Podcasts about labour mp

The armed forces minister quits hours after the defence secretary steps down over the government's military spending plans. A new defence secretary has now been appointed. We talk to two Labour MPs about how to pay for extra defence spending, and where this leaves the prime minister.Also on the programme: We're live in Mexico City after the men's football World Cup's opening game. How is disorder on the streets of Belfast being coordinated on social media? And, following the popularity of weight loss jabs, the medicines regulator approves a weight loss pill for private prescription.

If you are worried about China taking over due to having better robots than the yanks, I got mixed messages for ya here. This was created using DeepSeek v4 Pro. Remember when DeepSeek could do the same thing as chatGPT but on shitty processors and not much RAM? All those stocks shit themselves? Oh what memories. Would have been a great time to buy NVIDIA stocks. I didn't, if you're asking....It's pretty good but it really didn't follow the instruction in the prompt that Joel Hill is Jack the Insider on the transcript. So that's a minus point. But also, this took fucking ages to generate. It's better than lots of the yankee slop but damn son this took MINUTES. So they might take over if we are patient or whatever. Enjoy the episode. ----------------------------------------------Joel Hill (Jack the Insider) and Hong Kong Jack return for a sprawling episode that tackles two of the biggest stories shaping politics in 2026. The pair open with the jaw-dropping Redbridge poll putting One Nation at 31% of the primary vote — a number that would all but wipe the National Party off the federal map and potentially deliver Anthony Albanese a strengthened majority government by splintering the right. Joel and Jack clash over whether culture-war grievances or material concerns are driving the surge, while drawing historical parallels to Joh for Canberra and the DLP split of the 1950s.The conversation then crosses hemispheres for a tour through UK chaos: Peter Mandelson's leaked dossier exposing a rudderless No. 10 under Keir Starmer, Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband pleading guilty to embezzling SNP donations on a surreal shopping spree of Lalique salt shakers, seven Dysons, and a motorhome with four miles on the clock, and a deeply troubling police body-cam incident that has reignited the two-tier policing debate ahead of three critical by-elections.The centrepiece of the episode is a sober, hour-long deep dive into the COVID-19 pandemic and what Australia has refused to learn. The Two Jacks lay out the true death toll (perhaps 22 to 69 million globally), the devastating scale of long COVID, the vaccine rollout failures, the absurdities of hotel quarantine with rubbish bags over heads, and why governments and public health officials are desperate to avoid a Royal Commission. They close by asking whether the next pandemic will meet a population that has permanently lost trust in its leaders — and whether we'll simply repeat the mistakes of both COVID and the Spanish flu.Sport provides a lighter coda: the Carlton revival under an interim coach, James Hird's awkward candidacy at Essendon, the expanded 48-team World Cup that nobody seems excited about, and a formidable New Zealand Test side taking on England at Lord's.00:00:25 — Introduction Joel welcomes listeners to Episode 159, recorded 4 June. Today: Australian political news, a check-in on the UK, and a deep dive into the COVID-19 pandemic.00:01:21 — The Redbridge Poll: One Nation at 31% The AFR's Redbridge poll: One Nation 31%, Labor 28%, LNP 20%, Greens 12%. The two-party preferred is now being calculated as One Nation versus Labor — a seismic shift in how Australian politics is measured.00:03:12 — Not Just a Protest Vote Jack argues this is real, not a re-run of Hanson's 1990s flash-in-the-pan. The South Australian state election and the Farrah by-election suggest One Nation support is durable. Joel counters that protest votes can be expressed at the ballot box and that Australians are tiring of pluralism.00:04:09 — If One Nation Succeeds, Labor Wins The cruel irony: One Nation's rise probably delivers Labor government. The National Party could simply disappear. The DLP kept the Coalition in power for decades as an anti-Labor party; One Nation may do the reverse.00:05:46 — Scrutiny and Splintering Joel notes One Nation's policies are "two-sentence fragments" and motherhood statements. When proper scrutiny arrives, the contradictions will surface. Hanson's parliamentary attendance is as poor as imaginable.00:08:22 — The Third Rail Jack argues populists succeed because they discuss what polite society won't: immigration, culture wars, welcome to country rituals. The major parties must engage these topics or cede the ground entirely.00:11:34 — Feeling Unheard The core driver, Jack contends: voters feel sneered at and silenced by mainstream politics. It's not about flag counts, it's about being listened to.00:13:50 — What Actually Drives Votes Joel pushes back: voting determinants are the household economy, migration, climate change — not culture war trivia. Culture wars "don't amount to a hill of beans" at the ballot box.00:14:51 — The DLP Parallel Both agree the One Nation phenomenon most closely resembles the DLP split of the 1950s and 60s — a right-wing fracture that delivered Labor government after Labor government.00:17:18 — The Republic Referendum Lesson Jack recalls the 1999 republic referendum: pro-republicans split between models rather than uniting, scuppering the whole project. Voters will vote their preference even knowing it helps their enemy.00:19:32 — UK Parallels: Accommodate or Fight? Significant figures in the UK Tory party are debating whether to fight Reform or reach an accommodation. Tony Abbott recently said the Liberal Party won't criticise Pauline Hanson.00:21:48 — Joh for Canberra Redux Imre Salusinszky's comparison: this is "Joh for Canberra" all over again. But Joel notes Joh's moment lasted months; One Nation's has already lasted years.00:24:08 — State Election Previews Joel predicts the Victorian state election will be chaotic and peculiar — a government that's been in power too long, an opposition that may not be up to the task, and One Nation peeling votes from safe Labor seats. NSW will give a clearer reading.00:25:44 — Hanson "Ready to Govern" — from the Senate? Pauline Hanson announced she's ready to govern. Joel asks: shouldn't she contest a lower-house seat first? Jack recalls the only precedent: John Gorton became PM while still a senator, but had to be eased into Kooyong.00:28:20 — The Mandelson Dossier: Starmer's Empty Suit Jack's read of the leaked Mandelson documents: ministers don't know what the PM wants, there's zero respect or fear of his authority. Starmer comes across as an empty chair. One minister's text: "Every meeting with Labour MPs — it's all about who can we tax to pay benefits to other people."00:30:50 — Mandelson's Legal Peril Mandelson is under police investigation for misconduct in public office. Could face charges — the seriousness depends on whether it's mere misconduct or genuine bribery for foreign interests.00:31:49 — The Nicola Sturgeon Saga Her estranged husband has pleaded guilty to embezzling roughly £400,000 in SNP donations. The shopping list: six high-end coffee machines, seven Dyson vacuums, Lalique salt and pepper shakers, Montblanc pens, Swiss watches, an iJag, part of a Volkswagen, and a motorhome with four miles on the clock parked at his 92-year-old mother's house. Nicola claims she "didn't go in the kitchen much."00:34:20 — The BBC Interview Laura Kuenssberg's forensic interview with Sturgeon — "not quite Prince Andrew, but not much better." Sturgeon has been cleared by Police Scotland, but her reputation, already damaged by the Alex Salmond trial, is now in tatters.00:35:05 — Will He Go to Prison? £400,000 is a substantial sum. With another £600,000 unaccounted for, a custodial sentence seems likely. The money was ring-fenced for a second independence referendum push.00:36:50 — Money Laundering or Conspicuous Consumption? Joel wonders if the bizarre purchases — multiple watches on the same day — were an amateur money-laundering attempt: buy goods with SNP funds, sell them quietly for cash.00:38:23 — UK By-elections: Makerfield Looms Three by-elections on 18 June, including the critical Makerfield contest. Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester's high-profile mayor, is the tepid favourite. Low turnout could help him return to Westminster.00:39:30 — The Body-Cam Incident A white teenager accused of racially vilifying a Sikh man was stabbed — and police arrested the bleeding victim, not the attacker. Body-cam footage shows the victim saying "I can't breathe, I've been stabbed" while officers dismiss him. Joel calls the footage "just awful."00:41:22 — Two-Tier Policing Jack traces UK policing's overcorrection: after the Macpherson/Lawrence report, guidelines were rewritten so aggressively that they've produced a pattern of questionable enforcement that devastates community trust — and plays directly into Tommy Robinson's hands.00:42:08 — NSW Police on Four Corners Joel recommends the harrowing Four Corners investigation: bashings in custody, false arrests, an officer who threw body-cam footage into Sydney Harbour, and two undercover officers jailed for a savage assault. The problem today is general duties policing, not the specialist squads of the 1980s. Some command areas are far worse than others — a leadership failure.00:44:55 — Victoria Police: Under-Resourced, Not Corrupt Joel shares an anecdote: two divisional vans for 80,000 people in outer-east Melbourne. Tough work being a police officer; even tougher being a good one.The COVID-19 Reckoning00:45:09 — Why This Matters Joel sets the frame: we parked COVID in 2023 with a hangover but never understood what we'd been through. Today's episode aims to crack that problem.00:45:51 — The True Death Toll Officially: 7 million dead. But most countries stopped testing and stopped reporting cause-of-death data to the WHO. Using excess mortality, the real toll is between 22 and 69 million — at the high end, exceeding the Spanish flu.00:47:02 — Long COVID's Shadow Roughly 400 million people globally (6% of the population) have experienced long COVID. In Australia alone, between 200,000 and 500,000 people are living with or have lived with the condition. Second infections can be worse. Emerging links to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and accelerated dementia.00:49:43 — The Collective Amnesia Governments worldwide have "a collective embarrassment" about how they handled the pandemic, Jack says. They want it in the history books and forgotten. Joel says this is a grave mistake for public trust — and for public health, given COVID is now a permanent fixture alongside flu season.00:50:50 — Why Excess Deaths Are the Only Honest Metric All other figures are "kind of made up" because attribution methods vary wildly between countries. Excess deaths remain elevated in Australia and most nations.00:51:25 — Children and COVID Bobby Kennedy Jr. removed under-18s from government-supported vaccines in the US. Joel argues this is a disastrous move given mounting evidence that childhood COVID infection leads to higher rates of long-term chronic illness.00:52:47 — Why No Royal Commission? Not just politicians protecting themselves — public health officials and much of the media wanted to avoid scrutiny of their judgments and actions during the pandemic.00:53:32 — The Media's Abdication Jack watched "a lot" of Daniel Andrews's daily press conferences. Only two journalists ever asked pertinent questions: Rachel Baxendale and Leigh Sales. Nobody asked why curfews, why beach arrests, why the disparate impact on tradies and cafe owners while the "laptop class" actually made money working from home.00:56:14 — Andrews's Immense Popularity Joel adds context: Andrews was wildly popular at the time, which partly explains the media's deference — though Jack insists that shouldn't have mattered.00:57:34 — The Curfew Nonsense Curfews were about giving law enforcement the easiest possible environment, Joel says — and should have been acknowledged as such and wound back sooner. Meanwhile, Bondi's wealthy swam en masse while Western Sydney's working-class communities were treated harshly.00:57:59 — The Vaccine Rollout Failure The Morrison government bet everything on AstraZeneca — the non-mRNA, first-available vaccine. Then rare blood-clotting issues emerged (seven deaths, mainly men aged 40–49). Meanwhile, Australia was left waiting for Pfizer and other mRNA vaccines because no other supply deals had been secured.00:59:37 — Omicron Breaks the Pandemic's Back The Omicron variant emerged from South Africa: more infectious but far less lethal. Combined with 95%+ vaccination rates among Australians over 18, it effectively ended the acute phase — though at the cost of entrenched mistrust.01:00:38 — Government Overreach and Broken Trust Jack's core criticism: governments outsourced decision-making to public health officials rather than making political judgments that balanced competing interests. Joel counters that it would have been a "bold move" for politicians with no scientific background to contradict public health advice.01:02:19 — "Just Let It Rip" Was Never an Option The three countries with the highest COVID mortality — Brazil (highest), United States (second), India (third) — were all led by populist governments that largely refused mandates. Letting it rip was devastating.01:03:27 — The ADF Quarantine Scandal Scott Morrison refused to allow ADF quarantine facilities to be used for returning travellers. Instead, people were crammed into hotels with gaps under the doors. Joel recalls the "rubbish bags over heads" episode in Victoria — dark green plastic bags as infection control.01:05:00 — The Inquiry's Recommendations Create a proper Australian CDC. Release expert advice publicly. Better national planning with clear political accountability. And critically: politicians must own the big decisions on freedoms and spending instead of hiding behind experts.01:06:01 — The Next Pandemic There will be another one. If it's a respiratory, airborne pathogen like COVID, similar circumstances will return. Are we ready? Probably not. Will we close the country again? The economic damage — unemployment hitting 7.5% in 2020 — was enormous, even if it recovered to 3.5% by pandemic's end.01:08:06 — Who Was Left Behind? The arts community was inexplicably excluded from JobSeeker and JobKeeper. Meanwhile, the "laptop class" working from home effectively got a 15% pay rise by eliminating commuting costs. Bunnings did very well; so did companies that kept JobKeeper without passing it to employees.01:11:14 — The Human Cost of Lockdowns Public housing towers in Flemington were locked down. Joel recalls one family: an African-Australian single mother with nine children in a two-bedroom commission flat, trapped. Jack calls what happened with schools "disgraceful." But Joel notes the evidence now shows childhood COVID infection has serious long-term health consequences, complicating the retrospective judgment.01:13:59 — Will We Learn Anything? Jack's bleak prediction: the next pandemic is probably far enough away that we'll take no notice of COVID's lessons and make the same mistakes. Joel agrees — we didn't learn from the Spanish flu a century ago either.01:15:51 — Malcolm Roberts and Vaccine Misinformation The One Nation senator claims 70,000 Australians died from COVID vaccines — a figure with no evidentiary support, built by misattributing excess deaths. In reality, mRNA technology is now being deployed as a cancer treatment, showing promise against bowel and pancreatic cancers.01:17:36 — Trust Destroyed If the next pandemic arrives within this generation, governments will face a population that has lost faith. If it takes 50 years, the damage may have faded. Western Australia, meanwhile, locked itself down with negligible deaths and actually loved the isolation — provided the iron ore and LNG ships kept moving.01:20:37 — The Spanish Flu Echo Joel's closing historical note: Australia's response to the Spanish flu in 1919–1921 was nearly identical to COVID — lockdown disputes, police arresting people for not wearing masks, states fighting the newly created federal Department of Health. The whole thing collapsed into acrimony the moment state rivalries flared. A century later, nothing had changed.01:21:48 — Federation as Fatal Flaw Jack adds: the three high-mortality COVID countries (US, Brazil, India) share a feature beyond populist leaders — they're all federations where central government power is limited. When "the emperor is far away and the mountains are high," coordinated pandemic response is nearly impossible.01:23:40 — No Appetite for Truth Jack's final word: nobody wants a proper inquiry. Not politicians, not public health officials, not much of the media. Joel disagrees on the importance — the pandemic's legacy still shapes how Australians think, vote, and trust.Sport01:27:40 — AFL Coaching Carousel Essendon and Carlton both need permanent coaches. Joel asks: is James Hird the right man for Essendon? Jack: 17 other clubs wouldn't give him an interview, but the Bombers may have backed themselves into a corner where appointing him is the only way out.01:28:53 — Merit vs Member Sentiment Rowan Connolly's question: would you take James Hird or John Longmire (five grand finals, one premiership, 60%+ win rate)? The answer is obvious on merit — but members and fans want the fairy tale.01:29:47 — Carlton's Astonishing Revival Three straight wins. Ranked 16th in forward-50 entries a month ago; now second. The game style is unrecognisable — no more bombing the ball to non-existent power forwards. Mitch McGovern's low, flat kick to Patrick Cripps for the match-winner against Geelong was emblematic of the transformation. Seven players aged 21 or younger are now getting games and bringing energy.01:33:18 — FIFA World Cup 2026: Nobody's Excited Expanded to 48 teams, Scotland are going — and a Scot in his 30s told Jack that neither he nor any of his mates (all doing well financially, normally first on the plane) have any interest. Ticket prices are "extraordinary." The final is at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey — which Jack describes as "Waverley on steroids, but even more bleak."01:36:08 — Australia's Draw Socceroos face Turkey first up, then the United States. Jack suggests marketing it as "Gallipoli Round Two." Spain are favourites; England, Brazil, and Germany are in the chasing pack.01:37:06 — Cricket: England v New Zealand, First Test at Lord's Joel runs through New Zealand's likely top seven — Latham, Conway, Williamson, Ravindra, Mitchell, Blundell — noting the first four have all made Test double-centuries. "Just about the best first six in Test cricket." With O'Rourke's express pace and Henry's quality, this is a formidable Black Caps side.01:38:40 — Stump Speech & Next Week Listener mail (including an "exposé of who Jack is") held over for next episode. For the record: Hong Kong Jack's CV includes HSC at Assumption College Kilmore, a stint as a carpenter, a law degree from Melbourne University, stints at Holding Redlich and Slater & Gordon, work as a litigation and immigration lawyer, and an appointment to the Refugee Review Tribunal as a federal cabinet appointee.01:40:39 — Outro Joel thanks listeners for hanging in for an extra ten minutes. Back next week.The Two Jacks is recorded weekly. Send your questions and feedback to the show.

