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The Week in Westminster

BBC Radio 4
Labour Party
Keir Starmer
Assisted Dying
Conservative Party
China
Parliament
House Of Lords
Government Process
Palliative Care
Donald Trump
Budget
Budget In Government
NHS
Cost Of Living
Brexit
Economic Stability
Private Members' Bill
Child Sexual Abuse
Ukraine
Taylor Swift

Radio 4's weekly assessment of developments at Westminster

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes18Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Artwork for The Week in Westminster

Latest Episodes

Isabel Hardman assesses the Iran conflict, three weeks in, with Labour's Dame Emily Thornberry MP who chairs the Foreign Affairs select committee and the former Conservative deputy Foreign Secretary Sir Andrew Mitchell MP.

The chief executive of th... more

Pippa Crerar of The Guardian assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

To discuss the unfolding conflict in the Middle East, and Britain's response, Pippa is joined by Labour peer, Lord West, a former First Sea Lord and Security Minister, and... more

George Parker discusses Prime Minister Starmer’s decision not to support the US-Israel offensive against Iran, and the pressure he has been under for it, with the crossbench peer Kim Darroch, who was the UK’s Ambassador to the United States during Pr... more

Sonia Sodha discusses the Greens' by-election win in the Greater Manchester seat of Gorton and Denton and where this leaves Sir Keir Starmer with the Bassetlaw MP Jo White, who chairs the Red Wall caucus and Andrew Fisher, who was a senior adviser to... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Admiral Lord West
Labour peer, former First Sea Lord and Security Minister
Episode: 14/03/2026
Tobias Ellwood
Former Defence Minister
Conservative Party
Episode: 14/03/2026
Dame Vera Baird
Former Victims Commissioner, chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission
KC (legal firm)
Episode: 14/03/2026
Cassia Rowland
Senior researcher at the Institute for Government
Institute for Government
Episode: 14/03/2026
Kishwer Falkner
Crossbench peer, former EHRC Chair
Policy Exchange (Think Tank)
Episode: 14/03/2026
Sunder Katwala
Director, British Future Think Tank
British Future
Episode: 14/03/2026
Paul Ovenden
Keir Starmer's former director of strategy (Downing Street)
Labour Party
Episode: 14/03/2026
Kim Darroch
Crossbench peer, former UK ambassador to the United States
UK Parliament/Foreign Affairs
Episode: 07/03/2026
Cathy Ashton
Labour peer, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs
UK Parliament/European Union
Episode: 07/03/2026

Hosts

Sonia Sodha
Host of The Week in Westminster; frequent political commentator and policy analyst.
Caroline Wheeler
Host of The Week in Westminster; experienced political journalist covering leadership and policy transitions.

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 311 ratings
  • BAFTA material no less …

    this podcast is as if ”yes minister” and ”absolute power” had had a love child. great satire; if only it were.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    familieheinzbecker
    Germanya year ago
  • The week in Westminster 25th February 2024

    I have just turned this off as the presenter, has interrupted every answer that has been given by her quests. This used to be the one political program that was worth listening to but over the last few weeks I have become very disillusioned.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    mmmme111
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • More Steve Richards Please

    This programme is at its best when presented by Steve Richards. His own podcasts are excellent too.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lexie 77
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • How few people do they want to listen?

    This is very much an insiders clique programme, why are plebs listening? Tax payers not invited, and certainly don’t expect the government to be held to account. Ms. Quinn still hasn’t called them out on the 2010 Tory foundation lie that all the money was gone when they came to power; don’t expect them to be asked why they’ve blown up the economy! It’s strange that for 13 years the presenters have accepted that Gordon Brown was personally responsible for the credit crunch (don’t mention it wa... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Wombat Aberdeen
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Totally out of touch

    This show’s misnamed it should be Westminster Bubble. The presenters have so little clue that they think the Labour Party have been in government for the last 13 years.

    Here’s a Tory (simper simper) droning on; lying blatantly; don’t mention we’ve borrowed TRILLIONS; we’ve just smashed the economy! Aww how wonderful you are!

    Labour: we might borrow, less than Con have to give the rich tax cuts, to invest … not permitted to say a paragraph… What! You’ll never be able to do that!

    Plaid Cymru; Lib... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    FredTLW
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Some reviews note a sense that the format leans insider-heavy or partisan at times, but content is generally seen as informative and timely.
Guests and presenters are frequently described as knowledgeable and well-connected, offering clear Westminster insight.
The show is praised for its balanced, insider perspective and strong guest mix.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#222
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#8
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#197
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#50
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#57
France/Government
Apple Podcasts
#78
Italy/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

28/02/2026
Q: Jo, what does that mean for seats like yours in the Red Wall?
Jo White explains the need for fighting on multiple fronts and exposing weaknesses of both sides, including how Labour and Reform are positioning themselves against Greens and the Conservatives.
07/02/2026
Q: Is there a danger that some of what is released damage our international relationships?
The Joint Committee on National Security does not have the power to release any documents without the permission of the government.
07/02/2026
Q: Do you think that that commitment to tackling violence against women and girls has been undermined by the row surrounding Peter Mandelson?
I don't think it's been undermined at all.
07/02/2026
Q: Can the Prime Minister tell us, did the official security vetting he received mention Mandelson's ongoing relationship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein?
Yes, it did.
24/01/2026
Q: Do you think it's right that he makes that trip to China?
Concerns were raised about the context and implications of the trip, especially in relation to human rights.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Week in Westminster

What is The Week in Westminster about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show offers a concise, weekly snapshot of Westminster dynamics, balancing election-time jitters with insider analysis from MPs, journalists, and policy experts. Across episodes, common threads include leadership challenges within major parties, Brexit and constitutional debates, education and welfare policy, international-relations implications for the UK, and the mechanics of government communication and civil service culture. Guests frequently span Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat figures, and notable journalists or think-tank voices who provide strategic context, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and informed critique. A few episodes stand out for their high-profile leadership discussions, cross-party tensions, and timely explor... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Week in Westminster?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Week in Westminster:

1. Westminster Hour
2. Newscast
3. Radical with Amol Rajan
4. Americast
5. The News Agents

How many episodes of The Week in Westminster are there?

The Week in Westminster launched 19 years ago and published 18 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Week in Westminster?

Recent guests on The Week in Westminster include:

1. Admiral Lord West
2. Tobias Ellwood
3. Dame Vera Baird
4. Cassia Rowland
5. Kishwer Falkner
6. Sunder Katwala
7. Paul Ovenden
8. Kim Darroch

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