Politics At Sam and Anne's

It’s day two of the prime minister’s trip to India - but has there been any progress towards an enhanced trade deal for the jumbo business delegation?Sam has the latest update from Mumbai – as he travels with Keir Starmer – after speaking to senior figures on the trip.   The transcontinental duo also caught up with YouGov pollster Patrick English – to ask what state the parties are in with the voters as conference season concludes.

Sam and Anne break down Kemi Badenoch’s speech to the Conservative party conference in Manchester.  The duo consider:  Did she do enough to dampen the threat of a leadership challenge? Will her big headline announcement – to abolish stamp duty – cut through with the voters? Why did she attack some political opponents but not others?  Plus, Sam and Anne briefly reflect on the conference season before MPs return to Westminster next week.

Sam and Anne join forces 4,600 miles apart as the Prime Minister takes a jumbo trade and business delegation to India.  In Mumbai, the PM is given a warm welcome – with banners and posters lining the streets – but will the trip help or hinder the existing trade deal between the nations and business?  Back in Manchester, Anne has the latest from the Conservative conference as Kemi Badenoch prepares to make her speech to party members.  Elsewhere, the tit for tat trade war between the European Union and the United States could leave British Steel in a perilous position.  Later today, Sam and Anne will debrief Kemi Badenoch’s speech to the Conservative party conference. 

Sam and Anne have done the late-night Conservative conference parties and have news from those – as well as the day ahead.   It’s ‘law and order’ day in Manchester - Robert Jenrick will unveil plans to abolish the sentencing council to end what some Tories call “two-tier justice system.”  But Jenrick is at the centre of another story – calling the Handsworth area of Birmingham one of the “worst integrated places” he’d ever seen.Sam and Anne discuss if he’ll mind having those comments out there.  And, on the second anniversary of October 7th, the Prime Minister warns people to not take part in protests, calling them “un-British.”

Sam and Anne manage about three points from the “10 things you didn’t know about Mel Stride” briefing before getting onto the substance of the day.  (Licenced pilot and unpublished novel, by the way)  It is the shadow chancellor’s big day at Conservative conference in Manchester – where he’ll identify billions of pounds of budget cuts – is there a distinct policy difference between ‘Melonomics’ and Reform UK?  And, away from Manchester, should China be considered a friend or enemy of Britain after spy charges were dropped? 

The Conservative party conference week starts with Sam's story about another Reform defection.Mark Gallagher donated to Kemi Badenoch's leadership campaign, but the Tories claim he was never "really true blue".Also on this preview episode - the active operation to "get" Ms Badenoch in Manchester, as the leader confirms the Conservatives would take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if they got back into power.We'll have an extra episode on Wednesday to review Kemi Badenoch's closing speech to the conference.

48 hours before the Conservatives arrive in Manchester (and some are joking that they hope the party enjoys its last conference), Anne’s got an interview with Kemi Badenoch.  The Tory leader tells members to “hold their nerve” with her – and comes out swinging about recent defections to Reform. But was it wise to liken the party to a “distressed asset”?  Elsewhere, Sam’s got more on the digital ID cards plan – with support apparently slipping in cabinet and in the country.  Is AI having a role in changing some people’s minds about the controversial policy? 

The Prime Minister’s speech may have settled nerves amongst his party, but has he opened a can of worms by attacking Reform?  Sam and Anne assess the mood of Nigel Farage and some within Starmer’s inner circle - who arguably seem a bit displeased.  Plus, as conference wraps up, focus turns quickly to the deputy leadership race and things are already hotting up between Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson.

This is what Sam and Anne made of Keir Starmer’s speech to the Labour conference in Liverpool. It was an hour that was often pitched at Middle England voters tempted by Reform – but also seemed to go down well with Labour’s soft left. The PM doubled down on his stance that some of Nigel Farage’s policies are racist. How will all that go down outside the conference bubble? In the Politico pub, Sam and Anne also debrief on what the PM was saying about working people – which, they reckon, is sounding a bit Bridget Phillipson. Sam and Anne will debrief Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative speech next Wednesday afternoon.

It’s speech day for the Prime Minister but will it do the job, and can he convince conference he is the man to fix Britain?  Sam and Anne look ahead to Sir Keir Starmer’s critical address and his argument of a choice between renewal or decline.  The pair also reflect on the Chancellor’s speech and her strongest indication yet that tax rises could be on the horizon for the November budget.  And away from Liverpool, Donald Trump has announced a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza – which includes the involvement of former Labour Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair.  The duo will also debrief the Starmer speech in an extra episode late on Tuesday afternoon.