# In The Room A podcast by The Independent / Next Chapter Studios. Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work. Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water? Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest news, revealing how decisions get made, why they go wrong, and what should happen next. In The Room is straight-talking, insider analysis with a dose of humour, every week. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Feed: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/69861398d4e01f1069d58875 ## Latest episodes - [Why France is rioting – and is Britain next?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/92948bf4eee3) (2026-10-20, 32 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6ad7a1753ad7f685519da9da/media.mp3 - [Does Andy Burnham want to reverse Brexit?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/362bfd9019c2) (2026-10-13, 38 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6ace6d7a8f90a39dfc85e215/media.mp3 - [Can Kemi Badenoch save the Tories with Thatcherism 2.0?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/0ffcd3b17e6c) (2026-10-08, 28 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6ac7aad229b9fbfbe29741da/media.mp3 - [Andy Burnham waited his whole life to deliver this speech – here's how it landed](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/0d27af4b1451) (2026-09-30, 36 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6abd2c98fa77186cebef8af1/media.mp3 - [Burnham’s Trump test – and the Lib Dems' identity crisis](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/df588f2a697f) (2026-09-22, 37 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6ab2c337325534dc4f3ff591/media.mp3 - [Reform’s £72m war chest - and how real are AI doomsday warnings?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/02fd2ddf5022) (2026-09-16, 50 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6aaa85207f8a8df4339d5d76/media.mp3 - [Farage’s scandal-hit conference and Burnham’s next big test](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/acdab4ab2f0e) (2026-09-08, 47 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6aa0495f3dd40cf71e46e072/media.mp3 - [Lessons from No 10: What happens when the PM meets Trump and Putin | Peter Hill](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/3ee0788ae757) (2026-08-25, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a85ab5c39e73ea8f33837da/media.mp3 - [Lessons from No 10: When government comms go badly wrong | Lee Cain](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/cacfe374c30c) (2026-08-18, 48 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a83f535a835875d37170fa0/media.mp3 - [Count Binface vs Farage: Flakes, Ferraris and the Clacton by-election](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/38514bc801a7) (2026-08-11, 34 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a7afb4c616564bf00df1c83/media.mp3 - [Lessons from No 10: When the world's most powerful CEOs enter Downing Street | Jimmy McLoughlin](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/217fa99eb3d4) (2026-08-04, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a71ba462031aa1a28376a35/media.mp3 - [Who's winning the summer? Burnham, Badenoch and Farage assessed](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/88b7cfeb66e2) (2026-07-31, 44 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a6cca8088c5585c85f84c6f/media.mp3 - [Too much Manchester? Andy Burnham's first big interview unpacked](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/f3fb07b506f4) (2026-07-28, 37 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a68db9225e6bb22178b33c9/media.mp3 - [Andy Burnham week one: promises, pitfalls and the prison problem](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/cad590047162) (2026-07-24, 36 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a637c5dd1989631427f844a/media.mp3 - [Andy Burnham is Prime Minister. Now what?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/6ea647c15785) (2026-07-21, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a5fa5ead6167effff2efd7c/media.mp3 - [Inside Andy Burnham’s No 10 takeover](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/1e46d11dd781) (2026-07-17, 32 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a5a542e4d4b991ebe161238/media.mp3 - [Can Andy Burnham succeed where Keir Starmer failed?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/844cfe3dc202) (2026-07-14, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a567e6c039f51de131bfad8/media.mp3 - [Will Andy Burnham make you richer?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/ac95c9112f6f) (2026-07-10, 40 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a4fbb081c8f5a97d8cc8a03/media.mp3 - [The real reason Nigel Farage fired himself](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/553b5a33dc9f) (2026-07-07, 33 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a4d48e7ad78abcff1d06675/media.mp3 - [Has Nigel Farage lost his Midas touch?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/df2bcfa765f1) (2026-07-03, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a47dcf0ecd123914347920c/media.mp3 - [Andy Burnham wants to be Britain’s least powerful PM](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/4de640a61afa) (2026-06-30, 50 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a4402916a72c54c8d0e3d69/media.mp3 - [Why Andy Burnham might not be ready for No 10](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/5f2da22ee514) (2026-06-23, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a3ab9d36cc0d2f3826924eb/media.mp3 - [Makerfield by-election: Has Andy Burnham united the left?