd is joined by Katie Stallard to discuss how Trump is pursuing diplomacy in his second term.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Keir Starmer is on a mission to reclaim British patriotism.The prime minister has just finished his conference speech in Liverpool, addressing a hall full of delegates waving flags from England, Scotland and Wales.In some ways this was an attempt to celebrate Britain, its values, and its triumphs. In other very clear ways it was an attempted attack on Nigel Farage.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, Megan Kenyon and Ethan Croft.LISTEN AD-FREE:

The chancellor used her speech to define the Labour party in opposition to Reform and the Conservatives, and Shabana Mahmood the home secretary aimed to redefine patriotism in her speech, in hopes of clawing back voters lost to Farage's party.Meanwhile, Andy Burnham has been making headlines on the fringes.LISTEN AD-FREE:

The prime minister has described the opposition to Reform UK as “the fight of our times”, but a new poll has also found that Starmer has become the most unpopular PM on record. Meanwhile the spectre of Andy Burnham's leadership bid will not rest. There's a lot for Starmer to prove over the next few days in Liverpool at the Labour Party conference.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Ethan Croft.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Since 2021, billionaire Larry Ellison's personal foundation has donated or pledged at least £257m to the Tony Blair Institute. This took the former PM's think tank to a whole new level: it now has over 900 staff and is working across at least 45 countries.But who, exactly, does it work for?Will Lloyd is joined by Peter Geoghegan and May Bulman whose investigation into the TBI was published in The New Statesman this weekLISTEN AD-FREE:

Three years ago, Liz Truss announced her “mini”-Budget. Since then, the phrase “crashed the economy” has been used 238 times in the Commons. It can be found just three times in the records before then.Will Dunn sat down with the former PM for an exclusive interview.He joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss Truss's lasting impact on the economy.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Inside his Manchester kingdom, Labour's prince across the water outlined his radical blueprint to the New Statesman's editor, Tom McTague.Tom McTague joins Will Lloyd to discuss the mayor's vision.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Ed Davey came out swinging at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth this week, saying "Reform wants Britain to be like Trump's America."He said it was the Lib Dem's moral duty to defeat Nigel Farage, and warned that over in the US, people are "really fearful for democracy."Meanwhile, at the UN General Assembly in New York, Trump was firing on all cylinders: describing climate change as the "greatest con job ever", claiming that Europe is in “serious trouble over migration” and saying that London wants to “go to Sharia law”.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, George Eaton and Freddie Hayward. LISTEN AD-FREE:

This weekend Keir Starmer announced that the UK has formally recognised Palestine as an independent state. The Prime Minister said, "In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East we are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a two-state solution."Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision “absurd” and “a reward for terrorism”. This week at the UN France, Canada, Australia and others have also officially recognised the state.So - what impact will it actually have? Hannah Barnes is joined by Megan Kenyon.Read: Palestine's cycle of despairLISTEN AD-FREE:

Nigel Farage has escalated Reform's approach to the deportation of migrants, announcing that his party would abolish indefinite leave to remain should they take power… and Zarah Sultana drops her legal threats against fellow Your Party founder, Jeremy Corbyn.Hannah Barnes is joined by Megan Kenyon and Ethan Croft.LISTEN AD-FREE:

The abolition of the slave trade and of slavery itself in the 19th Century is generally understood to have been instigated by European and American abolitionists.However, has history overlooked how the enslaved themselves resisted their oppressors? Author and politics tutor at Oxford University, Sudhir Hazareesingh, has explored these stories of resistance in his new book Daring to be Free.Sudhir Hazareesingh discusses his findings with Tanjil Rashid.LISTEN AD-FREE:

The US dollar is about to flood Britain. American firms have pledged £150bn worth of investment in the UK, the government celebrates this as part of a wider plan to deepen economic ties with the US. But is there a bigger cost? As the pound flows back across the Atlantic, are we slowly but surely becoming American?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and Will Dunn.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Donald Trump and Keir Starmer have just finished their joint press conference from Chequers, drawing a close to the US president's state visit. Andrew Marr and Will Dunn will be joining Anoosh tomorrow on the podcast to discuss what these deals mean for Britain as dollars and pounds wash across the Atlantic Ocean - but today we're looking at something else frothy, the meltdown of Your Party.Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Megan Kenyon and Ethan Croft.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Zohran Mamdani has upended New York City politics – and potentially revitalised the American left.Born in Uganda, raised in Manhattan - the socialist mayoral candidate has captivated voters with his viral social media videos and progressive policies. He became the democratic nominee this June, beating political veteran and former governor of New York - Andrew Cuomo - in a tightly fought primary. If he wins in November this would be the highest office an avowed socialist has ever held in US politics. Can he do it? Megan Gibson is joined by New Statesman columnist Ross Barkan who profiled Mamdani for this week's cover story.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Trump is arriving in the UK today for his much anticipated state visit.Rachel Cunliffe and Will Lloyd look at how it might play out in the aftermath of the emergency debate which took place in parliament this afternoon concerning the appointment of Peter Mandelson.LISTEN AD-FREE:

