The State of It

The Grafton Pub Purge: inside the pub where Keir Starmer had drinks with allies as they were sacked one by one. It's fair to say that Andy Burnham's new cabinet has caused an astonishing amount of bitterness in the Labour Party.
The Chancellor Shock: John Healey's surprise appointment as chancellor means he'll have to find £25bn, or the equivalent of 3p on income tax, to fund defence.
Get ready for a Mega Budget: the new government is preparing announcements on bus fares and Thames Water, but it's still unclear how they will pay for spending pledges.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, George Clare
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Russel Herneman
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is Shabana Mahmood, the 'ruthless' politician set to enter Downing Street as Andy Burnham’s Chancellor? After a fierce cabinet debate effectively ended Ed Miliband's hopes for the Treasury, all eyes are on her. And what does her potential appointment means for the future of UK politics, from welfare reform to the economy?
Meanwhile, Westminser has descended into a surreal waiting game as the incoming Prime Minister prepares to take power. No one knows if their job is safe, and desperate insiders have resorted to asking our very own Steven Swinford if he knows anything they don't. Will Ed Miliband, Wes Streeting or Yvette Cooper feature? And how exactly will Number 10 North work?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who will be in Andy Burnham's cabinet? It looks like Ed Miliband will not be chancellor after all. We have scoops for you about who's in line for the big jobs in the Westminster cabinet reshuffle.
Burnham needs to make room for allies like Louise Haigh and Lucy Powell, so who will be sacked on Monday when Burnham takes over as prime minister?
Westminster is like a hornet's nest of briefing and counter-briefing as Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, Dan Jarvis, Yvette Cooper and others wait to hear what next week will bring.
David Lammy has organised a whip-round for Keir Starmer's rather odd leaving present.
And what will Burnham do once he's in post? We look at his immediate priorities and the possibility of a mega fiscal event in the autumn.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images.

01:10 - Blocking Ed Miliband From Chancellor
02:30 - Why the City Doesn't Trust the "London Left"
03:50 - Will Miliband Accept a Demotion?
05:05 - The Brutal Briefing War Behind Closed Doors
06:40 - Defending the "Net Zero Zealot"
07:45 - Cabinet Jenga: Filling the Great Offices of State
09:25 - Angela Rayner & The "Day One" Loyalists
11:05 - The Starmer Purge: Who Is Getting Sacked?
12:45 - The Yvette Cooper Foreign Policy Question
15:05 - Secret Policy Clashes: Josh Simons vs. Miatta Fahnbulleh
17:15 - Angry Loyalists With "Nothing To Lose"
19:40 - Starmer’s Bizarre Leaving Present
21:30 - Flying to the World Cup Final
22:35 - Burnham's Radical Plan for the Cost of Living
25:00 - The Warning Over a "Mega Budget" & Wealth Taxes
26:15 - North vs. South: The Growing Regional Rebellion

Picture: Getty Images

Email us: [email protected]
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A furious Nigel Farage has said he will ‘stick two fingers up to the establishment’ by resigning and then winning a by-election in Clacton. Kemi Badenoch has accused him of having a hissy fit and Andy Burnham has said it's a gimmick designed to distract from questions over undeclared gifts.
Will the Conservatives and Labour field candidates in the Clacton by-election?
Will a Reform UK victory in Clacton boost Nigel Farage's standing in the rest of the country?
And can Nigel Farage be suspended after a parliamentary standards investigation even if he wins the by-election?

Who is George Cottrell, aka Posh George? Listen to the series here podfollow.com/posh-george

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images
Audio: Reuters

Email us: [email protected]
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigel Farage could face an investigation by the parliamentary watchdog after a Sunday Times investigation and podcast series raised questions about gifts and benefits in kind that he has received from George Cottrell, a crypto-gambler and convicted fraudster, who's better known as Posh George. Gabriel and Steve discuss how Reform UK has reacted to the story and what could happen next.
Both George Cottrell and Nigel Farage deny any wrongdoing.

Listen to the series here: podfollow.com/posh-george
Episode 3 is out on Thursday 9th July

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Insight editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Image: Getty/Alamy
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.