Talking Politics

Episode

• Can Andy Burnham bring down the cost of living? 20.07.2026 9mnt

  Andy Burnham is finally Prime Minister - so from bus fares to energy bills, what could it mean for you? Could a rise in the top rate of tax be on the cards, despite Labour's manifesto commitment?On Talking Politics, Robert Peston and Tom Bradby discuss what he can to do to address the top priority of making life more affordable for people up and down the country.
• Has Andy Burnham vetoed Miliband as his Chancellor? 15.07.2026 28mnt

  Andy Burnham is just days from entering Number 10 - but what do we know about who will be in his top team?In Talking Politics this week, Tom and Robert discuss who would be the best pick for Chancellor, and whether Ed Miliband’s Treasury dreams are over.They break down what the handover of power will look like over the next few days, and how it could be impacted by the World Cup…Tom and Robert also finish by reflecting on what the shocking murder of Ann Widdecombe could mean for British politics.
• Could Farage's by-election backfire? 07.07.2026 18mnt

  Nigel Farage has sent shockwaves through Westminster as he announced he would stand down as an MP but then contest the seat at the by-election.Is it all a stunt to distract from scrutiny over his financial support as opposition parties say?On this weeks’ Talking Politics, Robert is joined by ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Horton to discuss what this means for Farage’s political future.Labour say the saga is a ‘circus’, while the Tories accuse Farage of having a ‘hissy fit’.Robert and Harry discuss whether Count Binface could finally make it to Parliament, and whether Farage will come out of all of this looking ‘silly’.
• Will Burnham have to put up taxes? 01.07.2026 30mnt

  Andy Burnham is headed for Downing Street and could be Prime Minister in just three weeks. But can he really deliver his bold vision without putting up taxes?In this episode of Talking Politics, Robert is joined by Harry Horton, fresh from Burnham's major speech in Manchester, to unpack his economic blueprint. From the promise to build more council homes to bringing essential services like energy and water back under public control, they explore Burnham's big ideas, his plans for a "Number 10 of the North", and ask: how will he pay for it?In the second half of the episode, Robert speaks to Carl Dinnen about another looming financial headache: Keir Starmer's Defence Investment Plan has exposed a £4.7 billion funding gap. If Burnham takes the keys to Number 10, how can he plug that hole while delivering his own ambitious programme for change?
• Who would be Burnham's chancellor? 24.06.2026 32mnt

  Andy Burnham is on track to become Britain’s next prime minister, but we don’t yet know who he’ll pick as chancellor.Could it be Ed Miliband, or would he spook the markets? Perhaps Yvette Cooper is a safe pair of hands, or could Wes Streeting get the keys to Number 11 despite his “brazen disloyalty” to his last boss?On this week’s Talking Politics, Tom and Robert ask what a Burnham government could look like, and break down what his major policy changes could be.Plus, Peston gives his advice to the next PM on welfare, defence and the pension triple lock.Contains mild language.
• Starmer resigns but what could go wrong for Burnham? 22.06.2026 19mnt

  Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are in Downing Street to discuss Keir Starmer's resignation, after he set a timetable for his departure as PM.Newly elected MP Andy Burnham has confirmed he will run to replace him as Labour leader.Tom and Robert break down what went so wrong for Starmer, less than two years after his landslide election win, and what obstacles could be in Burnham's way.
• 'Burnham will be our next PM' - so what happens now? 19.06.2026 32mnt

  Andy Burnham’s big Makerfield by-election victory is set to reshape British politics as we know it.So what happens next? In this special Talking Politics episode, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are joined by Election Analyst Professor Jane Green from Nuffield College, University of Oxford, to answer the key questions. Is Britain now waking up to a new prime minister? What does the Labour vote share in Makerfield tell us about potential voting in a General Election? Would Andy Burnham definitely perform better than Sir Keir Starmer? Could he call a General Election once he's prime minister? What does it mean for Reform’s chances at a national level? Are the Conservatives still in the picture? And is electoral reform now inevitable?
• Starmer's post-Makerfield plan for Burnham and survival 17.06.2026 19mnt

