Coffee House Shots
2,109 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 134 ratingsInstant political analysis from the Spectator's top team of writers, including Fraser Nelson, Isabel Hardman, Katy Balls, James Heale and many others.
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Episodes
How big could tomorrow's Tory rebellion be?
December 13, 2021 19:13 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBCindy Yu talks to Katy Balls, James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson about the contents of - and the potential fallout from - Boris Johnson's address to the nation last night.
Cindy Yu's Sunday Roundup - 12/12/21
December 12, 2021 16:47 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBCindy Yu hosts the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with today's guests including Sir Keir Starmer, Nadhim Zahawi, Steve Baker and Dr Susan Hopkins.
Should Boris be worried about North Shropshire?
December 11, 2021 12:00 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBIsabel Hardman talks to Katy Balls and the New Statesman's Stephen Bush about the possibility of an upset next Thursday in the seat recently vacated by Owen Paterson.
Is Boris in for a Christmas rebellion?
December 10, 2021 13:53 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBBoris Johnson's problems are not going away anytime soon and he is facing extreme pressure on several fronts going into the weekend. Hypocrisy charges from the media and the Labour Party, more scandal regarding the No. 10 flat refurbishment, and a massive Tory rebellion regarding his Plan B measures. Not to mention his recent announcement that it is time to have a serious conversation about vaccine mandates. 'This anger is diffuse across the parliamentary party. It isn't just one ideologic...
How much trouble is Boris in over his Downing Street flat?
December 09, 2021 18:46 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBCindy Yu speaks to Isabel Hardman and Kate Andrews about the level of Conservative support for the Prime Minister after his latest Covid restrictions, and the Electoral Commission's findings about the refurbishment of the flat above No. 11.
What's Boris's new Covid plan?
December 08, 2021 20:27 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBCindy Yu talks to Kate Andrews, Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson about the contents of the Prime Minster's latest Covid press conference.
Partygate: how much trouble is Boris in?
December 08, 2021 15:50 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBIt is all kicking off in Westminster. A leaked video has emerged where the former Prime Minister's spokesperson is seen laughing when questioned about a Christmas party at 10 Downing Street last year. In yet another blow, many Conservatives shared their dismay at the leaked footage. At PMQs, Boris Johnson said that he is furious about the video but remains adamant that no lockdown rules were broken last Christmas. Also on the podcast, more talk of vaccine passports are spreading through ...
How damning is the whistleblower's Afghanistan report?
December 07, 2021 16:42 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBA new 40-page document written by Raphael Marshall, a former desk officer at the Foreign Office, depicts a disorganised mess in the handling of this year's Afghanistan withdrawal. 'I think the picture that is painted of chaos... it raises a whole slew of questions.' - James Forsyth Katy Balls and James Forsyth dissect some of the key accusations in this report and give us an update on tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine and the spread of the Omicron variant. Subscribe to Th...
How damming is the whistleblower's Afghanistan report?
December 07, 2021 16:42 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBA new 40-page document written by Raphael Marshall, a former desk officer at the Foreign Office, depicts a disorganised mess in the handling of this year's Afghanistan withdrawal. 'I think the picture that is painted of chaos... it raises a whole slew of questions.' - James Forsyth Katy Balls and James Forsyth dissect some of the key accusations in this report and give us an update on tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine and the spread of the Omicron variant. Subscribe to Th...
Will Boris's crime crackdown backfire?
December 06, 2021 11:28 - 13 minutes - 12 MBBoris Johnson is launching a week of crime-related government announcements. Tackling middle-class drug use tops the agenda today, and the Prime Minister watched police raid a home in Liverpool this morning as part of 'Operation Toxic' to infiltrate county lines drug dealing. But with a report from the Sunday Times revealing that traces of cocaine were found in several of Parliament's lavatories, and some Cabinet ministers having previously been asked about their own drug use before enteri...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 05/12/21
December 05, 2021 14:28 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBIsabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's political shows. Today's best bits come from Dominic Raab, Dame Rachel de Souza and Jim McMahon.
Should you snog a stranger?
