The Week in Westminster

To discuss the government's U-turn on taking winter fuel allowance from all but the poorest pensioners, Caroline is joined by the Conservative peer, David Willetts - president of the Resolution Foundation, which focuses on people on lower incomes; and Claire Ainsley, former policy director to Sir Keir Starmer, now at the Progressive Policy Institute. Also this week, the UK and the EU struck a trade deal. Caroline speaks to the EU Ambassador to the UK, Pedro Serrano about it. Reform UK’s newest MP Sarah Pochin, who served as a magistrate for twenty years and the Labour MP and barrister Catherine Atkinson discuss plans by the former Conservative Justice Secretary David Gauke for the biggest shake-up of sentencing in England and Wales for more than 30 years. And, this week marks the first anniversary of a public inquiry report into the infected blood scandal. The former Health Secretary, now Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham has campaigned on behalf of victims and came into the studio with Lee Moorey, who was given contaminated blood.

Radio 4's assessment of developments at Westminster

Sonia Sodha delves in to the latest developments at Westminster. Sir Keir Starmer celebrated not one, but two, new trade deals this week: with the United States and India. But has Britain got good deals? The Labour chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee, Liam Byrne, and former Conservative trade minister and UK trade envoy to the US, Sir Conor Burns, discuss the merits of the agreements. Following the local election results, in which Reform UK made strong gains at the expense of the main parties, restive Labour MPs have been making their feelings known to the Prime Minister about the government's performance. One of those MPs, Jo White, chair of the Red Wall Group, joined Joe Dromey, General Secretary of the Fabians, to discuss whether Labour needs a change of direction. A spate of recent cyber attacks on retailers including M&S and Co-op have caused alarm in business circles and in government. Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden this week said the attacks were a "wake-up call" for business. To discuss that Sonia speaks to Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre and now a professor at Oxford University. And, to reflect on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Sonia is joined by Lord Michael Heseltine, former Deputy Prime Minister, who witnessed the celebrations in 1945, and Alex Baker, the first Labour MP to represent Aldershot - the home of the British Army.

Radio 4's assessment of developments at Westminster

George Parker of the Financial Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster. To discuss the Chancellor's trip to Washington to try to secure a trade deal with the US, George is joined by Labour MP and Chair of the Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne, and former Conservative government Trade Minister, Greg Hands. Also this week, London hosted the global energy security conference. To discuss the green energy transition, George is joined by Green Party MP Ellie Chowns and Gary Smith, the General Secretary of the GMB union. Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine and Conservative MP Dr Caroline Johnson join George to discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex. And, in the week of St George's Day, the Prime Minister hosted the first ever Downing Street reception to mark the occasion. To discuss the meaning of 'patriotism', George speaks to Tom Baldwin, a former Labour adviser and the author of a biography of Keir Starmer and Samuel Kasumu, who worked as an adviser to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Radio 4's assessment of developments at Westminster

The BBC's Deputy Political Editor, Vicki Young, presents a special programme looking back at the year so far in British politics. To discuss the major political developments of recent months she is joined by the Political Editor of The Daily Telegraph, Ben Riley-Smith, the Chief Political Commentator of The Times, Patrick Maguire, and The Observer columnist and chief leader writer, Sonia Sodha.

Pippa Crerar assesses the latest developments at Westminster. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled her Spring Statement this week and Pippa takes a closer look at the details with the chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Labour’s Dame Meg Hillier and the Conservative frontbencher and former Treasury minister, Dame Harriett Baldwin. Also this week, Keir Starmer travelled to Paris for the latest meeting of the ‘coalition of the willing’. Labour’s Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Foreign Affairs select committee discusses this with the Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin, a former British army officer who served multiple tours in Afghanistan. Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, who represents Boston and Skegness and Times columnist Fraser Nelson discuss the party's coming electoral test in the local elections. And, following comments by the technology secretary Peter Kyle that the UK will see its first ever space launch this year, Pippa speaks to the physicist and broadcaster Professor Brian Cox about the benefits of space exploration.