Barry Gardiner, a Labour MP for almost 30 years and counting, explains why he thinks Keir Starmer should be replaced as Labour leader and Prime Minister, and why he has faith in the British public that they won't vote in a Reform government. 

Two weeks out from potentially the most consequential by-election in modern British political history, The Rundown takes a look at one of the key issues for the people of Makerfield; that of rugby league.Looking at it's importance to local communities across the north of England, how the sport intersects with the politics of place and local pride, but also the precarious nature of the 13-man code's finances and what that means for those who rely on it.Joining host Alain Tolhurst to discuss how Andy Burnham might harness the power of the game to propel himself back to Westminster and into Downing Street, are two rugby league mad Labour MPs from either side of the Pennines; Warrington North's Charlotte Nichols, and Jade Botterill, member for Ossett and Denby Dale in West Yorkshire.Alongside them we have historian Anthony Broxton, author of the book Hope & Glory, which charts the untold story of rugby league in Thatcher's Britain, as well as PolHome's resident league fanatic, editor Adam Payne.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced and edited by Ewan Cameron and Lulu Goad for Podot

Featuring: Chris Doyle, Shawan Jabarin, Dame Emily Thornberry MP, Debbie Abrahams MP and Paul Gerrard,  Chair: Sir Vincent FeanIn this wide-ranging panel discussion, leading politicians, campaigners, human rights advocates and policy experts examine the question at the heart of the conference: now that the UK has recognised the State of Palestine, what practical steps should come next?The panel explores how recognition can be translated into meaningful political, economic and legal action, discussing sanctions, trade, settlements, accountability, international law and the role of civil society in shaping government policy.Topics discussed include:The implications of UK recognition of the State of Palestine and whether recognition should be viewed as a starting point rather than an endpoint.Britain's historic and contemporary responsibilities regarding Palestine.The UK's military, diplomatic and economic relationship with Israel.Calls for sanctions, arms embargoes and restrictions on trade connected to settlements.The International Court of Justice advisory opinion and the UK's response to its findings.The legality of Israeli settlements and possible measures available to governments and businesses.The proposed E1 settlement expansion and its implications for the viability of a future Palestinian state.The role of British businesses, investors and consumers in relation to settlements and occupation.The economic challenges facing Palestinian producers and exporters.The role of Parliament, political parties and public campaigning in shaping UK policy.Civil society action, grassroots organising and public pressure as drivers of political change.Questions of accountability, international law and enforcement mechanisms.Recorded at the Britain Palestine Project annual conference, Recognition is the Beginning, held at the Greenwood Theatre, London, on 2 June 2026.Chris Doyle is Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu), one of the UK's leading organisations promoting informed debate and policy engagement on the Middle East. He is a frequent commentator on Middle Eastern affairs and has worked for decades on issues relating to Palestine, Israel, human rights and British foreign policy.Shawan Jabarin is General Director of Al-Haq, the leading Palestinian human rights organisation. A prominent lawyer and human rights advocate, he has spent decades documenting violations of international law and advancing accountability through international legal mechanisms.Dame Emily Thornberry is Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury. She has played a leading role in parliamentary scrutiny of UK foreign policy and has been an advocate for Palestinian statehood and international law.Debbie Abrahams is Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth and Co-Chair of the Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group. She has been a longstanding advocate for human rights, international law and Palestinian self-determination.Paul Gerrard is Director of Campaigns, Public Affairs and Board Secretariat at the Co-op Group. He has led the Co-op's work on ethical sourcing, human rights and responsible business practices, including initiatives supporting Palestinian producers and addressing trade linked to settlements.Sir Vincent Fean is a former British diplomat and Trustee of the Britain Palestine Project. He served as British Consul-General in Jerusalem and has written extensively on British policy towards Palestine and Israel, diplomacy and international law.

In PMQs today, Kemi Badenoch strategically chose not to talk about the Henry Nowak case given the sensitivity surrounding the subject. Instead she opted for welfare – asking the PM why spending has grown during Labour's government. A statistic some Labour MPs seemed proud of...Nigel Farage however didn't hold back and clashed with Keir Starmer over the police's handling of the murder of student Henry Nowak. Oscar Edmondson is joined by Noa Hoffman and Michael Simmons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a cracking briefing from Labour's Deputy Leader. On Makerfield and what happens next for the party. Lucy takes us inside the heart of the Labour Party... do Labour MPs and members actually want a leadership election? And what would happen if there was one? Are the issues that Labour faces actually to do with Keir Starmer at all? Lucy is also a massive football fan, but how does she behave at games... the answer may surprise you. PLUS... beauty tips on how to look 20 years younger. THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE 9 November: Liz Kendall Plus many more to be announced soon! https://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE the final dates of Matt's stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows June3 Portsmouth New Theatre Royal - EXTRA DATE 4 Coventry Warwick Arts Centre5 Cambridge Junction6 Sheffield Steamworks9 Liverpool Everyman Theatre10 Chipping Norton Theatre 12 Norwich Playhouse - EXTRA DATE14 York The Crescent - EXTRA DATE15 Leeds City Varieties - EXTRA DATE 16 Glasgow Glee Club - EXTRA DATE 18 Aberdeen Lemon Tree - EXTRA DATE 26 Bristol 1532 - EXTRA DATEJuly 3 Basingstoke The Haymarket - EXTRA DATE 8 Birmingham Glee Club - EXTRA DATE 10 Bedford Quarry Theatre - EXTRA DATE 16 Maidenhead Norden Farm - EXTRA DATE DONATE to the RNOH Charity here:https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/mattforde Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat McFadden's assessment of Labour MPs will fuel claims that the party cares more about welfare recipients than taxpayers - is Keir Starmer's Labour becoming the Welfare Party?Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Charlotte Ivers and James Marriott. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The body cam footage from the murder of Henry Novak is incredibly disturbing. A young man, stabbed and dying, tells police four times he's been stabbed and nine times he can't breathe — and is handcuffed and left to die with two pints of blood in his lungs. His killer was never even handcuffed.Julia Hartley-Brewer doesn't hold back. She is joined by Reform UK's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick, Shadow Policing Minister and Conservative Deputy Chairman Matt Vickers, and former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Mike Neville.Is this proof of two-tier policing in Britain? All three guests say yes. The rot, they argue, runs far deeper than two officers at a crime scene. It goes straight to the top — the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs Council, the Home Office race action plans, and decades of critical race theory embedded throughout the establishment.Why did Keir Starmer take the knee for George Floyd but stay silent for three days after Henry Nowak's killer was convicted? Why are words treated as more dangerous than knives? And what would it actually take to tear this broken system down?Also: the Mandelson Files and the bombshell WhatsApp message from Pat McFadden that exposes exactly what Labour MPs really think about taxpayers' money.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some more leaked audio has gotten the Labour Party in trouble, with MP Barbara Edmonds apologising for off-colour comments directed at the Finance Minister. The audio obtained by the Herald features a moderator asking various Labour MPs whether they'd rather fight "100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck." Edmonds' answer apparently referenced Nicola Willis. Willis says she's accepted Edmonds' apology - but this event says a lot about Labour's conduct this election year. "Step one - demonize your opponent. Step two - waffle on about values. Well, how about just answering the question? I guess that would require some actual policies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Andy Burnham is confirmed as the Labour candidate for the Makerfield by-election, George Parker asks whether this signals the start of a long goodbye for Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. He brings together Labour MP, Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned as an Energy minister earlier this month, and Jonathan Ashworth, formerly a member of Keir Starmer's Shadow Cabinet.The question of whether Britain should one day rejoin the EU has reared up once again in this shadow Labour leadership contest. To discuss that George speaks to the EU's former ambassador to the UK, Joao Vale de Almeida.Following the Government's confirmation that HS2 could eventually cost over £100bn and may not open until 2039, George turns to Labour MP Ruth Cadbury, who chairs the Transport Select Committee, and Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.And, is Kemi Badenoch doing a good job as Conservative leader? George speaks to Lee Cain, former Number Ten Director of Communications to Boris Johnson, and Times columnist, Seb Payne.

This week, Nish and Coco make sense of another chaotic week in Westminster, as Keir Starmer clings on in Downing Street, Wes Streeting resigns, and Andy Burnham's route back to Parliament suddenly becomes very real.They're joined by Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East and one of the earliest MPs to call for Starmer to go, to unpack the mood inside the Labour Party, whether Burnham is really the answer, and what Labour needs to do to win back progressive voters. Plus: after Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson's latest rally in London, how should progressives respond to the far right without simply echoing its politics?And: Nigel Farage faces questions over a £5m gift from a crypto billionaire. Does the man of the people have some very expensive explaining to do?CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS BT: Search ‘Why BT' to find out more.VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheukSHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukGUESTS Nadia Whittome MPUSEFUL LINKS@Femi_Sorry: Tommy Robinson supporters expose themselves so fast! - Unite The Kingdomhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBdc_HsSA5Y CLIP CREDITSFemi OluwoleNigel Farage Interview: The SunPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Get in touch - contact us via email: podsavetheuk@crooked.comLike and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUKInstagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukX: https://x.com/podsavetheuk