This weekend more than 110,000 people from across the country took part in a far-right protest in central London organised by the activist Tommy Robinson - in his words, to “Unite the Kingdom”. This is thought to be the largest nationalist event in decades. St George's flags flooded the streets, speakers including Katie Hopkins and Elon Musk were projected to the crowds, and an overwhelming anti-muslim narrative shrouded the event.Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Will Lloyd and George Monaghan.Listen: A year undercover on the far rightRead: Murder, she wroteLISTEN AD-FREE:

Are the Greens ‘anarchists'? Has British politics become Americanised? And why was Theresa May prime minister?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions and explain LARPing to Andrew Marr.LISTEN AD-FREE:

In power for nearly a decade, Nicola Sturgeon is Scotland's longest-serving First Minister. She reshaped Scottish politics, leading the SNP through moments of crisis and opportunity, from the 2014 independence referendum to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since stepping down in 2023, Sturgeon has remained a powerful and sometimes polarising figure in public life. She reflects on this in her new memoir, Frankly.She joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss nationalism in Scotland, the shadow of Alex Salmond, and her public row with the author JK Rowling. In her words, “  where does she get the time to obsess about me?”LISTEN AD-FREE:

Earlier this week the prominent right-wing activist, and close Trump-ally, Charlie Kirk was shot during a public appearance in Utah. Graphic videos of the shooting immediately circulated online and his death was soon confirmed by Donald Trump.While many politicians across the spectrum have denounced the killing of Charlie Kirk - Trump has blamed what he calls “radical left political violence” and vowed to go after the organisations he deems responsible. A suspect was named and arrested earlier today.Katie Stallard is joined by Freddie Hayward.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Following the disarray caused by Angela Rayner's resignation and the sacking of Peter Mandelson, Keir Starmer's latest reset is a mess.His newly reshuffled cabinet appears to be largely a response to the very real threat of Nigel Farage. It seems, to his critics, that the Prime Minister is drawn to Reform's magnetic force to the right.But what does this mean for the direction of our country and its governing party?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Andrew Marr and George Eaton.LISTEN AD-FREE:

This week in part of an ongoing battle for the release of the “Epstein files”, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a trove of documents related to the pedophile financier. This comprised his will and personal address book - but generating the most controversy is an alleged "birthday book" given to Epstein in 2003 celebrating his fiftieth birthday. The 238-page book contains messages and photos sent by many of Epstein's friends, including Donald Trump and the UK's ambassador in America - Peter Mandelson.Will Lloyd is joined by Freddie Hayward.LISTEN AD-FREE:

This week the renters' rights bill returns to the House of Commons for its final debate. But in a country where tenants are spending around 40% of their income on rent, amidst an increasingly inflating housing market - does the bill go far enough?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman's business editor Will Dunn, and director of the Renters' Reform Coalition Tom Darling.Read: Landlords are a brake on growthLISTEN AD-FREE:

As Keir Starmer spent the weekend trying to glue his cabinet back together, another was basking in the glow of the NEC spotlights and a governmental crisis.LISTEN AD-FREE:

The Greens have a new leader. Listeners want to know what's in store for the left now.Tom McTague is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Cunliffe and Megan Kenyon to answer listener questions on:the future of the Green Party under Zack PolanskiJeremy Corbyn and Your Party's position on trans rightswhether a pro-immigration left party could win working class votesif the Lib Dems have any "serious" policiesLISTEN AD-FREE:

From the battlefields of Algiers to the corridors of Westminster, Britain's uneasy relationship with Europe has been shaped by thinkers, politicians, financiers, and strategists. In his new book, Between the Waves, the New Statesman's editor Tom McTague traces a previously uncovered history spanning eight decades of how Britain came to say “no” to Europe.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Angela Rayner resigned from government, and stood down as deputy Labour leader, following her failure to pay enough tax on a property in Hove. With this Keir Starmer has reshuffled his top cabinet, where are they headed now?Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Andrew Marr, Tom McTague and Megan Kenyon.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Andrew Marr joins the show to discuss Rayner, Immigration and Graham Linehan's arrest.***Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is under fire for underpaying Stamp Duty. The right are gleeful but Keir Starmer is standing by his deputy PM. Is he making the right move?Tom McTague is joined by Andrew Marr, Rachel Cunliffe, Megan Kenyon and George Monaghan.They also discuss how Labour must respond to the anti-immigration protests, and the questions around free speech that have been raised by the arrest (and subsequent release) of Graham Linehan over anti-trans tweets.Host: Tom McTagueGuest: Andrew MarrGuest: Rachel CunliffeGuest: Megan KenyonGuest: George MonaghanCHAPTERS:00:00 Angela Rayner10:15 Immigration26:00 Graham Linehan and free speechLISTEN AD-FREE:

Who gets to belong in Britain?In the past year, the conversation around immigration in Britain - across the political spectrum - has become increasingly vicious. As Tanjil Rashid, the New Statesman's culture editor, writes for this week's cover story - we are no longer in “an age of migration”. We have been propelled into something altogether new, “an age of deportation".Read: The age of deportationLISTEN AD-FREE:

How your snatched iPhone feeds a global criminal supply chain.Britain's exports have declined in many areas over the past few years, but there is one category in which trade is booming. The UK has become a leading exporter of stolen goods. From iPhones snatched by gangs on the streets of London to luxury cars stolen to order, criminal organisations are shipping vast amounts of items all around the world via Britain's ports. And the authorities cannot keep up.Tom Sasse is public policy editor at The Economist, and has been investigating Britain's stolen goods trade. He joins the New Statesman's business editor, Will Dunn, to explain how these criminal exports work, why the police are powerless to stop them, and the impact this crime is having - on individuals, on businesses and on the entire British economy.Listen next: The Manosphere: Red pills, incels and a misogyny epidemicHost: Will DunnGuest: Tom SasseLISTEN AD-FREE:

Who's in, who's out - and why?*Keir Starmer has reshuffled the treasury team and some key parliamentary staff, creating a new "Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister" role and restructuring the government's communication department.The changes indicate a renewed focus for the government, putting economic issues front-and-centre of operations ahead of the upcoming budget.The moves also suggest a change of direction in some areas, with leading proponents of the disastrous Winter Fuel Allowance repeal picking up their P45s.Rachel Cunliffe and Megan Kenyon join Anoosh Chakelian to discuss what can we learn from this reshuffle.LISTEN NEXT: What the Treasury reshuffle reveals about the budgetREAD: Will Keir Starmer's mini-reshuffle make a difference?Host: Anoosh ChakelianGuest: Megan KenyonGuest: Rachel Cunliffe*LISTEN AD-FREE:

The experimental novelist on finding God, being "a misfit" and her return to writing.--Nicola Barker is "has broken the mould so many times it's almost beyond repair". She's a post-punk literary anarchist who writes from the peripheries of the UK.Her experiments with narrative form have won her many plaudits, including the Goldsmith's Prize for literary fiction, which the New Statesman partners with.Barker joins Tanjil Rashid on the New Statesman culture podcast to discuss her latest novel, Tony Interrupter: a comedy about art, virality, chaos, and the surprising impact of freak events in Kent.LISTEN AD-FREE:

“⁠Do you think the English flag has been so easily co-opted by by the far right because there is no English government that is proudly flying the flag and building a better narrative around English national pride?” Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Harry Clarke-Ezzidio and George Eaton to answer listener quesitons.LISTEN AD-FREE:

It was foreseen for months, as Israel cut off all aid, but this month the UN declared that more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine.By the end of September, more than 640 000 people will face Catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Leading to preventable deaths on a devastating scale.For Humza Yousaf, the former First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader, the horrors facing the people of Gaza for the past two years are deeply personal. His wife Nadia has relatives in Gaza - the family has described the experience as a “living nightmare”.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Last October, the government published the Employment Rights Bill, a slate of reforms set to change workers' rights in the UK - from banning “fire and rehire” tactics, to ending exploitative zero-hours contracts, to giving workers employment protection from day one.The bill has passed through the Commons and is currently on its third reading in the House of Lords - the first changes are expected to be enacted in 2026.But what does this bill really mean for workers, businesses, and the economy? And could there be unintended consequences that even its biggest supporters are worried about?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, one of the UK's leading trade unions representing over 150,000 professionals across science, engineering, and technology.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Ahead of this autumn's budget there has been a reshuffle in Rachel Reeves' treasury team. What's at play? And what might it tell us about the trajectory of Britain's finances?Will Dunn, the New Statesman's business editor, is joined by George Eaton.Read: Torsten Bell rises as Rachel Reeves reshuffles her team; Rachel Reeves will never get serious on taxDownload the appLISTEN AD-FREE:

Students across the UK have reported a dramatic rise in misogyny in their schools. The government has described this as being on an "epidemic scale". This is often connected to social media content targeted at young men and boys, but is there more to it?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by journalist James Bloodworth, author of Lost Boys: A Personal Journey Through the Manosphere, to discuss.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Due to Britain's falling birth rates and the government's desire for lower immigration levels, does the government have any plan to financially encourage and support couples to have children?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to answer listener questions.Download the appLISTEN AD-FREE:

