
Politics Weekly UK
Guardian columnist John Harris, political editor Pippa Crerar, and political correspondent Kiran Stacey analyse the week's politics news
Latest episodes

Jun 16, 2022 • 36min
Grounded: Priti Patel’s broken asylum policy
The government’s latest refugee policy collided with reality this week as the first deportation flight to Rwanda was halted at the last minute after a ruling by the European court of human rights. Meanwhile, the UK continued to pick a fight with the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol. Guardian journalist John Harris is joined by the columnist Rafael Behr and the Observer’s chief leader writer, Sonia Sodha. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Jun 9, 2022 • 35min
Johnson: ‘Nothing and no one’ will stop me
Boris Johnson has survived a vote of no confidence this week and wants to draw a line under the rebellion. But what does he really have to offer instead? Reviving Margaret Thatcher’s right to buy? Tax cuts? Ripping up the Brexit agreement? Guardian journalist John Harris is joined by former Conservative cabinet minister David Gauke and the Guardian’s deputy political editor, Rowena Mason, to ask if this is enough to save the party.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Jun 2, 2022 • 36min
A Tory identity crisis
The drip drip of letters to the 1922 Committee has now become a steady stream. Could Boris Johnson be facing a vote of no confidence as soon as next week? Gaby Hinsliff is joined by Guardian political reporter Peter Walker and Gavin Barwell, the former Conservative MP and chief of staff to Theresa May, to figure out if the Tory party has any policy plans for the future, or are they stuck in the past?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

May 26, 2022 • 39min
Humbled…?
The Sue Gray report has finally been published. Boris Johnson made a statement to parliament and took questions at a press conference. He said he was ‘humbled’ by what was in the report, but is that enough? John Harris is joined by Guardian columnist Rafael Behr and the Observer’s Sonia Sodha to discuss what the report said and Johnson’s future. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

May 19, 2022 • 35min
Inflation rockets and still no Tory plan
Inflation has jumped to 9% putting renewed pressure on the government to take action on the cost of living crisis. John Harris is joined by Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff and the Guardian political correspondent Peter Walker to talk about what the government might do, finally. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

May 12, 2022 • 33min
Brexit is back …
Rafael Behr stands in for John Harris this week and is joined by Gavin Barwell, the former Conservative MP and chief of staff to Theresa May, and Miatta Fahnbulleh, the chief executive of the New Economics Foundation. With tensions resurfacing over the Brexit arrangements across the Northern Ireland border, is the UK government capable of finding a solution with EU leaders? And Keir Starmer took a political gamble this week – will it pay off?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

May 5, 2022 • 35min
Partygate, beergate and porngate – what’s left of public trust?
It’s been a tough week for Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer as the public vote in local elections on Thursday. With the cloud of beergate hanging over Starmer, and sex scandals and the cost of living crisis affecting Johnson, John Harris is joined by Guardian columnist Rafael Behr and the Observer’s Sonia Sodha to talk about how this all creates deep distrust between the public and politicians. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Apr 28, 2022 • 34min
We went to Plymouth … to see if Boris is finished
With a week to go until the local elections, John Harris goes to Britain’s self-styled Ocean City, which is politically split 50:50 and voted for Brexit. How angry are people about Partygate? How bad is the cost of living crisis? And as the Tories flounder, are voters interested in what Labour has to offer?. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Apr 21, 2022 • 28min
Are we in the middle of a constitutional crisis? Politics Weekly podcast
This week Boris Johnson has apologised again for breaking his own Covid lockdown rules while his home secretary, Priti Patel, has been heavily criticised over the legality of her plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff stands in for John Harris, and asks what happens when ministers no longer seem afraid to push the boundaries of the law? Gaby is joined by Guardian parliamentary sketch writer John Crace and Dr Hannah White, deputy director of the Institute for Government and author of Held in Contempt. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Apr 14, 2022 • 36min
Partygate fines and a resignation … but not from the PM
On Tuesday Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak were fined by the Metropolitan police for breaching lockdown rules. But neither have resigned. John Harris is joined by the Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff and the former special adviser Salma Shah to talk about how damaging this is for the PM, his party and the country. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod