Coffee House Shots

On today’s Coffee House Shots, James Heale reports back after spending 24 hours with Reform leader Nigel Farage. It’s a fascinating time to get access to Reform HQ: the party has been rocked by a succession of sting operations, they await the verdict on the £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne, and Farage's favourability ratings are in the doldrums. How is Farage holding up? And does he still have the zeal for campaigning?

Also today, Michael Simmons and Tim Shipman have written The Spectator’s definitive guide to next week’s Budget. What should we expect from the Chanc...

A week before the budget, and hours after ministers approved drilling at the Jackdaw gas field, Andy Burnham faced off with Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions in what James Heale reckons was the PM’s first win in the Commons since taking office. James and Isabel Hardman join Tim Shipman to dispute the score, pick over what Badenoch missed on welfare and immigration, and work out why John Healey’s budget may be smaller than expected.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Kemi Badenoch has delivered a major speech on the economy ahead of next week's Budget, calling for welfare cuts to fund higher defence spending. But with some encouraging economic figures, is her attack on Labour landing?

Meanwhile, new polling suggests the Conservatives are reclaiming their position as the main opposition to Labour. Badenoch says she wants Reform voters back – but not its MPs. Are the Tories back in the conversation? And could Labour's divisions over immigration offer the Tories another opening?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Michael Simmons and Noa Hoffman.

Produced by Oscar Ed...

For this live edition of Coffee House Shots, James Heale and Lara Brown are joined by pollster and strategist Scarlett Maguire at the Battle of Ideas Festival to unpack the party conference season and look ahead to the Budget.

Who emerged from conference season in the strongest position, and why are the Conservatives and Labour finding their feet while Reform and the Greens falter?

With the Budget looming, could suspected tax rises on the banks help Labour avoid a repeat of the political fallout from Rachel Reeves’s budget last year? Can Reform broaden it...

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Ministers react to Donald Trump's latest interventions in the war Russia-Ukraine conflict. And Zack Polanski is unapologetic in his reaction to the Green Party's 'Zionism is racism' motion.

Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.

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This week, The Spectator hosted a debate on the motion: This house believes Britain no longer has free speech.

Chaired by The Spectator’s Assistant Editor Isabel Hardman, the debate saw former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie and women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen propose the motion, with former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption and politician and commentator Ed Vaizey arguing against it.

In this episode, we hear Jonathan Sumption and Kellie-Jay Keen set out their cases before the panel goes head-to-head on cancel culture, the role of the police, overzealous lawyers and the resp...

With the Budget fast approaching, is Labour about to pick a fight with the City? Could a new bank tax help John Healey plug the fiscal black hole – or would it risk damaging one of Britain’s most successful industries?

Meanwhile, the SNP party conference in underway in Aberdeen, and John Swinney is once again talking about Scottish independence. But could Andy Burnham pose a threat to the SNP's hold on Scotland?

Plus, Reform is facing fresh questions over misogyny after another round of undercover recordings. Can Nigel Farage get his party back on t...

As Andy Burnham rolls out the red carpet for Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street, he has publicly sided with Kyiv against the Trump administration, days after the US President called for Zelensky to be replaced. Noa Hoffman is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to weigh up the politics, and to ask whether Ed Miliband’s desire to be seen as a saviour over Israel-Palestine has backfired, with friends of Jonathan Powell, the National Security Adviser, now saying he is likely to quit.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Henry Lloyd

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After last night’s botched coup against the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, and a rather temperate Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, James Heale is joined by Isabel Hardman and Tim Shipman to review the events of the last 24 hours.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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The IMF has upgraded its forecast for UK growth – but is the good news all it seems? Michael Simmons explains why the assumptions underpinning Britain’s economic outlook may be far shakier than they first appear, as the government prepares for another difficult Budget.

Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll puts the Conservatives ahead of Reform. Is Kemi Badenoch finally beginning to turn the tide – and has the Tory strategy of targeting the ‘Waitrose woman’ started to pay off?

Oscar Edmondson speaks to Michael Simmons and Noa Hoffman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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On this episode of Coffee House Shots, James Heale and Tim Shipman examine claims of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. What do we actually know about Moscow’s attempts to influence the vote – and did they make any difference to the result?

Plus: they discuss Andy Burnham’s foreign policy, Labour’s plans for a reset with the EU and Nigel Farage’s latest attempt to put migration back at the centre of the political debate.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson & Abigail Brierley

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For this special edition of Coffee House Shots, economics editor Michael Simmons hosts a panel from Conservative Party conference on Britain’s growing NEETs crisis: the hundreds of thousands of young people not in education, employment or training. He is joined by shadow education secretary Laura Trott, the CBI’s Megan Bulford, Spectator commissioning editor Lara Brown and the CPS's Daniel Herring.

