Tony Blair and the battle for Labour’s soul

Tony Blair and the battle for Labour’s soul

Author: The Guardian May 28, 2026 Duration: 31:32
Peter Walker is joined by pollster Luke Tryl of More in Common to discuss Sir Tony Blair’s intervention in the Labour leadership saga and the party’s prospects in the Makerfield byelection Please send your questions and messages for Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey 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
A messy day for Starmer: is Labour ungovernable? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:40
Keir Starmer kicked off the day with a speech aimed at persuading MPs against launching any kind of leadership challenge. By lunchtime, Angela Rayner was speaking at the CWU conference calling for Andy Burnham to return.…
Reform UK gains at Labour’s expense in local elections [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:29
It has been a crushing set of local and devolved elections for Labour, with Reform UK making huge gains across the country and the Greens winning in London. Keir Starmer is under pressure to announce a timeline for his d…
Can the Greens and Reform win big in London? podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:02
This week Politics Weekly is on the road with the Greens in Hackney and Reform UK in Bromley ahead of the local elections to see why people are turning their backs on the traditional parties in London. This episode was r…
Will Reform dominate the local and devolved elections? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:14
Pippa Crerar is joined by the election analyst Prof Rob Ford to look at the upcoming local and devolved elections. Will Reform dominate across England? Can the Greens remove Labour’s longstanding hold over London? And wi…
Will this be another nightmare week for Keir Starmer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:01
Keir Starmer is facing another tumultuous week. His former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney will be grilled in front of MPs on Tuesday over the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal, there are rumours that Labour MPs are workin…
Has Starmer’s sacking of Olly Robbins backfired? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 am…
Judgment day for Starmer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:40
Keir Starmer has updated the House of Commons on what he knew, and when, in regard to Peter Mandelson’s vetting for the post of UK ambassador to the US. Was what the PM said enough to convince his party and the public th…
Is Keir Starmer ‘complacent’ on defence? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:11
Keir Starmer has hit back at Labour peer George Robertson’s criticisms about defence funding. Why has the government been slow to prioritise defence and what trade-offs is Keir Starmer willing to make in order to increas…
Hormuz, Hungary and the UK shifting closer to the EU [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:04
After 16 years in power in Hungary, Viktor Orbán has been defeated, marking a huge shift in the European Union. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has defended potential legislation that will align the UK with European rules – with…
Trump and the Middle East: can Starmer do anything? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:16
Keir Starmer and the UK government are scrabbling to keep up with Trump’s fast-changing position on Iran and the Middle East. While a two-week ceasefire is in place, how long will it hold for? Peter Walker and Alexandra…