Coffee House Shots

Despite pledging not to raise taxes in the 2019 manifesto, rumours abound in Westminster that Boris Johnson is about to increase National Insurance in order to raise funding for healthcare and social care. Katy Balls talks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth about whether the government has other options.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an interview for the latest issue of The Spectator, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace hits back at Dominic Raab's suggestion that it was military intelligence which failed the British side when it comes to evacuation planning. On the podcast, Cindy Yu talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth about the increasing public acrimony between the two secretaries of state, and ask - why isn't No 10 putting a stop to it?Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dominic Raab was hauled before the Foreign Affairs Committee today to answer questions about how the government handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Foreign Secretary faced tough questions about being on holiday during the crisis, risk reports produced from his own department, and whether a portrait of the Queen in Britain's Kabul embassy was taken by Taliban militants. How did he fare? Cindy Yu also speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about whether China will fill the vacuum left by the West, and whether tension is emerging between the government and the JCVI. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Pentagon says the UK pushed to keep Abbey gate at Kabul airport open, which was later the site of a terrorist attack that killed 13 US soldiers and 170 Afghans. Dominic Raab took on today's broadcast round and defended the work of the Foreign Office during the evacuation process, but said the intelligence community's assessment of the strength of the Afghan government was wrong. Who is to blame for the chaos of the last few weeks? Cindy Yu speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New data from Israel shows that the Delta variant is getting through the protection offered by double jabs, even though the vaccines do lessen symptoms. With this and cases rising in the UK again, could it be that vaccines can never offer us the highly effective protection once hoped? Perhaps natural immunity is the strongest of all, as one study (yet to be peer-reviewed) showed this week. Isabel Hardman talks to Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the attack on Kabul's airport by Isis, President Biden addressed the world last night and mourned for the 13 US marines who were killed. But with this grim event already being politicised by the Republicans, what will the lasting damage to the president legacy be?Isobel Hardman in conversation with Kate Andrews and Fraser Nelson. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chaos surrounds the Hamid Karzai airport today as two explosions and a potential knife attack has left at least 13 dead. The attacks are suspected to be suicide bombers from ISIS-K, as the American and British military had feared. What does this mean for the evacuation in its last days? Cindy Yu talks to Isabel Hardman and Lucy Fisher, deputy political editor of the Telegraph.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his first broadcast round since coming back from Crete, Raab's handling of the questions surrounding his holiday have only managed to fuel the conversation further, with choice quotes such as 'the sea was closed that day'. Cindy Yu talks to Isabel Hardman and Katy Balls about what went wrong with the Foreign Secretary's handling of the issue.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As many had expected, President Biden has not agreed to extend the August 31 deadline despite pleas from Nato allies in today's G7 call. Meanwhile, there are signs that the veneer of the new and reformed Taliban is already beginning to crack in Afghanistan. Katy Balls talks to Isabel Hardman and Fraser Nelson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Prime Minister has requested Washington to extend the August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Kabul. But will Joe Biden acquiesce, amidst warnings from the Taliban that there will be 'consequences' if the US stays longer? Isabel Hardman talks to Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.