Politics Weekly UK
Guardian political columnist John Harris hosts a cast of voices from up and down the country as well as across the political spectrum to analyse the week’s political news. For US Politics with Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, make sure to search 'Politics Weekly America' wherever you get your podcasts
Cameron and Truss: former PMs stage their comebacks – Politics Weekly UK
How much should Britain get involved in the conflict in the Middle East? The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by the columnist Gaby Hinsliff and former national security adviser Peter Ricketts to talk about the fallout from Iran’s attack on Israel at the weekend. Plus, John talks to Gaby about smoking bans, NatCon and Liz Truss’s new book
Is China a major threat to British democracy? – Politics Weekly UK
Despite pressure from some Conservative MPs, the government stopped short of defining China as an official threat this week. How deep does Chinese interference in the UK go? John Harris speaks to the Guardian’s foreign leader writer Tania Branigan and deputy political editor, Peter Walker. As MPs break for Easter, they also discuss the state of the Conservative and Labour parties
Frank Hester, the Tory party and racism – Politics Weekly UK
The Conservatives face yet another crisis week as a major donor is accused of racism and Lee Anderson announces his defection to Reform UK. John Harris asks columnist Gaby Hinsliff and political correspondent Kiran Stacey why Rishi Sunak can’t seem to get his house in order
Westminster’s Gaza disgrace – Politics Weekly UK
House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle made a dramatic apology today for his handling of a Gaza ceasefire vote that sent the commons into chaos. The Guardian’s John Harris spent the day in Westminster speaking to protestors, Labour MP Rachael Maskell, and the Guardian’ political correspondent Kiran Stacey.
Stormont returns? And Tory plotters strike again – Politics Weekly UK
After nearly two years without a government, could power sharing in Northern Ireland finally be back? And, another week, another Tory faction plotting to overthrow the prime minister. The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by our political editor, Pippa Crerar, and the Spectator’s Katy Balls, to ask how much longer Rishi Sunak can stay afloat
Middle East conflicts and the Rwanda bill – Politics Weekly UK
As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, this week John Harris speaks to Niku Jafarnia of Human Rights Watch about the regional conflicts. The Rwanda bill passed its third reading and Pippa Crerar, the Guardian’s political editor, reveals what happened behind the scenes. And the former No 10 adviser Gavin Barwell talks about the increasingly vicious struggles within the Conservative party
The Post Office scandal – Politics Weekly UK
The government has announced it will introduce legislation to exonerate the many hundreds of postal workers affected by the Horizon software scandal. So is the only way to turn the government’s head to an issue to make a TV drama about it? John Harris speaks to former postal worker Chris Head and columnist Gaby Hinsliff. Plus, Rafael Behr joins John to look at the year ahead
Revisited … Keir Starmer’s Labour: hope or despair? – Politics Weekly UK
Politics Weekly UK is taking a break. So this week John Harris revisits a conversation with the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and political reporter Aletha Adu about what a Labour government would look like and why it feels like Keir Starmer has a lot of convincing to do
The Rwanda bill: what next for Rishi Sunak? – Politics Weekly UK
The government’s landmark Rwanda bill was voted through on Tuesday night. With the issue threatening to tear the Conservatives apart, the Guardian’s John Harris is joined by political correspondent Kiran Stacey and columnist Sonia Sodha to discuss the challenges facing the prime minister
Rwanda bill and Boris at the Covid inquiry – Politics Weekly UK
Rishi Sunak attempted to quash critics of his Rwanda plan with a surprise press conference today. Will it be enough to save him from his own party and electoral wipeout? And as Boris Johnson finishes two days of questioning at the Covid inquiry, did we learn anything? The Guardian’s John Harris is joined by columnists Rafael Behr and Gaby Hinsliff