Wes Streeting is "a man in a hurry". In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience at the Labour party conference, the health secretary discusses his actions in government so far and his plans for NHS reform. Wes Streeting spoke to Hannah White, director of the Institute for Government, for this episode which is sponsored by the Institute for Government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They're terrified of the whips - and of their tiny majorities. From a “fresher’s fair” with free sweets to the struggles of finding a place to live, joining parliament is a lot like starting at University - but with the fate of the country in your hands. Andrew Marr and Rachel Cunliffe have been speaking to the new intake of MPs and join Hannah Barnes to answer a listener question on what life is like for new Members of Parliament. Andrew, Hannah and Rachel also answer your questions on how long Labour will be able to “do the unpopular things”. 🙋‍♀️ ASK a question:  We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting here, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus 💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber: Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save 📧 FREE get our daily politics email https://morningcall.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MPs are about to vote on arguably the biggest social change since abortion. ***If you enjoyed this, listen to our previous episode, "Is the UK ready for Assisted Dying?"*** Listen here: https://pod.fo/e/274d9c -- Kim Leadbeater’s private members bill proposing to legalise assisted dying faces a free vote on Friday November 29. In a free vote, MPs are not whipped by their party to vote in a particular way. This means the debate between MPs has taken an unusual course, with seemingly unlikely alliances being formed across party lines. Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe discuss the politics of this extraordinary vote, and the impact it could have on both the UK and Keir Starmer’s Labour government. They also discuss the shock immigration statistics released Thursday, and a petition calling for another general election which has attracted two million signatures. -- READ Ben Walker's must-read analysis of the general election petition https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/11/general-election-petition-should-worry-conservatives-not-labour FREE Get politics news and analysis in your inbox every day with our Morning Call newsletter morningcall.substack.com SAVE Podcast listeners can save 25% on a New Statesman subscription for yourself or a loved one www.newstatesman.com/pod24 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, the US and the UK gave permission for long-range missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces against military facilities inside Russia for the first time. In response, Putin announced Russia had fired a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.  Meanwhile the rhetoric from the Russian government and the western media has escalated, but what does this mean in reality for the conflict? And how does all of this fit in with the return of Donald Trump in January? Kate Lamble is joined by Ian Garner, Lawrence Freedman, and Peter Ricketts. Read: The dark reality of Putin’s nuclear rhetoric Media used: DW, BBC, CBS, Sky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

50 years ago this month the German band Kraftwerk released Autobahn – an album that not only marked a dramatic departure in their sound, but went on to change the entire course of contemporary music.  With the title track, a 22-minute ode to the German motorway, Kraftwerk’s founding members Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider forged a modern musical language, using electronics to articulate a new and optimistic vision of the future. To discuss Autobahn’s genesis and enduing legacy Tom Gatti is joined by Jude Rogers, journalist and author of The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives, and Uwe Schütte, author of Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany. Read: How Kraftwerk’s Autobahn remade pop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And what's behind the global "incumbency curse" which has seen so many incumbent leaders ousted in 2024 elections? Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr, and associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions. Read Andrew's column: The UK’s broken system makes losers of us all Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Marr pays tribute to "an extraordinary character" - the former Labour deputy Prime Minister and titan of Blair-era New Labour, who died on Thursday. Also, George Eaton interviews the David Lammy in New York. The foreign secretary opened his appearance at the UN security council with a declaration of "shame on Putin". In an interview with George Eaton, Lammy explains why he believes Donald Trump will pursue "peace through strength" rather than giving way to Putin over Ukraine. George joins Hannah Barnes and Andrew Marr to discuss whether this is, in fact, the case. British farmers are protesting against what they see as punitive changes to inheritance tax laws by Rachel Reeves. Will Dunn and Andrew Marr both attended the protests and give their analysis of both the proposed changes and the government's extremely difficult position. READ Andrew Marr: Labour will always need a John Prescott https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2024/11/labour-will-always-need-a-john-prescott George's David Lammy interview https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics-interview/2024/11/david-lammy-interview-donald-trump-doesnt-want-vladimir-putin-win The farmer's revolt is coming for Labour, by Will Dunn https://www.newstatesman.com/business/economics/2024/11/farmers-revolt-protest-coming-labour-jeremy-clarkson Get our political analysis in your email inbox every weekday morning: sign up to the free Morning Call newsletter: morningcall.substack.com Claim your 25% discount on a subscription to the New Statesman: newstatesman.com/pod24 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020, Sinn Féin, a left-wing party born out of Ireland’s nationalist movement, claimed victory. At the time Ireland’s two major parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, went into coalition with each other, preventing Sinn Fein from forming a government. Sinn Fein’s leader, Mary-Lou McDonald proudly claimed that she would be the first female Taoiseach. Four years later, support for the left-wing has markedly dropped, scandals have surrounded them on both sides of the border, and party political identities have become blurred. But when Ireland heads to the polls next week, what will be at the forefront of voter's minds? And how will issues of economy, housing, and immigration decide trajectory of the country's future? Kate Lamble is joined by Eoin O'Malley, Finn McRedmond, Conor Kelly, and Dan O'Brien. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The author of Orbital says Elon Musk's "individualistic" future is "problematic in all sorts of ways". Samantha Harvey, winner of the 2024 Booker Prize for fiction speaks to Nicholas Harris in this episode of Culture from the New Statesman. She discusses how her novel portrays the politics and powers of the world from orbit, and why the de-orbiting of the ISS marks the end of an era of "peaceful co-operation between nations". 