The Mayor of Manchester is the most popular choice to replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.Keir Starmer is now less popular than Donald Trump.Despite the Labour Party's historic election win just over one year ago, popularity ratings for leading Labour figures have plummeted.Economic woes, crunching u-turns, unrest over Gaza and asylum hotel protests have left leading Labour figures looking to their next leadership battle.George Eaton reports that Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting have both been monitoring their popularity among party members. But there is one tantalising option who polling reveals as the public's preferred choice: Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Could he be Britain's next Prime Minister?George joins Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe on the New Statesman podcast.Download the appHost: Anoosh ChakelianGuests: George EatonRachel CunliffeProducer:Catharine HughesVideo Producer:Rob Le MareExecutive Producer:Chris StoneLISTEN AD-FREE:

Following last year's riots, in the wake of the Southport murders, Elon Musk predicted civil war in the UK was “inevitable”. So far, however, no civil war…Over the last century, people in British politics at times of turmoil have raised the prospect of civil war, repeatedly, in ways not unlike today. What did they fear, and why? And what might we learn from the fact that - each time - those fears remained unfounded?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by author and journalist Phil Tinline.Download the appHost: Anoosh ChakelianGuest: Phil TinlineProducer: Catharine HughesVideo producer: Rob Le MareExecutive Producer: Chris StoneLISTEN AD-FREE:

Yesterday, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington, flanked by seven European leaders, in order to meet with Donald Trump and push forward talks to end the war in Ukraine.This came just three days after Trump's carefully choreographed meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.Could this be the beginning of the end for the drawn out conflict? And can Trump be trusted?Megan Gibson is joined by Katie Stallard.Download the appHost: Megan GibsonGuest: Katie StallardProducer: Catharine HughesVideo producer: Rob Le MareExecutive producer: Chris StoneLISTEN AD-FREE:

In 1978, the broadcaster and journalist Jonathan Dimbleby, and photojournalist Don McCullin, published The Palestinians - a book that sought to tell the human story behind one of the world's most intractable conflicts.This year, in the wake of the ongoing and constantly escalating war, the book will be republished with a new foreword. In this episode Dimbleby joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss the current phase of the conflict and its effect on UK politics.Read: Palestine's cycle of despair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's one thing you need this summer. A good book.Will Lloyd is joined by culture editor Tanjil Rashid, and staff writer Finn McRedmond to discuss the New Statesman's ultimate beach reads for 2025 and beyond.Download the app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Starmer face a vote of no confidence? What does Reform UK mean by scrap Net Zero? Should the Democrats distance themselves from the Clintons?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Will Lloyd to answer listener questions.Download the appAsk a question Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK economy is slowing... but not as much as expected. So that's good - isn't it?--Thursday morning, data was released showing that UK gross domestic product (or GDP) has slowed to 0.3% growth in the second quarter of the year - not as much as predicted.Also, JD Vance has been holidaying in the UK, recently meeting with a who's who of right-wing populists - from Robert Jenrick, to Nigel Farage, to, somewhat bizarrely, enjoying a BBQ with ex-Apprentice contestant and social media star, Thomas Skinner.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Will Dunn.Read: The Cotswolds plot against JD Vance - Finn McRedmond Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Saturday, in Westminster, police arrested more than 500 people under the Terrorism Act. That's more in a single day than have ever been charged with terrorist-related activity in a whole year.Many of those arrested were pensioners. Their crime: holding cardboard signs which read “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”One of those 532 people arrested on Saturday was Sir Jonathon Porritt, a long-time activist and campaigner on green and social justice issues, former environmental adviser to King Charles and patron to over 20 charities. He joins Anoosh Chakelian to explain why he took part in the protest, what led to his arrest, and why he fears the Home Secretary - and the Labour party - are becoming more authoritarian.--

US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for a high stakes summit to discuss the war in Ukraine.Trump has been upping the ante with his rhetoric around Putin in recent months. On July 14, the US president set Putin a 50 day deadline to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine. On July 28th, he reduced it to 10-12 days. As that deadline was reached last Friday, Trump announced plans for this summit. So, why is this happening now, and what will be on the agenda?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Katie Stallard.Read: What Putin wants from talks with TrumpDownload the app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Youth membership for the Labour party has collapsed – from 100,000 to just 30,000 under Starmer's leadership. The relationship between Labour HQ and its members on university campuses has soured over the past year, reaching boiling point following the prime minister's decision to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Hattie Simpson.Read: Inside Labour students' revolt over Gaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whit Stillman is something of a cult film director. He rose to prominence in 1990 with his debut film Metropolitan, which became the first in the so-called “Doomed. Bourgeois. In love” trilogy: Barcelona came out in 1994 and The Last Days of Disco in 1998. Set among America's so-called “Preppy” class, the films are comedies of manners in the tradition of Jane Austen, exploring the transitional phase of youth and a certain American identity.The films are now having something of a revival. Stillman joins the New Statesman's culture editor Tanjil Rashid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.