Podcasts · News · Government
The State of It
The Times
84 episodes
What’s really being said inside the corridors of power.
More about the show
Join Steven Swinford, Patrick Maguire, Ben Riley-Smith and Lara Spirit for exclusive interviews, political scoops and the best analysis from Westminster.
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Episodes page 1 of 2
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Brexit, oil and immigration: Labour's three rows
Arguing in the Labour party is ramping up. Andy Burnham has further fuelled the Brexit wars, floating a return to free movement and even EU membership, even though he claimed there was “nothing socialist” about free…
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You can't vibe-code your way to growth
Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane, a close ally of Andy Burnham, has sounded the alarm over the upcoming budget, warning the Prime Minister can’t “vibe-code his way to growth”. Patrick joins John…
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Andy Burnham's welfare plan: spend first, cut later
Andy Burnham's welfare reforms are likely to start with more, not less, spending. In his review into Neets, young people not in education, employment or training, Alan Milburn will propose restricting access to…
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AI rows and pre-budget jitters – The State of It Live
In this live recording of The State of It, Patrick and Steve assess the state of play ahead of budget day. John Healey is preparing a steady-as-she-goes budget, but with the big decisions on welfare, defence and tax…
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Burnham brings back Brexit wars: what’s the strategy?
Andy Burnham has pulled the lever marked ‘Brexit’, threatening to reignite the wars of yesteryear. The soft left are delighted, but there’s unease in his cabinet. Is this a route back to a referendum, or just a meagre…
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Zack Polanski on the brink
Zack Polanski's defeat in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election puts him in a tough position. The Green leader lost the by-election by 3,300 votes to Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate. He's also facing criticism…
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Kemi Badenoch bets the house on the economy
Kemi Badenoch's attack on Reform UK was all about character and her attack on Labour was all about economics. In her speech at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, she said she would to scrap inheritance…
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Andy Burnham's radical British reset
The Labour Party is jubilant. Andy Burnham has fired the starting gun for the next general election with one of the most consequential conference speeches in recent memory. He used it to set out a series of major…
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Labour parties like it's 1997
At the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, the mood is jubilant. They have a popular leader who can speak fluently in public. Andy Burnham's speech on Tuesday will be a big moment and it's expected to be full of…
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EXCLUSIVE - John Healey: budget will prove I'm pro-business
John Healey, the chancellor, tells us his budget will offer people breathing space on both the cost of living and the cost of business. He said he was concerned about the rising price of fuel and that he wanted wealthy…
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A snap election - surely not?
The Labour Party conference starts in Liverpool this weekend. It's a chance for Andy Burnham to lay out his vision for the country. Expect worldview, class, solidarity and hope. How much criticism is likely to come…
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Raise taxes, fix welfare later: Labour's tough sell
What a difference a year makes The Labour Party conference awaits. Has Andy Burnham's folksy charm and optimism taken the party as far as it can, or can he consolidate power and popularity? Six-party politics A…
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Trump and Burnham meet: what could go wrong?
The Burnham Trump meeting Andy Burnham and Donald Trump will meet for the first time in New York next week. It's the biggest foreign policy moment in Burnham's premiership so far and there are many different ways in…
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Mr Hope and Mr Sensible step into the danger zone
Will Labour raise taxes? The cost of government borrowing is going up and up. That means the chancellor, John Healey, may well need to cut spending or raise taxes next month - and tax rises are much more likely.…
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Assisted dying is dead. What next?