Ben Riley-Smith of The Daily Telegraph assesses the latest developments at Westminster. After the government announced savings of £5bn a year from the benefits bill, Ben speaks to Labour MP Clive Lewis, who raised concerns about the plans in the Commons, and David Blunkett, formerly a Cabinet minister under Tony Blair and now a Labour peer. Also this week Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch ditched her party's commitment to make Britain a 'net zero' carbon emitter by 2050, a policy first introduced by Theresa May's government in 2019. Conservative MP and former Cabinet minister, David Davis, and former Conservative adviser, Salma Shah, debate the merits of the plan. Crossbench peer, Minette Batters, who is the former President of the National Farmers Union, joins Ben from her farm in Wiltshire to discuss whether Labour can mend its relationship with farmers. And, following the visit of the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Britain, Ben speaks to the former UK High Commissioner to Canada, Susan le Jeune d'Allegeershecque, and Labour MP Matt Western, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Canada.

Sonia Sodha of The Observer assesses the latest developments at Westminster. This week the Prime Minister kickstarted a mission to remake the state which he describes as "overstretched" and "flabby". He started by announcing he would abolish the arms-length body, NHS England. But there was ongoing disquiet in the Labour party about possible cuts to welfare spending which could be coming down the track. Sonia discusses all of this with former Conservative minister, Lord Willetts, who now chairs the Resolution Foundation, and Claire Ainsley, former director of policy for Keir Starmer. After a week of intense diplomatic manoeuvring, could a ceasefire in Ukraine be on the horizon? Sonia brings together Bronwen Maddox, director of the foreign policy think tank Chatham House, and Johnny Mercer, former Conservative MP and Minister for Veterans, who has just returned from a trip to Ukraine. Splits within Reform UK deepened this week following the party’s suspension of one of its five MPs, Rupert Lowe, after allegations of bullying and threatening violence. Professor Jane Green of Oxford University analyses whether the ongoing row will halt Reform's surge in support. And, MPs who like to use TikTok are regularly flouting parliamentary rules on filming videos for social media. So do the rules need to change? Former Deputy Speaker, Nigel Evans, and Daily Mail political sketchwriter, Quentin Letts, discuss whether it's really a good idea.

Caroline Wheeler from The Sunday Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster. To discuss the announcement this week, by the US government, that there would be a pause in all military aid to Ukraine and a pause in intelligence sharing, Caroline is joined by former Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser, Lord Sedwill and Air Chief Marshal, Lord Peach, the former head of the UK Armed Forces who was also chair of NATO's military committee from 2018 to 2021. Lord Peach has just stepped down as U.K. special envoy to the Balkans. The Chancellor will deliver her Spring Statement later this month at at time of limited financial headroom. To discuss the impact of possible cuts to the welfare bill Caroline is joined by the former Conservative Party leader and architect of the Universal Credit system, Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former Labour MP Rosie Duffield who now sits as an Independent Member of Parliament. Labour's Baroness Hayter and Lord Howard, the former Conservative Party leader, join Caroline to discuss the Hereditary Peers Bill which is currently in the House of Lords. The landmark legislation will remove the right of the remaining 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. US President Donald Trump has been invited to the UK for a second state visit by the King. To discuss state visits and the so-called 'soft power' of the Monarchy, Caroline is joined by Edward, now Lord Young, of Old Windsor, who was Private Secretary and key adviser to The late Queen. He was with Her Majesty for 20 years until her death in 2022 and oversaw the smooth transition to the start of The King’s reign.

