Immigration system in crisis: sky-high hotel bills and a convict on the loose

Immigration system in crisis: sky-high hotel bills and a convict on the loose

Author: The Guardian October 27, 2025 Duration: 26:25
Another week, another immigration crisis. A powerful parliamentary committee has accused the Home Office – for this government and the last – of squandering billions of pounds on asylum accommodation and overseeing a ‘failed, chaotic and expensive’ system. The report came days after the barely believable revelation that the convicted sex offender whose case sparked protests at the Bell hotel in Epping was accidentally let out of prison on Friday instead of being deported. He is now back in custody. Pippa Crerar and Eleni Courea discuss the ongoing firefighting at the Home Office and its impact on the public consciousness. Plus, what now for Labour after a crushing defeat in Caerphilly and the election of its new deputy leader, Lucy Powell? Finally, we go back to the China spy row – will this be the week the mystery is cracked open? • Send your thoughts and questions to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com. 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
Will the UK ever rejoin the EU? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:23
Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey speak to the minister for EU relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds, about the fallout from Brexit and our relationship with the European Union. Plus, we hear his thoughts on Keir Starmer’s leadersh…
Starmer’s Mandelson mess and deputy leadership damage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:09
As the race to replace Angela Rayner as Labour’s deputy leader exposes tensions within the party, John Harris speaks to the former transport secretary Louise Haigh about what she thinks Keir Starmer should do to get back…
Reshuffle, Rayner resignation and rift with the unions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:48
Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the fallout from Angela Rayner’s resignation and Keir Starmer’s subsequent cabinet reshuffle. Why has Rayner’s departure raised concerns among union leaders? Who could become the nex…
What’s feeding the rise of Reform? On the road in Birmingham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:21
John Harris is at the Reform UK conference, asking how this once insurgent party came to dominate the political mainstream. And he speaks to people in Birmingham to find out what the rise of Nigel Farage’s party tells us…
Flags, flats and Labour in trouble (again) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:16
It’s the first week back after summer recess and Labour is already in trouble, with the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, referring herself to the standards watchdog over underpaying tax on her flat. Meanwhile, Keir…
Starmer’s back-to-school headaches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:25
Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey are back, talking through all of the challenges the government faces as MPs return to Westminster. Plus, they discuss the prime minister’s shake-up of his Downing Street team. Help support o…
No going back: Nigel Farage’s immigration plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:00
In a major speech this week, Reform UK set out how it would lower immigration. With controversial plans to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants and scrap key human rights protections, Nigel Farage described immigrati…
Revisited: A day on the frontline of England’s social care crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:24
An ageing population, a funding squeeze and a recruitment crisis have taken England’s adult social care system to breaking point. In this episode, recorded and first published in March, John Harris visited Greater Manche…
How does woke start winning again? – from The Audio Long Read [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:24
British progressives have suffered major setbacks in recent years, in both public opinion and court rulings. Was a backlash inevitable, and are new tactics needed? By Gaby Hinsliff. Read by Carlyss Peer Find more from Th…