December 04, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBWith the Omicron variant putting everyone on edge, there has been quite a bit of mixed messaging from the government about how we should all be conducting ourselves this festive period. With a bizarre emphasis placed on snogging - some preaching caution, others saying snog away. 'I don't think I've ever heard people say the word snogging this much in my entire life.' - Isabel Hardman Katy Balls talks to Fraser Nelson, Isabel Hardman, and James Forsyth about the cabinet's conflicting advice...
What's behind the reduced majority in Old Bexley and Sidcup?
December 03, 2021 13:53 - 10 minutes - 9.73 MBThe by-election last night was a result for the Tories. However, their majority for this seat fell dramatically. Labour tried to badge it as good news for them, claiming that they are 'back in business'. But the poor voter turnout was more likely the reason for the fall in Tory votes rather than a swing in Labour's direction. With this win, will the Conservatives move on from the difficult month they’ve had? Perhaps not with more scandals appearing. Tory peer, Michelle Mone has just been ac...
Will the UK copy Europe with new Covid restrictions?
December 02, 2021 15:58 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBA lot of news coming out of Europe this week. From French President Emmanuel Macron calling Boris Johnson a clown, to more extreme Covid prevention methods rolling out in Germany. Will Anglo-French tensions cool, boil or simmer? Are we going to see the return of talks about Covid passports and vaccine mandates? Isabel Hardman looks for answers to these questions with James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Subscribe to The Spectator's Evening Blend email, from Isabel Hardman and Katy Balls, for ...
Is Boris in trouble over No.10's Christmas party?
December 01, 2021 17:27 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBKeir Starmer went on the attack today at PMQs. The controversy over last years Christmas party resurfaced, with accusations that No.10 breached lockdown rules. He then went on to criticise the government's new hospitals program. Boris was dealt another blow, this time from his own side. Tory MPs are in uproar about the threats of growing restrictions. Yesterday, two votes in the commons over the new Covid rules led to another rebellion. '40 is considered the problematic number for a rebe...
What's the aim of Labour's second reshuffle?
November 30, 2021 13:02 - 10 minutes - 9.53 MBYesterday Keir Starmer's Labour Party announced a new reshuffle of its shadow cabinet. It just coincidentally happened on the same day Angela Rayner gave a big speech on Tory sleaze, leading some to speculate on friction within the party. 'What you can't avoid is that they ultimately decided to do the reshuffle on a day where Angela Rayner, the deputy leader was trying to make a big statement that would lead the news.' - Katy Balls Isabel Hardman talks with Katy Balls and James Forsyth abo...
How is the government handling Omicron?
November 29, 2021 12:18 - 9 minutes - 9.08 MBWe are slowly learning more and more about this new Covid variant, but it could be weeks before we know just how contagious and harmful it could be. Wasting no time, over the weekend the government has banned travel from certain countries and tightened domestic Covid measures. 'It's fair to say that ministers are anxious enough to bring back things that they have developed a personal resistance too.' - Isabel Hardman To discuss the ramifications of Omicron Katy Balls talks to James Forsyt...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 28/11/21
November 28, 2021 18:35 - 13 minutes - 12 MBIsabel Hardman hosts the highlights from Sunday's political shows. Guests today include Sajid Javid, Nicola Sturgeon and Lisa Nandy.
Is Macron weaponising the migrant crisis?
November 27, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBThe migrants that tragically lost their lives in the English Channel has caused Anglo- French relations to further deteriorate. There is a theory however, that it suits Macron’s purpose to be in a perpetual war with the Brits. Could this be the case when migrants are still in the hands of the traffickers? 'These people-smuggling gangs are becoming more sophisticated in their operations' - James Forsyth Meanwhile, sports shops such as Decathlon on the French coast have stopped selling ding...
What is the Nu variant?
November 26, 2021 13:20 - 10 minutes - 9.25 MBA new Covid variant dubbed 'Nu' has been discovered in South Africa and the UK has already put travel restrictions in place. Though early tests have shown that Nu is more transmissible, we don't know conclusively if it is any more deadly or can evade vaccines. 'We don't know yet, whether this variant is more severe or not.' - James Forsyth With people already worrying if this, if handled poorly, could lead to another Christmas lockdown, Isabel Hardman talks with Fraser Nelson and James F...