MPs have voted against the assisted dying bill. The legislation was defeated by a margin of 16 votes, with 286 MPs in favour and 270 against, after 314 MPs backed the plan last year. It's a huge moment in the House of…
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Why the UK is risking US anger with Israel sanctions
• Ed Miliband, the foreign secretary, is announcing sanctions on Israel over West Bank settlements. Why is it such a priority for Andy Burnham's government and what are the risks? It creates yet another diplomatic…
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Reform's conference begins with a crisis
Reform UK’s 2026 conference has begun in Birmingham under a cloud after Channel 4 broadcast allegations of an attempt to circumvent the rules on foreign donations — prompting Nigel Farage to turn on two of his closest…
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Starmerism with a human face: when vibes meet reality
• Andy Burnham wants the first day back in the Commons to be all about hope. But how long can he and his chancellor John Healey keep up the feel-good vibes? After much talk of change, there's a whiff of continuity in…
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West Bank sanctions: the snag - and Burnham's blockbuster autumn
• Scoop: Ed Miliband is expected to announce two different kinds of sanctions over Israeli settlements in the West Bank. We have the details, but will the plan be enforceable? • Get ready for politics on hyperspeed…
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Burnham's three big tests - and trouble at Reform UK
• The prison early release scheme is Andy Burnham's first big test as prime minister. There are no good options. Can he make a successful argument that he's picked the least bad? • No 10 wants the Autumn Budget to be…
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Farage wins Clacton – but his £5m headache remains
Nigel Farage has done the inevitable and defeated Count Binface in the Clacton by-election. To celebrate, Reform threw a gigantic Glastonbury-style festival on Clacton beach. Farage-fest 2026 featured disco, live music…
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PC Harper's killers: Andy Burnham's first major test
Last week, Andy Burnham said he had reached “the very limits of what is possible”, appearing powerless to prevent the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers. But after a wave of public outrage, he has now promised…
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Will a Reform-Restore alliance unite the right?
Has Andy Burnham's vibes-based politics collided with the reality of governing as he wrestles with the prison early release crisis? Restore leader and right-wing insurgent Rupert Lowe has publicly reached out to Nigel…
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The Burnham Bounce: how long can it last?
Andy Burnham's first week as prime minister has been decisive, optimistic and proactive. Labour has overtaken Reform UK in the polls for the first time in more than a year. Now Burnham is taking on education and social…
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Andy Burnham's week of maximum vibes
Andy Burnham's first week as Prime Minister has been all about creating good vibes. He's pledged to end rough sleeping, cut VAT on energy bills, cap bus fares at £2, and save Britain's pubs. The obvious question is:…
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No, you're a factionalist: Labour's new battle lines
• The Grafton Pub Purge: inside the pub where Keir Starmer had drinks with allies as they were sacked one by one. It's fair to say that Andy Burnham's new cabinet has caused an astonishing amount of bitterness in the…
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Shabana Mahmood: The 'ruthless' incoming Chancellor?
Who is Shabana Mahmood, the 'ruthless' politician set to enter Downing Street as Andy Burnham’s Chancellor? After a fierce cabinet debate effectively ended Ed Miliband's hopes for the Treasury, all eyes are on her. And…
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Burnham's cabinet: Ed Miliband fails the smell test
• Who will be in Andy Burnham's cabinet? It looks like Ed Miliband will not be chancellor after all. We have scoops for you about who's in line for the big jobs in the Westminster cabinet reshuffle. • Burnham needs to…
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Nigel Farage's Clacton by-election gamble
A furious Nigel Farage has said he will ‘stick two fingers up to the establishment’ by resigning and then winning a by-election in Clacton. Kemi Badenoch has accused him of having a hissy fit and Andy Burnham has said…
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Nigel Farage and Posh George: why it matters
Nigel Farage could face an investigation by the parliamentary watchdog after a Sunday Times investigation and podcast series raised questions about gifts and benefits in kind that he has received from George Cottrell,…
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Paranoia in the Labour Party: the Andy Burnham enigma
Andy Burnham is keeping his cards close to his chest and no one seems to know who'll get what job. That means there's a huge amount of paranoia and jostling for position the Labour Party. Cabinet ministers and MPs are…
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"You can't have more Milibands than women in top jobs" - Cain and Abel mark II
There is considerable intrigue around Andy Burnham's possible cabinet, not least because the eldest Miliband brother is being linked to the position of Foreign Secretary. Are we about to see UK politic's Cain and Able…
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Andy Burnham builds a plane mid-flight as Starmer checks out
Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer both want an orderly transition but one day in, it's looking anything but orderly. It's a transition beset with bad blood and uncertainty and also some serious technical hurdles. Is he…
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Keir Starmer resigns. Andy Burnham prepares for power
Andy Burnham could be prime minister within weeks after Keir Starmer's resignation. He may now need to build a government before the World Cup final. This is where the real trade-offs start. How long can Andy Burnham's…
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Andy Burnham wins Makerfield: what happens now?
