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Artwork for The Politics Show

The Politics Show

The New Statesman
Labour Party
Keir Starmer
Reform UK
Rachel Reeves
Cost Of Living
Nigel Farage
Donald Trump
Andy Burnham
UK Politics
Green Party
Ukraine
UK Economy
Russia
Conservative Party
Peter Mandelson
Wes Streeting
Kemi Badenoch
China
Gaza
Plaid Cymru

Helping you make sense of politics – every week.

Anoosh Chakelian and the New Statesman team bring you sharp reporting, clear analysis and thoughtful conversations to help you understand what’s really going on in Westminster and beyond.

The New Statesman is Britain’s leading source of news and commentary on politics and culture with a progressive perspective. On The Politics Show, our journalists ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1436Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNewsPolitics

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Artwork for The Politics Show

Latest Episodes

This morning Andy Burnham delivered a speech criticising “Whitehall culture” and promising to rebalance resources between national and local governments. 

On course to enter Downing Street in as little as three weeks, the former Greater Manchester M... more

Keir Starmer’s turn at the resignation lectern, Peter Murrell’s £400,000 shopping spree and Will Dunn’s attempt at a “Man v Horse” race. 

Will and Anoosh discuss the stories of the week.

READ: www.newstatesman.com/this-england/2026/06/one-s... more

From a by-election victory in Wigan, to the resignation of Keir Starmer, to an Avanti West Coast train bound for London, tracked by news helicopters - Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster has been a remarkable spectacle.

Whilst Burnham’s coup has ov... more

This morning, Keir Starmer stood outside No 10 Downing Street and announced his resignation as Prime Minister - the sixth to leave office since the EU referendum, which was ten years ago this week. He will remain in office until Labour selects a new ... more

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Recent Guests

Wes Streeting
Labour MP for Ilford North, former Health Secretary
Labour Party
Episode: Where Keir Starmer went wrong | Wes Streeting interview
Scarlett Maguire
Polling expert
The New Statesman
Episode: What does Makerfield make of Andy Burnham?
Kieran Lay
Reform councillor in Doncaster, guest on the Councillor of the Week segment
Reform Party
Episode: Nigel Farage’s £5 million “reward” from crypto billionaire | Will and Anoosh
Ethan Croft
Political correspondent
New Statesman
Episode: Streeting resigns, but can he trigger a leadership contest?
Catherine West
Backbench MP from North London who triggered a leadership challenge
Labour Party
Episode: The weirdest day in Westminster
Ben Walker
Senior data journalist
New Statesman
Episode: Local election results: the end of Starmer?
Zack Polanski
Leader, Green Party; activist and public figure
Green Party of England and Wales
Episode: Zack Polanski: Corbyn's true heir?
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Politician featured in a throwback encounter and discussed as a public figure
Conservative Party
Episode: Political F-bombs and Jacob Rees-Mogg “unbuttoned”
Lena Dunham
Author/actress discussed as a throwback figure of millennial feminism
Private individual
Episode: Political F-bombs and Jacob Rees-Mogg “unbuttoned”

Hosts

Anoosh Chakelian
Host of The Politics Show
Tom McTague
Editor-in-chief and regular contributor
Ailbhe Rea
Political editor and co-host

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 2.5k ratings
  • Wes Streeting

    Excellent interview with Wes. Very impressive analysis and a very impressive politician.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TIEITM
    United Kingdom16 days ago
  • Uneven talent

    Longtime listener, back to the Stephen and Helen glory days. Anoosh is an outstanding host and I enjoy the other voices, but Ailbhe is so grating. Her way of speaking is just not for podcasts and I have to turn off every episode as soon as I discover she’s on it.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    AmandaS_97
    United Kingdom25 days ago
  • Difficult to rate….

