The New Statesman: politics and culture

The New Statesman: politics and culture

Helping you make sense of politics, culture and world affairs – every weekday. Anoosh Chakelian, Andrew Marr and the New Statesman team bring you sharp reporting, clear analysis and thoughtful conversations to help you understand what’s really going on in Westminster and beyond. The New Statesman is Britain’s leading source of news and commentary on politics and culture with a progressive perspective. On the podcast, our journalists and expert guests cut through the noise of the headlines to explain the forces shaping our world. From the battles inside the Labour Party to the future of the Conservatives, from the rise of Reform UK to the debates that dominate Parliament, we provide the clarity you need to follow UK politics. But the story doesn’t stop at Westminster. Each week we take you around the globe, covering world news and international current affairs — from the war in Ukraine and the leadership of Volodymyr Zelensky, to Russia under Vladimir Putin, to the conflict in Israel and Gaza, and the impact of Donald Trump on American and international politics. Our interviews bring leading thinkers and cultural figures into the conversation, while our Saturday episodes explore books, literature, film and wider culture. Whether you want to stay on top of UK news, understand the shifts in global politics, or dive into the ideas that drive our culture, the New Statesman podcast is your essential daily listen. -- START HERE: ▶︎ Kemi Badenoch isn't working | Cover Story with Tom McTague ▶︎ Do billionaires really benefit the UK? ▶︎ One year of Labour rule: can things still only get better? -- LISTEN AD-FREE: 📱Download and subscribe in the New Statesman app to enjoy all our episodes without the ads. -- MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN: ❓ Ask a question - we answer them on the podcast every Friday ⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter in your inbox every morning ✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday -- JOIN US: ⭐️ Get full access to all our reporting and analysis - and get our magazine delivered to your door every week - with a print + digital subscription -- Host: Anoosh Chakelian Regular contributors and co-hosts: Tom McTague, Editor-in-chief Will Lloyd, Deputy editor Andrew Marr, Political editor George Eaton, Senior editor, politics Hannah Barnes, Associate editor Rachel Cunliffe, Associate political editor Will Dunn, Business editor Megan Gibson, Foreign editor Katie Stallard, Global affairs editor Tanjil Rashid, Culture editor Kate Mossman, Senior writer Production team: Senior podcast producer: Catharine Hughes Video producer: Rob Le Mare Executive producer: Chris Stone Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

October 17, 2025 81 mins

For over 30 years, John Gray has written for the New Statesman on everything from Artificial Intelligence to Friedrich Nietzsche. He joins deputy editor Will Lloyd to discuss the state of the nation.

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Andrew Marr joins Rachel Cunliffe to discuss his column in this week's magazine, Tax the old.


They also discuss the latest developments in the China spy case.

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October 15, 2025 20 mins

"All I've done all my life is deals. The greatest deals just sort of happen…” President Trump announced at a celebratory peace-deal signing attended by dozens of nations in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this week.


But who were the powers behind Trump? Behind this deal?


Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Freddie Hayward who has written this week’s cover story The Emperor: How Trump and his British Courtiers secured the Gaza deal


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October 14, 2025 32 mins

Did Keir Starmer's government quash an espionage case to curry favour with China?


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There's fury in Westminster over the case of two alleged China spies which collapsed last month. Kemi Badenoch has accused the Labour government of deliberately quashing the prosecution to appease China, blaming National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell. The government denies this, and Keir Starmer has said Powell has his "full support".


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October 13, 2025 33 mins

All 20 remaining, living hostages have returned to Israel after 2 years in captivity, following the October the 7th Hamas attacks. The remains of the 28 deceased hostages are yet to be returned.


Meanwhile, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza today.


To discuss this historic day in the Middle East and how it came to be, Oli Dugmore is joined by Katie Stallard and Freddie Hayward...

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October 11, 2025 25 mins

Is Labour reading from the Reform handbook? And what is the government doing to address rising child poverty?


Oli Dugmore is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions.


Got a question? Ask us here!


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October 10, 2025 33 mins

Almost 10 years ago the Calais 'Jungle' was demolished by the French authorities, structures were burned to the ground and the migrants were forced to flee, once again.


