Labour in crisis? Inside the vote that shook Starmer’s grip on power
Sir Keir Starmer pulled Labour’s flagship welfare reform plans at the last minute - a humiliating U-turn after days of rebellion, confusion and rising anger across his own party.The government narrowly avoided defeat in the vote last night, but the cost may be far greater than any lost vote. Dozens of MPs defied the whip, disability campaigners condemned the reforms, and what was once a central policy platform now lies in ruins. Critics say Starmer has looked weak, indecisive - even irrelevant - in the face of pressure from within.In this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei speaks to our social affairs editor Jackie Long and Channel 4 News’ Senior Political Correspondent Paul McNamara about the significance of what has just happened and what comes next. Has this bruising vote done lasting damage to Starmer’s premiership? and what will Rachel Reeves do now as another last minute U-turn has blown an even bigger black hole into the government’s finances?
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Bob Vylan at Glastonbury: free speech or hate speech?
Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance has dominated headlines and sparked a huge debate. The punk duo chanted “death to the IDF” to a live crowd of thousands, and millions more watched at home, as their set aired live on the BBC. The backlash was swift - some called it a bold act of protest, while others condemned it as deeply offensive and antisemitic. On-screen warnings issued by the BBC about discriminatory language were deemed “not good enough”, and both the festival and the BBC have since condemned the performance, issuing public apologies.In this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by journalist and founder of the Free Speech Union Lord Toby Young, and political activist Ash Sarkar - who was at the performance - to unpack the controversy. They discuss the reaction to Bob Vylan’s set, the BBC’s decision to broadcast it, and what this means for free speech and creative freedom in today’s media landscape.This episode of The Fourcast contains language that some may find offensive.
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Sarah Vine: How Brexit ruined my marriage to Michael Gove
Does Westminster make good people awful or does it attract awful people? As far as Sarah Vine is concerned, it’s the former - corrupting those with the best of intentions, turning them “mad and toxic.” For twenty years, Sarah Vine was on the frontline of UK politics - married to former Secretary of State Michael Gove, friend (and later, foe) of the Camerons and a tabloid columnist. She witnessed Brexit up close - so close in fact, that it cost her her marriage. In this episode of the Fourcast, journalist and author Sarah Vine talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her new book, ‘How Not to Be a Political Wife’. She talks about her ‘crush’ on Samantha Cameron and their devastating fallout, her view that MPs aren’t paid enough, the pressures of public scrutiny and the emotional toll of being married to power.
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Iran-Israel ceasefire: will deal Trump brokered actually hold?
The ceasefire deal Donald Trump says he brokered between Iran and Israel already appears to be in jeopardy as the Israeli Defence Forces promise to "respond with force" after accusing the regime in Tehran of launching missiles at Israel.Iran denies launching any missiles. The US president has expressed his fury at both countries and has called on them to pull back. So will the ceasefire hold? If so, what does this mean for the future of the region? Can the ayatollah’s regime survive? And will Donald Trump finally get the Nobel Peace Prize he’s been after for so long?On the latest episode of The Fourcast from Washington DC Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Mark Kimmitt, former Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, and Negar Mortazavi, Iranian-American journalist & host of the Iran podcast, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy.
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Iran strikes back? What Israel and the US could do next
The United States and Israel have launched major airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and regime targets. Iran’s foreign minister is seeking diplomatic support in Moscow, while questions swirl around the true extent of the damage, and whether retaliation could spiral into a wider regional war.In this episode of The Fourcast, which was recorded before the latest developments in Qatar, our International Editor Lindsey Hilsum joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy in Washington and Foreign Affairs Correspondent Secunder Kermani in Israel, to discuss what damage the strikes have caused to Iran’s nuclear programme, whether regime change is the real aim what options Iran has to retaliate.
A podcast from Channel 4 News taking an in-depth look at the biggest stories from Westminster, Washington and around the world. From global conflicts to the corridors of power, we expose, examine and interrogate what's really going on with the people who really know.
Watch the episodes here:
https://www.channel4.com/news/the-fourcast
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