George Parker of the Financial Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster To assess the impact of two completely contrasting Oval Office meetings between President Trump and Sir Keir Starmer and then the US president and President Zelensky this week, George is joined by Peter Ricketts, crossbench peer and Britain's first National Security Adviser. And Labour’s Baroness Cathy Ashton, who was the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, leading its response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea back in 2014. To discuss Sir Keir Starmer's plans to increase defence spending to 2.5% of national income by cutting the foreign aid budget, George spoke to the Labour MP for Hartlepool, Jonathan Brash and the Greens’ Ellie Chowns, who represents North Herefordshire, and spent her career before Parliament working in overseas development. David Gauke, who was Justice Secretary in Theresa May’s government and is now leading a review into prisons for Keir Starmer, has been in Texas this week to look at what the UK can learn from prisons there. Rishi Sunak's former chief whip, Simon Hart has just published his diaries spanning his fifteen years in the Commons - in which he saw five prime ministers, four general elections, and plenty of scandals. He discusses this era with The Spectator's Isabel Hardman.

Pippa Crerar, the Political Editor of The Guardian, assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following President Trump's announcement of his plans for peace in Ukraine, Pippa brings together Lord West, the former Head of the Navy and Labour peer and Lord Dannatt, the former head of the Army and a now crossbench peer to discuss what this means for Ukraine and Europe. This week, the government made numerous announcements on its housing policy, including its plans for the next generation of new towns. To discuss the Prime Minister's promises to build more homes, Pippa was joined by the chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, Labour MP Florence Eshalomi and Conservative peer Lord Gavin Barwell, who is a former Housing Minister and was Downing Street Chief of Staff to Theresa May. To discuss the challenges that Reform UK poses for the government and the Conservative Party, Pippa is joined by Gawain Towler, Reform UK's former director of communications and Scarlett Maguire, director of the polling firm JL Partners. And, are political slogans such as 'Take Back Control', 'Fix the NHS' and 'Smash the Gangs' effective in delivering their messages? Pippa asks to political commentator and former Conservative government adviser Salma Shah and Jonathan Ashworth, the former shadow cabinet minister, now chief executive of Labour Together for their take.

Sonia Sodha of The Observer assesses the latest developments at Westminster. How should the British government respond to Donald Trump? That question was again asked this week after the American President suggested the US could take over Gaza, removing Palestinian residents in order to redevelop the strip. Earlier in the week the President also threatened tariffs against allies such as Mexico, Canada and the EU. To discuss how the UK should navigate this tricky diplomatic terrain, Sonia speaks to Lord Darroch, former UK ambassador to the US, and Sir David Lidington, a former Conservative Cabinet minister and now chairman of the defence think tank RUSI. Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, gave a major speech on Monday setting out her vision for England's schools. It follows criticism of her Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which is currently going through Parliament. To debate the reforms Sonia is joined by Mary Bousted, a former general secretary of the National Education Union and now a Labour peer, and Neil O'Brien, a Conservative MP and former minister. Is the UK becoming less cohesive? Sara Khan, the government's former independent adviser on social cohesion and resilience, explains why she thinks there is a risk to democracy from declining social cohesion. And, as a new book charting Keir Starmer's rise to power sends the Westminster gossip machine into overdrive, Sonia speaks to one of the co-authors, Gabriel Pogrund of The Sunday Times, and Labour peer, Ayesha Hazarika.

Caroline Wheeler from The Sunday Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following Rachel Reeves' speech setting out a series of major announcements on infrastructure projects, including backing plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, Caroline speaks to Labour MP, Josh Simons and crossbench peer, Richard Harrington, who chairs the manufacturers organisation Made UK about how to achieve growth in the UK economy. On the fifth anniversary of the UK’s official departure from the EU, the chair of the Foreign Affairs select committee Emily Thornberry and the former Conservative MP and leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt discuss the state of play in EU-UK relations. The Conservative peer, Charlotte Owen is campaigning to stop the rise of deep fake online pornography and she discusses this with Caroline and "Jodie", a victim of deep fake porn. And, the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle explains the importance of marking Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in parliament.

