Has Starmer’s sacking of Olly Robbins backfired?

Has Starmer’s sacking of Olly Robbins backfired?

Author: The Guardian April 23, 2026 Duration: 35:08
After Keir Starmer’s statement to the Commons and gripping evidence from the sacked top civil servant Olly Robbins, Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey talk about how the story of Peter Mandelson’s vetting for his job as UK ambassador to the US, which was first broken by the Guardian last Thursday, has unfolded this week. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politicspod">theguardian.com/politicspod</a>

Every seven days, the whirlwind of Westminster, Holyrood, and beyond offers more headlines than anyone can easily digest. That’s where Politics Weekly UK comes in, offering a necessary pause for reflection and analysis. Hosted by Guardian columnist John Harris, the conversation is joined by the paper’s political editor Pippa Crerar and policy editor Kiran Stacey. Together, they don’t just recount the events; they pull apart the parliamentary manoeuvres, scrutinise the policy announcements, and trace the human stories behind the soundbites. You’ll hear informed debate that cuts through the noise, drawing on the deep reporting resources and editorial insight that The Guardian is known for. This isn't about partisan point-scoring, but a clearer understanding of the forces shaping the country. Tuning into this podcast provides a coherent narrative through the complexity, making sense of what just happened and what might come next. It’s an essential companion for anyone trying to look beyond the day-to-day frenzy and grasp the deeper currents in British public life.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

Politics Weekly UK
Podcast Episodes
Starmer: ‘We don’t want a trade war’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:50
Keir Starmer has held an emergency press conference in response to Donald Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland. Pippa and Kiran discuss what the UK prime minister said and how it may be received. Help support our indepe…
Badenoch sacks Jenrick: who will win the fight for the right? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:30
Sacked, suspended and the whip removed – Kemi Badenoch announced in spectacular fashion that Robert Jenrick was booted out of the Tory party for plotting to defect. John Harris and Kiran talk about how this will play out…
X rated: Ofcom investigates Grok [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:41
Ofcom has launched an investigation into X over its AI tool Grok – but what does it mean when the platform is widely used by the government? Plus, Pippa and Kiran discuss Nadhim Zahawi’s defection to Reform UK, and why i…
Kidnapping and chaos: welcome to Trump’s world [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:59
In just one week Venezuela’s president was kidnapped by the US, Donald Trump talked of needing Greenland, the UK and France agreed to deploy troops in Ukraine if a peace deal was reached, and two oil tankers were seized…
Is Starmer’s silence on Venezuela worth it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:22
Pippa and Kiran discuss the mounting pressure on Keir Starmer to condemn the US capture of Nicolás Maduro. The prime minister is keen to walk the diplomatic tightrope but at what cost to his reputation globally and withi…
Revisited: How the Beatles helped my autistic son find his voice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:54
In this podcast from 4 April, John Harris speaks to Today in Focus about how music helped him connect with his son, James. Harris tells Helen Pidd what he has learned about the way some autistic people experience music,…
Review of 2025: another fine mess? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:32
John Harris, Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey look back at the biggest political moments of 2025, and discuss what 2026 might bring. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politicspo…
John Crace on his book, The Bonfire of the Insanities [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:42
Pippa and Kiran speak to the Guardian’s sketch writer, John Crace, about his latest book, The Bonfire of the Insanities: How Does This Government Thing Work Again?, which is a compilation of his daily work starting from…