Can Priti solve the migrant crisis?
November 25, 2021 18:45 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBThe 27 migrants that tragically lost their lives whilst trying to cross the English Channel have sparked urgent appeals for Priti to resolve the migrant crisis. However, there is still no stopping some migrants attempting to flee their homes. ‘By 8.30 this morning, three more boats had arrived on the coast, even after the news had broken’ - James Forsyth How can this problem be solved within the confines of international law? And what are the migrants’ motivations for leaving their homes? ...
Did Starmer beat Boris?
November 24, 2021 16:13 - 9 minutes - 8.99 MBWith multiple weeks of bad publicity and rumours of some Conservative MPs sending in letters of no confidence, today’s PMQs witnessed much more noise than last week’s. However, is the Prime Minster hitting back at critics, including a more confident Keir Starmer, effectively? ‘Today I thought Keir Starmer looked like he was actually really enjoying himself, and that is a sign of a shifted political mood.’ - James Forsyth Katy Balls discusses these topics with James Forsyth and Isabel Hardm...
What's behind the social care rebellion?
November 23, 2021 14:25 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBIt has been a challenging week for Boris. Following the Peppa Pig speech, immediately after the Owen Paterson u-turn, the party may be starting to lose patience. This could have implications for the government's future, shown most recently by the rebellion on the social care bill. Many MPs did a ‘no show’ and the government’s majority fell from 77 to 26. 'When the majority looks under threat, the personal loyalty disappears quite quickly' - Isabel Hardman Is the rebellion a reflection of ...
Is the Prime Minister's shtick wearing thin?
November 22, 2021 13:56 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBDuring the last general election campaign, Boris Johnson's persona as the improvisational, brash, comedian was endearing to many voters and those in his party. But with multiple weeks of own goals and bad press is this attitude beginning to look careless rather than amusing? 'People are now looking out for the next banana skin' - James Forsyth Isabel Hardman talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls about the PM's position in the wake Owen Paterson affair and the current migrant crossings in ...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 21/11/21
November 21, 2021 16:34 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBIsabel Hardman presents the highlights from Sunday's political shows, with today's podcast featuring Sajid Javid, Nick Thomas-Symonds, Maroš Šefčovič and Professor Sir Andrew Pollard.
Is the UK facing a lockdown like Austria's?
November 20, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBKaty Balls talks to James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson about the latest lockdown in Austria, the prospect of Germany following suit, and Austria's plans for mandatory vaccination.
How can Priti Patel stop migrant crossings?
November 19, 2021 14:06 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBPriti Patel has blamed the European Union's freedom of movement for the 'mass migration crisis' that Britain is facing. In a visit to Washington, the Home Secretary said: 'the real problem on illegal migration flows is the EU has no border protections whatsoever — Schengen open borders'. Tories MPs are reportedly frustrated at the government's failure to stop the flow of migrants getting boats across the channel, so what should Priti Patel do? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls....
Are Conservatives disembarking the Boris train?
November 18, 2021 17:06 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBThe announcement of the Integrated Rail Plan has left many, including a number of Conservative MPs, disappointed due to the proposed new routes and notable omissions. This comes at a bad time for Boris Johnson who is already in the dog house over his handling of the Owen Paterson affair. 'Boris Johnson is not in a good place with his party and it's not just over second jobs, it's over a number of things.' - Isabel Hardman Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Harman about the Prime...
How long will the 'Tory Sleaze' scandal run?
November 17, 2021 17:20 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBNow entering its second week, the foray around members of parliament holding second jobs shows no sign of dying down. And, unfortunately, it seems whatever Boris Johnson tries to do to get himself out of this situation, he appears to just be digging himself and his party a deeper and deeper hole. 'Boris Johnson hadn't thought these proposals through, which has really upset Conservative MPs on both sides of this divide.' - Isabel Hardman Cindy Yu talks to Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth a...
What do the new lobbying rules mean for MPs?