Small-boats crossings are on the rise, and for those waiting for their chance, a new 'Jungle' has become home.


Oli Dugmore is joined by Miles Ellingham and Jack Jeffrey who reported this week's cover story The truth about the small-boats crisis from northern F...

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October 9, 2025 30 mins

Andrew Marr joins Tom McTague to discuss the ascension of Shabana Mahmood, and the Blairites haunting Keir Starmer's government.

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You might have missed it, many people did, but this week the Conservatives met for their annual party conference in Manchester.


Rachel Cunliffe is joined by Ethan Croft, who's just stepped out of the conference hall listening to Badenoch's speech, and later in the episode by Will Dunn - who's been watching the whole affair on GB News.

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October 7, 2025 40 mins

Is the Green Party Britain’s only viable left wing party? Amid other proposals, their conference voted to abolish landlords at the weekend.


Meanwhile Labour is tweaking the surveying process for house buying, and the Tories say they’ll cut benefits to subsidise first time buyers.


Oli Dugmore is joined by Luke O'Reilly and Megan Kenyon.


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October 6, 2025 58 mins

Two years ago, on October the 7th, 2023, Hamas militants committed a series of atrocities in southern Israel. 1,195 people were killed in the attacks. 251 people were taken hostage by Hamas, 47 remain in captivity. Some alive, some dead. 


Since then, war has ravaged the Gaza Strip and, in the form of escalating settler violence, spread to the West Bank. Israel has inflicted famine on Gazans. Over 60,000 Palestinia...

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October 4, 2025 21 mins

And what do Labour really want from digital ID cards?


Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions.

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Yesterday morning, on Yom Kippur - the holiest day in the Jewish calendar - worshippers were attacked outside a synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.


Two Jewish men were killed, three remain in hospital and the attacker, now known as Jihad Al-Shamie - a British citizen of Syrian descent - was shot dead at the scene by police.


It was soon declared a terrorist incident. 


In close proximity to the October 7th anniversary,...

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October 2, 2025 32 mins

Keir Starmer is polling as the UK’s most unpopular Prime Minister in history. But days after his conference speech, some are asking whether a Starmer comeback is on the cards. 


What would that look like? Are they delusional? 


Tom McTague is joined by Andrew Marr.


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Donald Trump says he has a plan to end the war in Gaza and bring eternal peace to the Middle East.


Will Lloyd is joined by Katie Stallard to discuss how Trump is pursuing diplomacy in his second term.

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September 30, 2025 21 mins

Keir Starmer is on a mission to reclaim British patriotism.


The prime minister has just finished his conference speech in Liverpool, addressing a hall full of delegates waving flags from England, Scotland and Wales.


In some ways this was an attempt to celebrate Britain, its values, and its triumphs. In other very clear ways it was an attempted attack on Nigel Farage.


Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe, Megan Ken...

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The chancellor used her speech to define the Labour party in opposition to Reform and the Conservatives, and Shabana Mahmood the home secretary aimed to redefine patriotism in her speech, in hopes of clawing back voters lost to Farage's party.


Meanwhile, Andy Burnham has been making headlines on the fringes.

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The prime minister has described the opposition to Reform UK as “the fight of our times”, but a new poll has also found that Starmer has become the most unpopular PM on record. Meanwhile the spectre of Andy Burnham's leadership bid will not rest. There's a lot for Starmer to prove over the next few days in Liverpool at the Labour Party conference.


Anoosh Chakelian is joined by George Eaton and Ethan Croft.

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Since 2021, billionaire Larry Ellison’s personal foundation has donated or pledged at least £257m to the Tony Blair Institute. 


This took the former PM’s think tank to a whole new level: it now has over 900 staff and is working across at least 45 countries.


But who, exactly, does it work for?


Will Lloyd is joined by Peter Geoghegan and May Bulman whose investigation into the TBI was published in The New Statesman this...

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Three years ago, Liz Truss announced her “mini”-Budget. Since then, the phrase “crashed the economy” has been used 238 times in the Commons. It can be found just three times in the records before then.


Will Dunn sat down with the former PM for an exclusive interview.


He joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss Truss's lasting impact on the economy.

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