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The extremes of Reform: What will Farage do?

15 October 2026 at 09:35

Is Reform facing another growing crisis over alleged racist, sexist and violent language within its ranks?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy assess what the latest claims within an ITV News undercover investigation mean for Nigel Farage and whether more damaging revelations are still to come.

Reform says there is “no room for racism” within the party.

Elsewhere, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Donald Trump is putting lives at risk by cutting Ukraine’s access to Starlink, a vital satellite technology. If the US can switch off critical military technology, how safe is Britain’s growing reliance on Elon Musk’s satellite networks?

Plus, is the cabinet office heading for a historic rebrand, and who will hold the power at the heart of government?

Budget ‘beerlaterals’: How Burnham and Healey really work

14 October 2026 at 09:52

As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Downing Street, is the balance of the Ukraine war shifting?

Andy Burnham will reaffirm Britain’s support for Ukraine after Presidents Trump and Putin reached a diesel deal – but can the UK still make a difference without putting its relationship with Washington at risk?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine the Prime Minister’s delicate balancing act as questions mount over continued US commitment to Ukraine.

Elsewhere, has the government headed off a rebellion over the Courts Bill – and is its plan to build its way out of the prison crisis already unravelling?

Plus, with the budget looming, economic critic Lord Jim O’Neill faces the Treasury Select Committee. Could his intervention create more headaches for John Healey?

Can the chancellor really win back business?

13 October 2026 at 09:40

Reform is under pressure again – but could the coming weeks prove make-or-break for Nigel Farage’s party?

With fresh undercover filming threatening to cause trouble and a crucial report into the £5m gift looming, how serious could the fallout be?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy also unpack the latest polling: is Kemi Badenoch enjoying a post-conference bounce, or are internal divisions across the political landscape reshaping the race?

Elsewhere, the battle for the budget narrative is heating up, and Sam has some intel on why business leaders could be getting extra attention from No 10.

Plus, with a date set for an EU-UK summit, Anne gauges the opinion across the continent.

Revealed: The chancellor’s plan to survive the budget

12 October 2026 at 09:28

With the budget barely a fortnight away, Chancellor John Healey is warning of mounting economic headwinds. Can he ease the pressure on the public finances without loosening the purse strings?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy test the tightrope Healey is attempting to walk ahead of a major speech to the International Monetary Fund.

Elsewhere, is Donald Trump’s energy deal with Vladimir Putin putting the UK’s support for Ukraine to the test? And why has Andy Burnham chosen now to confirm Russian interference in the Brexit vote?

Plus, Sam has an exclusive on how the promise of more money for regional mayors might not be worth as much as they were hoping.

Will Berlin help Britain rejoin the EU?

8 October 2026 at 09:22

With conference season in the rear-view mirror, Andy Burnham jets off to Germany for his first European trip as PM – but how much do Anglo-German relations matter right now?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy look ahead to his meeting with German chancellor Friedrich Merz as the countries attempt to align ambitions and maybe find an avenue to rejoin the EU.

Elsewhere, an MP gets in touch to ask whether the government is trying to curb transparency and scrutiny.

Will Tory donors splash the cash?

7 October 2026 at 10:41

It’s Kemi Badenoch’s big day at the Conservative Party conference – but it’s not just the adoring party faithful she has to impress.

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy look at how the leader’s speech will land with both voters and party donors – in what she’s calling a “battle for the soul of the country”.

There are already signs the Tories’ finances are not in the shape they need to be to fight an election on two fronts – with our hosts picking up clues from the conference hall in Birmingham.

Plus, Sam and Anne check in on the state of the Green Party, after delegates adopted a motion declaring Zionism as a form of racism. What does it mean for leader Zack Polanski?

You can find the candidates standing in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election here.

Sam and Anne will return later for a special debrief edition following Kemi Badenoch’s speech, which will be released mid-afternoon.

Is Kemi Badenoch abandoning the Red Wall?

5 October 2026 at 09:35

Is Andy Burnham an easier opponent for the Conservatives than Sir Keir Starmer?

At the Tory conference in Birmingham, Kemi Badenoch’s team sniff a chance to attack the prime minister – with a particular chance to seize on and attack his economic argument.

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy pore over Badenoch’s “The Right Way” pamphlet and how she plans to take the fight to Reform UK in the north and the Liberal Democrats in the southeast.

Elsewhere, Anne has been speaking to shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately – who has a couple of blunt messages for Burnham.

Plus, are the Conservatives truly over Robert Jenrick after his defection to Reform?

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