Jeevun Sandher is a Labour MP and economist, and swung by the studio to speak to us about the economy, Labour and Keir Starmer's woes, and how to turn around the government's fortunes.For Sandher, affordability is key. He breaks down key issues he saw on the doorstep from 2015 until today, and how both real and imagined threats have mobilised the country around a far-right alternative in Reform UK. He explains how a drop in living standards has led to Brits up and down the land turning away from parties like Labour and turning towards Farage and his politics of blame and division.The MP explains how the Labour Party need to re-employ a politics of hope, and plan to change the economic situation of millions of Brits up and down the land, if they are to have any chance of beating the right at the next election.Subscribe to How to Rebuild Britain now: https://linktr.ee/howtorebuildbritain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Global Head of Fixed Income Research Andrew Sheets and Chief UK Economist Bruna Skarica discuss why they see a more constructive UK outlook than markets do, despite energy, fiscal and political risks.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Andrew Sheets: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Andrew Sheets, Global Head of Fixed Income Research at Morgan Stanley. Bruna Skarica: And I'm Bruna Skarica, Morgan Stanley's Chief UK Economist. Andrew Sheets: Today, the debate around growth and debt in the United Kingdom. It's Wednesday, May 20th at 2pm in London. Bruna, I'm so glad you could join us today because I actually really did want to talk about what's going on here in the United Kingdom. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that this is the country where you hear some of the strongest divergence of opinions. Pessimists point to political uncertainty, vulnerability to oil prices from the Strait of Hormuz, and rising bond yields. And yet, UK growth this year has been pretty good. Inflation is set to come down, and the currency's been pretty stable, hardly the stuff of big instability. So, Bruna, I was hoping you could help us set the scene. Let's start with how you see the economy. Bruna Skarica: I actually think your framing is perfect. For the past five years, there has been a striking divergence of opinion on the UK, which I do think mimics to a degree some of the divisions on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee. The question really is – has the country underwent structural changes in the past decade of supply-side shocks such that its potential growth is very low, perhaps as low as 1 percent on the year. And has the inflationary process shifted in such a way that, for example, we need much higher jobless rate in order to generate enough economic slack to get inflation down to 2 percent? Or the other question is, has the UK just had a unique string of external shocks amplified perhaps by domestic policy choices, which mean that we have seen a prolonged period of low growth and high inflation – but again, without major structural changes. We are in the more constructive structural camp. I actually think that's probably Morgan Stanley's biggest out of consensus call in the UK. In recent years in particular, we have seen quite robust CapEx. And last year, actually very healthy private sector productivity gains. When you adjust for accurate labor market data, UK's private sector productivity growth is just under 2 percent as of the end of 2025, actually not too far off from the U.S. But for these good structural trends to persist and continue to improve, we do need a more supportive cyclical environment. And there, unfortunately, given the rise in oil prices, it's hard to be overly constructive about growth and inflation in the UK this year. We've downgraded our growth forecasts to around 1 percent over [20]26 and [20]27, and we have lifted our inflation projections by around 150 basis points at their peak to a peak of around 3.5 percent later in the year. Andrew Sheets: So, Bruna, how much does the price of oil or the price of natural gas matter for this outlook, especially as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut? Bruna Skarica: It does matter a fair bit. We use Morgan Stanley's commodity team's forecasts in our own scenario analyses for the UK economy. Now, their base case still sees a gentle decline in oil prices this year, which leads to outcomes I've already mentioned. The activity flatlines from the second quarter, we have a rise in inflation from April onwards, but we don't have a recession. However, if we fail to see any movement lower in oil, and as you rightly pointed out, natural gas prices as well; or if we even saw a move higher over the summer, we do think that risks of a recession would be quite pronounced in the second half of the year. UK consumers are already in for a year of flat real disposable income growth. Higher prices of food and energy than in our base case could result in even lower discretionary spending growth than what we're already modeling. And if the Bank of England had to hike rates in this inflationary scenario, we think they would act twice in this kind of a scenario. We also have these tight financial conditions which would weigh on household spending. Andrew Sheets: So, Bruna, I think that's a great segue into that out-of-consensus call that we have on the Bank of England. You know, the market is expecting the Bank of England to raise interest rates. We think that they'll be on hold. And if you take a step back, it's a view that, kind of, puts the UK and the Bank of England a little bit between the Federal Reserve, which we think is going to be lowering rates over the next twelve months modestly, and the European Central Bank, which we think will raise rates in the near term. Could you talk a bit more about why you think it will remain on hold? And why you differ from what the market's seeing? Bruna Skarica: Yeah, absolutely. So, in our base case, the one where we do see a bit of a decline in oil and gas prices over the course of this year, we think the Bank of England remains on hold. It's important to remember that they were about to cut rates, prior to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. So, there is a bit of restrictiveness there in the starting stance, which we think can just be maintained for a longer period of time than would've otherwise been the case. And so, for the Bank of England to avoid having to tighten rates. Now, with respect to the market, I think it's fair to say that the market price is a probability-weighted outcome, where there is some chance, a non-negligible one, that the Bank of England will have to hike rates aggressively if oil prices were to rise from here. To give you a bit of clarity here, bank's own analyses suggests that in a scenario where oil prices were to rise towards $130 per barrel and stay there for a few months, the bank could hike rates by four times. Now, it's interesting that in this scenario, the bank actually doesn't forecast a recession. Now, we think that in the case of such elevated commodity prices, as I've already mentioned, we would certainly see high inflation, potentially as high as 6 percent, but also recessionary impulses. So, even in the scenario of elevated oil prices, we think the bank could only deliver around two hikes. And so, this kind of probability-weighted outcome that we have, which differs a little bit from our model case, even that is actually fairly lower than what the market is pricing. So, I think that's maybe one of the main differences that we have versus the market. The market is expecting a repeat of 2022, so elevated inflation with growth just about holding on. We disagree that's possible because there's far less scope for a fiscal response to shield growth from an inflationary external shock. Andrew Sheets: But Bruna, maybe I'll take even a bigger step back here because to borrow a British phrase, it almost seems like some of these debates over oil prices are kind of small beer compared to these two big questions around the UK. Which are, you know, concerns over a lack of productivity growth and concerns that the UK economy is just, kind of, poorly positioned over the long term – especially in the wake of Brexit and concern over the fiscal situation. And this idea that, well, government debt is historically high for the UK, concern that that will continue. And I think it's no exaggeration to say that when you talk to investors about the UK, those are often, kind of, two of the big questions that hang over the debate. So, your brief thoughts on both of those issues. And again, where you think the market might be potentially surprised? Bruna Skarica: So, one of the most interesting things when I talk to clients is when I mention some of these statistics around measured cyclical productivity growth last year, they're often very, very surprised. And we do think it's more important to talk about this because there is evidence, I would say nascent evidence, that UK is benefiting from the AI tailwind. We are seeing more CapEx adoption. We are seeing slower hiring, but more resilient growth, which, as I say, results in cyclical productivity growth that looks very robust, especially in UK's historical context. In the last ten years, of course, UK's productivity growth has been very lackluster. So, over the course of this year, I think that's actually my primary focus to see how much of this uplift in productivity last year is cyclical and perhaps will dissipate over 2026 with the slowdown in growth. And how much of it was actually structural. Now, in terms of the fiscal question, you know, one thing that's interesting to mention is the UK is, per IMF calculations, in the middle of the most severe fiscal consolidation amongst its G7 peers. Medium-term fiscal plans deliver a decline in deficit to below 2 percent of GDP by 2030. Again, this is hard to square with gilt yields where they currently stand. So, it's fair to say that the market is just more focused on the risks of delivery. For example, departmental spending settlements look challenging to deliver. Ministry of Defense is looking for a [£]30 billion top-up to its budgets. Labor backbenchers have recently come out seeking for a bit more capital expenditure. Political volatility is high. We are actually quite confident around our 2026 fiscal forecasts. We're looking for a deficit at 4 percent. But when it comes to 2027, I think it's fair to say that risks here really depend on the political trajectory with risks skewed, I think, towards a slightly higher deficit than around 3.5 percent, which we have in our base case. Andrew Sheets: But Bruna, just to be very direct, is it fair to say that for investors who are very concerned about productivity growth in the UK, you'd argue that that actually could be a bit better than people are expecting as capital deepens? And that for investors afraid of the fiscal trajectory, that actually could be one of the best fiscal trajectories In the G7? Bruna Skarica: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, one of our recent outlook titles was “Everything is Relative,” and that's exactly the point that we always try to make with the UK. It seems like it has a lot of idiosyncratic fiscal problems, but I would say a lot of its fiscal challenges are very similar to other DM countries – demographic aging, slowing in potential GDP growth. And when it comes to productivity growth, I'm not trying to argue that we're likely to see UK's potential GDP growth in excess of 2 percent anytime soon. However, we do think that the picture is actually much better in terms of productivity growth than perhaps what the average market participants think is the case. Andrew Sheets: Finally, Bruna, just a word on politics. I'm mindful that we have a global audience. And for those less steeped in the latest UK news, what's been happening? And what are the developments that investors are watching out for? Bruna Skarica: Yeah, absolutely. So, we had local elections in the UK in early May, and they delivered quite sizable losses for the governing Labour Party. Since then, a number of Labour MPs, Members of Parliament, just under 100 of them, called on Prime Minister Starmer to resign. Now, challenging a Labour leader and a prime minister in this case is not an easy process to trigger.However, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is now looking to enter the House of Commons. He will be contesting a by-election, most likely on June 18th. I would say that's the key date to watch out for from here. Andy Burnham has previously said UK politicians should be less focused on the bond market, but perhaps it's worth reiterating. More recently, he said he supports the current fiscal rules, which of course require debt-to-GDP ratio to be on the declining trajectory over the next five years. Now, Andrew, for you, what stands out in the pricing of the UK story? Andrew Sheets: Well, Bruna, I really think this is the country where across everything that we look at, there's the biggest gap, I think, between kind of conventional wisdom and what we at Morgan Stanley are forecasting.The market's conventional wisdom is that productivity growth is going to be very weak and very bad. That's not what you see in the numbers and is in our forecast. The market thinks the government finances are very weak. As you mentioned, relative to the G7, they're on a pretty good trajectory and at a pretty good level. And I think this is also a market where you have some interesting risk premium. I mean, again, we talk a lot in this podcast about how little risk premium there is in a lot of different asset classes. That's not the case in the UK. The government bond market, in our view, is offering a lot of risk premium to take on the risk of owning the government debt. And, you know, one example of that is, you know, you look at what interest rate is implied on a UK 10-year government bond 10 years from now. It's implying that yield is 6.6 percent. That's a very high yield, especially if you think that growth is going to be weak in this country. So, I think it's a really interesting macro story. It's one certainly where we at Morgan Stanley differ, and where there's some risk premium on offer. So, I'm so glad you could join us today to dig into it in more detail. Bruna Skarica: Absolutely. Thank you so much for the invite. Andrew Sheets: And thank you as always for your time. If you find Thoughts on the Market useful, let us know by leaving a review wherever you listen. And also tell a friend or colleague about us today.

