Are prime ministers too dependent on their top advisers?

Are prime ministers too dependent on their top advisers?

After Morgan McSweeney’s first public appearance - in front of the Foreign Affairs committee - we explore the dependence of some prime ministers on their chiefs of staff. Why do they make themselves dependent even when the dependency can lead towards their doom? Plus, did McSweeney emerge as a more complex figure than his caricature and where does this all leave Starmer? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Will the Mandelson saga do for Starmer's premiership?

After high drama at Westminster, the team debate the low politics that seem to bedevil decision-making at the heart of the government. Has the PM's famous ruthlessness backfired? And how vulnerable is he to a potential challenge after the May 7 elections? Might Scotland provide a twist? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Is Britain in peril because of Starmer’s complacency on defence spending?’

The former NATO Secretary General and Labour peer, George Robertson , has accused Keir Starmer of being complacent in relation to defence, arguing Britain’s national security and safety are in “peril”. Is he right? Plus, Reform and the local elections. Warning: apologies for the sound quality on Iain’s recording. Do not be alarmed. He sounds ill but that is the result of a problem with the microphone. Please enjoy the rest of the episode and normal service resumes next week. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Has UK politics become too tribal?

With elections looming in which a dramatically different set of electoral competitions will play out, the team debates whether we are in an age of uber partisanship. When does party loyalty tip into something destructive? And will Tim's rare foray into predictions work out? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Will May's elections spell the end for the two main parties?

With the campaigns well under way for parliament and government in Scotland and Wales, plus local fights across much of England, the team debate how high the stakes might be for both Labour and the Conservatives. Could it prove a terminal catastrophe for Starmer and Badenoch? And will the electoral splintering to the right and left to Reform and the Greens be permanent? Spoiler: we do not agree. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.