November 16, 2021 18:02 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBThe Prime Minister has written to the Commons Speaker to propose new lobbying rules for MPs. While some may welcome the measure, like former PM Theresa May, who gave a blistering critique of the way the Owen Paterson affair was handled, others in his party might not be so happy. ‘The challenge for him is that it is going to worsen relations with a bit of the Parliamentary party that he already finds it difficult to deal with.’ – James Forsyth Max Jeffery sits down with James Forsyth and K...
Was COP a flop?
November 15, 2021 14:24 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBCOP26 is now over, but was it a flop? Even Alok Sharma, the President of COP26, apologised on the last day for 'the way this process has unfolded', as he teared up when announcing the final agreement to phase down, rather than phase out, coal. On this episode, Cindy Yu talks to Fraser Nelson and Isabel Hardman about the lasting legacy of COP26. For Fraser, the summit was a mixed bag: 'I don't think that anybody is going to talk, in future years, about the "Glasgow declaration". But there ar...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 14/11/21
November 14, 2021 16:13 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBIsabel Hardman brings you the highlights from Sunday's political shows. Clips today come from Alok Sharma, Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner and General Sir Nick Carter.
Will levelling up split the Tories?
November 13, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MBSince the cabinet met on Thursday to map out their levelling up agenda, we take another look at what this ambiguous slogan really means and how important it is for a Tory majority in the next election. Can we compare the UK levelling up to other places? Gove recently referenced 15th century Florence. But what about German reunification? As James Forsyth says in the episode ’I think on levelling up and on reducing regional inequality, it is very hard to find a successful playbook to go afte...
Can British troops fix Poland's migrant crisis?
November 12, 2021 18:25 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBBritish troops have been deployed to the Polish border as part of a ‘reconnaissance’ mission, as Poland tries to stop migrants crossing from Belarus. Belarus’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, backed by Russia, is flying Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni citizens into his country and encouraging them to cross the border into Poland. As the United States turns away from Europe and the Middle East and towards Asia, does Britain think it can to take its place? Meanwhile, Britain is having its own migra...
Why won't Boris apologise?
November 11, 2021 17:48 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBAfter the government abandoned plans to overhaul the Commons standards rules, Rishi Sunak has said the government needs to 'do better'. Will the PM show some contrition soon? Max Jeffery talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls. On the podcast, James Forsyth says: 'He really doesn't like apologies, never has done. So when he doesn't apologise he gives the story legs.' Subscribe to The Spectator today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher: www.spectator.co.uk/voucher And stay on top of all the ...
Is Britain a corrupt country?
November 10, 2021 18:40 - 13 minutes - 12 MBBoris Johnson today has said that Britain is not a corrupt country, but what does it mean that he felt the need to say that? On today's Coffee House Shots, Fraser Nelson points out that there is no clear firebreak to the present string of sleaze stories; and James Forsyth estimates that around a quarter of MPs have some kind of external earnings. So what more will come out of the woodworks? Cindy Yu talks to Fraser, James and Katy Balls.
Should MPs have second jobs?
November 09, 2021 11:49 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBThe Owen Paterson affair has is shining a light on the extra cash MPs earn on top of their £80,000 salary. One MP, Geoffrey Cox, earned nearly £1 million from outside legal work. But is there an argument to be made for allowing elected officials to receive a second income? Max Jeffery is joined by Katy Balls and James Forsyth. On the podcast, James says: 'On principle, I think MPs continuing to earn money from their former professions or former trades is acceptable. They're not trading on ...
What are the plans to reform Commons rules?
November 08, 2021 13:27 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBOver the weekend most media tore into the Owen Paterson affair, with a lot of talk about MPs' second jobs like those of Geoffrey Cox... ‘I think if you go down this route of essentially banning all these outside interests, we’re going to end up with far more people of inherited wealth in the House of Commons, who don’t need to earn any other money, and I think you will lose some knowledge and expertise.’ - James Forsyth ...How Conservatives pick their peers, and even Lords reform. But ho...
