Newscast

Newscast

The BBC's daily news podcast, Newscast dives into the day's biggest news stories so you're never out of your depth. Newscast picks the brains of BBC News experts so you're ready if someone picks yours, covering the latest news, developments in politics in Westminster and beyond. Newscast is hosted by trusted politics and news journalists including Adam Fleming, BBC Political Editor Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O'Connell. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. Catch Newscast seven-days a week and watch on BBC One at 23:40 on Thursday night or later on BBC iPlayer. GET IN TOUCH: You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord Send us a message or voicenote via WhatsApp to 03301239480 Email Newscast@bbc.co.uk Or use the hashtag #BBCNewscast

Episodes

June 25, 2026 34 mins

Today is the hottest June day on record in the UK.

A temperature of 36.4C has been recorded in Somerset. This beats the previous record, set just yesterday. A red weather warning for extreme heat has been extended into Friday for parts of the country, and at least six NHS trusts in England have declared critical incidents.

Adam is joined by the BBC’s Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt, and Professor Ed Hawkins MBE, climate scient...

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Today, the largest review of it's kind in NHS history has found major failings in maternity care at a hospital trust in Nottingham. The report found that hundreds of babies and mothers died or were harmed due to the “deep-rooted, systemic failures”.

Leaders at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust have apologised, and the Health Secretary says the government will respond by taking “immediate steps”.

A...

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June 23, 2026 26 mins

Today, Andy Burnham is the front-runner to be the next prime minister - so what happens now?

New MP for Makerfield Andy Burnham is currently expected to be the only candidate in the race to replace outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Will he run unopposed?

Former Defence Minister Al Carns and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones are both considering leadership bids, but it is unclear if they have enough backers in pa...

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Today, Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister.

Speaking outside number 10 on Monday morning the Prime Minister said he accepted that his party does not believe he is best placed to lead the country at the next general election. In an emotional speech he also thanked his wife and said he wanted to be the "best dad I can to my beautiful children".

Meanwhile, Andy Burnham has arrived in Westminster to be sworn in as the new MP for...

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Today, we look at strong indications the prime minister may be on the verge of resigning.

Cabinet Secretary Peter Kyle’s message this morning was that he is reflecting on the "political realities". It’s a departure from the not ‘he’ll fight on’ message of 2026 up to now.

Henry Zeffman joins Laura and Paddy in the studio to look at the possible timetable of a resignation and the appointment of a replaceme...

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Insiders have told Laura that the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has joined a list of people who’ve told Keir Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure. He's at Chequers - the PM’s retreat - considering his next move as talk of fighting a leadership challenge quietens.

Laura and Paddy unpack the shift in mood, and question whether Andy Burnham can appeal to voters outside the North West.

You can now listen to Ne...

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Today, Labour’s Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by election - so how could we see a challenge to Keir Starmer as Labour Party leader?

Burnham won almost 25,000 votes, beating Reform UK's Robert Kenyon by more than 9,000 votes. In his victory speech Andy Burnham said "Everyone knows that politics isn't working, and has previously said he would seek to enter any Labour leadership contest.

So what happens now?

Adam and Chris are ...

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June 18, 2026 41 mins

Today, the US and Iran have an agreement which extends the ceasefire between the two countries, and is now signed by US President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet talks us through what the deal includes, what it means for the strait of Hormuz and oil prices, and where the sticking points may be. Chief North America Correspondent Gary O’Donoghue explains how the dea...

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June 17, 2026 32 mins

Today, Keir Starmer returns home from the G7 with a warning to Andy Burnham not to rush into triggering a leadership contest if he wins in Makerfield tomorrow.

In an interview with Chris, the Prime Minister said that a leadership contest would be bad for the country but reaffirmed his intention to fight any challenges to his leadership.

Tomorrow’s by-election in Makerfield still stands in the way of any move Burnham could make ...

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Today, what difference will banning social media make to children’s lives?

Speaking the day after the announcement of a ban on social media for under-16s the education secretary speaks to Adam in the Newscast studio.

They discuss; if children need to be bored more whether it’s OK for parents to watch youtube with their children and whether the school day should be longer?

You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker...

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June 15, 2026 43 mins

Today, the prime minister has announced under-16s will be banned from social media.

Speaking at Downing Street Keir Starmer announced if passed in parliament the ban will come into force by spring 2027. Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X are among the platforms affected - but not WhatsApp or Signal.

So will the ban achieve what the government says it will? Adam and Henry are joined by Zoe Kleinman, BBC technology ...

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Royal Marine Commandos have boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Marines, joined by National Crime Agency officers, with the support of the RAF, intercepted and boarded the vessel in a six-hour operation - the first operation of its kind by UK armed forces.

The vessel, Smyrtos, will be held and monitored off the south coast of England as investigations continue, the Mo...

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Paddy is back from holiday and he’s also back from Ashton-in-Makerfield.

He joins Laura to discuss a new poll that suggests Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain could steal enough votes from Reform UK to hand Andy Burnham a win.

Luke Tryl from More In Common - the pollsters behind the research - also joins with Joe Pike who’s sat in on a focus group they ran.

A full list of candidates and loads more information about the Ma...

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Today, Adam and Chris discuss Chris’ interview with the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer.

The Prime Minister sat down for an extended conversation with Chris following the resignation of his defence secretary John Healey yesterday over disagreements about the government’s new Defence Investment Plan.

It’s the latest blow to the Prime Minister following several high profile cabinet resignations last month and the po...

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June 12, 2026 25 mins

Today, Chris speaks to Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, about the resignation of his defence secretary John Healey, his plans for the Defence Investment Plan, and whether or not he’ll fight a potential leadership election.

You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community...

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Today, the UK Defence Secretary John Healey has resigned.

In his resignation letter to the PM, Healey set out his reasons for leaving, telling the PM the defence investment plan "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”.

The sixth minister to resign for Starmer’s cabinet in a month, and one of its most loyal, the question will now turn to what lies ahead for the PM.

Adam and...

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Today, extra police are brought into Belfast and public transport is closing early, after a night of violence.

The violence erupted after a knife attack in the city on Monday. The suspect has appeared in court charged with attempted murder, threatening to kill an NHS radiographer, and possession of a knife. Hadi Alodid, 30, was remanded in custody for four weeks and is due to re-appear in court via video-link in July.

The family of S...

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Today, a Sudanese man in his 30s is being held on suspicion of attempted murder after a knife attack in North Belfast.

Footage of the attack has been widely shared on social media. Politicians in Westminster and Stormont have appealed for calm while the police carry out their investigation, while some have called for faster transparency and information about the identity and immigration status of the suspect.

Adam is joined by Chris ...

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Today we hear from Labour MP Jess Phillips, who resigned from government in part over what she saw as its failure to act quicker on kids‘ online safety.

One of the measures she was pushing for at the time was announced today. Sir Keir Starmer has told firms to either activate built-in features or update software to prevent children from taking, sending or viewing sexually explicit images on their phones and other devices.

And a...

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Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has told the US Vice President JD Vance "he was wrong" to say mass migration was to blame for Henry Nowak's murder in a phone call.

On this episode of Newscast, Laura, Henry and Joe discuss the relationship between the two of them, why that American politicians are talking so much about the UK and Europe.

We also look at what’s taking the government so long to publish its Defence Investment Pla...

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