Election Special: Is it change or die for Labour?

Election Special: Is it change or die for Labour?

Author: Global May 8, 2026 Duration: 51:05

The morning after elections, political parties send their leaders out to areas where they outperformed expectations to try and sell a narrative about their results, even on the bruising nights.

Such was the scale of Labour's defeat that for much of the night, it wasn't clear whether there was anywhere they could send Starmer. Eventually, he headed to Ealing where Labour kept control of the council. In West London, Starmer insisted he isn't "going to walk away". He acknowledged that "voters have sent a message about the pace of change". But isn't that message that they would like a Reform government? Isn't it at the very least that they do not want him to remain in Downing Street?

Where does Labour go from here - and is Nigel Farage now measuring the curtains in 10 Downing Street?

Later, Luke Tryl on the complete collapse of the two party system.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/


Every weekday afternoon, Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall gather to make sense of the noise. Their The News Agents isn't a simple bulletin; it's a conversation between three of the UK's most experienced journalists who have seen the machinery of government and media from the inside. This daily podcast from Global focuses on the forces shaping our world, dissecting the headlines from Westminster and beyond with a sharp eye for what really matters. You'll hear them pull apart political strategies, question the official narrative, and trace the connections between today's breaking story and its deeper roots. What sets this show apart is their collective tone-a blend of genuine expertise, natural scepticism, and the occasional necessary laugh at the absurdities of the news cycle. They provide context where others just provide clips, aiming to answer the persistent "why" behind the "what." Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a direct, unfiltered briefing from colleagues who know the landscape intimately, making the complex flow of daily events not just comprehensible but genuinely engaging. It’s analysis designed for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The News Agents
Podcast Episodes
Are football's new 'Ultras' a force for good? - The Sports Agents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:06
The fan phenomenon of ‘Ultras’ has taken Scotland by storm… TIFO’s, flares and drums - like we’re used to seeing in Europe - popping up everywhere from the Old Firm right down to the 4th division.So can this sub-culture…
How Trump lost control of the Iran war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:22
Donald Trump has urged Iran to “get serious” about reaching an agreement before it is “too late”. It’s nice having a world leader who takes peace so seriously. It’s just a shame Iran no longer believes a word he says. Th…
McSweeney's missing Mandelson messages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:08
The Met police took the unusual step of publishing a full transcript of a phone call that took place last October between Keir starmers chief of staff Morgan Mcsweeny and the 999 emergency services. In the call Morgan sa…
Are Trump's friends getting filthy rich on his “peace deal“? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:18
"Unusual activity" was observed on the main US stock market just fifteen minutes before Donald Trump went public with the sudden and unexpected news that he would stop striking Iranian energy sites and talks with Tehran…
Has Trump invented his peace deal with Iran? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:12
It's a funny old world when you have to check with Iran’s state TV before you know if the US president is telling the truth. In a post early this morning - just as the markets opened - Trump declared he’d had productive…
The case for Trump's war in Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:01
It can be hard to decipher the reasons behind the US-Israeli decision to strike Iran. With a flurry of hyperbolic - often contradictory - statements from the American leadership, the objectives, the progress, and the end…
How Morocco snatched Senegal's AFCON crown - The Sports Agents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:53
It has been like the longest VAR ruling in history… the match finished two months ago, the Africa Cup of Nations trophy was presented, the considerable celebrations and recriminations were complete.And then, just as some…
Is Iran winning the war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:57
Looking and sounding rather like a frat boy emerging from a hazing, Pete Hegseth arrived blinking, bombastic and victorious into his press conference this morning to declare complete success in his Epic Fury military cam…
Has Trump lost it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:24
Donald Trump's Oval Office ramblings are nothing new. But last night was off the scale. He thrashed out at allies. Castigated his friends. Contradicted himself. Lied about former presidents in a way that was painfully ea…