logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2023
34m 15s

Sunak's speech: Has he cost himself the ...

GLOBAL
About this episode

Rishi Sunak was on his feet in a speech that was frankly too long.

It ripped up HS2 and replaced it with a nebulous Northern Network pledge. It promised to rethink A levels and ban young people from smoking.

There was nothing on housing, energy, social care , the environment - it felt, indeed, like the end of the road.

Has he convinced anyone he is the future ? And what will Labour do with the cancelled project now?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Producer: Will Gibson-Smith

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

Up next
Today
Why does Gregg Wallace believe he’s the real victim?
Gregg Wallace’s friends have been telling newspapers that his "autistic hypersensitivity" meant that he had an “oddity of filters and boundaries", including an inability to wear underwear or any tight clothing. Gregg himself has complained that the BBC neglected its duty of care ... Show More
29m 5s
Yesterday
Why has Elon Musk's AI chatbot started imitating Hitler?
Last night on X, Elon Musk's AI chatbot - Grok - started imitating Hitler in its responses to user questions. Was this intentional? Did Musk really command his AI tool to spew out anti-semitic takes? And will this lead to any sort of regulation over AI?Later, we discuss the upcom ... Show More
35m 54s
Jul 8
Would a wealth tax save Rachel Reeves?
The government has studiously avoided ruling out a wealth tax this week. Minister after minister has refused to knock down the suggestion, despite the Chancellor having dismissed the idea as recently as April. So what's changed? Could a levy on wealthy individuals be on the cards ... Show More
38m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Long-term, can Rishi Sunak make it a brighter future?
The prime minister closed the Conservative Party conference with a speech setting out his pitch for the next election, promising to reform A-levels, support the health service and crack down on smoking. He also finally confirmed that the HS2 link from Birmingham to Manchester is ... Show More
24m 53s
Mar 2024
Is Donald Trump broke?
Elon Musk has given an interview to former CNN Anchor Don Lemon. He gets quite upset when Lemon asks him why X has gone to shit under his stewardship, and whether hate speech is still welcomed on his platform. Meanwhile, Trump is talking about a blood bath in Ohio and no one can ... Show More
26m 51s
Feb 2024
Why is Fox News fact-checking Trump?
Fox News cut away from Trump's victory speech in South Carolina to correct his lies, in real time. And call out his election denials. What's going on between the TV channel and their former hero - and how long will it last. Also on the episode - why is Biden talking about a Gaza ... Show More
31m 50s
Apr 2024
Is banning smoking "unconservative"?
'Absolutely nuts' was how former Prime Minister Boris Johnson described Rishi Sunak’s plan to gradually phase out smoking – banning anyone born since the start of 2009 from ever being able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products like vapes.      Liz Truss, who was also briefly prim ... Show More
23m 39s
Jun 2024
264. Rishi Sunak’s defining moment
Could Farage engineer a reverse takeover of the Tory Party? Why has Emmanuel Macron called a snap election? Are Labour losing votes to the Greens? Join Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell for the latest episode of The Rest Is Politics, where they answer all these questions and mor ... Show More
56m 31s
Jun 2024
Electioncast: Sunak and Labour's Final Sunday Pitch
On today’s episode, Laura talks with Paddy and Henry about her interview with Rishi Sunak this morning, in which the PM came out fighting once again.Labour’s campaign chief Pat McFadden was also on her show. They discuss why it was him, and not Keir Starmer.You can join our Newsc ... Show More
30m 21s
Feb 2024
Commotion and a no confidence motion: What damage has the Commons Gaza row done?
The third largest party in the House of Commons, the SNP, says it doesn't have confidence in its Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle. The Speaker himself says he took decisions about how MPs debated and voted on calls for a ceasefire in Gaza because he wanted as broad a discussion as possible ... Show More
26m 14s
Jun 2024
79. Nadhim Zahawi: Iraq, Conservatism, and why he backed Boris Johnson
What does the former Chancellor make of the current Conservative election campaign? What was his experience escaping Saddam Hussein's Iraq? And does he stand by his support of Boris Johnson and Brexit? Nadhim Zahawi joins Rory and Alastair to answer all these questions and more o ... Show More
48m 54s
May 2024
How deepfakes in India are changing the world’s largest election
From the resurrection of dead leaders, to cloned voices of politicians and Bollywood stars, political campaigns are shaking up India’s general election by heavily investing in AI technology. Could it be a blueprint for elections everywhere?  In this episode:  Nilesh Christopher, ... Show More
18m 20s
Feb 2024
Will Young: popstar to politician? Plus Westminster ceasefire row
Nish and guest co-presenter Liz Bates set the scene on what went on to become a chaotic night  in the Commons, that put speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s job at risk. They call out the “pathetic and petty” political game playing that sought to use the suffering of people in Gaza to embarra ... Show More
56m 22s