    ….Because some episodes are five star and others I have to give up on even if I’m interested in the topic. Could feel myself losing the will to live during this week’s episode as an excellent print journalist struggled to get a message out through a torrent of “kind of” “I mean” “like” and changes of direction. Since podcasting is now a standard part of the job for many print journalists can’t there be some way of helping people learn to do it well? I had to give up again before my brain fried

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lacwn
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • The pick of the crop

    Surely amongst the most informative and well-presented podcasts for those of us in far-flung outposts (Zimbabwe, in my case) who enjoy a brief, crisp, collegial review of UK politics. Thanks to all concerned.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Harare fan club
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Mediocre

    A recent episode was about “F-bombs of the week” and the two presenters kept laughing at their own jokes. It used to be sharper than this.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Voodoo|Chile
    Switzerland2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Balanced discussions that respect reporters on the ground.
Rich, nuanced coverage though some listeners want more critical pushback.
Consistently sharp analysis with a smart, human touch.
Polished, data-informed, and accessible with strong hosts.
Engaging, informative and well paced; a reliable UK politics briefing.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Where Keir Starmer went wrong | Wes Streeting interview
Q: What do you think you understand about politics that Keir Starmer doesn't, based on your years of experience and the last 11 years in Parliament?
He emphasizes a revisionist Labour approach grounded in openness to ideas and a willingness to test and adjust policies, drawing on experiences from local government and healthcare reform to advocate for a culture that encourages debate, tests policies, and confronts vested interests for the national interest.
Where Keir Starmer went wrong | Wes Streeting interview
Q: If you do become prime minister, you've already floated the idea that you might step down the employer NICs increase from the original 2024 budget, which was pitched as a budget for growth. How would you weather the next fiscal crunch without making tough choices?
Streeting outlines a growth-first approach where innovation, diffusion of that innovation across the economy, and investment in foundation industries would create the revenue base to fund public services, while staying honest about the economic challenges and aiming for a balanced policy to reduce the tax burden through growth.
Keir Starmer resigns: “He’s been chewed up and spat out”
Q: What were the implications for Labour's leadership contest and potential candidates?
The discussion highlighted Burnham as the leading contender, with questions about timing, cabinet balance, and whether a leadership contest would happen quickly or be delayed; internal calculations about readiness and unity dominated分析.
Keir Starmer resigns: “He’s been chewed up and spat out”
Q: Hi Ailbhe, what was the atmosphere like on Downing Street today?
The atmosphere was intensely charged and chaotic, with a crowded scene of media, supporters, and opponents; emotions ran high, and the moment captured both the gravity of the decision and the human toll on Keir Starmer and his family.
What does Makerfield make of Andy Burnham?
Q: What role does the Restore party and open-borders messaging play in the by-election dynamics?
Restore presents a disruptive force with a strong social media presence and more hard-right rhetoric, causing Reform to reassess its positioning and making Burnham's risk of being painted with traditional Labour strokes a salient concern.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Politics Show

What is The Politics Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Sharp, timely UK politics discussion with a focus on Westminster dynamics, party leadership contests, and the strategy of major parties and emerging forces. Episodes often dissect leadership tensions in Labour, governance and messaging from Keir Starmer, and the rise of Reform UK and the Greens, while pairing in-depth reporting with accessible analysis and occasional long-form interviews. Noteworthy is the mix of frontline reporting, data-driven forecasting, and candid, sometimes humorous banter among regular hosts, which gives the show a distinctive blend of rigor and personality. Listeners can expect clear explanations of complex political strategies, plus guest perspectives from MPs, political editors, and policy analysts on current even... more

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How many listeners does The Politics Show get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Politics Show have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Politics Show has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Politics Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Politics Show:

1. Political Fix
2. Politics Weekly UK
3. Politics Unpacked
4. Westminster Insider
5. Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

How many episodes of The Politics Show are there?

The Politics Show launched 13 years ago and published 1436 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Politics Show?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Politics Show?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Politics Show from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Politics Show?

Recent guests on The Politics Show include:

1. Wes Streeting
2. Scarlett Maguire
3. Kieran Lay
4. Ethan Croft
5. Catherine West
6. Ben Walker
7. Zack Polanski
8. Jacob Rees-Mogg

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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