Talking Politics

Starmer's post-Makerfield plan for Burnham and survival

Ahead of one of history’s most consequential by-elections this week, Keir Starmer has revealed how he plans to persuade Andy Burnham not to launch a leadership challenge. In this week’s Talking Politics, Robert joins Tom from Evian in France where Starmer is meeting world leaders at the G7 summit - in what could be his last foreign trip as PM. As voters in Makerfield prepare to head to the polls on Thursday, Robert explains why Starmer’s strategy to stay in Number 10 if Burnham wins the by-election is “almost emotional blackmail”. And: find out what Robert thinks the PM and Millwall Football Club have in common… Full list of candidates standing in the Makerfield by-election: Jake Austin, Liberal Democrats Count Binface, Count Binface Party Andy Burnham, Labour Party Dan Clarke, Libertarian Party John Alfred Dyer, Independent Ed Gemmell, Climate Party Paul Richard Gould, Independent Alan 'Howlin' Laud Hope, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party Robert Kenyon, Reform UK Robert Pownall, Independent Rebecca Shepherd, Restore Britain Sarah Wakefield, Green Party Peter Ward, Rejoin EU

Why John Healey's resignation is 'devastating' for Keir Starmer

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss Defence Secretary John Healey's resignation, after a row with the prime minister over military spending, in which he accused Keir Starmer of making the country "less safe". He wrote to the PM to resign with "great regret and reluctance", citing disagreements about defence spending ahead of the release of the delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP). Tom and Robert reflect on why this resignation is particularly damaging for Keir Starmer and whether his position is now beyond saving. -- Contains mild language.

Belfast riots: How our broken asylum system continues to fuel unrest

Tom and Robert are joined by Northern Ireland Reporter Stewart Robson following a night of violence and unrest in Belfast after Monday's stabbing attack. Stewart shares what he witnessed on the ground, describing a "real determination from some people to make it as dangerous as possible", and outlines the latest developments in the case - as the politicans, police and the victim's family call for calm". Tom and Robert unpack how the economic reality is fuelling anti-immigrant sentiment, discuss why successive Governments have struggled to control immigration, and look at whether opposing parties and their plans to fix the problems have any hope of success.

Henry Nowak murder: 'Incompetence' or 'two-tier policing'?

The murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton last year has sparked national outrage and accusations from Nigel Farage of “two-tier policing”. But is there any evidence to suggest police are treating people differently based on their ethnicity, or was this just a case of “grotesque police incompetence”? On this week’s episode of Talking Politics, Tom and Robert react to the disturbing bodycam footage from the scene and examine how a tragic murder became a national political flashpoint. They also discuss Farage’s intervention in the case, the family's repeated calls for calm, and why he chose to speak out on the issue after weeks of avoiding media scrutiny.

How embarrassing are new Mandelson files for Labour?

A new tranche of files have been released today relating to the appointment of disgraced peer Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. But what do they include, and how embarrassing are they for Keir Starmer and his government? Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss what’s included in the documents - from private messages between senior Labour figures, to Mandelson telling David Lammy that the government would "never regret" his appointment as ambassador, and Pat McFadden’s criticism of the PM. Mandelson has said he regrets his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, denies criminality, and says his priority is to cooperate with the police and clear his name.