  Ahead of one of history’s most consequential by-elections this week, Keir Starmer has revealed how he plans to persuade Andy Burnham not to launch a leadership challenge.In this week’s Talking Politics, Robert joins Tom from Evian in France where Starmer is meeting world leaders at the G7 summit - in what could be his last foreign trip as PM.As voters in Makerfield prepare to head to the polls on Thursday, Robert explains why Starmer’s strategy to stay in Number 10 if Burnham wins the by-election is “almost emotional blackmail”.And: find out what Robert thinks the PM and Millwall Football Club have in common…Full list of candidates standing in the Makerfield by-election:Jake Austin, Liberal DemocratsCount Binface, Count Binface PartyAndy Burnham, Labour PartyDan Clarke, Libertarian PartyJohn Alfred Dyer, IndependentEd Gemmell, Climate PartyPaul Richard Gould, IndependentAlan 'Howlin' Laud Hope, The Official Monster Raving Loony PartyRobert Kenyon, Reform UKRobert Pownall, IndependentRebecca Shepherd, Restore BritainSarah Wakefield, Green PartyPeter Ward, Rejoin EU
• Why John Healey's resignation is 'devastating' for Keir Starmer 11.06.2026 20mnt

  Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss Defence Secretary John Healey's resignation, after a row with the prime minister over military spending, in which he accused Keir Starmer of making the country "less safe".He wrote to the PM to resign with "great regret and reluctance", citing disagreements about defence spending ahead of the release of the delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP).Tom and Robert reflect on why this resignation is particularly damaging for Keir Starmer and whether his position is now beyond saving. --Contains mild language.
• Belfast riots: How our broken asylum system continues to fuel unrest 10.06.2026 31mnt

  Tom and Robert are joined by Northern Ireland Reporter Stewart Robson following a night of violence and unrest in Belfast after Monday's stabbing attack.Stewart shares what he witnessed on the ground, describing a "real determination from some people to make it as dangerous as possible", and outlines the latest developments in the case - as the politicans, police and the victim's family call for calm".Tom and Robert unpack how the economic reality is fuelling anti-immigrant sentiment, discuss why successive Governments have struggled to control immigration, and look at whether opposing parties and their plans to fix the problems have any hope of success.
• Henry Nowak murder: 'Incompetence' or 'two-tier policing'? 03.06.2026 34mnt

  The murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton last year has sparked national outrage and accusations from Nigel Farage of “two-tier policing”. But is there any evidence to suggest police are treating people differently based on their ethnicity, or was this just a case of “grotesque police incompetence”? On this week’s episode of Talking Politics, Tom and Robert react to the disturbing bodycam footage from the scene and examine how a tragic murder became a national political flashpoint. They also discuss Farage’s intervention in the case, the family's repeated calls for calm, and why he chose to speak out on the issue after weeks of avoiding media scrutiny.
• How embarrassing are new Mandelson files for Labour? 01.06.2026 25mnt

  A new tranche of files have been released today relating to the appointment of disgraced peer Lord Mandelson as US ambassador. But what do they include, and how embarrassing are they for Keir Starmer and his government?Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss what’s included in the documents - from private messages between senior Labour figures, to Mandelson telling David Lammy that the government would "never regret" his appointment as ambassador, and Pat McFadden’s criticism of the PM.Mandelson has said he regrets his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, denies criminality, and says his priority is to cooperate with the police and clear his name.
• Andy Burnham is in but can he win? 18.05.2026 22mnt

  Tom and Robert are joined by ITV News Investigations Editor Daniel Hewitt following his exclusive interview with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.Burnham is hoping to return to Westminster by winning the Makerfield by-election - a move already fuelling excitement among his supporters that he could become Labour leader, and even Prime Minister, by the summer.Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s other main challenger, former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, has confirmed he would stand in any future leadership contest. He’s also thrown his weight behind rejoining the EU, putting Brexit firmly back on the political agenda.With Nigel Farage’s Reform UK surging in the local elections, would changing leader prove Labour has completely "lost its mind", or could this finally be Burnham’s moment?
• Keir Starmer: Is the coup over? 12.05.2026 19mnt

