The New Statesman | UK politics and culture

Last year Scunthorpe’s two blast furnaces Queen Anne and Queen Bess became the last remaining primary steelmaking facility in the UK. However there were reports that those facilities were soon to be mothballed - 2,500 jobs lost before Christmas.  Despite those reports, smoke is still rising from the Scunthorpe Steelworks and talks about its future are continuing between Jingye - the Chinese company which owns the plant - and the government. But what is the government's plan for the future of British steel? How reliant are we on offshore production? And how did Scunthorpe come to own the latest poltical football? Kate Lamble is joined by Megan Kenyon and Sam Alvis, as well as Ben Houchen, Nic Dakin, Tony Gosling, Andrea Jenkyns and Martin Foster.Read: The cost of net zero in the town that steel built Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1966, to the chagrin of his fans and the folk music community, Bob Dylan went electric. The five years leading up to this moment is the focus of A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic from James Mangold. This indignation came at a time where folk was the language of protest, from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam war, but when did folk get left behind? What was Dylan’s lasting effect on the protest song? Tom Gatti is joined by Kate Mossman, senior writer at the New Statesman, and Dorian Lynskey, writer and author of 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs. You can read more from Kate and Dorian on newstatesman.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddie Hayward joins from Washington DC to answer listener questions on the new Trump administration.Following his inauguration on Monday January 20, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders to implement new policy or reverse work done by the Biden administration. Listeners have asked what the US president's actions will mean for Britain.Freddie joins Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes to answer your questions.-- 📚 READ: Trump's techno-futurist inaugural addresshttps://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2025/01/donald-trump-inauguration-techno-futurist-elites🙋‍♀️ ASK a question: We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting here, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus📧 FREE get our daily politics emailhttps://morningcall.substack.com💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber:Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Axel Rudakubana a terrorist, or just a very disturbed individual?Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Jacob Davey of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue to discuss the trial of Alex Rudakabana, who has pled guilty to the murder of three young girls in Southport.Keir Starmer has responded to the guilty plea and ordered a new public inquiry - but critics say the Prime Minister waited too long to act.How should the government respond to the threat of self-radicalised attackers, and the changing nature of “terrorism”?–📚 READ: Southport and the changing face of terror https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/society/2025/01/southport-and-the-changing-face-of-terror🙋‍♀️ ASK a question: We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting here, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus📧 FREE get our daily politics emailhttps://morningcall.substack.com💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber:Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This weekend, almost 500 days after the October 7th attack, a ceasefire came into effect between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But just how fragile is this peace? And what will determine whether it breaks or holds?Kate Lamble speaks with Sondos Sabra, Yair Wallach and Bruno Maçães.Follow the links to read more from Sondos, Yair and Bruno. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birth rates are declining around the world. Why? And what can - or should - be done?Tom Gatti meets authors Madeleine Davis and Anastasia Berg, who have both written on the changing attitudes to child-rearing, to explore the reasons behind these changes. They discuss why financial, social and romantic circumstances are leading fewer people to have children, and what governments and institutions can or should do to address the issue.Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/youaskusGet the New Stateman's political analysis in your inbox every weekday by signing up to our newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.comSubscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis: www.newstatesman.com/jan24 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is stuck between the UN and Donald Trump.Under pressure from the International Court, Labour are due to relinquish British ownership of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. But the islands house a strategic US airbase, and the Prime Minister needs to maintain good relations with the incoming Trump administration.Andrew Marr, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer a listener's question about whether the government will rethink the Chagos Islands deal.They also discuss whether the New Statesman should regret backing Labour at the general election, and how the UK will be affected by new moderation rules on Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram.Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/youaskusGet the New Stateman's political analysis in your inbox every weekday by signing up to our newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.comSubscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis: www.newstatesman.com/jan24 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Reeves is under fire for her management of the country's finances. With suggestions of an impending income tax raise, some have called for her to resign. Andrew Marr and Will Dunn join Hannah Barnes to explain why the Chancellor won't quit - yet.Will Dunn also explains how government debt is calculated - and why the economic crash really might not have been (entirely) Liz Truss's fault after all.The team also discuss Tulip Siddiq's resignation, and whether Labour have a two-tier approach to discipline.Ask a question for a future episode at www.newstatesman.com/youaskusGet the New Stateman's political analysis in your inbox every weekday by signing up to our newsletter, Morning Call: morningcall.substack.comSubscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis: www.newstatesman.com/jan24Articles mentioned in this episode:How damaging is the Tulip Siddiq affair for