📚 READ Nicholas Harris's write up of this conversation https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2024/11/samantha-harvey-booker-prize-2024-winner-interview-orbital 🙋‍♀️ ASK We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit yours at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus 📧 FREE Get our daily politics email https://morningcall.substack.com 💷 SAVE Give a loved one a year's subscription to the New Statesman for just £49 https://www.newstatesman.com/pod24 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where you live could drastically impact how long you live. According to the Office for National Statistics, a person in South Kensington, one of London’s wealthiest areas, can expect to live up to 16 years longer than someone in a more deprived area, like Blackpool. In this episode, host Sarah Dawood is joined by a panel of guests to discuss the stark health inequalities across the UK. -      Jennifer Dixon DBE, CEO of The Health Foundation -      Jonathan Ashworth, CEO of Labour Together, former Shadow Secretary for Health, and former Labour MP -      Steve Brine, former Conservative MP, former Minister for Public Health and Primary Care, Chair of Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee, and host of Prevention Is The New Cure podcast The panel discusses the social determinants, or building blocks of health, that shape health outcomes and life expectancy. They discuss the need for a cross-government approach to address these inequalities and highlight the urgency of meaningful, coordinated action to improve public health. We also hear from Dr. Ronny Cheung, Consultant General Paediatrician at Evelina London Children’s Hospital and Officer for Health Services at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. This episode is sponsored by Health Equals, a coalition of 27 organisations campaigning to ‘Make Health Equal’. Visit www.healthequals.org.uk Show references: Health at the heart of government https://www.health.org.uk/publications/health-at-the-heart-of-government Health and social care select committee prevention inquiry https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7205/prevention-in-health-and-social-care/ Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – Child health inequalities and poverty toolkit https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/key-topics/child-health-inequalities-poverty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And what can Keir Starmer learn from Theresa May's relationship with Trump? (keep hands firmly in pockets) Read: Andrew Marr's weekly column Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Starmer contends with a fraught political landscape, he has increasingly turned to figures from the Blair administration: Jonathan Powell, Liz Lloyd, Peter Mandelson, Alan Milburn. What will this means for the factions within the current Labour government? We are also midway through COP29 which is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Keir Starmer was only one of two G7 leaders to appear at the conference (where he announced new plans for the UK to cut its emissions by 81% compared to 1990 levels by 2035. How are Labour going to stick to their pledge of going green? Read: The return of the Blairites Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month Russia gained the most Ukrainian territory since March 2022 when the war was in its infancy. At least 10,000 North Korean troops have also joined the fight, which will do little to replace the roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers killed or injured daily. And among all that Donald Trump was re-elected as US President.  Kate Lamble is joined by Chris York, Wolfgang Munchau, Angela Stent, and Mex Bergmann. Read: Putin stares down the west by Wolfgang Munchau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are we all becoming increasingly angry? And what did Donald Trump understand about harnessing this emotion to win back the presidency? Tom Gatti is joined by New Statesman columnist Sarah Manavis and psychoanlyst Josh Cohen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fuel poverty is hitting homeowners, full-time workers, and young people. As energy prices rise and the cost of living crisis deepens, heating our homes is becoming increasingly difficult. In this episode, host Zoe Grunewald speaks with Jessica Taplin, CEO of British Gas Energy Trust, Martin Lord from Citizens Advice Essex, and Carol Shreve from Citizens Advice North Yorkshire and Law Centre. Together, they discuss the shifting demographics affected by fuel poverty, the importance of community-based support, and the urgent need for policy changes. We also explore insights from British Gas Energy Trust's roundtable events across the UK, highlighting the collaborative efforts required to tackle this growing issue. This New Statesman podcast episode is sponsored by British Gas Energy Trust, an independent charitable trust fully funded by British Gas, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicholas Harris reports from the new Labour seat of Southport, which was rocked by riots three months ago. There he found anger and resentment towards migrants. A listener asks if Reform UK now pose as much of a threat to Labour as they do to the Conservatives. Plus Rachel Cunliffe joins Hannah Barnes and Nicholas Harris to answer a listener who asks whether Donald Trump's win is good news for new Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch. 🙋‍♀️ ASK a question We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit yours at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus 📧 FREE get our daily politics email https://morningcall.substack.com 💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber: Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Class? Gender? Economy? What did the Democrats get wrong, what did Trump get right, and how will the UK respond to this? Hannah Barnes is joined by senior editors George Eaton and Katie Stallard as the dust settles on the US election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US has headed to the polls and we want to ask what’s at stake - what will a Trump or Harris victory mean for America, international diplomacy, even your finances.  Kate Lamble is joined by senior editor Katie Stallard and New Statesman columnists Jill Filipovic and Sohrab Ahmari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What was behind the Washington Post's shock decision not to endorse a presidential candidate? It's owner, Jeff Bezos, has cited reasons of impartiality and a perception of bias. Others have suggested that the decision was financially motivated, made out of fear of losing support and contracts from a Trump government. Tom Gatti is joined by Alison Phillips, former editor of the Daily Mirror, to discuss the impact of this choice and also what drives the handful of men who have controlled our media throughout history. Read more from Alison Phillips on the New Statesman here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Gauke reveals his pick for the Tory leadership “not without reservations”.  As Labour deliver “hard decisions” in their first budget in 14 years, a listener asks if Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are reliving Nick Clegg’s 2011. David Gauke, who served with Nick Clegg in government, gives his take. He joins Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes on our weekly listener questions episode, in which they also discuss the Conservative leadership election and David Gauke reveals who he, reluctantly, voted for. 📚 READ Why Tory centrists are hopeless at leadership elections https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/10/why-tory-centrists-are-hopeless-leadership-elections Would Kemi Badenoch be worth the risk for the Conservatives? https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2024/10/would-kemi-badenoch-be-worth-the-risk-for-conservatives 🙋‍♀️ ASK a question We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit yours at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus 📧 FREE get our daily politics email https://morningcall.substack.com 💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber: Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.