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/33c804321ff3) (2026-06-19, 34 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a35644f6f90df4cb71c29c2/media.mp3 - [Starmer activates legacy mode while Farage activates Substack](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/7c6a6b4cadab) (2026-06-16, 34 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a31894060728bbcdafdbcd1/media.mp3 - [Inside the by-election that could change UK politics](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/557d3e8c806e) (2026-06-10, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a2847ee427484b4a44b869b/media.mp3 - [Mandelson files: 1,504 pointless pages?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/b783696c58ae) (2026-06-02, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a1f0bcfa5a56cd1510667f7/media.mp3 - [Ex-SNP chief’s embezzlement scandal and the shady role of money in politics](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/e1f091c48663) (2026-05-27, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a15df91cb11d38a8be0993d/media.mp3 - [Burnham or Brexit 2.0: Inside the leadership contest latest](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/22c2f61256e3) (2026-05-20, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a0c9ae74c1aeb32e7138ee6/media.mp3 - [Bonus episode: Burnham's long path to power](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/a8a13cfa6166) (2026-05-15, 29 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a075dd1382d6c40303b9c4c/media.mp3 - [Streeting, Burnham, Rayner: Coming for Starmer's job?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/1f49de35117c) (2026-05-12, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6a036880ece5b71f1f90ba42/media.mp3 - [Local elections: Reform's big day out spells more trouble for Starmer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/8229a2eadc9a) (2026-05-08, 29 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69fe287a051b78474e4268b0/media.mp3 - [Local elections: Green vs Reform heats up as Starmer comes out swinging](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/307302eb53df) (2026-05-06, 36 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69fa256b82781c7c4581dc86/media.mp3 - [Keir Starmer vs the world: How the PM made his job so much harder](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/ee586e46e30c) (2026-04-29, 32 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69f24d6abe5ab6849c6d4a45/media.mp3 - [Does Olly Robbins' testimony signal the end for Starmer?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/87a8de5a038f) (2026-04-21, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69e7d03517df632b85fa2705/media.mp3 - [Bonus episode: Has Keir Starmer made a huge mistake sacking Olly Robbins over Mandelson vetting?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/bf87319f9896) (2026-04-17, 30 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69e276956e5b90839a11919a/media.mp3 - [‘Not ready for war’: Can Starmer protect the UK?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/0435f14ba85d) (2026-04-17, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69e1ff2fd2febdbec98cee53/media.mp3 - [Ceasefire: What’s next for the UK?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/45265f9cb1c6) (2026-04-10, 33 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69d8c290cdaa3e377c613713/media.mp3 - [Silent discos and kickabouts: Can MPs catch a break?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/d6d5460bcf6c) (2026-04-03, 34 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69ce9604f57702d2d90f1297/media.mp3 - [Stockpiling fuel, panic buying loo roll - are we prepped for war?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/6f56fe15abc3) (2026-03-27, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69c65507b991732771bc0e51/media.mp3 - [Energy crisis: Is Farage really going to pay your bills?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/b7818d1ea42b) (2026-03-20, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69bd3e9b3bbfcfe8db5e9ea2/media.mp3 - [Definitive guide to Mandelson files: All filler, no killer?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/211d1b2daa2f) (2026-03-13, 52 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69b3f62a559de2c6342e8130/media.mp3 - [Inside Downing Street when war breaks out](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/f9221afd7abd) (2026-03-06, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69aabd1bf6d1583bb8be542e/media.mp3 - [Mandelson and Starmer: Is the HR process to blame?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/67f1264afac2) (2026-02-27, 44 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69a186eb240faaa9b5fd364c/media.mp3 - [Starmer: Symptoms of a PM in trouble](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/eef3db67720b) (2026-02-20, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/699851bfc4ec2d0bf74dc8cc/media.mp3 - [In The Room - Trailer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1875349411/f4088206a633) (2026-02-06, 2 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/6986147dd4e01f1069d5b868/media.mp3 Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.