Politics from the New Statesman

On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea look back at yesterday's budget announcement and what the implications might be. Is austerity back? Has Rishi Sunak got one over on Boris Johnson? And how should Labour respond? Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question on whether Nicola Sturgeon can continue as First Minister after the Alex Salmond inquiry.Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the election of Anas Sarwar as the leader of Scottish Labour, and whether he can turn things around after Richard Leonard's disappointing tenure. Then, in You Ask Us, they answer your question about whether potential Shadow Chancellors are on manoeuvres against Anneliese Dodds.Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian discuss the anticipated corporation tax changes ahead of Rishi Sunak's budget announcement, as well as what Labour's response could be. Then, in You Ask Us, they try and explain what's going on in Scotland with the Alex Salmond inquiry.Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson has outlined his four-step plan to bring the UK out of lockdown. The Prime Minister announced pupils will return to schools on 8 March, with rules relaxing in phases thereafter. If strict criteria are met, all restrictions on social contact could be lifted by 21 June. On this episode of the New Statesman podcast, Stephen Bush and Anoosh Chakelian look at the plan and read between the lines of Boris Johnson's choice of language. Then, in You Ask Us, they tackle your questions on the seeming mismatch between the drugs policies of major parties and public positioning on that issue.More from the New Statesman:Stephen explains why new Covid-19 variants are the greatest threat to Boris Johnson's lockdown roadmap.Martin Fletcher writes that Boris Johnson must now announce a public inquiry into the UK’s Covid-19 catastrophe.Martha Gill asks: how did the government get duped by the myth of "freedom loving" Britain?Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea are joined by the NS's Special Correspondent, Harry Lambert, to discuss his cover feature on the future of the BBC. Then, in You Ask Us, they take your question about whether Keir Starmer's big speech had real policy substance or was just a sop to the commentariat. Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss the latest chapter in the campus free speech saga. Then, in You Ask Us, they tackle your question of whether Ed Balls' stellar performance on Celebrity Best Home Cook shows he could've achieved more in politics.Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss housing secretary Robert Jenrick's narrow offer to leaseholders affected by the cladding crisis brought on in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire and the resultant inquiry. Then, in You Ask Us, they take on your question about why the Liberal Democrats are lagging behind the Greens in current polling.Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has made an intervention calling for an end to the government’s “outsourcing obsession”. She’s accused the government of handing £2bn of coronavirus contracts to Conservative friends and donors and wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on faulty equipment that can’t be used. Ailbhe has interviewed Ms. Reeves exclusively for the New Statesman, and on this episode of the podcast Ailbhe joins Stephen and Anoosh to discuss the cronyism controversy, and the former shadow work and pensions secretary's return to the front benches. Then, in You Ask Us, they clear up some of the confusion surrounding factionalism and in-fighting within the Scottish National Party.Subscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12.Read more on the New Statesman:Ailbhe's interview with Rachel Reeves MPStephen argues that the apparent polling surge for the Green party matters more for the Liberal Democrats than the Labour party.James Meadway writes that long-term Covid could mean long-term Conservative rule.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewIf you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.Topics in this episode:coronaviruscovid-19government spendingoutsourcinggovernment contractsthe labour partythe conservative partyScotlandthe SNPPeople mentioned in this episode:Rachel ReevesBoris JohnsonKeir StarmerMichael GoveEd MilibandDavid CameronNicola SturgeonAlex SalmondLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Stephen writes in his latest political column, a concensus is growing among the commentariat that Keir Starmer is not up to the job. But does this underestimate the gains he’s made outside of the Westminster bubble?On this episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss why this matters for the future of Starmer’s leadership.Then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on whether Labour needs to embrace flags, veterans and dressing up smartly.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewSubscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Commission has rowed back on their 'hugely inflammatory' attempt to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland protocol, after outcry from the British and Irish governments. The fact that it was even attempted in the first place exposes a misunderstanding of the Irish border on the part of the EU, and sets a dangerous precedent.On this episode of the New Statesman Podcast, Stephen Bush, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss why the decision was made to invoke the clause, and the implications it raises. Then, in You Ask Us, they answer your question on whether a nominally leftwing party can ever justify a closed border policy.Further Reading:Stephen writes that the EU doesn't understand the Irish border any better than the Brexiteers do.Ailbhe argues that by attempting to trigger Article 16, the EU has lost the moral high ground.Anoosh has been following the cladding crisis, and reports here on the millions of people stuck in unsafe homes as a result.We'd love to hear from you.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.You can follow Stephen Bush on twitter @stephenkb. Anoosh Chakelian is @Anoosh_C and Ailbhe Rea is @PronouncedAlva.More audio from the New Statesman: listen to our weekly global affairs show World ReviewSubscribing to the New Statesman helps us keep producing this podcast. You can now subscribe for 12 weeks for just £12. Visit newstatesman.com/subscribe12If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get ad-free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.Topics in this episodeEuropeUKIrelandNorthern IrelandArticle 16Northern Ireland protocolBrexitCovid-19VaccineThe DUPConservativesEuropean CommissionPeople in this episodeArlene FosterBoris JohnsonUrsula Von der LayenJean Claude JunckerKeir StarmerStephen BushAnoosh ChakelianAilbhe ReaLISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.