Why are so many young people struggling to enter the labour market, and is the problem education, welfare, the cost of hiring or something deeper? The panel debate the value of university compared with appr...

Labour has held Holborn and St Pancras in the first major electoral test of the post-Starmer era – but what does the result tell us about the state of the left?

James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and More in Common’s Luke Tryl to discuss Andy Burnham’s appeal, Zack Polanski’s problems and whether the Greens have already missed their moment. Plus: are the Conservatives beginning to squeeze Reform, and is two-party politics making a comeback?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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What does it take to become a successful political leader – and are Britain’s politicians getting the training they need?

At Conservative Party Conference, Michael Gove was joined by former deputy PM Thérèse Coffey to ask how Britain can develop politicians fit for the future.

The conversation was organised in collaboration with the Institute for Government and was chaired by director of the IfG Academy, Vicky Elliott.

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Kemi Badenoch has just delivered her conference speech, bringing Conservative Party Conference 2026 to a close.

She very nearly almost announced the inheritance tax policy many had expected – instead beefing up the Tory offer to homeowners with a pledge to abolish inheritance tax on the family home. Beyond that, it was relatively light on new announcements: Kemi could hardly be accused of ‘policymaxxing’.

What was clear from the Leader of the Opposition’s rhetoric, however, was that there is now plenty of clear blue water between the main parties – setting British politics up for an intriguing run-in. Ha...

James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman, Michael Simmons and Lara Brown from the second day of Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. They discuss shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith’s pitch for a low-tax, low-regulation economy, Kemi Badenoch’s new ‘Britannia Shield’ defence proposal and whether the Tories are starting to recover some confidence. As Kemi seeks to assemble a more credible frontbench team, to what extent is this conference the beginning of a genuine Tory revival?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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James Heale, Tim Shipman and Tali Fraser record live from Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. As we pass the two year mark of Kemi Badenoch's leadership of the Tory Party, the panel discuss whether she has done enough to win voters over and whether the party is ready for an early general election. Did Kemi miss a trick in not pressuring new Prime Minister Andy Burnham for one – and could Kemi survive an election defeat?

Plus, the panel answer a variety of audience questions including: how to make Conservatism more attractive to younger people, how much th...

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Andy Burnham wants to scrap the pensions triple lock, and he's reopening the Brexit debate.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Andy Burnham wants to scrap the pensions triple lock, and he's reopening the Brexit debate.

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James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Liam Halligan, Telegraph columnist and the new director of the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), to look ahead to Conservative party conference, which kicks off today. Kemi Badenoch’s latest attempt to draw clear dividing lines with Andy Burnham was through a tougher welfare offer aimed at the under-25s – as exclusively revealed by Tim in the Spectator this week. Will this, alongside tougher fiscal restraint and general plain speaking, appeal to the wider public?

Plus: how do the Conservatives outflank Reform while seeking to appeal to those in t...

James Heale reports from Green Party conference in Brighton, joined by More in Common’s Luke Tryl and Noa Hoffman. After a year in which the Greens appeared to be challenging Labour on the left, has their momentum begun to stall – and how much of that is down to Zac Polanski himself, compared to Andy Burnham winning progressive voters back to Labour?

They discuss the tensions within the Greens’ increasingly broad coalition plus look ahead to next week's Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Will Polanski survive losing in London?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

B...

Suella Braverman joins Tim Shipman to discuss her new memoir Patriot, from growing up with imposter syndrome to her battles inside the Conservative Party and eventual defection to Reform. She reflects on immigration, Brexit and patriotism, her clashes with Rishi Sunak, and explains why she believes she could never work with the Tories again.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Tim Shipman has interviewed Kemi Badenoch ahead of Tory party conference this weekend. In the interview, the Conservative party leader exclusively reveals the Tories plan to ban benefits to under 25s who have never worked before. For this special episode of Coffee House Shots, here is an extract from the Spectator's Edition podcast, where Tim sat down with the Spectator's Lara Prendergast and Angus Colwell and the Telegraph's Poppy Coburn.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Andy Burnham delivered his first conference speech as Prime Minister in Liverpool yesterday, promising a sweeping expansion of public services and a fresh look at Brexit, to warm reviews from the hall. Patrick Gibbons is joined by Isabel Hardman and Claire Ainsley, Sir Keir Starmer's former director of policy, to weigh up what was promised and how the party is taking it.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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Andy Burnham has used his Labour conference speech to set out his clearest vision yet for the country and it was a strikingly ambitious one. Noa Hoffman is joined in Liverpool by Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons to unpack a speech that ranged from a new National Care Service and reform of the pension triple lock to electoral reform, water and Britain’s future relationship with the European Union.

How radical is Burnham’s programme in practice and is the ambition matched in the detail? And what was missing from the speech?

Produced by P...

