Talking Politics

Inside the Reeves-OBR Budget 'shambles' as Chancellor faces calls to resign

Warning: This episode contains some discussion of racist language which listeners may find distressing. A week on from Rachel Reeves' Budget, Paul Brand and Robert Peston take stock of the extraordinary row between the Treasury, the Chancellor, and the OBR over who knew and said what about the public finances in the preceding weeks. Robert says it's the result of one of the 'biggest shambles in terms of Budget preparation' that he can recall. But has the Chancellor ridden out the storm - or could she still have to resign? Also: A former classmate of Nigel Farage has alleged the Reform UK leader racially "tormented" him when they were at school together. Farage says the claims are 'categorically' untrue - but how politically damaging could they be for him? Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Will Budget tax rises and delay tactics come back to haunt Rachel Reeves?

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has finally revealed her Budget plans, albeit after the Office for Budget Responsibility published them first, by mistake. But will tax rise upon tax rise win over doubting voters - or will her tactic to delay many of the key measures coming in return to haunt Labour? In Talking Politics, Paul Brand and Robert Peston are joined by Professor Jane Green, director of the Nuffield Politics Research Centre, to pick apart the Budget strategy. Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Starmer claims his government has restored respect in politics

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told ITV News his government has restored respect to politics since coming into power. When he came into Downing Street in July 2024, Starmer promised to "restore honesty and integrity to government”. However, since then, it's fair to say it's been a stormy ride for him and the Labour Party. Shortly after becoming prime minister, he attracted attention for the scale of the gifts he had been receiving, and more recently in September his deputy Angela Rayner resigned after breaking the ministerial code. When asked if he could "hand on heart" say that his government had restored respect to politics, Starmer answered, "yes". Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

The tax rises we predict will be in the Chancellor's Budget

After months of furious speculation, briefing, leaking, and U-turning, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is finalising her all-important second Budget. It now looks like the rates of income tax won't rise after all - but, as Robert explains, there is a more hidden 'tax' on income that will affect millions of British workers and raise billions of pounds. How will it all affect you, and how will it affect the Prime Minister's job security? And what was the thinking behind the unusually family-focused video he posted on social media on International Men's Day? Is it a sign that he's changing his style of leadership? Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com

Home Sec Shabana Mahmood: 'Illegal migration is tearing our country apart'

It is about to get a lot harder to claim asylum in Britain. The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced significant changes to the UK's immigration system - the biggest, the government claims, of the modern era. She insists they will 'unite a divided country', but denies playing a political game to gain support from Reform voters.  Robert sat down with the Home Secretary to dig into the plans, how they will work in practice, and whether they risk another major rebellion within the Labour party. Got a question for the team? Email talkingpolitics@itv.com