Andy Burnham's victory in Makerfield makes him Labour leader and prime minister in waiting. How will the next days and weeks play out? Keir Starmer has said he will stand in a leadership contest if one is triggered.…
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Ghostings and betrayals: Starmer's cabinet prepares for an Andy Burnham coup
Makerfield is the most consequential by-election in history. Andy Burnham is confident he'll win. What happens then? When and how does he make a move? What can Keir Starmer do to thwart him? We have several scoops for…
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A circular firing squad: the bitter war over defence spending
Exclusive stories from the front line of the government's war over defence spending. And there's a swagger about Andy Burnham's team: they're more and more confident that he'll win in Makerfield. What happens next?…
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The tragic death of Henry Nowak and a political reckoning
• Nigel Farage has said that the death of Henry Nowak is proof that "we’re living in a two-tier culture...where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities". Police bodycam…
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We’re all just normal people railing against politics
In the Makerfield by-election, Reform UK have put forward a local plumber in the hope of derailing Burnham’s push for power — but a string of deeply questionable old social media posts has left the campaign wobbling.…
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Inside Keir Starmer's plan to remain PM till 2027
• Scoop: Keir Starmer thinks he can remain prime minister till 2027, even if Andy Burnham wins in Makerfield...And if Burnham loses, what then? • Fear and loathing in Number 10: we have details about the extraordinary…
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What the hell’s going on in Westminster?
Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary, but he hasn't launched a leadership challenge. Why not? More than 90 Labour MPs have now called for the prime minister to go, but Keir Starmer is hanging on. What can he…
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Keir Starmer: the end game
An extraordinary day in British politics: Keir Starmer vows to fight on, but the resignations keep on coming. How long can the prime minister survive? What's next, and who will move first? Wes Streeting has one shot:…
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BONUS: Reform shake Labour to its core
For now, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to stay as the Reform leader Nigel Farage calls this a “truly historic shift in British politics” Steven and Lara caught up at the Times office in Westminster just after…
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"They're going to have to drag him out" - Starmer prepares for a leadership battle
Thursday's local elections are set to blow apart Britain’s political duopoly, and the fallout for Labour could be existential. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister as rivals circle. Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting…
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Mandelson: Starmer’s original sin comes back to haunt him
Morgan McSweeney has told MPs that the revelations about Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein were like a knife through his soul. The more we learn about the appointment process, the madder it sounds.…
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Starmer picks a fight with the wrong guy
Sir Olly Robbins dropped bombshell after bombshell when he spoke to MPs. Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Office’s chief civil servant, has accused Downing Street of placing the department under constant pressure…
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BONUS: Can Keir Starmer survive the Mandelson vetting scandal?
Everything you need to know about the latest instalment of the Mandelson scandal. What Labour MPs are saying about Keir Starmer; our verdict on whether he can survive it, and why Patrick thinks the prime minister is…
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Guns or Butter: the great defence spending row
• Kidney machines replaced with rockets and guns: Keir Starmer says security is his priority but where will the money for defence come from and when will he tell us? • On the road with Nigel Farage. • If the polls are…
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Get ready for a pub brawl, it's local election time
As Reform rolls its tanks onto Labour’s lawn across the old Red Wall and the Greens set their sights on London, Starmer braces for a bruising set of local elections. Has David Lammy given up on London? And Steve…
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Keir Starmer's fight with "reckless" striking doctors. And Labour's Zack Polanski problem
• Inside the negotiations between the government and the doctors' union, the BMA. Why is Keir Starmer putting himself front and centre of this rather than leaving it to his health secretary, Wes Streeting? • Even…
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