The State of It

What does Keir Starmer do all day? Who is now pulling the strings in Downing Street? And why is it all going so wrong? Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund speak to Hugo Rifkind about their updated edition of their book, Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer.

Hugo Rifkind, presenter, Times Radio and How To Win An Election
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times

Picture credit: Russel Herneman

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Keir Starmer is being accused of misleading MPs over his appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. How bad is it for the prime minister?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

Email us: [email protected]
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.

While Keir Starmer may get some credit with the public for his response to the war in Iran, he's still stuck with its consequences: rising prices just when he'd said he was going to cut the cost of living. Meanwhile has Reform UK's response compromised its ability to campaign on the cost of living? Also, who is now wielding the power in Number 10?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

Email us: [email protected]
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.

We take you inside the Iran discussions in Number 10. What do they reveal about Keir Starmer's thinking and about Labour's electoral predicament?
And as polling suggests that two parties with 2% of MPs command 44% of the vote, does Labour have a coherent argument to coax voters away from the Green Party and Reform UK?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

Email us: [email protected]
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 end of Britain’s political duopoly now looks complete, as Labour suffers a catastrophic by-election defeat to the Greens in Gorton and Denton. Reform comes second, while the Tories lose their deposit with just 2% of the vote. Keir Starmer is now a prisoner of the left, and Britain is undergoing a tectonic realignment of its electoral politics.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

Email us: [email protected]
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.