Whitehall Sources
Top advisers to our significant political leaders analyse the successes and failures of today's politics, sharing their experiences of working in Whitehall. Kirsty Buchanan worked with Theresa May as PM, and Liz Truss when she was Secretary of State. Jo Tanner is a political adviser and strategist who's worked with politicians from all parties. Journalist and broadcaster Calum Macdonald manages their in-tray of talking points, U-turns and crises. From parties in Westminster to the tactics of SpAds, this is your exclusive insight into how politics is done and how politicians work. We welcome insiders and analysts to join the conversation each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Join the Whitehall Sources podcast as we dive deep into Westminster politics. This week, Calum, Kirsty, and Jo, with a special guest appearance from James Nation, ex-Special Advisor to Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
We discuss:
The shocking mistaken release of a migrant sex offender and the fallout at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
David Lammy’s handling of the situation and the questions it raises about accountability in gov...
This week on Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan (former No.10 special adviser), and political strategist Jo Tanner dissect an explosive week in Westminster — from the Home Office’s “not fit for purpose” report to Keir Starmer’s looming tax U-turn.
👉 Part 1: The Home Office is back in crisis — migrant release blunders, asylum chaos, and Labour’s struggle to get control of small boats.
👉 Part 2: Labour’s credibility...
This week on Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan, and Jo Tanner unpack the political crisis surrounding the Grooming Gangs Inquiry — after victims resigned and its chair Jim Gamble stepped down. With Jess Phillips under pressure and Baroness Louise Casey drafted in, can the government restore trust?
Then: the rise of the Green Party. New leader Zack Polanski has lifted the Greens to record polling numbers. Pollst...
In this week’s Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald and Kirsty Buchanan are joined by Lord Walney (John Woodcock) — former extremism adviser to the government — for a deep dive into two major stories shaking Westminster.
👉 First, the China spying scandal: Why did the case against alleged spies collapse? Did the government withhold key evidence? And is the UK’s economic relationship with China compromising national security?
👉 Then, a...
🎙️ Whitehall Sources takes you inside Westminster for an unfiltered debrief on the Conservative Party Conference 2025 — and asks: Can Kemi Badenoch save the Tories from collapse?
Calum Macdonald plus Kirsty Buchanan, former adviser to Theresa May, and Jo Tanner, political strategist, unpack:
- Kemi Badenoch’s leadership test after the Manchester conference
- Her new economic pitch — scrapping stamp duty and business rates
- Whether the ...
Sir Keir Starmer leaves Labour’s party conference in Liverpool with a bold new strategy: frame the fight as Labour vs Reform UK. But is calling Nigel Farage’s immigration policies “racist” a huge political risk?
On this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan (former No.10 adviser to Theresa May) and Jo Tanner (political strategist) break down:
- What really happened at Labour conference – and why the media n...
The latest Whitehall Sources episode is packed with political drama. 🚨
👉 Keir Starmer’s government drops a bombshell: Digital ID cards could soon be mandatory to work in the UK. Is this about immigration, security—or just a desperate attempt to change the headlines?
👉 A mega poll (MRP) of 10,000 voters puts Reform UK on the brink of a parliamentary majority—yes, you read that right. Could Labour really be swept away just months af...
Donald Trump’s UK state visit dominates Westminster this week — and the Whitehall Sources team take you inside the drama.
🎙️ Calum Macdonaldm, former No.10 adviser Kirsty Buchanan and political strategist Jo Tanner break down:
- The pageantry of Windsor Castle and how the royals played a key role in shaping Trump’s mood.
- Trump’s joint press conference with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers — including clashes over immigration...
In this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan (former adviser to Theresa May) and political strategist Jo Tanner unpack a turbulent week in Westminster and beyond.
🔹 Russian drones breach Polish airspace – NATO faces its biggest test in decades as Donald Tusk invokes Article 4.
🔹 Israel & Gaza tensions – Keir Starmer hosts Israeli President Isaac Herzog amid escalating violence, Doha strikes, and growi...
🚨 Angela Rayner has resigned as Labour’s Deputy Leader after controversy over her stamp duty payments — a dramatic twist that could reshape the party’s future. In this episode, we dig into what her departure means for Sir Keir Starmer, the challenges it poses for his authority, and how Labour might respond in the months ahead.
📰 We unpack the immediate fallout inside Westminster and across the media, and look at how the reshuffle ...
Angela Rayner is under fire after admitting she underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty on her Hove flat. With questions over her legal advice, whether she misled colleagues, and the optics of multiple homes, will Sir Keir Starmer be able to save his Deputy Prime Minister?
In this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan (former adviser to Theresa May) and Jo Tanner (political strategist) debate:
- Is Angela Rayner’s ...
Nigel Farage and Reform UK have dominated the summer political agenda with radical immigration proposals: leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), repealing the Human Rights Act, and suspending the Refugee Convention. But are these policies legally possible – and politically effective?
In this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan and Jo Tanner break down:
- Farage’s immigration plan and whet...
The Whitehall Sources team — Calum Macdonald, Jo Tanner & Kirsty Buchanan — unpack the week’s biggest political stories from Westminster and beyond:
🔴 UK Inflation Rises Again – Are we heading back into a cost of living crisis? What does this mean for Rachel Reeves’ “budget of doom” in the autumn? Can Labour’s economic strategy survive mounting pressure from business, pensions, borrowing, and consumer confidence?
🟠 Trump-Putin-...
Newly elected Labour MP Chris Curtis (Milton Keynes North) joins the podcast to reflect on his whirlwind first year in Parliament. In this candid conversation, Curtis—former pollster and co-founder of Labour's Growth Group—talks about:
- What it's really like being one of 400+ Labour MPs
- His fight for a new £320m hospital in Milton Keynes
- The broken state of the UK government after years of crisis
- Why Labour needs a bigger and bolder...
In this episode, Labour MP Louise Haigh joins Kirsty Buchanan, Jo Tanner, and Calum Macdonald to unpack her recent legislative victory: a groundbreaking new ban on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) used to silence victims and witnesses of workplace harassment and discrimination.
We cover:
- 🔒 Why NDAs are no longer enforceable in harassment or discrimination cases
- 💥 How a former Weinstein assistant helped kickstart a global movemen...
In this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald, Kirsty Buchanan (former adviser to PM Theresa May) and Jo Tanner (political strategist) unpack Kemi Badenoch’s dramatic reshuffle of the shadow cabinet — is it about party unity, performance, or a subtle pivot toward the centre?
We discuss:
- James Cleverley’s return to the frontbench and Rob Jenrick’s surprise survival
- Kemi’s “think tank” leadership style vs. the need for ...
The podcast discusses the recent Afghan data breach incident, focusing on the implications of a super injunction that was put in place to protect individuals whose details were leaked. The conversation explores the processes that led to the leak, the political responses from government officials, and the public's trust in the political establishment. The role of Nigel Farage in the controversy is also examined, along with the futur...
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