  Keir Starmer is battling to stay in post and after a pivotal cabinet meeting, Tom and Robert are in Downing Street to gauge the mood of ministers. All eyes are now on his main challenger threat, Wes Streeting. With his backers already making moves to oust the PM - will the Health Secretary act? Meanwhile, with Andy Burnham seen on a train to London, will he take the risk of mounting a leaderhip challenge, despite the Mayor of Greater Manchester not having a seat in Parliament?
• Can Keir Starmer survive this week as PM? 11.05.2026 33mnt

  Is it too little, too late for the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer?That's the opinion of Labour MP Catherine West when describing Starmer's speech on Monday, as he fought to save his job following a bruising set of local election results and subsequent calls for his resignation.On this week's Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston look at whether there is a future for Starmer as PM.Describing Friday's local election results as tough, Starmer claimed the country was facing both "dangerous times" and "dangerous opponents"."If we don't get this right, our country will go down a very dark path," claimed the PM."I know people are frustrated by the state of Britain, frustrated by politics, and some people, frustrated with me," said Starmer."I know I have my doubters, I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will."Over the weekend, Labour MP Catherine West spoke out, issuing an ultimatum that if a member of the cabinet had not challenged Starmer over the leadership by Monday, she would gather the 81 signatures to launch one herself.Her most recent words appear to back down on this, but still build momentum on pressuring the PM to depart.Ms West said she is gathering the names of Labour MPs to call on Sir Keir Starmer to set a timetable for the election of a new leader in September.
• Election results: Has Reform replaced the Tories as the party of the right? 08.05.2026 30mnt

  With huge gains across England's council elections, has Nigel Farage's Reform UK become the main party of the right - or is it too soon to right the Conservatives off?On Talking Politics Tom Bradby and Robert Peston break down the results with ITV News Elections Analyst Professor Colin Rallings and Professor Jane Green from Nuffield College, University of Oxford.How much further can Reform go and on a massive day for Plaid Cymru and the SNP - what do results across England, Wales and Scotland mean for Labour and the future of the UK?
• How Reform could cause an 'earthquake' in May elections 06.05.2026 27mnt

  It’s going to be a seismic week for British politics, as millions of voters head to the polls across England, Scotland and Wales. In this episode of Talking Politics, Tom and Robert are joined by ITV News Elections Analyst Colin Rallings, to unpack what’s at stake in the crucial May elections. They break down the key councils in England to watch out for, and look at why devolved contests in Scotland and Wales could lead to the break-up of the UK. Plus - has Farage’s Reform party peaked, or could they still engulf the Conservative Party? And why could a hostile leadership contest after the elections mean people never vote Labour again?
• McSweeney in the spotlight: new Mandelson evidence deepens crisis for PM 28.04.2026 26mnt

  Keir Starmer has faced yet another day of scrutiny over his “disastrous” choice of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador.On Talking Politics, Robert and Tom unpack why evidence from ex-foreign office official Philip Barton and the PM’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney exposed a series of missed opportunities and errors of judgement to stop the Mandelson appointment.Robert explains why the whole saga shows a “world of surreal madness” at the heart of government, and how it could be “existential” for the PM.Plus, reaction to yet another embarrassment for Starmer across the pond, as a leaked recording of the current US Ambassador threatens to overshadow the King’s state visit…
• Starmer v Robbins: Why top official's evidence is 'devastating' for the PM 21.04.2026 28mnt

  Keir Starmer is under fresh pressure over his controversial decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador. Explosive testimony from sacked top Foreign Office official Olly Robbins has revealed there was “constant pressure” from Number 10 to push the appointment through - raising serious questions about how the decision was made.On Talking Politics, Tom and Robert break down Robbins’ appearance at the Foreign Affairs Committee - and why the decision to sack him seems to have backfired on Starmer.Was Olly Robbins made a scapegoat? And could this scandal rival the scale of Partygate?Listen to this week’s episode to find out.
• How bad could things get for the UK economy as Iran war bites? 14.04.2026 23mnt

  Donald Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz is underway but how long can it last, and have the Americans backed themselves into a corner? On Talking Politics, Tom and Robert examine why the blockade could become a “slow and painful” strategy. They also break down the latest “depressing” forecasts for economic growth from the International Monetary Fund, a major blow to the UK economic outlook. And with fresh warnings from former Labour Defence Secretary and ex-NATO chief Lord Robertson that Britain’s security is “in peril,” Tom and Robert discuss how Sir Keir Starmer should respond.