Commons People

The march of the coronavirus across the world dominated headlines this week, with Westminster having its first diagnosed cases and the government moving to delay phase to try limit its spread. Is Boris Johnson’s team listening to the right advice? Labour MP and A&E doctor Rosena Allin-Khan joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss the government’s response, as well as running the rule over chancellor Rishi Sunak’s big spending Budget. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Britain is ramping up its response to the coronavirus outbreak, with the Vote Leave government suddenly listening to “the experts”. But pandemic fears have failed to distract from the alleged bullying scandal engulfing home secretary Priti Patel. Can she hang on in the cabinet?Labour MP David Lammy joins Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to discuss all of this, and his new book Tribes, an exploration of how to heal the divides of a country increasingly riven by tribalism. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Priti Patel’s former special adviser James Starkie joins the team to give his verdict on the explosive briefing war engulfing the home secretary and her officials. The former Vote Leave ally of Dominic Cummings also explains why Boris Johnson’s controversial aide is going nowhere. And the team dissect the UK and EU’s opening negotiating positions to ask: what is the point of the PM’s hardline push for “divergence”?With Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle has all of Westminster buzzing, with the shock resignation of Chancellor Sajid Javid. What does it reveal about how this government will go about their work?Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth discuss the cabinet reshuffle with Sajid Javid’s former special advisor Salma Shah. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A week after Brexit and Boris Johnson has outlined a tough opening position for trade negotiations by talking up an Australia-style relationship, but does it mean anything? It’s hard for journalists to really take a look with the government taking a Trumpian turn by trying to lock out critical media from a key briefing this week. Meanwhile, Labour’s leadership election lets the prime minister run amok in the party’s former strongholds.Arj Singh is joined by Paul Waugh, Rachel Wearmouth and UK In A Changing Europe’s Anand Menon to work out what comes next for Britain. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tory MP and foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat joins Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to discuss why he's been so vocal in his concern about Chinese tech giant Huawei being given a role in Britain's 5G infrastructure. Also on the podcast, the trio look at the other big decisions set to define Boris Johnson’s first year in office and what happens now Brexit is happening. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Brexit legislation sailing through the Commons, Boris Johnson has turned his attention to the domestic agenda as decisions on HS2, Huawai’s involvement in communications and a cabinet reshuffle land in his inbox. Conservative MP Bim Afolami joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth on what we can expect from the government and who from the Labour leadership contest could trouble them in the coming term. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As leadership candidates launch their campaigns to woo Labour voters, Boris Johnson goes about work in Westminster. The government’s rescue of Flybe has raised eyebrows, while in foreign affairs he’s called on Donald Trump to give the UK a new Iranian deal to back. Are we beginning to see the formation of Johnson-ism?Joining Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth, Labour MP Stephen Kinnock explains why he’s backing Lisa Nandy and what Labour need to do while out in the political cold. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Labour MP Rachel Reeves joins the HuffPost UK politics team to adjust to the new year and the new order of British politics. With Labour searching for a new leader, Reeves gives her thoughts on what the party needs to do to win the next election.And the team digest Boris Johnson’s response to a week in which the US and Iran reached the brink of war. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson’s Conservative party swept all before them at the general election, taking seats that have never voted Tory before and obliterating Labour’s “red wall” - but the hard work has just begun. Will he get Brexit done? And how does he keep these new Tory voters on his party’s side?Conservative MP and red wall pioneer Lee Rowley joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss Britain’s new political landscape. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Donald Trump did Boris Johnson a massive favour by keeping his big mouth shut about the election at this week’s Nato summit.Former Labour adviser and Evening Standard columnist Ayesha Hazarika joins Arj Singh and Ned Simons to ask whether the PM is now home and hosed, and to urge Jeremy Corbyn to take risks in Friday’s last chance saloon debate if he wants to cause an upset in next week’s election. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jeremy Corbyn is on the ropes over everything from anti-Semitism to tax and spending, while Boris Johnson launches an underwhelming manifesto with an announcement which immediately fell to pieces.Senior ex-advisers Salma Shah (Tories) and Matthew McGregor (Labour) join Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to look back on what could be a key week in the election campaign. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’ve had the historic head-to-head TV election debate, but who came out best between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn? Conservative party deputy chairman Paul Scully joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to dissect whose message is getting through the squall of disinformation, as the parties prepare to unveil their manifestos. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chuka Umunna, senior Liberal Democrat and former Labour MP,  joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to talk about the first full week of the general election campaign. Nigel Farage has delivered the first truly big moment of the campaign but is his pledge to not fight the Tories in their constituencies the game changer he thinks? Meanwhile, the Lib Dems are under pressure to back pro-EU Labour MPs.  Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson’s resignation rocked the party as the snap election campaign began in earnest. But it only distracted attention away from the Tories’ own terrible start. One of Watson’s old allies in team Gordon Brown, Labour peer Lord Stewart Wood, and Tory ex-special advisor Laura Round join Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to share their thoughts on a stuttering snap election start for the big parties. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s here - the snap election we’ve all been waiting for. Boris Johnson has called the poll to settle Brexit, but with a febrile electorate, winning an election may prove just as difficult as getting the UK out of the EU. Tory election guru Lord Robert Hayward provides an indispensable guide to the campaign for the December 12 vote alongside Arj Singh, Paul Waugh, Rachel Wearmouth. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

MPs have backed Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal in principle, but refused to allow it go through the Commons in time for October 31 deadline agreed with the EU. Time for an election then? The PM wants one, but who will it favour?Arj Singh and Rachel Wearmouth are joined by Conservative MP Bim Afolami and Anand Menon, director of the UK In A Changing Europe think-tank, to talk over another dramatic week in Westminster.DISCLAIMER: This was recorded hours before Boris Johnson called for a December 12 snap election - but still contains loads of great chat about whether a Christmas snap poll is a good idea for the Tories and Labour! Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

No one gave him a chance but the prime minister has managed to strike a Brexit deal with the EU.But the government was immediately facing questions over how sustainable it was given opposition from the DUP.Senior Labour MP Owen Smith joins Arj, Paul and Rachel to react to the deal and its chances of passing parliament, unpack what it means for peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland and ask whether Jeremy Corbyn’s calls for a second referendum are too little, too late. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Conservative peer Lord Robert Hayward and Brexit expert Jill Rutter, of the UK In A Changing Europe join Arj and Paul to discuss the week in Westminster, as Boris Johnson finds himself stuck on the rocks of a Brexit deal.But with MPs’ course set for an election, will the Conservative pitch a no-deal Brexit to voters? And will Extinction Rebellion’s protests make a difference in a snap poll? Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Commons People decamps to the pub with Politics and investigations editor at the Manchester Evening News, Jennifer Williams and Rob Ford, politics professor at Manchester University, as the Conservatives conference continues under a cloud of accusations against Boris Johnson. But are they winning friends in the region? Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.