The Week in Westminster

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

Is Labour on course for government after its historic by-election wins? How are MPs personally affected by the Israel Gaza conflict? Are politicians operating in an era of no money? And might Rishi Sunak defy the bookies and call a general election in the spring, or push on until January 2025? Financial Times political editor George Parker and guests look back on a busy week in Westminster as MPs returned after the party conferences.

Paul Waugh, chief political commentator for the i paper, analyses the latest developments at Westminster. Following reports that a Parliamentary researcher had been arrested amid claims of spying for Beijing, Paul assesses the state of UK-China relations with Conservative MP, Richard Graham, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary China Group, and Labour peer Helena Kennedy, who was sanctioned by China in 2021. Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the TUC, discusses the state of industrial relations in Britain and Labour's plan for new workers' rights. Amid speculation that the Treasury is mulling a one-off break from the pensions triple lock, Paul speaks to Conservative peer and former pensions minister, Ros Altmann, and deputy chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, Mike Brewer. And, as elections get underway to fill newly vacant select committee chairs, Paul assesses what it's like to campaign and compete for the affections of what’s sometimes called ‘the most sophisticated electorate’ in the country - Mary Creagh, former Labour MP and chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, and Steve Brine, the current Conservative chair of the Health Select Committee, swap tales from campaigns past.

Sonia Sodha of The Observer analyses the latest developments at Westminster as politicians return from their summer break. Following the concrete crisis in schools she speaks to the Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee and former education minister, Robin Walker, and Dame Meg Hillier, Labour chair of the Public Accounts Committee. To analyse the latest revisions in GDP data, which showed the UK had fared much better following the pandemic than previously thought, Sonia is joined by Professor of Economics at Cambridge University, Diane Coyle. As MPs debate the government's Energy Bill Sonia brings together the former Environment Secretary, George Eustice, and Parliament's only Green MP, Caroline Lucas, to discuss whether Tory factionalism is harming the transition to net zero. And, as Keir Starmer's shadow cabinet reshuffle prompts headlines about the 'return of the Blairites', she speaks to Tony Blair's former Chief Whip, Hilary Armstrong, and Times political correspondent, Patrick Maguire.

Steve Richards and guests discuss the fallout from the by-elections - and the challenges facing the main political parties - with a panel of journalists: Pippa Crerar, Political Editor of the Guardian; Fraser Nelson, Editor of The Spectator magazine and Lucy Fisher, Whitehall Editor at the Financial Times

The i Newspaper's Chief Political Commentator, Paul Waugh, discusses the biggest political stories of the week with guests. Paul Waugh discusses the public sector pay settlements with former Treasury Minister, Dame Angela Eagle, and the Conservative Chair of the Education Select Committee, Robin Walker. Baroness Catherine Ashton, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, delivers her assessment of the NATO Summit. Labour Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Dame Diana Johnson, and fellow Conservative Committee member, Tim Loughton, discuss the Illegal Migration Bill. And, former Conservative special adviser Sam Freedman, and The Guardian's Media Editor, Jim Waterson, discuss what the arrival of new social media app 'Threads' means for politicians and journalists.

Isabel Hardman, Assistant Editor of The Spectator, discusses the week's biggest political stories of the week with guests. Isabel Hardman discusses the future direction of the Conservative Party with Conservative MP Danny Kruger and Gavin Barwell, Conservative peer and former chief of staff to Theresa May. In the week of the 75th annniversary of the NHS, Lord Nigel Crisp former Chief Executive NHS England and Crossbench peer and Sally Warren, Director of Policy, The King’s Fund discuss the challenges facing the NHS. Isabel discusses the presence of Bishops in the House of Lords with The Rt Revd Dr David Walker, The Bishop of Manchester And, Professor Meg Russell, director of the Constitution Unit at UCL and Rob Hutton, Sketchwriter for The Critic, discuss 'Parliamentary ping pong'.

As the Government unveils its long-awaited NHS workforce plan George Parker of The Financial Times is joined by the chairman of the Health Select Committee, Steve Brine MP, and Labour peer and former NHS clinician, Robert Winston. After the Court of Appeal ruled that the Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful, George speaks to Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart, who represents the south coast seat of Hastings and Rye, and Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti, the former director of the human rights group Liberty. The Conservative peer Andrew Tyrie, who formerly led the Competition and Markets Authority, discusses whether industry regulators are up to the job after the Chancellor met various regulators this week to discuss the cost of living crisis. And, following reports that many Conservative MPs are absent from Westminster as they try to defend marginal seats and campaign in the upcoming by-elections, Conservative MP Lucy Allan and former Conservative strategist Andrew Cooper, now a non-affiliated peer, discuss Tory chances at the next general election.

Pippa Crerar, political editor of the Guardian, discusses the political stories of the week with guests. Treasury Select Committee members, Andrea Leadsom and Rushanara Ali, discuss the Bank of England's interest rate rise and mortgages. Matthew Taylor, a former adviser to Tony Blair and Chief Executive of the NHS, and Lord Bethell, a former government minister, discuss the Covid Inquiry. The biographer, Sir Anthony Seldon, gives his verdict on Boris Johnson's leadership. And, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, CEO of UK Music, and music journalist, Lisa Verrico, discuss the place of politics at Glastonbury Festival.