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 07/11/21
November 07, 2021 17:51 - 10 minutes - 9.66 MBIsabel Hardman takes you through the highlights from Sunday's interview shows, with Sir Keir Starmer, Thangam Debbonaire, George Eustice and Dr Susan Hopkins.
What should be done about MPs and lobbying?
November 06, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBFraser Nelson talks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman about how MPs should clean up their act in the wake of Parliament's latest lobbying scandal.
How did Boris misjudge the Paterson backlash?
November 05, 2021 14:41 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBOwen Paterson has resigned as an MP after being embroiled in a lobbying row. Allies of the Prime Minister have blamed the Chief Whip, Mark Spencer, for the fiasco, while other Tory MPs are fuming at the Prime Minister's miscalculation. How did Boris not realise the potential backlash? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman. On the podcast, James says: 'It was really obvious how the press, the public, the opposition, were going to react to the Tory party trying to upend the st...
How damaging is the Owen Paterson fiasco to the Tories' reputation?
November 04, 2021 12:46 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBThe Owen Paterson story continues today with the government u-turning quicker than expected. This came after realising that allowing Tory MPs to mark their own homework by scrapping the standards committee might cause more outrage than they first thought. Leaving them now in a situation described by James Forsyth as, 'an infinitely worse position for absolutely everyone involved.' James is joined by Isabel Hardman and Katy Balls to discuss this, self-inflicted, political nightmare. Subscr...
Has the government misstepped on the Paterson defence?
November 03, 2021 17:38 - 10 minutes - 10.1 MBThe row over Owen Paterson has come to a head today as the amendment to lift his suspension - tabled by fellow Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom and backed by the government - has upset many sides. Labour and the SNP are going in hard on accusations of Tory sleaze, with a real possibility of this spreading further than the Westminster bubble; while some Tory MPs who were whipped to vote in favour of the amendment are disgruntled at the position the government put them in. So what will be the im...
Will MPs save Owen Paterson?
November 02, 2021 17:50 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBWith the fishing war between the UK and France not necessarily over but at least at a ceasefire, today's Shots focuses on the Commons. Conservative MP Owen Paterson was found to have committed an 'egregious' breach of lobbying rules, but some in his party, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, have raised concerns about the investigation. On the podcast, Isabel Hardman says: 'I think a lot of MPs on both sides of this, regardless of their views of Owen Paterson's activities, allegedly on behalf of th...
How can we define COP26 success?
November 01, 2021 12:54 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBCOP26 is officially underway with world leaders meeting this morning. But what can these presidents and prime ministers promise given their domestic political challenges and the seeming disinterest of other nations like China? Katy Balls is joined by Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth to discuss the opening of COP26 and the continuing rise in Anglo-French tensions.
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 31/10/21
October 31, 2021 15:01 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBIsabel Hardman brings you the best of Sunday's political interviews, with Alok Sharma, Ed Miliband, Tina Stege, Owen Paterson and Kemi Badenoch.
Why have the fishing wars reignited?
October 30, 2021 07:30 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MBCindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and the Paris-based journalist John Lichfield about the nature of the dispute between France and the UK over fishing rights.
Should the NHS be prescribing e-cigarettes?
October 29, 2021 12:46 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBThe new year is fast approaching and if your resolution is to quit smoking, the taxpayer will now cover the cost for your new vape. Opinions differ on the podcast as to whether this is a good idea. Cindy Yu talks with Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth about this new scheme as well as looking at Labour's reaction to the Budget and our growing tensions with France.
How was the Budget received?
October 28, 2021 16:16 - 10 minutes - 9.69 MBThe Budget was revealed yesterday, but what do Rishi Sunak's conservative colleagues make of it? To discuss this, another row with the French about fish, and the end of the Covid travel red list, Isabel Hardman is joined by James Forsyth and Katy Balls.
Verdict: Rishi Sunak's Budget
October 27, 2021 16:52 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBRishi Sunak's Budget, as much as it was trailed ahead of time, still had a couple of surprises - including a return of the 0.7 per cent aid budget and a cut to the universal credit taper rate. Katy Balls talks to James Forsyth and Kate Andrews about the high and lowlights from today's Budget.