The by-election in Makerfield is shaping up to be one of the most consequential contests in recent political history. On paper, the seat should be fertile ground for Reform: heavily Leave-voting, older than average and exactly the sort of ‘left behind' constituency Nigel Farage hopes to win. But there is one complicating factor: Andy Burnham.The Mayor of Greater Manchester is hoping that his personal popularity can defy the political gravity of the seat and carry him back to Westminster – where, if he wins, Labour MPs may well carry him straight towards No. 10. But can Burnham survive Reform's attacks on immigration, Brexit and his record? And could Wes Streeting's intervention on rejoining the EU prove fatal in a seat like Makerfield?Tim Shipman is joined by Luke Tryl, executive director of More in Common, to discuss why this by-election could decide not just Labour's next leader, but the future shape of British politics.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about how another Labour MP has weighed in on Keir Starmer's leadership and how the Metropolitan police have revealed the scale of efforts to deescalate two rival protests held in London. She also spoke about how England is preparing for the annual Watercress Festival.

Ralph speaks to Dr. Marina Nord of the V-Dem Institute about this year's V-Dem Democracy Report and how the Trump Administration is dismantling democracy in the US. Then, Ralph welcomes Dr. Ralph Estes to discuss corporations' shady accounting practices.Dr. Marina Nord is a postdoctoral research fellow at the V-Dem Institute. She is co-author of V-Dem's Democracy Report 2026: “Unraveling The Democratic Era?”.Only six countries during the 21st century have registered larger one-year drops on the aggregate Liberal Democracy Index [than the United States] —and all of them are coups. If you look at the last almost 250 years (so for which we have data going back to 1789), there were only thirty-five instances of more rapid dismantling of democracy—almost all of them were either military coups or international interventions.Dr. Marina NordWe do not measure [Trump's] words. We measure how institutions function de facto. And what is a lot more important for us is not only what he says, but how other institutions (checks and balances) function to constrain him. And one of the things that we see, for example, is that Congress is not constraining him in any way. And this is very, very serious, because if you have a President who violates the law, who violates the Constitution, you should have the judiciary who stand up, the Supreme Court who should stand up to protect the Constitution. You should have the Congress who is not allowed to [abdicate power to the executive]. And this is something that is very, very concerning, a lot more concerning than what Trump is saying. What I find a lot more concerning is that there are no checks and balances to constrain him.Dr. Marina NordWhen looking at the data, we also looked at the countries who managed to stop autocrats similar to Trump. And we tried to analyze which factors contributed to stopping democratic backsliding and turning it around. So research shows that, of course, there is no single recipe, but there are several combinations of factors that may help. One of them is: use whatever institutional safeguards that you still have in the United States…The second thing that we know that still works quite well is robust societal action. And by that we mean not only demonstrations similar to the No Kings protests, but sustained protests, mass pro-democracy protests…And then, of course, one of the things that still should be a possibility to turn things around is the midterm elections.Dr. Marina NordDr. Ralph Estes is Emeritus professor of business and accounting at American University in Washington, D.C., co-founder and vice president of The Center for Advancement of Public Policy, and Emeritus Trustee at the Institute for Policy Studies. He is the author of several books, including Tyranny of the Bottom Line: Why Corporations Make Good People Do Bad Things and Fight the Corpocracy, Take Back Democracy: A Mad As Hell Guide for the 99%.The public has no way of fairly evaluating a corporation except through the press, what it sees in corporate press releases and their claims about being, for example, environmentally responsible and very favorable to customers. And there are no measures on that. Corporation doesn't give us any. Corporation produces a set of financial statements. You won't know how relevant those financial statements are to you and me. They're not relevant at all… In terms of social performance, there's nothing in the corporate reports, the formal reports, that is reliable. Again, you're stuck with what the corporation claims or what the politicians who are lobbying for contributions will admit corporations do… But this is a problem. If the corporation doesn't report it, if the citizens don't know about it, the politicians can try to do something, but they have to start from scratch.Dr. Ralph EstesNews 5/15/26* We begin this week with a bombshell story from Latin America. This week, El País broke what they are calling “Hondurasgate,” an expose centering on leaked audio recordings of conversations between President Donald Trump, Argentinian President Javier Milei and former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández – who was convicted and sentenced to 45 years in prison on drug trafficking charges in the U.S. but pardoned by Trump last year. In these leaked recordings, the three current and former heads of state discuss the creation of a “channel of spreading fake news with the intention of misinforming and destabilizing” Leftist governments in the region, including those of Gustavo Petro in Colombia and Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico. According to this report, the leaks reveal the involvement of another world leader – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – in the decision to pardon Hernández. El País writes the leaks prove the pardoning of Hernández was “not a gesture of clemency, but the down payment of a broader agreement.” Expect more damning information to come out as more recordings are unearthed, even if so far the American media has largely blacked out this stunning story.* At the same time the Trump administration is seeking to subtly undermine governments like Mexico's, they are executing considerably less subtle covert operations there as well. On March 28th, an explosion blew up the car of alleged narco Francisco Beltran just outside Mexico City. CNN now reports that, while “Mexican authorities have maintained extreme secrecy around the explosion,” multiple sources confirm that this was “a targeted assassination,” carried out by the CIA. Not only that, this operation is reportedly just one of several assassinations carried out by the CIA against rank-and-file cartel members on foreign soil which began last year. Troublingly, CNN notes these operations could be illegal under Mexican law, which prohibits foreign agents from participating in law enforcement operations without the express permission of the federal government. Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico's Secretary of Security released a statement indicating that the Mexican government has not granted any such permission, writing “The Government of Mexico categorically rejects any version that seeks to normalize, justify, or suggest the existence of lethal, covert, or unilateral operations by foreign agencies on national territory.”* One ironic aspect of the joint right-wing destabilization effort and CIA covert operations campaign both currently underway in Mexico is the fact that the Sheinbaum government has affected a stunning reduction in murders throughout the country. According to Mexico Solidarity Media, the daily average of intentional homicides has been reduced by 40% between the beginning of the Sheinbaum administration in October 2024 and April 30, 2026, with that last month hitting the lowest level in over a decade – comparable in fact to the United States. We can only hope that Sheinbaum is able to stay the course and continue to drive down the murder rate while simultaneously avoiding the destabilization campaigns being waged against her government.* In Colombia, another state targeted in the Hondurasgate plot, Ivan Cepeda continues to consolidate progressive forces in that country ahead of the presidential election, aiming for a first round victory. This week, Luis Gilberto Murillo, a center-left presidential candidate, dropped out and endorsed Cepeda. While Murillo never rose very high in the polls, he has held high positions in the Colombian government – including Minister of Environment and governor of the department of Choco as well as Colombia's ambassador to the United States and later foreign minister under Gustavo Petro.Colombia One notes that this is the second such withdrawal in recent weeks, with Senator Clara López doing the same, indicating a serious intention among the progressive forces in Colombia to stave off a second round of the presidential election, which could see the right-wing consolidate against Cepeda in a way they have thus far been unable to do ahead of the first round.* Meanwhile, El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, a standard bearer for the Latin American Right and a close ally of President Trump, is mired in a new scandal involving his dealings with the MS-13 gang and his ensuing attempts to silence the press. According to PBS, last month the Salvadoran outlet El Faro, in conjunction with PBS FRONTLINE released a documentary titled The Deal: Trump, Bukele & the Gangs of El Salvador, which “uncovered evidence that Bukele's administration had offered privileges to gang leaders in prison in exchange for a reduction in homicides and voter support in territories the gangs controlled.” Now, in retaliation for publishing this story, Bukele has reportedly “frozen the personal assets of two of [El Faro's] shareholders,” including editor-in-chief Carlos Dada who said in a press conference that “These are not fiscal measures…They are political measures trying to silence us.” This article notes that the facts presented in The Deal are particularly damning to Bukele, because of his public claims that he “would never negotiate with gangs” because it would grant them legitimacy. Just as it is ironic that the Trump administration is seeking to destabilize the Mexican government while it dramatically reduces murders, so too is it ironic that it is seeking to bolster the Bukele regime even as it carries out secretive deals with the very gangs the U.S. claims to be fighting.* In a wholly different part of the world, the centrist Labour Party government of Keir Starmer in the UK is teetering on the brink of collapse. Starmer's popularity has been declining precipitously ever since he entered office, but the crisis of confidence from within his own party accelerated after the disastrous results of the May 7th local elections. Now, according to CNN, over 100 members of his party in Parliament are calling for him to resign, but the only way to trigger a leadership challenge is for at least 81 Labour MPs to coalesce around a single challenger – and as yet, none have crossed that threshold. Starmer himself has refused to stand down, challenging any other claimants to come forward. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has come the closest to openly challenging Starmer, even resigning his post in the government but stopping short of formally announcing a leadership challenge, the BBC reports. For now, Starmer continues to cling to power but each day could be his last at No. 10.* Turning to American foreign policy news, this week the Senate voted down yet another War Powers Resolution on Iran – the seventh such attempt since the war began in late February. What is notable about this resolution is that it won the support of the most GOP Senators yet – Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – yet still failed by a margin of 50-49 because Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania crossed party lines to vote against the resolution. This from CBS. Even with Fetterman's disloyalty, this vote is significant for the number of Republicans who broke ranks, perhaps indicating a growing unease with the war and particularly its impact on the price of consumer goods, beginning with gasoline and cascading from there.* In more congressional news, Southern states are scrambling to act in the wake of the Callais decision. In South Carolina and Mississippi, state officials have rejected attempts to call special sessions to redraw congressional maps before this year's midterms. But, NPR reports Alabama is moving towards a new map that, like Louisiana, will likely include just one single largely Black, Democratic-leaning congressional district. However, even though some of these states are holding off on redrawing these districts today, it does not mean those districts will be safe tomorrow. And in Tennessee, where the legislature is moving ahead with a plan to do away with the state's majority Black 9th congressional district in a special session – resulting in a revolt by Democrats in the legislature – the Republicans are retaliating by stripping all Democrats from their standing committee seats for “creating disorder,” per StateAffairs.com. Expect this process to get more contentious, and plain uglier, as it grinds ahead.* Next, a story in Fortune highlights the cost of data center construction. According to this story, the nearly 50,000 permanent residents of the California ski resort town of Lake Tahoe – which regularly attracts 25 to 28 million visitors annually – will soon be disconnected from their traditional power source, NV Energy. NV supplies the power to Liberty Utilities, which services the area directly, and NV has informed Liberty that it will stop providing power after May 2027. That power will instead be redirected to data centers, leaving Liberty Utilities less than a year to find another power source. This story notes that “Northern Nevada has become one of the fastest-growing data-center corridors in the country,” with Google, Apple, and Microsoft all having built or planning to build facilities in the area. Gallingly, just last fall NV Energy's director of business development said the company was “eager to serve the new industrial load” but that it would not “impact [their] existing customer base.” This is a troubling preview of what may come as data center expansion continues unchecked.* Finally, in a story that proves once again that corporate greed knows no limits, the Lever is out with a new report on a class-action lawsuit by consumers against “private equity-backed bowling giant Bowlero.” According to the Lever, the suit accuses Bowlero of executing a “‘multi-year anticompetitive scheme to consolidate bowling centers,' which has led to skyrocketing bowling prices, deteriorating lanes, and ‘the veritable destruction of the decades-old pastime of bowling in America.'” The numbers back up this narrative. Bowlero, which had just six locations in 2012, has exploded to 350 today. The company is said to control roughly 35 percent of U.S. bowling revenue – and 95% of all lanes in some markets – as well as acquiring the Professional Bowling Association itself. As with any monopoly, once it had cornered the market Bowlero proceeded to jack up prices, even using AI to do so algorithmically. In a sense, this is a story we have all heard too many times to be surprised, but we can still be shocked by the base greed of corporate executives, even in something as seemingly anodyne as the bowling industry.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Caroline speaks to the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who is also Minister for Equalities and Women, about the tumultous week for Sir Keir Starmer as almost 100 Labour MPs called on him to go. Claire Ainsley, who was policy director for Keir Starmer when he was in opposition and is now at the Progressive Policy Institute and Robert Colville, director of the centre right think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies assess whether Labour is doing enough to promote growth, in the week that the UK economy unexpectedly grew by 0.6% during the first three months of the year.Conservative peer Matthew Elliott, who was the Chief Executive of the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum ten years ago and the Liberal Democrats' Business spokesperson Sarah Olney debate whether Europe is once again becoming a defining issue in British politics after the prime minister vowed to put “Britain at the heart of Europe”.And two long-term Westminster insiders discuss Labour's leadership challenge: the Labour peer, Ayesha Hazarika, who worked as an adviser to several senior Labour party politicians and LBC presenter and writer Iain Dale.

Jack Horgan-Jones and Mark Paul join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:· The findings of the Irish Times and TG4 by Ipsos B&A poll throws up some interesting permutations for the Dublin Central byelection. Sinn Féin's Janice Boylan leads the first preference vote at 21 per cent, Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats is in second place on 18 per cent, but as Jack explains, ‘second preference intention' could be vital for both. · It is now a question of when and not if for Keir Starmer after disastrous local and parliamentary election results prompted a slew of Labour MPs to call on the prime minister to resign. A defiant speech on Monday did little to inspire party members as Starmer vowed to fight any leadership challenge. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has been given a route to challenge Starmer following Josh Simons' decision to step down as MP for Makerfield.· And speaking to The Irish Times on Wednesday, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern addressed his recent comments on immigration, made while out on a canvass last week in Dublin Central. And while no apology was forthcoming, he did point out that he had “no problem with people from the Congo or Africa or anywhere else. I've good friends around Drumcondra, there's a lot of the clergy in from Africa.” Could this controversy overshadow Fianna Fáil's Ard Fheis taking place today and tomorrow as the party marks its 100th year in existence?Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· One Dublin mother's 14-year wait for a bigger council house, the challenges for Ireland of a Reform-led UK government, and how difficult it has become for Irish diaspora to return home.Would you like to receive daily insights into world events delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Denis Staunton's Global Briefing newsletter here: irishtimes.com/newsletters/global-briefing/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naz Shah first came to public attention through her campaign to free her mother, who was imprisoned after killing an abusive partner - a case that raised difficult questions about domestic violence, justice and the way the system treats women who fight back.Before entering politics, her early life was marked by poverty, abuse and coercion. She was sent to Pakistan as a child, forced into marriage as a teenager, and later returned to the UK to care for her younger siblings while her mother served a long prison sentence.She has since written extensively about her experiences in her memoir Honoured, and built a political career rooted in her formative years. Since 2015, she has been the Labour MP for Bradford West, advocating on issues including violence against women, poverty and inequality.In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Naz Shah about honour, shame and the silence that surrounds abuse, the structural inequalities that shape life chances, and why she believes education is the key to changing the world.This episode includes conversation around abuse, sexual exploitation and suicide. 

This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah looks at what happens when politics stops pretending to care equally about everyone.Labor's latest budget is compared to the brutal Abbott-Hockey austerity budget of 2014, revealing how conservative outrage mysteriously only appears when wealthy Australians lose tax advantages. Meanwhile, the Albanese government finally responds to gambling reform recommendations with a plan so timid it feels focus-grouped by Sportsbet itself.In the UK, Labour MPs appear ready to repeat the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years at high speed, threatening to hand Nigel Farage the easiest political opening of his life.Plus: Coles gets caught playing games with “Down Down” pricing, and the Royal Commission into antisemitism exposes something darker than political disagreement — a growing public instinct to explain away Jewish fear rather than confront it.All that, and more.Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster.For more: http://thesamishah.comTheme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul MottramThis podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The virtuoso pianist, Ruth Slenczynska was the last living student of Sergei Rachmaninoff. She began performing at the age of four, and was once reputed to be the greatest child prodigy since Mozart.From the Australian outback to the forefront of British science, Dame Bridget Ogilvie was the daughter of sheep farmers who went on to help make the UK a leader in biomedical research.Labour MP, Tony Worthington, survived a violent ambush in Somaliland and played a role in the Northern Ireland peace talks.Crown prosecutor, Russel Tyner KC, was a pioneer in the prosecution of cyber-crime.Presenter: Kirsty Lang Producer: Ben Mitchell Assistant Producer: Lowri Morgan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Andrea KennedyArchive: BBC News, 12/01/2019; BBC, Hunting the Lorry Killers, 03/11/202; BBC, Eureka, 08/01/1997; BBC, Newsnight, 25/10/1999; BBC, Current Account, 16/10/1979; BBC, Reporting Scotland, 11/02/1994; BBC, Newsline, 06/05/1997; BBC, Panorama, 18/03/2003

Andy Burnham has announced his intention to stand in a by-election in Makerfield after Josh Simons, the Labour MP and former Cabinet Office minister, stood down to clear his path back to Westminster.The Mayor of Greater Manchester is by far the most popular Labour politician and would be confident of success in a leadership contest against Sir Keir Starmer. But first he has to be allowed to fight the seat – which is in his own backyard – by the party's National Executive Committee, and then beat Reform, which won the Makerfield wards in last week's local elections.Camilla Tominey and Tim Stanley assess the chances of Burnham securing the nomination for and then winning Makerfield, as well as the role that Ed Miliband has played and where it leaves Wes Streeting after his resignation as health secretary on Thursday.We want to hear from you! Email us at thedailyt@telegraph.co.uk or find @dailytpodcast on TikTok, Instagram and X► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorProducer: Georgia CoanSocial Media Producer: Nada AggourSenior Producer: John CadiganExecutive Producer: Charlotte SeligmanVideo Producer: Will WaltersStudio Operator: Meghan SearleEditor: Camilla TomineyHighlightsAndy Burnham announces his intention to stand in MakerfieldHow confident should he be of beating Reform? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As U.S. President Donald Trump concludes what he calls a very successful state visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping has highlighted common understandings on trade, expanding cooperation and addressing each other's concerns (01:16). Shanghai is hosting APEC meetings on food safety and women (11:16). And the UK's prime minister is facing a potential challenger after a Labour MP vacated a position in his constituency (22:12).

Day 1,540.Today, as Russia pummels Ukraine with over 1500 missiles and drones since yesterday, targeting civilians and energy infrastructure, Ukraine hits three energy facilities in Russia. We then focus on the issue of children who have been deported from Ukraine to Russia or to unknown locations in the occupied territories. The EU and UK announced further sanctions while the high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukraine Children on Monday in Brussels pledged funds and support towards tracing, tracking and returning children from Russia.Contributors:Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Co-host of Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X. Johanna Baxter, Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South. @JohannaBaxter on X. Maksym Maksymov, director of Bring Kids Back. @BringKidsBackUA on X.CONTENT REFERENCED:Returning the Stolen Children of Ukraine, Johanna Baxter, UK Friends of Ukrainehttps://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/582a1916-4c98-42de-936a-f74780c73b02/downloads/6c23bef6-a43d-4acd-a781-3b749bb46174/Report_%20Returning%20the%20Stolen%20Children%20of%20Ukrai.pdf?ver=1750937088779Bringing Ukraine's kids back: Almost 60 countries unite to stop Russia's genocidal kidnapping of children (Kyiv Independent)https://kyivindependent.com/bringing-ukraines-kids-back-almost-60-countries-unite-to-stop-russias-genocidal-kidnapping-of-children/EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk . We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:- 'Longest massive attack': Russia fires 2000 drones and missiles in 24 hours- 60 nations sign historic pledge to 'track down' 20,000 stolen kids Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Labour MP for Makerfield has offered to give up his seat to allow the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, a chance to get into Parliament and possibly bid for the Labour leadership. Also: Wes Streeting resigns as the Health Secretary, saying he has "lost confidence" in Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. And Madonna, BTS and Shakira will headline the first ever football World Cup Final half time show.

The Pour Over is a Christ-first, politically neutral news podcast. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we cover the day's biggest stories in ~10 minutes, and pair the biggest headlines with brief biblical reminders. Join us in praying for East Africa here Looking to support us? You can choose to pay ⁠here⁠. Get the free newsletter at⁠ thepourover.org⁠. On today's episode: Trump Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Nears Expiration Date California Mayor to Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent Four Ministerial Aides Quit as 60+ Labour MPs call for Starmer's Resignation Redistricting Wars Continue Washington Press Dinner Shooting Suspect Pleads Not Guilty U.S. Passengers of Hantavirus Cruise Ship Being Monitored  Washington Wins NBA Draft Lottery Thanks to our sponsors: Cru: Give Bibles all over the world |  text POUR to 71326 Wild Alaskan: $35 off your first box | code: TPO HelloFresh: 10 Free meals + Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System on your 3rd box | HelloFresh.com/tpo10fm Christian Real Estate Network: get connected with a Christian Realtor | www.hismove.com Quince: Free shipping | quince.com/tpo Qualia Life: additional 15% off your order | code: TPO CCCU: Apply for the Harvest Bundle | mycccu.com/pourover Upside: extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas | code: TPO LMNT: free 8-pack with purchase | https://links.thepourover.org/LMNT_Podcast The Missing Messiah: Learn more | missingmessiah.com Compelled Podcast: Listen now | CompelledPodcast.com Mosh: 25% off first variety pack + 20% off subscription | code: TPO25 MORE FROM TPO: ⁠Free newsletter⁠ ⁠Watch TPO on YouTube⁠ ⁠Download the TPO App⁠

//The Wire//2300Z May 12, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: DETAILS COME TO LIGHT REGARDING YESTERDAY'S FIREFIGHT IN CAMBRIDGE. GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS GROWS AS MISHAPS AND INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS CONTINUE TO IMPACT REFINERIES. CALIFORNIA MAYOR PLEADS GUILTY TO SERVING AS A CHINESE AGENT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----  -International Events-United Kingdom: Over the past few weeks, Prime Minister Starmer has faced growing calls for his resignation, with a total of 90 Labour MPs now openly requesting his resignation. Following the political tensions of the morning, more resignations have taken place, with Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding Jess Phillips and Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety Zubir Ahmed both resigning their posts this morning.Analyst Comment: This tidal wave of dissent from within Starmer's own party is probably a knee-jerk reaction to the devastating election losses over the past few days, in which his political opponents gained significant ground in Parliament. Many Britons have begun to dump the Labour Party for alternate choices due to the social, political, economic, and immigration issues being at a breaking point. PM Starmer has vowed to not step down for the time being, but the political situation remains in the balance as pressure on Starmer's government mounts.Mexico: Overnight a large fire was reported at the Salina Cruz Refinery in Oaxaca. Pemex officials have stated that the fire began inside a cooling tower at the Hidros 2 plant, which was in the process of being brought online to increase production at the facility. The fire was brought under control and extinguished after a few hours, and 6x workers at the refinery were injured as a result of the blaze.-HomeFront-Oklahoma: Yesterday afternoon an explosion was reported at the HF Sinclair Refinery in west Tulsa. The facility was able to contain the spread of the fire, and firefighters extinguished the fire after a few hours. The cause of the incident is not known as the investigation into the incident continues.California: Yesterday the mayor of Arcadia resigned after accepting a deal with the Department of Justice to plead guilty to serving as an unregistered Chinese agent. Mayor Eileen Wang admitted to serving the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, specifically with regards to promoting propaganda efforts directly from the Chinese government. According to the documents provided by the DoJ, Wang was in direct communication with high-ranking Chinese officials and was taking direct orders from leadership in Beijing regarding political decisions that were made by her office. Wang is expected to formally accept the plea deal within the next few weeks.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Yesterday's mass shooter in Cambridge has been identified as Tyler E. Brown, a resident of Boston. Brown has a long criminal history, and has displayed violent intent (just for the sake of violence) for many years. The latest example of this history includes a previous incident that took place under nearly identical circumstances. In 2020, Brown engaged in a shootout with police in Boston in a similar manner to yesterday's skirmish. During that incident six years ago, Brown began harassing and threatening random people on Northampton Street, before engaging police in a gun battle in the street. Brown was eventually wounded and detained, after attempting to kill everyone in his immediate vicinity. In the news articles from that 2020 shooting, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross was quoted as criticizing local judges for letting people like this out of jail and giving them a slap on the wrist, as even in 2020, Brown had been given light sentences for his previous crimes.Nevertheless, Brown was sentenced to only 5 years of prison time by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders, who rejected the recommended 10-12

WOAH. Recorded the night Labour MPs began calling on Keir Starmer to resign, this is an adrenaline-fuelled up-to-the-minute analysis of what has gone wrong and what happens next. PLUS great stuff about Lewis's life growing up, his book, his mum and the dynamic between him, Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel. It's a corker. THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE 1 June: Andy Burnham https://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ SEE Matt's brand new stand-up tour 'Defying Calamity' across the UK:https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, explains why she is calling for British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to step down.

Ava reports from Westminster as the attempted coup against Keir Starmer rages on. Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn, as well as Labour MPs Brian Leishman and Ian Lavery, react in real time to the unfolding crisis.Subscribe to How to Rebuild Britain now: https://linktr.ee/howtorebuildbritain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the King announces the government's legislative agenda, allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting say he is preparing to challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership. We speak to Labour MPs from opposing camps.Also on the programme: as Donald Trump touches down in Beijing, could he water down US security commitments to Taiwan, in the interests of a trade deal with China? And we look at the high-end sandwiches packing as much salt as five cheeseburgers.

US President Donald Trump says the Iran ceasefire is on “life support”, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting to save his premiership after the Labour party's disastrous showing in last week's UK local elections. Plus, we preview this week's summit between Trump and China's President Xi Jinping, and examine how business in the Gulf is holding up through the Iran war. Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump says Iran ceasefire is on ‘life support'Starmer battles to stay in Number 10 as scores of Labour MPs urge him to quitHow the war hit the Gulf dealmaking machine A weakened Trump arrives in Xi's court The Rachman Review podcastCredit: Associated Press We want to hear from you! What do you like about FTNB? What would you like to hear more of? Reach out to us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts Today's FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Katya Kumkova, Saffeya Ahmed, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT's Global Head of Audio. The show's theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British Prime Minister is facing calls to step down, including from within his own cabinet. But a Labour MP explains why he believes the party leader should keep calm and carry on.As Donald Trump heads to China, we'll talk to the brother of an ailing American who's been jailed there for 12 years -- who's hoping the president will manage to secure her release.Cycling Canada cancels the women's team pursuit program, but continues to support the men's team. One cyclist tells us the reasons she's been given just don't track. The price of train ride to a New Jersey stadium will be jacked way up for the FIFA World Cup -- so a journalist risks life and limb attempting to get there by foot. A longtime friend and collaborator of Keith Haring tells us why he's parting with the projects the late artist and activist made for and with him -- including a crib painted for his son. You thought it had gone the way of the scrunchie, the shoulder pad, and Tickle-Me Elmo -- but the hacky sack is back, and Gen Z is voting with its feet. As It Happens, the Tuesday edition. Radio that kicked that habit long ago.