Noa Hoffman is joined from Labour conference in Liverpool by James Heale and economics editor Michael Simmons to discuss Chancellor John Healey’s keynote speech. They discuss his attempt to sell fiscal discipline in distinctly Labour language, whether the government’s reindustrialisation plans add up and what the speech tells us about the economic argument Andy Burnham wants to make.

Plus, as the bars begin to swell on day two of the conference, can Labour's united front continue for Shabana Mahmood's speech?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Live from Labour conference in Liverpool, Noa Hoffman is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale to discuss the questions Andy Burnham still needs to answer. Can Labour tighten immigration controls while edging closer to Europe? How will Burnham pay for his social care ambitions? And is the party already thinking about an early election... despite what the PM might say.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

At the Labour conference, Andy Burnham has big plans for social care. But how will he pay for it?

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It’s Labour conference day one, and Oscar Edmondson and James Heale report live from the Pullman hotel bar. What’s the mood of conference so far? Will it be a dour affair like previous years, or will new measures to shorten the beer queues do anything to quell the gossip and plotting?

Andy Burnham has taken the opportunity this morning to announce a major policy on social care, proposing a system more closely aligned with the principles of the NHS with a free at the point of use model. But how would Labour pay for it?

Ahead of Labour Party conference, Tim Shipman is joined by former shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth to discuss the mood inside the party, Andy Burnham’s growing authority and whether he could be tempted to call an early general election. They also consider the pressures facing Burnham on tax, welfare, Europe and the North Sea – and why, sooner or later, he will have to start making enemies.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Andy Burnham pitched Britain to the UN this week as an 'honest broker' on artificial intelligence, only for Washington to ask OpenAI and Anthropic to make Britain's AI Security Institute wait its turn. Michael Simmons is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to discuss James's column on the backlash, data centres and whether Burnham's Makerfield test will make room for AI innovation.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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After fresh polling from YouGov put the Tories ahead of Reform UK today, the leader of the opposition has set out plans to get people off of unemployment benefits, and limit what successful claimants can spend it on. James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons to weigh up the policy proposal, another poll from Survation, and whether Andy Burnham will go to the country for an early election.

Produced by Henry Lloyd.

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Donald Trump has forced a rethink of the Chagos deal, after publicly criticising the agreement during his meeting with Andy Burnham. Is Labour preparing to abandon one of Keir Starmer’s most controversial foreign policy decisions? And, with Labour conference approaching, could Burnham be tempted to call a general election? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Noa Hoffman and Tim Shipman.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Andy Burnham is off to meet Donald Trump. What can he expect from his first face-to-face with the US president? Tim Shipman and Freddy Gray discuss the diplomatic choreography behind the meeting, the issues likely to come up – from Ukraine and Iran to the Houthis – and whether Burnham risks upsetting the Labour left with his stance on Saudi Arabia.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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Patrick Gibbons is joined from Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton by deputy political editor James Heale and Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at RUSI and who is now the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Maidstone. They discuss Ed Davey’s attempt to put more substance behind the stunts, how the party can keep making gains across the south east and whether defence and national security can give the party a more serious national profile. Plus: has Brighton provided any clues to who might eventually succeed Ed Davey?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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From the hallways of the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, the Spectator's deputy political editor James Heale speaks to foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller MP about the party’s pitch on growth, what Andy Burnham means for the Lib Dems and why Britain should pursue closer defence ties with Europe.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Ed Davey talks popularity contests, and Bridget Phillipson defends the government ahead of Andy Burnham's first meeting with Donald Trump.

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Military and intelligence chiefs across Europe are sounding increasingly stark warnings about the threat posed by Russia, from cyber attacks and sabotage to drones and hybrid warfare. But is Britain taking the danger seriously enough – and are the armed forces actually ready for what might come next?

Patrick Gibbons is joined by Tim Shipman and Noa Hoffman to discuss Britain’s military preparedness, Andy Burnham’s approach to foreign policy and what to expect when the Prime Minister comes face-to-face with Donald Trump in New York next week.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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In this episode, we return to a live Spectator event asking: have women ever had it so good?

The Spectator’s commissioning editor Lara Brown is joined by Zoe Strimpel, author of Good Slut; Spiked columnist Ella Whelan; feminist writer Julie Bindel; and broadcaster and former Conservative MP Miriam Cates, as they debate women’s freedom, feminism, sexual liberation and the changing relationship between men and women.

We pick up the conversation as the panel turns to prostitution and pornography, and asks whether porn and feminism are fundamentally in conflict – or whether the two can coexis...

More voters than ever before say they are willing to vote tactically at the next election, according to new polling from More in Common, and the trend is not running Reform's way – even Conservative supporters are more ready to lend their vote to the Lib Dems than to Nigel Farage. James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by the pollster's executive director, Luke Tryl, to discuss the findings and whether a 'stop Reform' vote could keep Farage out of Downing Street.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

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