Labour?https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2025/01/the-tulip-siddiq-affair-is-a-blow-labourWill the bond markets defeat Rachel Reeves?https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2025/01/will-the-bond-markets-defeat-rachel-reeves Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, Elon Musk - what do these men have in common? Just a few days from Donald Trump’s second inauguration as US President, hearings to confirm the team around him have started in earnest and the incoming 47th president has managed to pull together a coalition of competing interests - different groups with different priorities - all of whom see value in his Presidency.But can these opposing factions work together, and what happens when they start falling out?Kate Lamble is joined by Quinn Slobodian, Katie Stallard, and Freddie Hayward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 90's is often heralded as the era of Blur, Oasis, Pulp - but this decade belongs as much to boybands as it does to Britpop. But what was behind these manufactured groups? What does this era reveal about Britain's relationship with class and masculinity? And will Robbie Williams' legacy be a CGI monkey?Tom Gatti is joined by senior commissioning editor at the New Statesman, Anna Leskiewicz and writer Emma Garland.Read: Robbie Williams’ anti-redemption arc, by Emma Garland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would it be politically safe to go back on their promise not to raise income tax if the increase only affected high earners?, a listener writes in to ask. Hannah Barnes is joined by political editor Andrew Marr and associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, and in the first half of the programme we hear from senior data journalist Ben Walker about whether there has been a swell in youth support for Reform UK.The team also cast their predictions for the year ahead in UK politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Elon Musk reshape British democracy?The X-owning billionaire has waded into one of the darkest scandals in recent British history: the horrific rape and abuse of thousands of girls across the UK by so-called “grooming gangs”. Musk’s inflammatory posts on his social media platform, X, have prompted statements from Keir Starmer, questions from Kemi Badenoch in PMQs, and extensive coverage across the mainstream media. How should the UK government respond to a foreign billionaire with a platform that amplifies misinformation to hundreds of millions around the world?Andrew Marr joins Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe on Politics from the New Statesman.📚 READ: How does Keir Starmer solve a problem like Elon Musk? - Andrew Marrhttps://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/01/how-does-starmer-solve-a-problem-like-elon-musk🙋‍♀️ ASK a question: We answer listener questions every Friday. Submit your by commenting here, or at www.newstatesman.com/youaskus💷 SAVE Become a New Statesman subscriber:Get access to all our reporting at newstatesman.com and receive your copy of our weekly magazine. Podcast listeners can get the first two months for just £2 at https://www.newstatesman.com/save📧 FREE get our daily politics emailhttps://morningcall.substack.com🎧 LISTEN to the New Statesman podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@newstatesman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is talking about the 'Gulf of America' but in reality the US is no where near as powerful as it once was.Kate Lamble is joined by this week's cover writer Robert D. Kaplan, as well as George Magnus and Jonny Ball. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Gatti is joined by BAFTA award winning writer, director, and actor, Mackenzie Crook to discuss his acting career from The Office to Detectorists, as well as Crook's new book 'If Nick Drake Came to My House'.This conversation was recorded at the recent winter edition of the Cambridge Literary Festival. To find out more about the festival, or to watch an extend version of this discussion, please follow the link: cambridgeliteraryfestival.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump round 2, instability in Europe, and power struggles in the Middle East.Hannah Barnes is joined by Katie Stallard and Wolfgang Münchau to take a look at the world in 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Biggest gaffe? Dampest squib? Best political trolling?Hannah Barnes is joined by Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward to go through the highs and the lows of UK politics in 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the last listener questions episode of 2024! Hannah Barnes is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and George Eaton to discuss Elon Musk's support and intentions for Reform UK. The team also consider how Children Not In School register could help increase children's safety and wellbeing, especially considering up to 300,000 children may have been missing from education entirely in 2023.-The podcast will be taking a break over Christmas but we'll be back on Monday to review the year in UK politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The team discuss two big political stories of the week; WASPI women and Prince Andrew's friendship with the alleged Chinese spy. And the New Statesman's policy correspondent Harry Clarke-Ezzidio sits down with Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.Submit a question for a future episode: You Ask Us Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This conversation was recorded at the Cambridge Literary Festival. To watch an extended version or to find out more about Cambridge Literary Festival please head to cambridgeliteraryfestival.com-The New Statesman’s business editor Will Dunn sat down with Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, and former chief executive of the Resolution Foundation - a think tank which aims to improve the standard of living of low-to-middle income families. Torsten Bell also worked as Labour’s Director of Policy under Ed Milliband’s leadership. His first book Great Britain?: How We Get Our Future Back, was published earlier this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First conceived in 1956 by Michael Bond, the marmalade-loving immigrant from Peru has become an iconic British cultural figure – treasured for his chaotic nature, impeccable manners, and proximity to royalty.So, how did Paddington become the spokesbear for Britain, crossing political divides in the country, and one of the most commercially successful characters in the world?Tom Gatti is joined by New Statesman contributor Amelia Tait, and Paddington screenwriter Jon Foster.Read: The triumph of Paddington Inc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.