As Starmer's cabinet begin turning against him, how long can he cling on to power? By challenging Starmer without a clear plan for what comes next, are Labour MPs unleashing a chaos they cannot control? As Wales and Scotland shift dramatically towards Plaid Cymru, the Scottish National Party, and Reform UK – are we witnessing the end of both Labour and the Conservatives as national parties? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair's miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations. Get more from your business accounts. Search Lloyds Business Accounts.Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It's risk-free with Nord's 30 day money back guarantee ✅ __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Vasco Andrade Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Chris Sawyer General Manager: Tom Whiter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's leadership hangs by a thread with now more than 70 Labour MPs calling for him to resign following last Thursday's devastating local and regional election results. We hear from London Mayor Sadiq Khan who says a change of leadership at this point is not the answer to the government's problems. U.S. President Donald Trump rubbishes Tehran's response to American peace proposals and says a lasting ceasefire deal is in peril. As a result, European futures are in the red this morning and Wall Street remains largely flat as focus shifts to the U.S. inflation print – the last presided over by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

UK PM Starmer said he will not be setting out a timetable for departure. This came after over 81 Labour MPs calling for the PM to resign, enough to launch a leadership challenge.European bourses are entirely in the red, with UK Banks hit on political turmoil; US equity futures pull back from ATHs.DXY is firmer, buoyed by geopols; GBP underperforms amidst political unrest, while JPY remains on intervention watch.Gilts underperform, USTs lower ahead of US CPI. Crude rises as US-Iran woes mount, with no off-ramp in sight.Looking ahead, highlights include US CPI (Apr), ADP Employment Change Weekly, EIA STEO (May), and EU Informal Meeting of Energy Ministers (May 12-13). Speakers include ECB's Elderson, Fed's Goolsbee. Supply from the US. Earnings from Under Armour.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

British prime minister Keir Starmer is clinging to power after scores of Labour MPs – and several ministers – called on him to resign or at least plot a clear path for a change in leadership.The immediate prompt is the collapse of the Labour vote during the local elections which saw more than 1,500 councillors lose their seats.Add the party's losses at the devolved elections in Scotland and Wales and the turnaround in Labour's fortunes since its landslide general election win couldn't be more stark.But do the roots of dissatisfaction with the solid, steady and uncharismatic Starmer, and the party, go much deeper than a few bad days at the polls?And while he says he is going nowhere and that he will stay and fight Reform UK for “the soul of Britain”, is his position really tenable? Is there a contender in the wings, waiting for the chance to oust him from Number 10, someone who would be more popular with Labour voters?Irish Times London correspondent Mark Paul reflects on a dramatic day in Westminster.Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is on the brink, as more and more Labour MPs and ministers call for his resignation – less than two years after he walked into Number 10.He remains defiant (for now), but whatever the fate of the prime minister, his predicament is one we've seen repeated over the past decade in a seemingly never-ending cycle of chopping and changing leaders.Since David Cameron's resignation in 2016 – after Britain voted to leave the European Union – no prime minister has served a full parliamentary term.Gareth Barlow speaks to pollster and founder at Merlin Strategy Scarlett Maguire about our impatience with politics and why the country feels ungovernable.Have you got a question for the show? Email us: why@sky.uk

As the number of Labour MPs calling for Starmer to go, can he survive the day? Also, Waymo driverless cars getting stuck in a dead end street and 4 yr olds being treated for obesity.

Today, more Labour MPs have called for Keir Starmer to step down, but is an actual leadership challenge imminent?In a speech on Monday morning Keir Starmer vowed to prove his “doubters” wrong, but the number of Labour MPs calling him to go continues to rise. Dozens of MPs have urged Starmer either to step down immediately or set out a timetable for his departure. Adam, Chris and Alex discuss.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Jem Westgate. The social producer was Joe Wilkinson. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

In its 80-year history, no woman has ever held the role of United Nations Secretary-General. The race for the job, which happens every 10 years, began in January and the candidates have recently appeared in their one and only TV debate. Four people are currently in the running, two of whom are female. But should it matter if the top job goes to a woman? Nuala McGovern discusses with Susana Malcorra, former Chief of Staff to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and founder of GWL Voices, which stands for Global Women Leaders, and Ben Donaldson, advisor to 1 For 8 Billion, a campaign group calling for an open, inclusive and merit-based selection process to appoint a woman as Secretary-General. Nuala speaks to actors Liv Hill and Tanya Reynolds, stars of the new West End play 1536. Set in Tudor England, the drama follows three young women in Essex as they grapple with the shockwaves of Anne Boleyn's execution. Through the stories of Jane, Anna and Mariella, the play explores how events at the Royal court ripple through ordinary lives, and what the fall of a queen means for women far beyond the palace walls.It has been called 'a last ditch reset', 'a very important moment' and 'the speech of his career'. That's the speech that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is giving today as he tries to convince Labour MPs he's the right man for the job after heavy election losses last week. One of those listening is Labour backbencher Catherine West who, if still dissatisfied after hearing him, says she will send out an email and attempt to trigger a leadership contest. Meanwhile Angela Rayner put out a 1000-word statement yesterday, warning that the party's current approach isn't working and it needs to change. Joining Nuala to discuss what the political landscape looks like for women after the elections is BBC political correspondent Alicia McCarthy and Dr Annabel Mullin, Director of communications at Elect Her, an organisation that works to get women into elected office. M&S have announced that following a successful trial they are ditching the measuring tape for bra fittings. Other underwear retailers have done this for years, but how does it work fitting a bra by eye? Nuala is joined by Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, Professor of Biomechanics at Portsmouth University, and virtual bra fitter Katie Weir.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

More than 50 Labour MPs have called for the prime minister to resign, despite Sir Keir Starmer's vow to stay on, and prove his doubters wrong. Also: President Trump has said the American ceasefire deal with Iran is "on life support", as the sides fail to agree terms for talks on ending the war. And the British actor Michael Pennington, best known for his performances of Shakespeare, has died at the age of 82.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-owen-jones-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour suffered historic losses in Thursday's elections, triggering dozens of the party's MPs to call for Keir Starmer's resignation. And yet, even with the party in disarray, the PM has so far remained defiant. So, can he survive? And what do the election results tell us about the country's political future? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The TimesHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Sophie McNulty, Dave CreaseyWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Challenge Keir Starmer by Monday or I will, Labour MP tells cabinetFurther listening: Reform shake Labour to its coreClips: BBC, ITN, Times Radio, The TimesPhoto: Getty Images.This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Labour Party is in crisis following a disastrous set of local election results. Plus: Reform UK's latest slate of racist councillors, and we discuss whether the Green Party is ready for power. With Michael Walker & Ash Sarkar.

Keir Starmer survives the day -  but the pressure on his leadership is growing. Today, he attempted to shore up his position with a speech focused on his vision for Labour, saying his government must go beyond “incremental change” and be the party of a “stronger and fairer” Britain. But despite this, at least 55 Labour MPs have called on Starmer to set out a timetable for a leadership election to take place.And inside Labour, the conversation has already moved on to who would replace him and two names dominate - Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting. Burnham says he should never have been blocked from returning to Westminster, and Streeting is openly being discussed as a potential frontrunner. So with the party leadership in flux and the future of the Labour party once again up for debate - what happens now? In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Starmer biographer Tom Baldwin and Guardian columnist Zoe Williams about what today's turmoil really means. Is Labour heading for a delayed but inevitable leadership contest, a Burnham ‘coronation', or a messy fight over the party's future?

Support us as we expand our challenge to our broken media here: https://www.patreon.com/owenjones84 or here: https://ko-fi.com/owenjonesYou can pre-order my new book THE FALL OF THE WEST now: https://bit.ly/FallOfTheWestSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-owen-jones-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain's Labour Party has suffered a historic defeat in local elections, with the right-wing Reform UK making big gains. Despite the loss, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says he will not step down. We get reaction to the results from both a Labour MP and a Reform politician.Also in the programme: why did Saudi Arabia prevent the US from using Saudi airspace and bases to launch operations to try to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? And on the 100th birthday of the naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, we hear about the impact Sir David has had on the world.(Photo: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a visit to south London, 7th May 2026. Credit: Ben Whitley/PA Wire)

Today, after a week of warning's from the government over the financial impact of the war in Iran - is the reality starting to hit home?Adam, Chris and Faisal are joined by Ailbhe Rea Political Editor of the New Statesman to discuss how the financial effects could be felt all over the country? It comes after the Bank of England warns interest rates could rise this year following a “significant energy price shock”. And, with economic uncertainty looking set to continue - could this put off Labour MPs from launching a challenge to Keir Starmer? You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Jem Westgate. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis . The technical producer was . The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.