George Parker of the Financial Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster Following the inauguration of Donald Trump George is joined by Sir Simon Fraser, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office and Chair of the Foreign Affairs think tank Chatham House, and Michael Gove, the former Conservative cabinet minister and now editor of the Spectator. They discuss the impact of the Trump on international politics. As Rachel Reeves visits Davos for the World Economic Forum, George discusses the Chancellor's efforts to win business confidence with the director general of the CBI, Rain Newton-Smith, and the Head of Bloomberg Economics, Stephanie Flanders. The teenager who murdered 3 young girls in Southport was sentenced this week. The question for many is what - if anything - can be done to stop this kind of tragedy happening in future? George discusses this with former Labour MP John Woodcock, who is now the crossbench peer Lord Walney. He is also the government's independent adviser on political violence and disruption Following the temporary closure of Strangers' Bar in Parliament over an alleged spiking incident, George is joined by Francis Elliott, the Editor of the House Magazine, and Cat Eccles, the newly elected Labour MP for Stourbridge, to discuss the drinking culture at Westminster.

The Telegraph's Ben Riley-Smith assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the Prime Minister's trip to Ukraine, Ben speaks to former Conservative Defence Secretary, Sir Ben Wallace, and the Labour peer, Baroness Ashton, formerly the EU's foreign policy chief, about how the imminent second Trump presidency is already shaping global geopolitics. After another uncomfortable week for the Chancellor, Ben is joined by the Labour MP and chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Dame Meg Hillier, and former Conservative Treasury Minister, Sir Simon Clarke, to discuss the economic and fiscal outlook for the UK. Tech entrepreneur, Matt Clifford, who also advises the Prime Minister on artificial intelligence, explains how AI will change the country in the week the government unveiled his AI Action Plan. And, after the Government's decision to bring an early end to the Latin Excellence Programme, which funds the teaching of Latin in some state schools, Ben catches up with former Education Secretary, Sir Gavin Williamson, who introduced the policy, and Labour MP, Sarah Smith, who used to work in youth services and takes a special interest in education policy.

Caroline Wheeler, political editor of The Sunday Times, assesses the latest developments at Westminster. To discuss whether there should be a national inquiry into grooming gangs, Caroline is joined by Labour MP Paul Waugh who represents Rochdale, and former Conservative MP Laura Farris, who served as Safeguarding Minister in Rishi Sunak's government. Following the announcement of the government's plans to reducing waiting lists in England, Caroline speaks to surgeon and former Labour Health Minister Ara Darzi who now sits in the House of Lords as an independent peer. He is the author of the recent government review into the NHS in England. As the Chancellor Rachel Reeves visits China, Caroline brings together the chair of the business and trade select committee, Liam Byrne, and Conservative MP, Tom Tugendhat, who is a former Security Minister. And, finally, the beginning of the Westminster week was dominated by political interventions made by the owner of the social media platform X. To discuss how the Prime Minister should handle such interventions, Caroline brought together Katie Perrior, former Downing Street Director of Communications for Theresa May and David Yelland, a former newspaper editor who is co-presenter of Radio 4's ‘When It Hits the Fan’.

The BBC's deputy political editor, Vicki Young assesses a year when the political landscape shifted with the Whitehall Editor of the Financial Times Lucy Fisher, commentator and director of the London Defence Conference Iain Martin and Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff.

Pippa Crerar, political editor of The Guardian, assesses the latest developments at Westminster. To discuss the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Pippa is joined by Sir Simon Fraser who was Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Office during the Arab Spring and now chairs the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House, and Sarah Champion, Labour MP and chair of Parliament's International Development Select Committee. Labour MP Dan Tomlinson and Conservative MP Greg Smith debate the government's reforms to the planning system which it hopes will help deliver 1.5 million more homes over the course of this Parliament. As the House of Lords debates the government's Hereditary Peers Bill for the first time, Pippa speaks to Charles Hay, Earl of Kinnoull, convener of the independent crossbenchers and a hereditary peer himself, about his ideas for reforming the upper chamber. And, to discuss the 5 year anniversary of the 2019 election, Pippa brings together former Conservative MP, Dehenna Davison, who won the seat of Bishop Auckland in that election, and Jane Green, professor of politics at Oxford University and co-director of the British Election Study.